Pain after anesthesia

by Lynn
(Ohio, answer by the Dentist)

Pain after anesthesia is not very common, since the post-operative pain is more likely due to the actual intervention or surgery done by the dentist, but it can occure. Lynn has recieved local dental anesthesia and worries about the post-anesthesia pain:

I had my front tooth pulled a week ago. The site where the numbing shot was given is still sore and my mouth remains swelled. The tooth area has healed well but where I received the shot I still have pain. Is this normal?

Pain after anesthesia can be very annoying and may also lead to anxiety. Local complications after dental local anesthesia can be;
1. Torn tissues due to too rapid injection or too large injection volume. This can cause postoperative pain, and necrosis may also occur.
2. Trismus due to intramuscular injection; this may sometimes occur after a mandibular injection. The symptoms usually appear after one or two days after the surgery and can persist over quite some time.
3. Bleeding at the injection point. The bleeding will stop spontaneously after a short time.
4. Laceration of a nerve due to the needle penetrating the nerval sheath.
5. Laceration of an artery or a vein. This can cause immediate swelling in the area due to blood leaking into the tissues. This can cause haematoma, but this is usually gone after a week.
6. Facial paresis due to introducion of the needle too deeply in a mandibular injection; the paresis is manifested by the patient's inability to move some parts of the face. Usually this paresis goes away as quick as normal recovery from a local anesthetic.

Pain after surgery is often complex and excists or an inflammation which is also part of the healing process. The healing process will depend on what kind of surgery which is given, the post-operative actions done by the dentist and the patient, and last, but not least, the patient's health condition and cooperation. Lynn, I do believe that your pain after anesthesia will soon go away. If it doesn't, I recommend you to contact your dentist and have him/her to examine the site.

Best regards,
The Dentist