Dental Anesthesia - Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which doctor administers anesthesia during dental procedures?

Usually it is the dentist who administers local anesthesia during dental procedures. However, for administering general anesthesia and inhalation anesthetic agents the dentist is required to have completed a training program in anesthesiology.

2. What is the latest development done in the field of dental anesthesia?

Jet injectors have been developed so that even the pain of the needle prick is not felt. Since the administration of the injection is basically a blind process in which dentists actually do not know if the needle has gone into a vessel, efforts to incorporate a microchip connected to a monitor are being pursued. This will allow dentists to actually see where the needle has gone and could cut down the risk of injecting into a blood vessel.

3. What is done for pain management after a dental procedure?

Analgesics are the most commonly used drugs for relief of toothache or pain following dental treatment. Aspirin, acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen are the most commonly used analgesics. To relieve more severe pain narcotic analgesics such as those containing codeine are used.