Local Anaesthesia
Dental treatment (filling a cavity, root canal therapy, extraction) is normally done under local anaesthesia.
Local anaesthesia blocks pain in and around one tooth or a group of teeth only. The anaesthetics is administered into the tissues via a hypodermic needle. Anaesthesia blocks the sensitive function of the nerve for 2-3 hours. The injection itself is almost painless, it is but a minor inconvenience.
Complications: Similarly to all medical treatment, anaesthesia may lead to complications.
- Allergic reaction – the occurrence is extremely rare; if allergy is suspected, a thorough examination is recommended
- Local haematoma – it is brought about by the injury of a small blood vessel during the injection of the anaesthetics. It may cause swollen face, which will recover by itself within 2-3 weeks. Cold packs help the recovery.
- Nerve injury – may rarely occur, only with mandibular anaesthesia. It causes a several-month-long sensitive disfunction on one side of the lower lip. Usually the nerve fully recovers within a few months.
- Limited mouth opening – usually lasts 1-2 days ater mandibular anaesthesia
- Temporary facial hemiparesis – the anaesthetics reaches and paralyzes the nerve controlling the mimic muscles of the face. This condition will pass within 2-3 hours.
- Passing nausea; fainting – the consensus is that fainting is related to the psychological state of fear. Fainting may occur if the individual experiences fears they cannot reject – fainting is eventually a psychological defensive reaction. Nausea sometimes occurs after the administration of anaesthetics, which may be related to the fear of injection, but it may also be caused by anaesthetics in the blood vessel. Patients who are aware of their inclination to faint should inform the dentist – with some extra attention their loss of consciousness can be avoided.
