Understanding Dental Anesthesia: What Gets Numbed & Why

Dentists do not numb your teeth. Dentists numb the gums and surrounding tissues around the teeth to block pain signals from being sent to the brain. This is typically done using a local anesthetic, which is injected into the area around the tooth. The anesthetic numbs the area for a period of time, usually 30-60 minutes, allowing the dentist to perform the necessary procedure without causing pain.