Dentists no longer use Novocain when treating patients. No, this doesn’t mean we’ve somehow managed to make dentistry completely painless (we wish!). We mean that Novocain is no longer the anesthetic of choice for dentists. In fact, it hasn’t been for many years.

Novocain is actually a brand name for procain. It was first created in 1905 and started being used in dentistry soon after. Believe it or not, before that, cocaine was the anesthetic of choice for procedures! Novocain was more effective and didn’t have addictive side effects, so it won out as the anesthetic of choice for many decades.

However, there was a serious side effect that caused dentists to start moving away from using Novocain. Many patients can have allergic reactions, sometimes severe, to the chemical that results as Novocain is processed by the body. By the 1980s, barely any dentists were using Novocain anymore. For the past 30 years or so, lidocain has been the local anesthetic that most dentists use. Lidocain was invented in 1943 and is sometimes called cylocain or lignocain. There are few other local anesthetics that dentists may choose based slight variations in their effect, such as being longer lasting.

Lidocain the same way that Novocain does: it’s a nerve blocker. When lidocain enters nerve cells, it prevents them from sending pain messages to each other, therefore the feeling of pain can never reach your brain. Think of it like an email spam blocker. The spam keeps being sent, but it never reaches your inbox so you never see it or experience it.

Local anesthetics like lidocain are usually used in restorative dental procedures, such as crowns or root canals. They are also used in combination with nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or general anesthesia in more complex procedures such as surgical extractions and placing dental implants.

So if Novocain hasn’t been used dentists in a long time, why do patients under 30 still know what it is and ask about it? Our best guess is that patients have heard about it from their parents, grandparents, or TV and movies. If you’re curious about local anesthetic and how we might use it in your treatment, please feel free to ask!

Root canals have a bad reputation they don’t deserve and we think Hollywood is to blame. Movies and television shows often portray root canal therapy as a painful and frightening procedure. The truth is that most root canal procedures are quite painless, and they are one of the most important procedures that dentists perform. That’s because a root canal is a life-saving procedure for your tooth!

Even movies as fun as Pixar’s “Finding Nemo” show root canals as a scary procedure that makes the patient squirm and cry out. When dentists watch scenes like this it has us wincing because it’s so far from the truth!

Many patients find out they need a root canal after they come to us with a toothache. Root canals are necessary when the pulp inside the inside of your tooth (i.e. the root canal) becomes inflamed. This is usually due to infection caused by tooth decay or a crack in your tooth, but it can also be caused by outside injury. A tooth that was injured in an accident can have inflamed pulp even if there is no damage to the outside of the tooth.

Left untreated, an infected or damaged tooth can get worse to the point that it needs to be removed. Hence why the root canal procedure is considered a life-saver for your tooth. Without this dental technique, dentists might have to pull teeth instead of preserving them in your mouth.

Rather than let the infection progress and the toothache get worse, the dentist performs a root canal to stop the pain and strengthen the tooth. This involves removing the inflamed or infected tooth, cleaning the empty canal, then filling it and sealing it. The dentist usually applies local anesthesia during the procedure and any pain you feel afterward is usually minor enough to be alleviated by over-the-counter pain medications like Tylenol or Advil.

So if root canal therapy isn’t painful, how did it get that reputation? Well, for one thing, dental technology and procedures have improved over the years. The other reason is that Hollywood movie writers need a reason to amp up the action in a scene, and they’ve exaggerated the discomfort of root canals for just that purpose!

We know that Hollywood’s nasty portrayal of root canals isn’t likely to stop anytime soon (silver screen myths have a tendency to feed off each other). As dentists, the best we can do is reassure you that if you need a root canal, you have nothing to fear. It’s certainly much better than enduring a bad toothache or losing your tooth.

Now, don’t get us started on how Hollywood portrays dentists!

When we talk to patients about dentistry, one of the main concerns they bring up is whether the dental care they receive will be gentle. As dentists, our main concern of course is your health, but we understand the desire to have a gentle dental care experience. We know it’s not everyday you have to let another person look around your mouth, so we strive to do all we can to make sure your visit & your treatment comfortable, & we mean this in the broadest sense possible.

Gentle Dental Hygienists & Dentists

We pride ourselves on having brought together a team of dental professionals who always use a gentle touch when treating patients. Our dentists & dental hygienists provide meticulous teeth cleanings & take care & time when navigating the delicate structures of your mouth, such as your gums. And we are always happy to make accommodations for you if you have specific sensitivities. If you are uncomfortable in any way, please let us know! We prefer hearing feedback to worrying that you might have endured some kind of discomfort in silence!

Gentle Dental Care Through the Latest Technology

Advances in dental technology, procedures & materials mean that we can take a more conservative approach to dental care than ever before. Plus, many of the technological advances we use at our office result in quicker, more comfortable processes & procedures. Even taking x-rays has become a faster & more efficient process now that we use digital radiograph technology. Technology means being able to catch problems early when they’re easier to fix & shorter recovery times for procedures that were more invasive with the limited instrumentation of the past. We’re living in a bright new future of dentistry & we’re happy to bring all of the best advances in smile care here at our practice.

Gentle Impact on Your Daily Schedule

We know one of the roughest parts about going to your regular teeth cleanings is fitting the visits into your busy schedule. We don’t want anything to stand between you & regular preventive dental care. That’s why we offer teeth cleaning appointments that fit around your work schedule, so you don’t have to take time off to see us. We will always do our best to learn your availability & schedule you into an appropriate time slot in the first place. However, please let us know if an appointment time conflicts with another obligation in your schedule. Asking to reschedule is always preferable to a last-minute cancellation. Seeing you consistently for cleanings is vital to keeping your smile healthy for the long run.