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Medical Forum / General / Dentistry / January 2005Does Scaling and Root Planing hurt?
Hello.. Good Morning, Dentists and Dental Students..... I need to hear some testimonials to put my mind at ease. With Novacaine...does scaling and root planing hurt? I am the world's biggest baby about going to the dentist...which is why I am having all this done - I had my first checkup in ten years yesterday. Anyway, they couldn't even give me a cleaning because I need to come back a few times for scaling and root planing. I completely trust the dentist, who is a good friend of my family, and who is hailed as a great dentist by everyone I know. Anyway, he said he's going to give me novacaine for each session, so that makes me feel a little better...but just the word "root planing" scares the sh.t out of me. So could someone help me so I can put my mind at ease!? I realize that I'm paying the price for my own stupidity in deliberately avoiding the dentist for a decade, but I'm really nervous about this. Thanks in advance for any feedback. -Doug I'm always perplexed when patients ask is it going to hurt even when they know they are going to receive anesthetic for the procedure. That is the whole idea of using anesthetic, so you don't feel the procedure. You will however feel the slight pinch and maybe a bit of stinging when given the injection of anesthetic. After that you should be so numb that you can't even feel your face. If you do feel some disomfort during the procedure, then inform the hygenist and she will get the doc to boost up the numbness wherever you need it. Just to reassure you, you'll be fine. > Hello.. > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > -Doug > I'm always perplexed when patients ask is it going to hurt even when they > know they are going to receive anesthetic for the procedure. That is the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > then inform the hygenist and she will get the doc to boost up the numbness > wherever you need it. Just to reassure you, you'll be fine. Ahhhh....I see you have jumped to the conclusion that the patient is getting REAL scaling and root planing, which, as you indicate, would involve the use of anesthetic to properly complete. Sadly, what I have found in speaking with patients and friends, is that a considerable amount of "scaling and root planing" is actually a cleaning stretched over two or more appointments, and rarely involves anesthesia, just a bit more agressive than normal cleaning. T Well I have never heard the terms before yesterday. The dentist said "Scaling and Root Planing." He said it would be two to three appointments, and he said it would require novacaine. They "measured my gums" with a hook and wrote down a bunch of numbers. Is this real scaling? Is this dentist trying to trick me? The reason I asked about pain, regardless of the novacaine, is because of the term "root planing" and how I would imagine that would be painful based on reading the pamphlet he gave me. I am honestly just not aware whether or not novacaine blocks out that kind of pain...that's all. > Well I have never heard the terms before yesterday. The dentist said > "Scaling and Root Planing." He said it would be two to three > appointments, and he said it would require novacaine. They "measured > my gums" with a hook and wrote down a bunch of numbers. Is this real > scaling? Is this dentist trying to trick me? Sounds real to me. T >Well I have never heard the terms before yesterday. The dentist said >"Scaling and Root Planing." He said it would be two to three >appointments, and he said it would require novacaine. They "measured >my gums" with a hook and wrote down a bunch of numbers. It's called a periodontal probe. What do you recall as the most frequent numbers ? > Is this real >scaling? Is this dentist trying to trick me? Doubtful after 10 years of neglect. >The reason I asked about pain, regardless of the novacaine, is because >of the term "root planing" and how I would imagine that would be >painful based on reading the pamphlet he gave me. I am honestly just >not aware whether or not novacaine blocks out that kind of >pain...that's all. Novocaine® is not manufactured anymore and for quite some time to the best of my knowledge. Scaling = removing calculus (tartar) from the crown and root(s) of the teeth. Root Planing = smoothing the rough root surfaces to inhibit new calculus formation. When done with anesthesia it is not painful during the procedure and usually only results in some soreness of the gingiva (gum tissue) afterwards. There may be some thermal sensitivity of the teeth afterward that is easily treated. Try to be calm, this is considered a routine treatment. -- W_B Take out the G'RBAGE wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com I know and I realize I'm making a big deal over nothing. Just curious. This has all been helpful. Thanks. I know he's not trying to trick me, I was just joking, having been surprised by the one strange replay about how this is probably not "true scaling" (or something like that). I only know what he said. And I know the guy. As for the novacaine, I'm sure he just used the term "novacaine" because it is a familiar term that means "numb" to the average moron like me. >I know and I realize I'm making a big deal over nothing. Just curious. >This has all been helpful. Thanks. I know he's not trying to trick [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >because it is a familiar term that means "numb" to the average moron >like me. But now you are a semi-informed dental consumer... like Adenosine... ;-] -- W_B Take out the G'RBAGE wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com >I'm always perplexed when patients ask is it going to hurt even when they >know they are going to receive anesthetic for the procedure. That is the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >then inform the hygenist and she will get the doc to boost up the numbness >wherever you need it. Just to reassure you, you'll be fine. Yeah, what he said. >> Hello.. >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> >> With Novacaine... Dentists don't use Novocaine® anymore. It hasn't been manufactured in some time. -- W_B Take out the G'RBAGE wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com Don't panic. The injection is the worse part. I've had teeth pulled out and the injection is still the worse part. Personally I find it helps if the dentist/assistant is pretty :-) >Don't panic. The injection is the worse part. I've had teeth pulled out and >the injection is still the worse part. > >Personally I find it helps if the dentist/assistant is pretty :-) 30% of the patients claim, "Doc I had no idea you already pulled the tooth!" Strange but true. Joel The funny thing is...the reason I wonder whether I'll have pain, despite the anesthesia, is because when I was a kid I had two teeth pulled. I had anesthesia, and it still hurt like hell. That was about 20 years ago, though. >The funny thing is...the reason I wonder whether I'll have pain, >despite the anesthesia, is because when I was a kid I had two teeth >pulled. I had anesthesia, and it still hurt like hell. That was about >20 years ago, though. Dentists are better today, perhaps due to increased competition! No one wants to be known as a hurtin' dentist. Joel >Dentists are better today, perhaps due to increased competition! > >No one wants to be known as a hurtin' dentist. > >Joel Except for Dr. Payne... -- W_B Take out the G'RBAGE wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com >>Dentists are better today, perhaps due to increased competition! >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> >Except for Dr. Payne... He was a classmate of mine. .. Stephen Mancuso, D.D.S. Troy, Michigan, USA I am writing on a Tablet-PC,so forgive me if the PC misreads my handwriting. >>>Dentists are better today, perhaps due to increased competition! >>> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >.. >Stephen Mancuso, D.D.S. Did you also know Dr. Hertz ? -- W_B Take out the G'RBAGE wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com >>>>Dentists are better today, perhaps due to increased competition! >>>> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >Did you also know Dr. Hertz ? No, but Geoff Paine was in my class. Great guy. .. Stephen Mancuso, D.D.S. Troy, Michigan, USA I am writing on a Tablet-PC,so forgive me if the PC misreads my handwriting. >>Did you also know Dr. Hertz ? > >No, but Geoff Paine was in my class. Great guy. I always thought that was a joke, you know, they told you his first name or something. >>>Did you also know Dr. Hertz ? >> >>No, but Geoff Paine was in my class. Great guy. > >I always thought that was a joke, you know, they told you his first >name or something. Honest,,,,, Geoffrey was in my class and still practices dentistry here in Michigan. .. Stephen Mancuso, D.D.S. Troy, Michigan, USA I am writing on a Tablet-PC,so forgive me if the PC misreads my handwriting. >Honest,,,,, Geoffrey was in my class and still practices dentistry >here in Michigan. >.. >Stephen Mancuso, D.D.S. There should be a law... -- W_B wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com Take out the G'RBAGE
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