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Preparation – If you need local anesthesia, your dentist will dry part of your mouth with air or use cotton rolls. Then your dentist will swab the area with a topical gel to numb the skin around the tooth.

Injection – Next, your dentist will slowly inject the local anesthetic into the gum tissue. Most people don’t feel the needle. Instead, the sting they feel is caused by the anesthetic moving into the tissue.

After effects – An injection of local anesthesia can last up to several hours. After you leave the dentist’s office, you may find it difficult to speak clearly and eat or drink. Be careful not to bite down on the area that is numbed. You could cause damage to yourself without realizing it.

Intravenous Sedation/Analgesia:  A medically controlled state of depressed consciousness while maintaining the patient’s airway, protective reflexes and the ability to respond to stimulation or verbal commands. It includes intravenous administration of a sedative and/or analgesic agent(s) and appropriate monitoring.

Local Anesthesia:  The loss of pain sensation over a specific area of the anatomy without loss of consciousness. This type if anesthesia is the most common. In our office use this for routine procedures like fillings, deep cleanings and root canals.

Non Intravenous Oral Sedation: Sedation dentistry is the use of a mild sedative (calming drugs) to manage special needs or anxiety while your child receives dental care. These drugs are taken orally in office prior to the procedure. Sedation also may be used when several procedures need to be done at the same time, when the safety of a child may be compromised, or if your child has a strong “gag” reflex. Our pediatric specialist will administer the correct dosage based on the weight of each child.