According to recent surveys 56% of patient’s find the dental injection to be the least pleasant part of their dental visit. Whether you have a dental emergency or about to get a composite filling, a CEREC crown, or a dental veneer the anesthetic is a necessary part of the procedure for your comfort. Hopefully, our technology will one day reach a point where the days of a dentist telling you to open wide and jabbing a needle will be over.
Unfortunately, the dental injection is still needed before fixing those chompers. But dentistry has come a long way in making that dreaded needle much more comfortable. The painless dental injection is possible in the Smile Arts of NY dental office. Dr. Peter Mann uses three tricks routinely to make the “needle” much more bearable for his patients.
1. Incorporating the use of a very strong topical anesthetic. This is a strong topical anesthetic, not the cherry flavored one many patients have experienced. The topical consists three active anesthetics for maximum effects; Lidocaine, Prilocaine, and Tetracaine. Before the injection, we first we apply the topical cream on the injection site and let it rest for a few minutes.
2. The Dental Vibe is a modern tool that pulsates (vibrates) as the injection is being administered. The vibration distract your brain from focusing on the discomfort of the injection
3. It’s very important to inject the anesthetic slowly. If the soft tissue rapidly swells with fluid the nerve receptors fire causing pain. Patiently injecting the anesthetic produces the least amount of sensation.
Dr. Peter Mann is a cosmetic dentist in Manhattan, New York.
