There are certain questions people want answered before they get a dental procedure. How long will it take? How much will it cost? And, lastly, will it hurt? While we can give good answers to the first two questions, the third one is a little less certain. But there are several things we can look at to give you a good idea.
Modern Anesthesia Works Great
One important starting place is to note that modern anesthesia works very well. For most procedures, we have a good idea about how much anesthesia to use and can control discomfort for most people. If you are an average person undergoing a standard dental procedure, you will likely experience little to no discomfort during the procedure.
After your procedure, you might experience minor discomfort, which is usually controllable with over-the-counter medications.
Anxiety Affects Discomfort
One of the most important variables that will affect your discomfort is your level of anxiety. Thinking about the procedure and how much it might hurt can make it more likely to hurt.
You can attempt to reduce your anxiety about a procedure (and your discomfort during and after) by:
- Working with a dentist you trust
- Asking all your questions
- Engaging your support network
This will help you feel more comfortable and certain about your dental procedure.
However, for many people anxiety will still persist. Sedation dentistry can help in these cases. It relieves anxiety and reduces discomfort.
Are You in Pain Now?
Studies have shown that people who are in more discomfort now are more likely to have discomfort after a procedure. This doesn’t just mean a toothache that we’re going to treat–it can relate to arthritis, lower back pain, and other unrelated pain conditions.
This may be because of your current condition, your personal pain sensitivity, and potentially your developed resistance to pain medications.
We will do what we can to reduce your discomfort before your dental procedure so that you enjoy better comfort during and after your procedure.
More Invasive Procedures
It makes sense that more invasive procedures are more likely to result in greater discomfort. Again, thanks to anesthesia, most people won’t experience discomfort during the procedure, the variability is primarily after your procedure.
But it’s important to remember that these procedures are also likely to relieve or prevent discomfort. For example, we might recommend extraction for a tooth that is badly infected and can’t be restored. Likely, this tooth is currently causing you discomfort, and it will only take a few days before your postoperative discomfort is less than what you’re currently experiencing.
Age Affects Discomfort
There are also studies that show young people are more likely to experience (or at least report) discomfort after a dental procedure than older individuals. However, this only works to a point: older people are more likely to have other pain conditions, which can increase their risk of pain after a procedure.
Gentle Dentistry
Taking into account all the above, Dr. Bob has a reputation in Butler as a gentle dentist. He utilizes his years of experience and advanced technology to deliver compassionate care that minimizes your discomfort before, during, and after a dental procedure. We all work as a team to help you feel at home in our office so that you can have a better dental experience.
If you are concerned about dental discomfort, we invite you to learn how compassionate dentistry can make a difference. Please call (724) 282-4436 today for an appointment at Advanced Dentistry of Butler.
