Dental Anesthesia Methods, Types of Anesthetics

General Information on Pain-Free Anesthesia

The goal of dental anesthesia is to ensure that our procedures are always performed painlessly. Whether it is a surgical or non-surgical treatment, it can be stated that after administering the proper anesthesia, the patient will not feel pain during the procedure.

The essence of anesthetic solutions is to block the function of sensory nerves in the mouth, gums, and pulp by delivering different anesthetic fluids to specific areas. As a result, the pain-sensitive nerve endings do not transmit pain signals to the brain.

Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it neither blocks the function of the motor nerves nor interferes with the function of deep, pressure-sensitive nerves. As a result, although the patient does not feel any pain, they may still experience pressure or touch sensations even around the anesthetized area. It is important to emphasize that this does not indicate pain, but rather a dull sensation that something is happening in that area.

Mucosal anesthesia

During mucosal anesthesia, only the superficial layers of the mucous membrane are numbed. This allows for very minor, surface-level procedures to be performed and can also be used prior to injection anesthesia to reduce the discomfort caused by the needle. Lidocaine spray or benzocaine-based flavored gels can be used for this purpose.

Anesthesia accessories: needle, syringe

To administer the anesthetic solution, a syringe and needles of various diameters and lengths are required. Traditional syringes are made in a sterile, disposable form. A needle is attached to the syringe for use. The standard needle typically has a diameter of 0.4-0.5 mm.

Carpule syringe

Instead of traditional tools, our clinic uses the carpule system. In this system, the syringe is not disposable, and the anesthetic solution is loaded in cartridge form. The needle can be secured to it with threaded fittings.

Advantages:

• The needle diameter is much smaller, at 0.3 mm, making it less painful
• It can be administered more gently and precisely, causing less tension.
• It is safer, as the needle cannot detach from the syringe.

How local anesthesia is administered?

We typically use a very fine injection needle (Carpule) and always apply anesthetic gel beforehand to avoid any discomfort from the needle prick. Often, it is not the needle insertion itself that causes discomfort in the mucosa but rather the injection of the anesthetic fluid into the tissues. To alleviate this, our team always deposits the anesthetic fluid very slowly, resulting in less tension during the anesthesia process.

Length of anesthetic effect

The duration of numbness can never be defined by a single word, as it depends on numerous factors. It varies based on the area to be anesthetized, the amount and type of anesthetic administered. Additionally, it depends on the patient's current stress level, age, prior food and fluid intake.

Generally, the effects of anesthetic solutions wear off about 2-3 hours after administration, though individual variations can occur. As numbness fades, a tingling sensation may be felt, which is a normal response.

Complications of Dental Anesthesia

Fortunately, complications are quite rare, and when they do occur, they are usually mild and temporary, with effects that resolve after a short period.

Lidocain allergy

Some patients may exhibit allergic reactions to anesthetic solutions. It is very important to inform your dentist if you have had any unusual reactions to anesthesia in the past, as this will allow us to choose an alternative anesthetic for your treatments.

Heart palpatation, increased heart rate

After the use of a larger amount of anesthetic, mild palpitations and an increased heart rate may occur. This does not indicate an allergic reaction, as it is simply a response to the vasoconstrictor component of the solution.

Since most anesthetics contain a vasoconstrictor (adrenaline), it is important to inform your dentist if you have had issues with eye pressure (glaucoma) or if you use eye drops. In such cases, an adrenaline-free solution can be used.

Further complications

After anesthesia, in rare cases, uncomfortable symptoms may develop, such as a hematoma (bruise), an anemic area on the skin, or in extreme cases, facial paralysis (nerve injury due to dental anesthesia). These are all temporary and will disappear once the effects of the anesthetic wear off.

Dental anesthesia during pregnancy

When considering the materials used during pregnancy, we must always evaluate the risk of postponing the procedure and the potential dangers of the materials used during the procedure. Delaying dental treatments can have much more serious consequences than administering an anesthetic solution.

For this reason, we recommend that if it is not an emergency procedure, it is worth waiting until the second trimester, but it is not advisable to delay necessary procedures any further. Therefore, during pregnancy, we do not avoid the use of anesthetics for dental procedures starting from the second trimester.