Shocked by dentist

[Topbunny]

DD came home from the dentist today in a right state. She went for her first ever filling and the dentist never numbed it first just went straight in with the drill! Is this a new way of doing things?

I had a filling a couple of weeks a of and they asked if I wanted pain relief /numbing first.

Not in my gob it's not. Couldn't think of anything worse

I think it depends how big/deep the filling is as to whether they numb it first or not.

I’ve had occlusal surface fillings with no local.

You don’t need local there. It really didn’t hurt.

I had two fillings when I was about 17, after a traumatic experience with the injections for a couple of extractions. (For over crowding) I was nervous and my mum told the dentist that. He said "they are only superficial and won't need one"
Omg it was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. Got to have another filling soon and dreading it.

@Topbunny
Sometimes if the cavity isn't very deep, it can be filled without numbing the tooth..I had many teeth filled as a child without them being numbed. The injection site can be painful after the numbing wears off, so the dentist may have been trying to prevent after treatment pain from an injection.
Was your DD in pain during the procedure but, she was too timid to speak up? I surely hope not...that would have been a miserable experience!

I've had fillings without numbing. They were very shallow ones. It didn't hurt at all.

Anything that would be painful I would expect to be numbed for. If it's not going to hurt then there's no need.

I've had several without numbing because they were not very deep. Had a couple of these 15-20 years ago. It's not a new thing at all, it's probably because the dentist felt she wouldn't need numbing up for that particular filling.

Fillings do not generally need anaesthetic, although most people automatically want it. I’ve never taken anaesthetic for a filling, no filling should be going as deep as the pulp of the tooth where the nerves are.
Sounds like it was a very superficial filling.

I've had a filling without drilling but the dentist was very clear that as soon as I raised my hand he would stop and numb the area if I felt I needed/wanted.

Sorry don't know how I managed that - without injection not without drilling!

I won’t even let the dentist put the injections in without numbing the area with gel first - no way would they be going near me with instruments of torture without doing it!!

I can’t get over how little dentistry has changed over the last 50 years. Fillings are carried out using that horrible drill and dentists still fill teeth with mercury. Nothing much has changed.

She was in a lot of pain. And the best bit is when she calmed down she realised how sharp the tooth was left, she had to go back!

My dentist offers the choice. I prefer no anesthesia because the injections hurt and I hate the numbness.

I had a dentist that did this to me as a child. It's given me a life long phobia of the dentist.

I had a filling with no numbing because it was so shallow, it wasn’t necessary.

Even if people prefer no numbing (fair play, you must be badass) they should at least offer it if they’re going anywhere near the nerve.

I hate when my dentist does this. It makes me sweat all over and I stick to the chair 😑
No matter what they say, it always hurts. I'll take the painful injection thanks, it only hurts for a few seconds!