First, We Try To Avoid Shots All Together - At Smile For Life, we'd like to avoid the shot about as much as you. Decay is a process, not an overnight event, so with regular check ups and preventative care, we're able to catch decay early while it's still limited to the outer layer. Such early detection allows us more conservative treatment options ranging from remineralization techniques to preventative resin fillings which don't even require numbing.

If you do need a procedure which requires anesthetic, we still want to provide a comfortable experience. Here's a few ways we go above and beyond most other dental offices using our painless shots protocol.

• Custom Formulated "Super Topical" Anesthetic - Many offices use a topical gel applied to the gums prior to the shots to minimize the initial pinch, but most of the time that is a single topical agent. We order a specially formulated blend of three types of topical from a compounding pharmacy that patients say is far more effective.
• Slow and Steady Wins the Race - This old adage holds true with how dentists should  be giving anesthetic. Unfortunately, this is one of the most common reasons a shot might hurt because the anesthetic fluid stretches the gum tissue like a balloon if added too quickly. Especially when someone says they hate shots, it’s tempting for both patient and dentist to want to get it done and over with quickly. This unfortunately reinforces the idea that shots hurt. They don’t have to. It just takes a little patience, and we take the time to ensure we make it as comfortable as possible.
• Warm Up Time - Good dentists understand those first two, but very few go beyond addressing those pressure pain receptors. Great dentists understand that other types of pain receptors also contribute to discomfort during a shot. One of these is temperature receptors. Just like touching a hot stove or walking barefoot in the snow would trigger a shocking or painful reaction, injecting relatively cooler anesthetic fluid into the body’s 98.6⁰ can trigger those same responses. We can avoid this by pre-warming our anesthetic.
• Neutralizing the Pain- You likely know that taste buds are specialized to sense ceratin chemical molecules like salt or sugar. But our body also has special pain receptors to alert us to harmful chemicals like acid. Relative to neutral body pH, anesthetic is actually somewhat acidic, necessary to maximize its long-term chemical stability and shelf-life. Unfortunately, this is a bit counterproductive to it’s intended effect. First, it may cause a “burning” discomfort as it’s given since the pH of our body is more neutral. Second, it is actually less effective because in order to cross the nerve barrier and do its job numbing the teeth and gums, it must actually be converted to a more basic form. The body does this naturally in a few minutes, but what if we could give that process a headstart? At Smile For Life, we add a special buffering solution to our anesthetic right before your procedure to bring the anesthetic to a neutral pH. This both makes the shot more comfortable and more effective. Our patients often comment that they’ve never felt so numb before or that the area feels instantly numb, and because it’s so effective, it usually requires FAR less shots for those who tend to take a lot of medicine to get adequately numb. And fewer pokes usually means less discomfort at the injection site when the numbing wears off after your procedure. 
  
• Individualized Anesthetic Regimen - You may know it simply as Novocaine, but the truth is there is a wide variety of anesthetics. Some are designed to kick in quickly, but also fade quickly. Others are meant to provide up to 8 hours of numbing following oral surgery. Yet another is designed for a deeper numbing effect. At Smile For Life, we customize the regimen based on each unique patient and procedure. If you've ever had an issue with anesthetic before, such as difficulty getting or staying numb, please share that with us. As long as adapting that regimen is within safe dosage limits, we will use your past experience to further adapt our regimen used to ensure a comfortable experience.

At Smile For Life, we are passionate about providing the most comfortable experience to all of our patients. We understand that everyone is different and have a variety of needs when it comes to their dental care. With our amazing team, you can rest assured knowing that any fear or anxiety related to receiving anesthetic will be drastically reduced. Our team is highly experienced in administering painless shots and will work diligently to ensure that you have the most positive experience possible. 

At Smile For Life Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we believe everyone should be able to receive quality dental care without fear of pain or discomfort. With our commitment to providing only the best in customer service, we guarantee you’ll leave our office with a smile on your face! 

Ready to take advantage of our revolutionary painless shots? Give us a call today at (509) 663-1161 or come visit us at 222 N. Mission St. Wenatchee, WA 98801 - we look forward to seeing you soon!