How painful is that?
With a block anaesthesia, as with all other forms of anaesthesia, there is the typical puncture pain. This can be somewhat more uncomfortable in the upper jaw during conduction anesthesia, because the mucous membrane on the palate is particularly thin. This is why anaesthesia in this area causes greater pain, as the sensitive periosteum is irritated by the cannula.
It is possible to reduce the puncture pain by means of surface anesthesia. In this case, a spray is used, which is applied beforehand and thus numbs the affected gums somewhat. It can also be very painful if the dentist hits a nerve when puncturing.
Patients describe the feeling of a “lightning strike”. If this is the case, the dentist should definitely choose a new position for the application so that the nerve is not damaged. Furthermore, painful hematomas can occur if there is bleeding in the area of the puncture site.
What are the risks
Every form of anesthesia involves certain risks, about which the patient must be informed in each case. Certain, very rare, risks are: In addition, hematoma formation can occur if the local anesthetic is mistakenly delivered directly into a blood vessel. In most cases, however, these disappear quickly.A rare complication in this case is the jaw clamp, where it is no longer possible to open the mouth due to bleeding and the formation of hematomas.
The lockjaw also usually disappears after a few days. In order to counteract the risks and ensure safe treatment, it is essential to take a current medical history of the patient. Possible incompatibilities or allergies can be conspicuous here, which are important for the choice of medication.
- Nerve damage possibly forever
- Needle breakage
- Infections (syringe abscess)
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Allergic reactions in case of intolerance of the anesthetic
How long does a block anaesthesia last?
The duration of effect of a block anaesthesia is usually between 1 and 5 hours. This depends on several factors
- On the one hand, the choice of anesthetic is important, since, for example, the effect of lidocaine lasts only 1-2 hours, whereas that of bupivacaine lasts up to 5 hours.
- In addition, the addition of adrenaline is crucial for the duration of the effect, since the anesthesia lasts longer when adrenaline is added. In many cases, however, adrenaline is indicated as the active ingredient and should not be omitted without good reason.
- It is also significant that patients who use drugs regularly are more difficult to anesthetize. They usually need higher doses and the effect of the anaesthetic wears off more quickly.
