Need A Filling? You May Not Need An Injection

Many people worry about getting a tooth filling. It’s not necessarily the filling that makes them anxious, but the thought of having an injection in the mouth in order to carry out the procedure. The good news for you is that in most cases, an injection is no longer needed when carrying out a tooth filling procedure. This doesn’t mean it will be carried out without an anaesthetic or without numbing the area – it just means you probably won’t need an injection.

We understand that the thought of needing an injection can make even the toughest of the tough quake in their boots. Fortunately, the days of requiring injections for even the most minor of dental work such as a tooth filling are gone. In our practice, our dentists have the experience and know-how to carry out many procedures without injections, and without the need for our patients to go back to work numbed up.

Where numbing is considered necessary for our patients’ comfort, our dentist’s skill and a bit of numbing gel mean that it will be fast, efficient and done before you know it!

If you need an extra boost, we also offer oral sedation and laughing gas (NOS) to help take the nervous jitterbugs away. Click here to find out more about our sedation options and pain-free dentistry.

In this post, we will aim to answer the question of whether you still need a needle for a filling.

Do all tooth fillings require an injection?

Thankfully, gone are the days when it was necessary to numb a patient’s mouth using an injection when they are coming for a dental filling. Instead, a topical numbing gel is used to numb the area to ensure the procedure can be carried out pain-free.

There are times when a particularly deep tooth filling may require additional pain relief and this can be provided through nitrous oxide gas if you don’t wish to have the area injected.

Can you have a filling without an injection/pain relief?

The reason dentists usually numb your mouth as part of the dental filling procedure is that they need to drill out some decayed tissue from the inside of the tooth. This can be done without numbing the mouth, but as a precaution, it is usually best to numb the area as it can be quite painful if not.

In some cases, laser dentistry is now being used to remove decayed tissue in the tooth. Using laser dentistry can completely remove the need for numbing or anaesthetic as it is a much more precise way of removing the decay and much less invasive. Plus, you won’t have to listen to the drill noise which can sometimes make the whole procedure seem worse.

Are fillings painful?

For most people, getting a dental filling is a pain-free experience. You may experience a little aching after the procedure, however, with modern numbing gels and modern technology to carry out the drilling, the process can be carefully managed by your dentist to ensure it is carried out pain-free.

We completely understand that a trip to the dentist for any procedure can lead to anxiety for patients of all ages and are team is here to do all that we can to allay any fears you might have and to make you as comfortable as possible throughout your visit.

Our dentists and dental hygienists will talk you through the process before we start, and you can ask questions at any time to put your mind at ease.

Summary

If you are worried about getting a filling, or you have been putting off a trip to the dentist because of the fear of an injection, please talk to one of the team today who will help to put your mind at ease and talk you through the injection-free process of numbing the mouth for a tooth filling.

Updated: 28 July 2022