Unable To Get Numb: What To Tell Dentist

[morganmoltisanti]

I have a problem and it has occurred throughout my life in different cities over the past ~20 years at many different dentists.

It is clearly a me problem and not a them problem. For treatments like fillings and root canals I can never get fully numb.

I am not lying or trying to make anyone's life or job more difficult. I can feel pain. It's almost the exact same pain as when a nerve has died and you need a root canal.

I have told dentists this in the past and they either do not believe me and say its impossible as they've already done such and such block or that they are almost done and I just need to push through.

I try to push through. Believe I am not one to speak up. I take it as long as I can until I feel on the verge of blacking out or crying. Even when I get my monthly pedicure my foot will be rubbed raw and she will ask why I didn't say something. I hate bothering people especially when they do not believe me.

I know this can happen with infected teeth but it has also happened to me on fillings both large and small in all 4 mouth corners.

I also do not have red hair but much of my family does. I do suffer from severe anxiety and panic disorder but premedicate with a double dose of my benzo (with doctor's okay) as well as a beta blocker. I know it may help if I was able to relax but I am simply not able to.

Is there anything specific I should tell the dentist in advance? Is there anything that be done for me besides paying thousands for IV sedation?

Thank you for your time.

 

[Gordon]

It's not an unusual problem... response to local is the same as for every drug, there's a "bell shaped curve" of response, some people are outliers at both ends. Sadly you're at the low response end

I'd try working around it by just giving you more local, (preferably some of the 4% stuff like Articaine rather than 2% lidocaine), in other words, I'd give you 2 shots immediately rather than just 1 and be ready to put in another 1 or 2 if you start feeling pain during treatment.

If there's a trend for you feeling pain only after nerve block injections (like for lower molars), then you may have an unusual nerve pathway, in which case using an alternative block technique would probably help.

If you wanted to go the sedation route, then Nitrous (Inhalation Sedation) would probably be better than IV since it's got a reasonable analgesic effect (hence why they give it to women in childbirth).