Painless Dental Injection? Is it Possible?

Greetings from the Office of Dr. Jack Bodie!

I don’t know about you, but my earliest memories of going to the dentist as a child were all about that shot in the mouth I was going to get! So, when I first went to dental school, I was determined to find a way to give painless injections. Although it has taken quite a few years to perfect the technique, it is possible to give a painless dental injection in most cases. Here are the details:

Topical Anesthetics

Nearly everyone has heard about these, the most common brand sold over-the-counter as “Oragel”.  These are typically benzocaine in relatively low dose and have only modest numbing effect. We use a specially compounded gel that results in profound numbing of the injection area if placed properly and left in place for 2-3 minutes. The key here is to make sure the injection site is dry and the gel covered with gauze to hold it in place.

Warmed Anesthetic

Warming the anesthetic solution to body temperature not only reduces painful sensations during injection, but also speeds numbing reducing waiting times.

Anesthetic Acidity

Certain formulations of local anesthetic drugs are more acidic and therefore cause more pain than others. We always use the least acidic formulations first, then others as needed once the site is numb.

New Needle Technology

This may sound unusual, but new designs and technology have resulted extremely fine needles that make injections more comfortable.

The Technique

This is the part that only experience can teach. And after 36 years in practice, I have found ways to give injections that are not only painless, but are extremely effective in quality and duration of anesthesia. The details are a little beyond the scope of this letter, but if you are really interested, I’d be happy to discuss details in my office.

If painful dental injections are keeping you away from the dentist, you should give us a call or visit our web site at DrJackBodie.com. We also offer mild and moderate sedation for nervous patients. We’d like to help!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jack Bodie and Staff