What do systematic reviews say?

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine

It is very uncertain whether 0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine changes speed of onset of anaesthesia (soft tissue, simulated) compared with 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine (very low certainty).

• Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes
  MD 0.02 [-1.07, 1.10]
  3 studies · 79 participants
  Very low

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine showed no clear difference in success of local anaesthesia, absence of pain (clinical testing of… compared with 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine (low certainty).

• Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes

  10 minutes post-injection to end of clinical procedure
  OR 0.58 [0.07, 5.12]
  2 studies · 31 participants
  Low

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine

• Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes
  SoF: See comment, not estimable (orphan study; duration of follow-up not reported); 100 participants, 100 interventions (1 study). Not pooled/graded.
  1 study · 100 participants
  GRADE not reported

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine

It is very uncertain whether 0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine changes duration of anaesthesia (soft tissue, simulated) compared with 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine (very low certainty).

• Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes
  MD 222.88 [135.99, 309.76]
  6 studies · 232 participants
  Very low

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine may leads to higher speed of onset of anaesthesia (pulpal, electric pulp tester; healthy… compared with 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine (low certainty).

• Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes
  MD 3.32 [0.27, 6.37]
  2 studies · 63 participants
  Low

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes
  SoF: Not measured.
  0 studies
  No studies found

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine showed no clear difference in success of local anaesthesia (pulpal, electric pulp tester; healthy… compared with 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine (low certainty).

• Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes
  RR 0.80 [0.62, 1.05]
  3 studies · 90 participants
  Low

0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine

• Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes
  'Other comparisons with 100% success': IANB - Sampaio 2012 35/35 vs 35/35; Fernandez 2005 39/39 vs 39/39. Both formulations 100% successful; no meta-analysis (no difference).
  2 studies · 74 participants
  GRADE not reported