Local Anesthesia: Anesthetics in Dentistry in Bethlehem & Stroudsburg, PA
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Feel Comfortable During Your Dental Visit
Local anesthetics and sedation dentistry are essential in modern oral surgery, providing pain relief during various dental procedures. Oral surgeons use these medications through local anesthetic administration to ensure patients have a comfortable and pain-free experience while receiving dental care.
At Lehigh Valley Oral Surgery & Implant Center, our Bethlehem & Stroudsburg, PA oral surgeon will ensure that every patient feels comfortable during their visit. To schedule an appointment, contact us today by calling 484-821-1357.
What Are Local Anesthetics?
What Are Local Anesthetics?Local anesthetics are designed to block sensation in a specific area of the body. A local anesthetic agent is used in dentistry to create numbness in the oral cavity, including the mouth, gums, and teeth. This numbing effect is crucial for ensuring that dental procedures are virtually painless.
Local anesthetics function by interfering with the transmission of pain signals from nerve endings to the brain. They achieve this by blocking sodium channels in nerves, preventing the nerves from sending pain signals.
With local anesthetics, oral surgeons can perform a wide array of procedures, such as fillings, extractions, root canals, and gum surgeries, with minimal or no pain for the patient.
Types of Local Anesthetics in Dentistry
There are several types of local anesthetic drugs used in dentistry. Our oral surgeon will always inform you of what is being used before your dental treatment.
Common local anesthetics include:
- Lidocaine: One of the most commonly utilized local anesthetics in dentistry. It’s renowned for its rapid onset of action and effectiveness in providing relief from pain.
- Articaine: It’s gaining popularity in dental practice due to its high potency and ability to perform well in inflamed tissues, making it an excellent choice for certain dental procedures.
- Mepivacaine: This is preferred when a longer-lasting numbing effect is required. It’s particularly suitable for more extended and complex dental procedures.
- Prilocaine: This is often chosen for patients who may be sensitive to other local anesthetics, as it carries a lower risk of causing allergic reactions.
- Bupivacaine: Used in situations where prolonged anesthesia is necessary. It offers an extended duration of action, making it suitable for specific dental treatments.
How a Local Anesthetic Is Administered
Injections
The most common method of administering a local anesthetic is through injections. These injections are usually targeted at the gum tissue or near the nerves of the affected area.
Mandibular nerve blocks, which use buffered 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine, are a specific technique that can improve safety and allow for lower doses of local anesthetic. The addition of epinephrine induces vasoconstriction, delays absorption of the local anesthetic for a longer duration of action at the site of injection, and also improves hemostasis of the operative field.
Topical Anesthesia
Before administering injections, oral surgeons often apply topical anesthesia to the surface of oral tissues. These topicals numb the area, reducing the pain associated with the insertion of the injection needle.
The Wand (Computer-Assisted Anesthesia)
The Wand is a computer-assisted system designed to precisely control the flow rate and pressure of the anesthetic solution during injections. This advanced technology enhances the accuracy and comfort of the injection process for patients.
Treatments Where Local Anesthetics May Be Used
Local anesthetics are used in various dental treatments to provide pain relief and ensure patient comfort during the procedures. Common treatments include:
- Dental Fillings: A local anesthetic is frequently used when oral surgeons need to remove decayed tooth material and fill cavities.
- Tooth Extractions: When a tooth needs to be removed due to severe damage, infection, or orthodontic reasons, a local anesthetic is administered to numb the area around the tooth, making the extraction painless.
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Injections: In cases of TMJ disorders or jaw pain, a local anesthetic may be used for therapeutic injections to alleviate pain and discomfort.
- Periodontal Treatment: Periodontal treatments such as scaling and root planing, which aim to treat gum disease, may involve local anesthetics to make the procedure more comfortable.
- Infiltration Anesthesia: Infiltration anesthesia is commonly used in dental treatments, including maxillary and mandibular blocks, buccal infiltration, and palatal infiltration, to provide effective pain control.
- Inferior Alveolar Nerve: The inferior alveolar nerve plays a crucial role in dental procedures, providing sensory innervation to the mandibular teeth, periosteum, and surrounding soft tissues. Techniques such as the Gow-Gates and Vazirani-Akinosi methods are used to administer inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANB).
