local anesthetic not wearing off??

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#1 Post by **wiredwebbie** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 2:46 pm

I'm getting kinda worried now..

I had 4 extracted on wednesday and it was done under local anesthetic. I got 4 injections basically in the 4 areas in the mouth. top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right. 3 of the 4 injections have worn off, but the bottom right one still hasn't yet. Is this normal?

My husband told me when he had local it took 2 days to wear off. Another co-worker told me her husband had his wisdom teeth out under local and hasn't got back the sensation in the bottom-right part of his lip and chin yet even though it's been a month!

His dentist explained his "nerve was knicked" in the process and he may never have feeling there again!??

I'm worried this has happened to me...should I call my dentist?

pics post extraction are here:
viewtopic.php?t=5762

#2 Post by **Chocoholic** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 8:07 pm

Hiya,

I think the best thing is to call your dentist. When I had my wisdom teeth out, my dentist told me there can be a risk of damaging the nerve as it very often runs between the roots of the teeth. My local took ages to wear off, but I'd take yourself back in to get it checked.

#3 Post by **Wingnut** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 9:30 am

For upper teeth, the injections are done above the tooth to be extracted. For lowers, the front six are numbed the same way, per tooth. The bicuspid area is numbed through a hole in the lower jaw (mandible) under that area and molars are numbed through a hole in the very back of your jaw (mandible).

Sometimes, the ones that numb molars are the most lingering. There are muscles that the doctor feels for before injecting, because it's these muscles that help guide him to the proper injection target. This is where it's also the most dangerous to "hit the nerve". It can feel like an electrical shock when it happens.

Caffeine helps break down anesthetic. Drinking soda or coffee after being numbed can help it go away faster. Likewise, when patients had major dental work to do, we would tell them to refrain from taking in caffeine to get a better anesthetic result for the day. (Don't want that wearing off during the middle of crown prepping!)

Sorry it's taking so long to go away. Good luck to you!

#4 Post by **invisagirl** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:41 pm

As for your co-worker's husband a nerve was most likely severed (not as bad as it sounds) because if the nerve got knicked that area would of gone instantly numb from the medicine and then worn off at the appropriate time. Anyway a severed nerve will usually heal itself in less than a year although a small majority of the time it will take longer. This is why it takes a year for people to recover from jaw surgery because a lot of nerves get severed during the surgery to move the jaw.

I've seen the oral surgeon more than I care to admit to and my bf and sister had jaw surgery, that's why I know all this.

#5 Post by **Chris** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 7:58 am

I was numb on my bottom lip and chin for 4 months after wisdom tooth removal. Damage to the mandibular nerve. The feeling all came back gradually.

#6 Post by **wiredwebbie** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 11:20 am

Thanks for the info! I'm a much more relieved knowing that the feeling in my lip and chin will eventually come back. I'm pretty sure they didn't sever a nerve then because I didn't have molars taken out. I think they were bicuspids.

For those who had jaw surgery, my sympathies to you for sure!!

#7 Post by **geekgirl** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 2:50 pm

I have the exact opposite problem in that the local wears off way too quickly! My poor dentist has tried everything, from different freezing drugs to different freezing techniques. About the only thing that works is sedation dentristy to allievate the anxiety, which in turn causes the brain to not go into panic mode and metabolize the freezing quicker. I think that's how the science works (give or take), anyway...

Another thing that effects the local (or so i've been told by my dentist) is Vitamin C - too much and it will wear off quicker. So if you're having trouble with it not wearing off, you could always try an orange or two, as well.

I never thought about the caffeine, Wingnut - thanks for the heads up! I have another appointment tomorrow, so i'll cut back on the caffeine as well... I can't believe neither me nor my dentist thought of that one!