Periodontal scaling and root planing procedures generally require some type of anesthesia. From your perspective as a patient, the choice of anesthetic is a trade-off between pain relief and side effects.
Oraqix, a needle-free anesthetic, may end the need for an injection prior to your periodontal scaling and root planing procedure.
What is Oraqix?
Oraqix, a non-injected anesthetic gel, is a combination of lidocaine and prilocaine combined with technology to deliver pain relief exactly where it’s needed. Oraqix is indicated for our adult patients who require localized anesthesia during scaling and root planing. Oraqix may not be right for you if you have a known history of hypersensitivity to local anesthesia. Oraqix has a low occurrence of side effects, with the most common adverse reaction in clinical studies being a short-term taste perversion.
Oraqix Advantages
Oraqix has several advantages over traditional, injection-delivered anesthetics:
- Oraqix is applied as a liquid but sets to a gel, which allows the medication to stay in place at the exact location of your dental work.
- Oraqix takes effect in approximately 30 seconds.
- 70% of dental patients preferred Oraqix due to its non-invasive, needle-free delivery.
- The duration of Oraqix is about 20 minutes but it can be reapplied as needed to achieve the desired duration of effectiveness. This means, we can make the medication last as long as needed. Instead of numbness lingering after your procedure, the effects of Oraqix will dissipate as you’re leaving our office.
- Oraqix is site-specific, which allows it to be administered precisely to the procedure area.
- Oraqix can be administered to multiple specific sites, making it possible for your periodontal scaling or root planing to be performed in one or two visits instead of the usual four.
- Evidence shows that accomplishing a full-mouth root planing in fewer visits may actually improve your therapeutic results, since there is less chance for bacteria to migrate from one area of your mouth to another.
- Oraqix is safe, carries a low risk of allergic effects, and will not aggravate inflamed soft tissue.