Some patients are so stoic they don't even require a local anesthetic or a numbing of the gums. However, most patients do. The slightest discomfort can be easily eliminated. A topical anesthetic is first applied to numb the tissue before an injection is given.

Two types of injections are available:

• An infiltration injection numbs or eliminates any discomfort in a localized area.
• A block injection will numb an entire region as is often done with the lower jaw. The numbness will last from less that an hour to several hours but will completely wear off.