Local Anaesthesia
‘Local’ as it is commonly called, is the technique whereby anaesthetic liquid, usually Articaine or mepivicaine is injected near to a tooth. The effect of local anaesthetic is to numb the teeth and gums in order to be able to comfortably provide a pain free procedure.
Dental Anxiety
Dentistry can be a worrisome and daunting experience for even the bravest of people. At Pymble Dental Practice we understand that phobia of the dentist can be attributed to many causes, and hence we take many steps to ensure that we can be as calming, gentle, and pain-free as can be managed!
Our dentists have been selected based not only on their excellent clinical skills, but for their ‘chairside’ manner. Clear, open and calming communication is the first step in managing anxiety. Every procedure can be explained in as much or as little detail as preference dictates, but we have found that much of dental anxiety lies in fear of the unknown. A narration of what sensations and sounds might be experienced throughout a procedure is a useful technique in alleviating this unknown.
We have designed our surgery to be as welcoming and calming as possible, with plenty of natural light and creature comforts.
Our staff have been trained to be empathetic and efficient, so they can be relied on to be a friend during your visits.
A key aspect of managing dental anxiety is pain management
The three aspects of pain management we commonly utilise are:
Profound and accurate local anaesthesia
Relative Analgesia (happy gas)
Sleep dentistry (intravenous twilight sedation)
Local Anaesthesia
‘Local’ as it is commonly called, is the technique whereby anaesthetic liquid, usually Articaine or mepivicaine is injected near to a tooth. The effect of local anaesthetic is to numb the teeth and gums in order to be able to comfortably provide a pain free procedure.
Depending on what procedure is to be performed, different amounts and types of local are used. For instance, for a simple filling on an upper tooth, only about 2.0mL of anaesthetic is administered too the gum about 2cm above the gumline.
The injection technique is very important. In order to produce painless injections, numbing gel is applied before the needle. A steady hand and a slow introduction of the local into the site can make our patients feel like they can’t believe they’ve already had their injection!
We are careful to ensure that the local has fully worked by testing the teeth and gums prior to commencing treatment.
