My son needs to have a root canal and he's going to have it under local anesthesia. Does it take a while for local anesthesia to kick in? I just want to make sure he won't experience any pain at all.
No, you won't have pain. Dentists wait until the area is under anesthesia. In case of discomfort, you ask for more anesthesia.
If placed well, it takes a few minutes to “set up” and you are numb!
Yes, the dentists usually wait and they check to make sure the gums are numb before they work on the teeth.