How uncomfortable is numbing on top front teeth?

Is it really worse than other locations? I've gotten numbed up there before, but it was to fill a tooth that was two teeth from the nearest of two front teeth. Not sure the number or whatever.

Since I didn't take care of my teeth until my late teens, I have cavities in all my top molars and about three visible holes in three front teeth. My dentist said he's going to get all the cavities on the top filled at one time because supposedly getting numbed up there is more uncomfortable than other places (but like I said, I got one top front-ish tooth numbed before, so I just don't know if it's different).
He said it would sting, then when it's numbed it'll be like getting punched in the face. Sounds a little extreme. Is it true though? I don't see how it would feel different than the last filling I got on the top.

Hey
Regarding the stinging sensation: it is extremely important that the dentist give the anesthetic solution extremely slowly, specially in the first few seconds. The dentist can even hide the initial feeling of the needle with a topical gel, shaking the lip, applying a bit of finger pressure, there are many methods for it.
It does feel like you were punched (in the nose and lip), but this feeling should stay for only couple of hours, and with a slow and gentle administration of the anesthesia, it will not spread to much but will stay very local.

I was wondering the same..not on the front teeth but upper side molars..will it spread to the lip and face or can it be localized with careful technique?

I depends on how much you are given and whereabouts.

Usually for molars, It usually spreads halfway across my tounge and all around the outside of my cheek. But its gone after a couple of hours.

A few months back I ran my nose into a wall really hard (hey, it was dark!) and nearly broke it. It was bruised, swollen, and in pain all day. I was able to handle it just fine. Also when getting another filling the bottom of my nose felt numb when the numbness began to wear off. It was weird.

So hopefully it'll be no different. If it's the same then I can handle it.

I got my 2 upper front numbed up for a procedure a few months ago. The dentist put a swab of industrial strength Ambesol up there on my gum for about 5 minutes. Then he injected the Novacaine, I didn't even feel the needle going in cuz I was numbed up pretty good by that topical stuff. He injected the Novacaine real slow, I think the injection took about 5 minutes. Then he waited another 5 or so minutes for the Novacaine to take effect.
When the feeling started to come back (about an hour or so later), it felt tingly and warm.......not unlike if your hand got a little cold outside and as it warms up it gets tingly and warm...but I would say the sensation was a little less harsh than that.
As to the "punched in the face" feeling, I wouldn't know, never have been punched, it's a numb feeling like a frozen hand, best I can describe it.
Hope that helps!

Yeah, hopefully it's not different than when my nose got a bit numbed during a different filling. I was just reading a horror story about a fiery sensation all throughout the sinus area, so I didn't know if THAT'S what he meant. Hope not.

I can handle my hand or nose going numb. Just as long as it isn't painful!

usrnm said:

I can handle my hand or nose going numb. Just as long as it isn't painful!

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'it will feel like you've been punched in the face'..

What a clumsy offputting way to describe numbness to an anxious patient.....it would never occur to me to equate the sensation of numbness with such violence.

Slow delivery is the key to a comfortable injection anywhere in the mouth along with the other things Drdaniel mentioned. Rushed dentistry is likely not comfortable dentistry which maybe explains a lot.

Uhm yeah, "punched in the face" does suggest a rather painful experience

I've just asked someone who had their top front teeth numbed a few days ago and they said they didn't even feel the injection (despite no numbing gel) and that the sensation was nothing like being punched in the face, but rather a tender feeling in the cheek area above the lip and of course some numbness (which wore off after about 2 hours).

Wow... he exaggerated...

I suppose he figured that since he doesn't like the feeling of a numb nose, I wouldn't either. I've had my nose numb before though. The first injection wasn't bad. The first did sting, but it's one of those things that you just deal with, and the third I didn't feel at all.

He and the assistant complimented me on how chilled out I was. They couldn't believe it. They said I should teach a course on how patients should act. :b

usrnm said:

Wow... he exaggerated...
They said I should teach a course on how patients should act. :b

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Your dentist says some things that make me want to punch him in the face. Obviously he needs a course in dental fear and phobia....

About an hour after I got home I noticed one of my nostrils (one that isn't numb anymore) burned a bit, and still does a little. And was runny (and now so is the other). I've also sneezed about ten times at least. My left eyelid (the one that became numb) is watery.
Could all this have anything to do with the L.A.? I don't believe I'm allergic since I've gotten numbed before. So is it normal? My whole nose, left eyelid, left cheek, and top lip was numb for the fillings.

usrnm said:

About an hour after I got home I noticed one of my nostrils (one that isn't numb anymore) burned a bit, and still does a little. And was runny (and now so is the other). I've also sneezed about ten times at least. My left eyelid (the one that became numb) is watery.
Could all this have anything to do with the L.A.? I don't believe I'm allergic since I've gotten numbed before. So is it normal? My whole nose, left eyelid, left cheek, and top lip was numb for the fillings.

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yes , it is possible, but only temporary.
It is not allergy but a bit of material from the local anesthesia.

Teach a course on how patients should act? The reaction of the patient is going to be directly affected by how the dentist treats them.

As I read the "punched in the face" feeling description of numbiung in the front of the mouth I can feel the tight knot of fear in my stomach. I will be having a front tooth extracted towards the end of the month. I have never been numbed in the very front of my mouth before and reading this thread has only increased my anxiety.

I agree with Lets Connect.

I think we need to cut Dr Daniel some slack because English is not his first language, and he may not have realised how severe his description would have sounded to many people here . As far as I can see from his other posts, he is very concerned about patient comfort.
Though "a tender feeling and numbness in the cheek area above the lip" probably describes it more adequately!

letsconnect said:

I think we need to cut Dr Daniel some slack because English is not his first language, and he may not have realised how severe his description would have sounded to many people here . As far as I can see from his other posts, he is very concerned about patient comfort.
Though "a tender feeling and numbness in the cheek area above the lip" probably describes it more adequately!

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It wasn't DrDaniel who said 'punched in the nose' it was the OP quoting her own dentist.

Oops, missed that bit (have just re-read the first post and obviously that's where the "punchline" originated from ). My apologies!

Hi there,

Just this past Saturday I went in for a root canal that is being worked on my left side upper first premolar which is really close to the front teeth and since he numbed me so well with a spray (Instead of the gel) before applying the local anesthetic I didn't feel nothing more than a slight pinch, after that my entire left side of the lip was completly numb and it went all the way to my nose but if you asked me if was not bad at all after 2 hours it went away, I mean sure it felt weird not being able to feel my left side nostril but I actually thought it was funny but really is not uncomfortable at all and I didn't have any side effects as in burning or sneezing. I actually think that local anesthetic hurst more on my bottom molars then my top teeth.

Believe me nothing like " punched in the face"

Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb here and backup a little bit of the "punched in the nose" bit. I can understand how this would certainly make an anxious patient uncomfortable; however, I do not think it was meant the way it was taken and I actually (having been punched in the nose before, or hit with a ball, etc.) completely understand and agree with that phrasing; however, considering where we are on the forums, a little bit more tact could have been taken. However, no harm no foul I suppose.

Anyway, when you get punched or hit in the nose, it does hurt quite bad and you may even see stars, lol. However, once the pain is gone, your nose, lip,etc. feels quite numb - exactly like the description states. So, it is not the PUNCH part that feels similar, but the numb part afterward, which is probably what they meant. (hopefully).

Mike