description of what injection feels like

[Osprey]

Hi folks! I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and now I'm going to start asking questions!

Everyone's experiences are unique, and I have found it incredibly comforting to have as much information about a new experience as I can dredge up before I go for the experience.

Could anyone describe to me what the injection of the numbing stuff feels like? (both with and without the topical numbing stuff)

Thanks in advance!!


p.s. links and re-directs are welcome, I tried the search function, but suspect I don't yet have the hang of it.

 

[slopsbucket]

I've never had the topical numbing stuff.

What the needle feels like depends entirely on the skill and practice of the person giving the needle.

If they're any good you don't feel it at all unless you're concentrating on that and nothing else, even if they're not that good it's only a tiny pin prick. You probably do worse to your hands 15 or 20 times a day and don't notice it.

Just for the record - I'm terrified of needles but I'm OK as long as I don't see it.

Having to sit there with your mouth wide open until your jaw aches is far worse than a tiny little pin prick.

Cheers,

Andrew.

 

[Dansdoll511]

With topical numbing cream you don't feel the needle prick. You can feel a little bit of pressure of the liquid going in but doesn't hurt if they go slow. It's really not bad.

 

[brit]

Painful Injections and Needle Phobia

Are you terrified of dental injections? Find out why shots may be painful, how to make them comfortable, and what to do if you have needle phobia.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

In my experience of a dentist who had 'painfree anaesthesia delivery' as his USP (unique selling point) you don't even need the topical but it does take a long time - maybe even longer than 2-3 mins to deliver the cartridge. Some people think that slow delivery of the la helps it work better.
It is also possible to use acupressure and different delivery devices to make it very comfortable as well.

Topical helps a lot but is not essential in the right hands, depending on the injection site.

Sometimes in my experience with a specialist who otherwise had excellent pain control - there would be a brief slight prick sensation but nothing worth complaining about in those spots where topical was not used.

The worst way to do it is to jab the needle in and inject the fluid fast. Never actually experienced this tbh. Injecting is one of those areas where the dentist having ample time can help more easily deliver a comfortable patient experience.

Best wishes - ask for topical and slow delivery if you are concerned.

 

[brit]

What the needle feels like depends entirely on the skill and practice of the person giving the needle.

Totally agree with this statement .

 

[tabatha7]

Just want to add... if you have the right dentist and they use numbing cream.... there is no way to describe it because you won't even feel it.

 

[shamrockerin]

Having had 12 fillings in the last couple months, I've had many anesthetic injections. What everyone has said before me is absolutely true- a compassionate dentist will take as much time as necessary to ensure that it is as comfortable as possible.

The injections can feel different though depending on which part of your mouth they're in, though. I always ask for topical, but some areas are just more dense and a little harder to numb properly.

I had some injections in the front of my mouth to fill some small cavities in my incisors, and I did "feel" them more than the other injections, but they were really not that bad. I worried over it for weeks and imagined horrible things, but of course they weren't nearly as bad as what I had imagined and worked up in my head.

My dentist even asked afterwards if it hurt, and I replied "Not as much as I thought it would".

I know that for me the worst part about the injections is the mental image of a needle in my mouth- when it's over I am usually able to relax a little.

 

[Osprey]

Thank you all for the descriptions!!

The good news is that I am not in the least needle phobic. I've found that with the way that my brain processes sensory input, I have to have as much information beforehand as I can possibly obtain. Then whenever whatever is going on, I am better able to manage/handle the occasion.

Is it likely that the surgeon will pull my cheeks back out of the way somehow or another for this? Is there a smell or taste?

This is really helping! Please keep the descriptions coming!

 

[shamrockerin]

Thank you all for the descriptions!!

The good news is that I am not in the least needle phobic. I've found that with the way that my brain processes sensory input, I have to have as much information beforehand as I can possibly obtain. Then whenever whatever is going on, I am better able to manage/handle the occasion.

Is it likely that the surgeon will pull my cheeks back out of the way somehow or another for this? Is there a smell or taste?

This is really helping! Please keep the descriptions coming!

Well, be glad you're not a needle phobe. For me, the whole dental fear thing started when my dentist surprised me with a needle- no warning or anything. I pushed his hands away and bolted from the chair as fast as I could (I was 10 at this time).

If the injection is to be somewhere in the front, then the dentist will probably have to pull your lip up or down so the site can accessed easier. If it is further back in the mouth, then your mouth might be open wide or kind of closed, and he/she will probably hold your cheek out of the way with the mirror or finger and gauze combo.

I've never noticed a smell associated with injections. Sometimes, the anesthetic can squirt or leak out a little into your mouth. This has happened before to me, and the taste wasn't really pleasant, but it didn't make me gag or anything. They offered me a rinse, but it didn't bother me enough to want it.

I don't have issues really with smells/tastes/gagging; for me the worst part is really the injections. I've had a bunch in the past few months, but no matter how many I have, I worry over them before every single appointment.