Dr. Urban on Today’s Dentistry/Will It Hurt? Pain Control in Dentistry

I have been a dentist for over 30 years and have seen many changes develop that have made extreme dental makeovers awesomely beautiful, given people new teeth, and perfected fillings that seem to disappear into the tooth. However, I still get asked the same questions-“Will it hurt?” and “How much will it cost?” The cost varies greatly with the type and extent of treatment required. Although a lot of dental offices offer financing I will let you discuss this with your dentist.

I believe pain control is the biggest obstacle for some people to overcome and eventually delays dental treatment until pain brings them to see me for relief. I have been a firm advocate that most dental pain is unnecessary and is a result of procrastination. Fillings that are done while the cavity is small rarely bother the tooth. Root canals that are performed before toothaches start are routine. Crowns placed before the tooth cracks in half last longer. So lets discuss the new innovative methods to reduce pain, postoperative discomfort and dental anxiety.

Local anesthetics have become more powerful and are safely used in most dental procedures. Techniques for nearly painless placement of anesthetics require great operator care patience. Computer guided placement of anesthetic doses have had a great response from patients. Topical anesthetics (without injection) are more powerful than ever and can adequately numb the teeth and gums for minor work.

When I was a kid the high-speed drill just made its first appearance in the dental office. Great-but just imagine not using the drill at all! Fifty years later LASER dentistry has arrived and is here to stay. I can use the laser to heal sore bleeding gums and fill small cavities without shots. This was a fantasy a short time ago. Laser dentistry minimizes tissue trauma and swelling. That is why the postoperative healing time is shorter.

More complicated dental procedures can be performed with prescription anti-anxiety medications or even general anesthesia in the office. Obviously, if you are sedated you will need someone to accompany you to the office. This is not a hospital visit. Anesthesia will safely be provided by an anesthesiologist and monitored while the dental work is being performed.

I hope this brief summary will encourage everyone to talk with his or her dentist about “Will it hurt?” This is a good question and your dentist should give you advice how your work will be performed with minimal discomfort.