Why do some (mine) Dentists do this?

[WiseRobin]

Back in the good old days, you were given a LA and then sent back to the waiting room for the numbing effect to take place.

These days, as I’ve experienced a couple of times lately, my Dentist starts work almost immediately and EVERY time I have to tell her to stop as I can still feel pain!

The last time I had a filling the effects of the LA really started to take effect almost after treatment.

This has now affected my confidence going forward, I need to return as I have yet another tooth with pain but I might have to put up with it far longer than necessary as I don’t want a repeat experience.

Has anyone else experienced similar?

This is with an NHS dentist, not that it should make any difference.

Thankfully, my NHS dentist still does 'the wait'.

Do you make sure that you have eaten properly before going to the dentist, OP? The reason I ask is that once I skipped lunch, and when I had the injection I got my heart start racing … I was convinced that the Dentist and his assistant must be able to hear it - it was that loud! Provided I have eaten properly before going, I'm usually fine. I remember being sent back into the waiting area for the injection to kick in: but I think that was probably around 40 years ago! Last time I had an injection – probably about five years ago – they gave me the injection, fiddled around with a few bits and pieces of equipment whilst I was sat in the chair, and then cracked on. But he always used to make sure that I couldn't feel anything first. The only time I had numbing cream before the injection was when I went private. It was heaven.

God yes. I had this last time. He ended up doing three injections, I could still feel more than I’d have liked. But five mins after he finished I was so numb I couldn’t talk or eat for two hours. I looked like I’d had a stroke and my friends couldn’t understand me when I was talking, half my face wouldn’t move. Couldn’t even blink.

I had a tooth taken out yesterday - private not NHS
first time - never even had a filling 😂
Dentist injected the roof of my mouth and on my gums ( I think)

Then 2mins later started taking it out

I have to go privately now and notice that my dentist takes ages to actually inject the anaesthetic. It's completely painless while he is injecting it and whatever he does is completely painless too. The injection from my NHS dentist was like being stabbed!

@Piffle11 you could be right, I usually have treatment before work, so first thing, and I don’t eat breakfast! Will make sure I eat the next time I need a filling.

@QuebecBagnet exactly the same here. Went to work after and from my cheek bone downwards was frozen, but at least by then I couldn’t feel anything, pity it wasn’t the same during the procedure.

My dentist waits a minute or two and then gets started. Maybe yours is not using enough of the anaesthetic? Mine will always give more if I need it. One time he gave me the anaesthetic 3 times before he was able to start work properly (the filling was in an awkward spot at the back). That time he told me he’d given the maximum amount that he could safely give, but my whole mouth was well and truly dead by then.

Never been sent to the Waiting room! It is much superior nowadays .Last time I had a filling ,he injected me ,fiddled about and then I asked when he was going to do it ."All done " he replied swiftly, No pain at all!

NHS filling appointments used to be 30mins, they are now 10mins.
Go private!

Next time I need a filling or treatment (and I’m pretty sure I’m going to need a root canal filling soon) I will make sure I tell the receptionist to possibly allow extra time and I will mention it before the dentist starts to inject.

The problem is, I’ve never had any worries about going to the dentist but these past two negative experiences have set me back a bit.

They send you back to the waiting room to see more patients not so you feel more numb. Local anaesthetics have improved vastly over the years and it takes effect very quickly in most cases.

@Fixyourself really? 😮No wonder they’re keen to start!

Just out of interest how much is a private filling? Silver or white? Anyone know the price difference? And do private dentists allow time for the area to numb?

Never was sent to waiting room and that is even for extractions.

The particular teeth I’ve had numbing issues with have been the large bottom molars, either side.

Waiting for you to go numb is not a private vs nhs thing. It's a time on the day, depth of the filling, how many other patients are waiting kind of thing; it's all individual to the clinician.

The "good old days" traumatised me, left me phobic of the dentist for nearly twenty years and was agony.

My old dentist in the 80s used to send you out as well, but for the first tooth I had pulled (I was about 10), the anaesthetic had not taken effect and I told both the dentist and my mum and neither believed me, even when I was screaming and crying with the pain - both were adamant it was fear. It bloody was not.

Now, after years of decent treatment by competent dentists, I can tolerate most things and the new LAs are amazing. I've not been sent out to wait since the 80s. The only LA that didn't work so well for me as an adult was when I was being treated for a massive abcess which was interfering with it's placement and efficacy.

Mine numbs, garhers her stuff and cracks on. Always painless. Surely they prod you and say if you can feel anything to let them know.

Gathers

I used to get sent out. Last time he just leapt straight in but I have to say I felt nothing.

In fact, the injection used to be the worst bit- I barely felt the injection this time. Really impressive!

@RedCarsGoFaster that sounds horrendous! The only tooth extraction I had at the dentist was in the late 70’s and I had gas for that, totally sound asleep! I had all four wisdom teeth out at the hospital under GA, bliss!

Mine numbs then waits 20 minutes (takes longer for it to work for me) and we sit and have a chat.

Nothing to do with wanting to squeeze more patients in, dentists are no longer ‘allowed’ to send you back out to the waiting room. Imagine you had a reaction to the LA and had just been plonked in the waiting room unsupervised…

They are also a lot faster acting than they used to be. Some people do have different absorption rates though or it may be that your nerves are in a slightly different position than is usual. Your dentist should still check you’re sufficiently numb before starting though.

I had a wisdom tooth removed a few years ago and expected to be sent out whilst the anaesthetic worked. They removed it straight away after the injections, but they did check first that I couldn't feel anything. I was really surprised at the speed of the whole thing but it was completely painless.

We don't send people out to the waiting room anymore. Mainly because if someone had a reaction to the LA being a medical emergency in reception.

LA usually starts working straight away but definitely ask for more time. Mention you also didn't feel numb. There are different LA's to try.

@unhappyhygienist you’re right, that does make sense, although the LA doesn’t seem very fast acting in my case.

I remember when a nerve must have been caught by the LA needle too, felt like someone had pinged an elastic band in my mouth.