Sir,- We note with interest J. Pedlar's recent letter (British Dental Journal 2003; 195: 119) in which he reports on seven patients with prolonged paraesthesia following articaine administration1. It would be of interest to know the duration of the paraesthesia, the number of patients with permanent symptoms, the distribution of the paraesthesia and the length of time over which the cases accrued.

Since the publication of our letter2 five further cases of lingual paraesthesia lasting longer than two weeks have come to our attention, and a further six cases have come to our attention from another region.

Furthermore two patients with prolonged lingual paraesthesia following articaine administration are exploring the medico-legal route. The Canadian experience, which reported an increase in post-operative paraesthesia following the introduction of articaine in the country3, appears to be mirrored in the United Kingdom.

The large number of patients reported in Mr. Pedlar's letter and the steady increase in patients with post-operative paraesthesia following articaine use in our region is certainly cause for concern. It would be useful to know if this is a general trend nationally.