Is it possible to give painless anesthesia?! As dentists and dental students, we seek to make each patient’s experience as pain free as possible, starting with the injection of local anesthesia. So, what can we do?!
- Thoroughly dry the gingival tissue and mucosa is the area to be injected with gauze.
2. Apply topical anesthesia to the dried tissue for 30-60 seconds until it appears corrugated. Nope, it’s not just a placebo. Now, time for the injection!
3. Pull the tissue taut and begin to gently shake the lips while inserting the needle to distract the patient. As you start, deliver a few drops of anesthesia to numb the tissue to the initial poke.
4. Continue to inject the anesthesia VERY slowly while slowly advancing the needle tip until you are at the desired point. The speed at which you inject is very important, administering it too quickly results in a burning sensation that patients will perceive as pain. •
Take your time and follow these tips. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the injections can be!
