Paul, it's usually lidocaine.

I have gotten marcaine for longer lasting relief after an apicoectomy though. It was great for the immediate post-op period, but it definitely lulled me into a sense of false safety and I hated life the next day.

^^^^

Yes. Lidocaine (almost always mixed with a bit of epinephrine) is the standard. Marcaine and Carbocaine for longer or shorter duration.

Injection technique has a lot to do with patient perception. The cheek shaking can provide some distraction and also distribute the fluid. What most patients feel more than the needle itself is the hydraulic dissection that occurs when a bolus of fluid is injected into a confined anatomical space. The speed with which the fluid is injected is important. A second factor is the location. It's a lot easier for fluid to disperse in the buccal vestibule (space along your upper molars and premolars) than on the palate. Numbing the lower arch most often requires an inferior alveolar nerve block due to the pattern of innervation and bone density which is why the injection is given in behind your last molar rather than along the tooth being worked on.

OK, a bit off course, but--my dentist used a weird syringe, flat handle, with different colored lights on the top.
Know anything about that?

I think it might be this:
https://www.dentistryiq.com/de...or-dental-anesthesia

I hate the numbing gel they use. It tastes awful so I tell my dentist to just give me the shot.

quote:

Originally posted by Orguss:

quote:

Originally posted by kz1000:
I hate the damn huge needle.

I used to go to the dental school at UCSF to get work done. One time, it was the head of the department doing a filling for me. He had a very interesting technique that completely changed my way of thinking about dental procedures.

He grabbed the side of my jaw, with his thumb inside my mouth, and shook my jaw as he inserted the needle. I didn't even feel it.

this,

had a root canal in the morning and a crown done the same day,

I hate needles, and I swear the one she had was a foot long, but I did not feel a thing,, all day,

My dentist tells me, that he has been using a new stronger topical gel, that often eliminates the need for an injection. He used it once with me on a filling and it worked well.

The dentist I had when I was a kid didn’t use Novocain. The first time I went to military dentist I asked what the hell are you doing. After that, I had little trouble falling asleep

I don’t mind the needle or numbing but I have a tendency to bite my cheek or tongue while it is numb. That’s always fun for the next several days.

quote:

Originally posted by George43:
I go the "no novocaine" route.

I am trying to transcend dental medication.

I guess I'm the only member who got the humor. A month late.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Oral surgeons tend to be better at these things.

Most use Propofol

Had a crown replaced today, a bit o'gel and then the shot, no pain at all.

My dentist uses a topical to numb before the novacaine injection. Totally painless.

I had the corners of my eyes numbed yesterday for a lacrimal cauterization.

quote:

Originally posted by maxwayne:
I had the corners of my eyes numbed yesterday for a lacrimal cauterization.

Now I have GOT to do a YouTube search for that procedure!