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Wisdom tooth crown: anesthesia side effect?

K

KatieMI

Junior member
Joined
Jul 12, 2012
Messages
1
I had to have a crown on one wisdom tooth (right lower) and a filling on another one on the left side. I had many dental treatments before, and do not have any specific dental phobias. Although, I have severe allergies including one to novocaine (not lidocaine) with anaphylaxis.

The crown placement was difficult this time, and my dentist had to do inferior alveolar block with lidocaine three times over three weeks. Every time, I had a sort of "electrical" pain down to my neck but first two times that was only one unusual thing. Today, right after it I became short of breath and couldn't swallow anything. I had a strange, high- pitched cough, lost my voice and couldn't swallow anything without getting it stick in my throat and coughing a lot. I was prepared to give myself an epi shot because it looked and felt almost exactly like allergic reaction except for one thing - there were no other symptoms: no itching, urticaria, face edema, bronchospasm, rash, etc. This strange condition continued for about an hour, while I slowly developed facial nerve paresis on the same side (diplopia, eye not closing, etc.) All that, except of slight motor dysphagia (cannot swallow liquids quickly) almost subsided in four hours or so, and the latter thing is getting better. I never had reaction like this before, and cannot find anything like this described in clinical reports.

I'm a RN and basically understand that with this type of anesthesia there is a possibility of getting facial nerve blocked as well due to a volume of anesthetic or anatomical variations. I am concerned about shortness of breath and especially difficulty of swallowing, as I am well aware of danger of aspiration. My dentist swore that he did everything "just as usual" in his technique and aspirated before injection, and that he never saw or heard about anything like it.

Would somebody please explain me block of which nerve(s) could cause temporary dysphagia (which was of motor, not sensory type ) after inferior alveolar block, and what I should do in the future if I need such block again? My allergologist wants me to get tested for lidocaine allergy ASAP but I doubt it was a true reaction. Thank you!
 
It's a facial nerve "hit" I'm a bit puzzled as to why your dentist didn't tell you this, it's not exactly unusual.

Facial nerve supplies both motor and sensory bundles as you'll no doubt know.
 
This sounds like an allergic reaction. I would absolutely get tested. Make sure the allergist uses the same anesthetics that the dentist has. Also verify ALL the components of the carpule.
 
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