Injectional anesthesia

Sometimes patients hesitate to visit the dentist on time due to fear of potentially painful procedures. The reason for this is memories from childhood carried into adulthood, when the sound of the drill working from the doctor’s office is mixed with groans clearly expressing pain.

Today, absolutely all dental treatment procedures are performed painlessly. Moreover, there is an entire medical industry dedicated to the development and production of effective anesthetics for quality anesthesia (thousands of specialists work on this). One of the most common methods of pain relief is injection anesthesia, which guarantees patient comfort during procedures.

Modern injection anesthesia in dentistry has become so advanced that patients no longer feel fear before visiting the doctor. Over the last decade, medicine has significantly changed its approach to dental treatment, creating comfortable conditions for both adults and young patients.

What is injection anesthesia?

Anesthesia is the process of administering a drug by injection that provides a pain-relieving effect. As a result of this procedure, body tissues or specific areas become insensitive to stimuli. The action of anesthetics temporarily blocks the transmission of nerve impulses to the brain, so the patient does not feel pain.

Indications for this type of anesthesia

Anesthetics used by dentists before procedures that cause pain may be necessary in the following cases:

• Tooth or cyst removal;
• Pulp removal (depulpation);
• Treatment of moderate and deep caries, as well as its complications;
• Tooth shaping to prepare for crown or bridge prosthetics;
• Implant placement;
• Soft tissue or bone plastic surgery, etc.

Anesthesia is also often applied for neuritis and neuralgia of the facial nerve.

Types of injection anesthesia

Depending on the site of anesthesia administration, several types are distinguished:

1. Infiltration anesthesia - the most common method of pain relief. The anesthetic is injected near the root of the problematic tooth by piercing the tissue several times. This allows the drug to reach the canals through the alveolar process.
2. Conduction anesthesia - injections are made into the tissues around the canal and near the nerve, which blocks the transmission of nerve impulses from a specific area. The effect of this anesthesia lasts 1.5–2 hours and is used for longer procedures.
3. Intraligamentary anesthesia - injections are made on both sides so that the needle reaches the periodontal ligaments. This instantly numbs the selected area. Often used for milk teeth, and in adults combined with other methods.
4. Intraosseous anesthesia - the drug is injected into the spongy bone layer between the teeth. The effect is fast but short-lived: only several teeth and part of the gums go numb, without affecting the tongue, cheek, or lips.

The choice of anesthesia type depends on the specifics of the intervention and the type of procedure.

Contraindications to local anesthesia

Contraindications for the use of local anesthesia include the following patient conditions and situations:

• Individual intolerance to the drug or its components (positive allergy test after blood analysis);
• Cardiovascular diseases suffered in the last 6 months: stroke, myocardial infarction, etc.;
• Endocrine system disorders: diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, and others;
• Respiratory diseases: bronchial asthma, acute pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, etc.;
• Tachycardia, angina pectoris, arrhythmia;
• Kidney function disorders;
• Mental disorders;
• Taking certain medications;
• Glaucoma;
• Some types of heart surgery (e.g., coronary artery bypass grafting surgery).

If contraindications to local anesthesia are suspected, the patient will be advised to undergo general anesthesia. If a prolonged or extensive intervention is needed to treat dental diseases, and local anesthesia is impossible due to contraindications, the dentist may prescribe one of the general types of anesthesia

Why might anesthesia not work?

In some cases, it is impossible to completely numb the required anatomical areas, which may result in residual painful reactions. The main reasons for this are:

1. Inflammatory process. Injecting anesthetic into inflamed tissues often does not provide the proper effect. Surrounding the inflammation site partially reduces sensitivity, but in some patients, the pain does not completely disappear. For example, when opening purulent formations (such as purulent periostitis), unpleasant sensations may occur.
2. Presence of formations in the anesthesia injection zone.
3. Individual sensitivity to the drug. In some patients, the anesthetic works less effectively due to their body’s peculiarities.
4. Incorrect anesthesia technique. In such cases, errors by the doctor are possible.
5. Wrong choice of anesthesia method. For example, using infiltration instead of conduction anesthesia.
6. Insufficient drug effectiveness or inappropriate dose.
7. Alcohol intoxication. The presence of alcohol in the blood reduces the effectiveness of anesthetics.
8. Subjective perception by the patient. Anesthesia does not eliminate tactile sensitivity, so some people may mistakenly perceive these sensations as pain.

It is worth noting that modern dentistry provides all necessary conditions for comfortable and painless treatment. Thanks to this, the fear of pain in the dental office is gradually becoming a thing of the past.

What are the advantages of injection anesthesia?

This type of anesthesia has a number of advantages compared to other methods:

• High effectiveness;
• Longer-lasting effect;
• Minimal impact on the body - does not harm internal organs or their systems;
• No need for further medical supervision.

Our specialists take into account the patient’s health status and wishes, guaranteeing high-quality and painless performance of any dental procedures.