Filling tomorrow. Reasonable to attempt with no numbing?

[oidara]

I need a filling on a lower wisdom tooth tomorrow, biting surface.

Would it be reasonable to ask to try this without a local anaesthetic?

I am not afraid of the needle but I am afraid of both an adrenaline rush from the contents (happened to me once before) and also of swallowing some of the numbing gel or anaesthetic and making my throat go numb.

Help!

 

[Anne2021]

@oidara I don't know if it's too late to answer since I don't know where you are, but I don't think it's unreasonable to try without numbing if you want to. Several years ago, I had two small fillings without numbing and it wasn't too bad - one had no pain, the other was tolerable and didn't last long. Three weeks ago, I had two deep fillings on upper teeth. I did not get the palatal injection, just the ones near the teeth. It wasn't enough and I felt significant pain on those. Yet I preferred that to the palatal numbing and I'm glad I did it.

I, too, fear the numbing and not the needle. I had topical numbing gel go down my throat once and I panicked and I had to be talked down to even proceed with the dental work. Now I just tell them to skip the numbing gel when I need injections - which I have definitely needed for extractions. Sometimes I feel a little pin prick with the injection, sometimes I don't, but either way, feeling the injection is nothing for me. Even if you get the anesthetic injection, you should be able to skip the numbing gel.

I hope all goes well. Please let us know how you do.

 

[oidara]

Thank you very much, Anne. That's all very helpful and I appreciate the time you took to write it all out. And it wasn't too late: I am in the UK and there are 23 hours to go until my appointment!

 

[Nicci]

I wouldn't attempt it without but I don't have great teeth to begin with and they're already painful and sensitive.

Have you discussed injections with low adrenaline? It does wear off much quicker but I've got through a filling before it wore off (and it can always be topped up).

The idea of feeling everything, or anything at all, would heighten my anxiety but we're all different - whatever you decide I hope it goes well

 

[candy-eater]

Hi!

The dentist tried to filled small cavities without numbing me when I was 16 or 17 years old. The treatment was painfree at the begining but it was very painful when the drill was at the bottom of cavities

Good luck.

 

[Anne2021]

@oidara I'm glad it wasn't too late. I read the comments after mine, and Nicci's right. There are anesthetics without epinephrine. I don't take the epinephrine, even for extractions. For me, they use Carbocaine (Mepivacaine). (The ingredient is Mepivaciane. The brand name is Carbocaine). You could ask if they have it (or something else without epinephrine).

 

[oidara]

Thank you, all. I'm afraid to say I didn't go ahead with it. Partly nerves but actually more because of a bit of conflict in terms of which material to use (amalgam vs composite vs glass ionomer). Unfortunately I wasn't able to discuss this all in full with my dentist prior the appointment and didn't feel happy going ahead without setting it all straight before the day, so I have postponed to the end of the month. Thank you all for taking the time to respond.

 

[Cooka245]

@oidara Hello I also use to get the adrenaline rush when getting the numbing shot, so I asked for the shot without the epinephrine in it and there is no adrenaline rush at all with it. Just ask for them to rub the gel on before they give you the shot without epinephrine in it, and its easy to deal with. Good luck !

 

[oidara]

@Cooka245 Thank you! I will certainly ask if that's possible.