The Best of Both Worlds
My motto has always been: “You can never be too numb”; certainly true if you are having extensive dental treatment done. But one of the things people hate most about the dental office is being numb.
What to do? Now we have OraVerse, a drug that has been used safely in other medical applications for over 50 years. Clinical trials have shown that the active ingredient in OraVerse, phentolamine mesylate, is safe and effective in reducing the amount of time it takes for the numbness of local anesthesia to go away by more than 50%. That’s right, you can return to normal activities after your dental treatment in about half the time!
How does it work? OraVerse is thought to work by causing vasodilation of the blood vessels in the area of the injection site, thus allowing the body to more quickly metabolize and eliminate local anesthetics, the effectiveness of which are enhanced by vasoconstriction. Essentially the drug allows the body to send more blood circulating into the area to flush away the Novocain!
Is it safe? Clinical trials have shown OraVerse to be safe and effective in adults and children over the age of 6 and weighing more than 33 pounds. The most common side effect was shown to be slight discomfort in the area where the medication was administered.
Bottom line? It’s relatively new to dentistry and safe. It works. We’ve got it and if you want it you too can have it. Just ask us next time you’re numb!
