Does Local Anesthetic Always Get
Patients Numb?
The prevalence of the "not numb"
experience
by David
A. Hall, D.D.S.These questions relate to the use of
local anesthetic or novocaine for dental treatment. Local anesthetic is
usually given by injection in the mouth prior to having fillings placed or
other dental treatment. The following questions were asked of 200 survey
participants nationwide in a telephone survey conducted in July 2002 by
Central Marketing, Inc., a professional research firm. Here are the
questions. The frequency of positive answers to each experience are listed
in parentheses at the end of the option:
1. Have you ever had trouble getting numb for a dental procedure, when the
dentist couldn't get you numb or you required three or more injections of
local anesthetic in order to get you numb? Please select among the
following alternatives the answer that most closely describes your
experience:
a. This has never happened to me. (152)
b. Once or twice I've had times when I've had trouble getting numb, but
with extra local anesthetic, I'm always able to get numb. (29)
c. I often have trouble getting numb, but with extra local anesthetic, I'm
always able to get numb. (10)
d. Once or twice I've had a situation where the dentist was not able to
get me numb, in spite of all he or she could do. (4)
e. The dentist is often not able to get me numb, in spite of all he or she
can do. (4)
f. This always happens to me, where the dentist is not able to get me
numb. (1)
2. If this has happened to you, where the dentist was not able to get you
numb (answers d, e, or f above), did the dentist question whether or not
you were telling the truth?
Yes or no.
(2 yes and 7 no)
3. What is your attitude toward dental care?
a. I go for dental care and have no problem. (138)
b. I have pain or anxiety with dental care, but I go regularly and grin
and bear it. (36)
c. I have pain or anxiety with dental care, so I don’t go too regularly,
but I do go and grin and bear it. (11)
d. I only seek dental care when I am in pain or have an emergency. (9)
e. I don’t get dental care because of fear of pain. (1)
f. I don’t get dental care for some other reason. (5)
For the raw dental local anesthesia survey data,
click here.
To find books about dental anesthesia and
sedation, click
here.
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