Treating Cavities
Do Cavities Hurt?
When you visit the dentist, sometimes you will get the news that a cavity is present. Your dentist will give you the best options to have it filled, and with that information, you may wonder if it hurts.
When you are concerned about the pain, it may cause you to put off treatment. This, however, can just make things worse. If you treat the cavity when it is first discovered, it is usually less painful and less expensive.
Here are some things you can expect during the treatment and even after:
- At minimum an hour long appointment.
- Numbing of the area and surrounding area to prevent discomfort during the filling process.
- Finally, drilling out the decay where the cavity exists.
Procedure for Cavity Filling
Before even starting, your dentist or dental assistant will help to minimize the pain. An example of this is they will use a local anesthetic to numb the gums and even parts of your mouth. The local anesthetic will only numb the area that is being treated. You are still awake and are able to interact with your dentist. Lidocaine is what is usually used for an anesthetic. Best Family Dentist Mobile AL
When the anesthetic is administered, there is a three-part process. First, your mouth will be gently dried with a piece of cotton or air. There is then a gel dabbed onto the injection site. The gel will numb the gum tissue which helps to reduce the pain that is felt when your dentist will inject lidocaine into the mouth. You may still feel a bit of a stinging sensation when the anesthetic is injected. The sting that you do feel, isn’t from the needle. It’s from the anesthetic, working to numb your gums and mouth.
Once the area is completely numb, you won’t feel anything while the dentist is working.
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