Having a tooth extracted might make you nervous, but you don't need to worry about pain being a factor. This might seem hard to believe, but dentists have mastered the art of controlling pain. From the moment you enter the dentist's office to long after you've gone home, you shouldn't experience any discomfort. Here's why.

During

The first thing your dentist will do to ensure that you don't experience any pain is to use general anesthesia. This creates an unconscious state where you're sleeping and no longer aware of anything that's going on around you. This ensures that you won't feel any pain at all while you're being operated on.

General anesthesia is usually given via an injection just before the procedure starts. You'll be given an IV to provide the injection more easily and to provide fluids while you're unconscious. Your dentist will let you know before they begin the anesthesia so that you feel prepared.

Immediately After

Although the general anesthesia will prevent you from feeling anything during the procedure, that doesn't mean that it's the only step that your dentist will take. Your dentist will also use Novocaine injections while you're under general anesthesia. This serves two purposes: it guarantees that you feel nothing while you're under anesthesia, but it also makes sure that you're not in any pain afterward.

This is usually done to ensure a seamless, pain-free experience. It's also because immediately after your surgery, you shouldn't consume a large amount of water. This makes taking painkillers a bit more difficult, so the Novocaine guarantees that you'll be pain-free for several hours so you can recuperate first.

Later

Your dentist will give you a prescription for pain relievers. Have it filled immediately and take it home with you. Your dentist will let you know how soon after your procedure you should take your new pills.

Make sure to follow your dentist's directions. Waiting too long could allow you to start experiencing discomfort. However, if you follow the directions, you shouldn't have any problems, as your pain relievers will go into effect before your Novocaine fully wears off.

It's wise to learn everything that you can about a procedure before you agree to it, so it's good that you want to know about dental extractions. However, you now know that you can expect to experience little to no pain during the entirety of your procedure and recovery period. Your dentist has likely performed this procedure many times before, so you're in good hands.