“Do you need dental anesthesia to remove a cavity?”

There are a few circumstances where it is not needed, but most of the time, yes. We use a local anesthetic to get you numb and then remove the decay.

Yes, more than likely you will need local anesthetic in order to be comfortable. The doctor can remove the decay without anesthetic, but it may be unbearable for you to get through the appointment. It's much easier to get anesthetized, then be comfortable than to tolerate the pain of removing a cavity.

Eric Buck, DDS

You do not NEED to have anesthesia to remove a cavity, but it may be quite uncomfortable if you decide you don't want to be numb. You will also need to stay very still, even with discomfort, to allow your dentist to do their best job for you. I have had people who could tolerate it, but they are few and far between.

Dear Reader,

Thanks for asking about dental anesthesia to have a cavity removed and tooth restored. I have and had patients who refuse dental anesthesia. If you feel it's not necessary, that's fine. Please remember, a tooth is filled with nerves and when you remove a cavity, you are also irritating the nerves. The deeper the cavity, the closer you get to the main nerve trunk. I would ask your dentist if he or she feels you would benefit from anesthesia. If you decide to try without it, and it starts getting sensitive, tell your dentist and you can then get numb and not feel anything. That's what I do (and I always end up getting numb).

Hope this helps,

Steven Chamish, DDS

No.