Local pain management is the most critical aspect of patient care in dentistry. Local anesthesia is a reversible blockade of nerve conduction in an applied area that produces loss of sensation. The chemical agents used to produce local anesthesia stabilize neuronal membranes by inhibiting the ionic fluxes required for the propagation of neural impulses. Proper local anesthesia permits the dental surgeon to perform the necessary surgical procedure in a careful, gentle fashion that will be less stressful for both the operator and the patient. The improvements in agents for local anesthesia are probably the most significant advances that have occurred in dental science. Today's anesthetics are safe, effective, and can be administered with insignificant soft tissue damage and minimal concerns for allergic reactions. This article reviews the widely used local anesthetic agents for obtaining local anesthesia, and also discusses some frequently seen complications.