Nasty Novocaine!

[adoption97]

I've read so many posts where people say they barely felt the dentist giving the novocaine injections and I'm curious about that because when I receive novocaine, the pain is horrible!!! My dentist does use the numbing gel but I still feel those horrible injections. Anyone have any ideas as to why the gel doesn't seem to work?

 

[RiverSwe]

From what my dentist told me yesterday, it can depend on where the injection is being done as some areas of the mouth are more sensitive. Also it can depend on how fast the injection is being done. For me, the shot on the outside of my upper wisdom tooth wasn't noticable at all except for some tension. On the inside, he used numbing gel and it still hurt, but not intolerably so. From what I remember from my earlier extractions, the injections more to the front of my mouth (upper jaw) hurt hellishly even with numbing gel.

 

[FearfulInMA]

Though I do think there are spots that can be a little uncomfortable for an injection, I do think, most often your comfort is based on the technique of the dentist.

 

[comfortdentist]

Comfort is chiefly dependent on
1. dentist's technique
2. Anatomical location
3. Individual that you are injecting pain sensitivity
4. Individual's anxiety

 

[J Mummy]

I find they vary! Some days I barely feel a thing, other days they make my eyes water! They are never excruciatingly painful and dont last long at all... But I do find it surprising how different they can be. I have never had the numbing gel

 

[sunnylikesunshine90]

My first dentist was absolutely awful when it came to injections, having more of the "Do it quick and get it over with" way of thinking. My last dentist took his time when doing the actual injection and would rub the cheek or gumline as he was doing it - which could have been as much to help me as it was to get the medicine working faster, but it did the trick either way.

Like the others said, it really depends on location of the shot (I find the ones in back don't hurt as much as the ones towards the front or roof of the mouth), your individual anatomy, your body's reaction to anesthetic, etc.