Exparel is an advanced kind of local anesthetic that is applied to the site of the surgery just before the procedure begins. However, while other anesthetics will wear off within hours once the surgery is done, the effects of Exparel last for up to five days. Only a very small area of your mouth will be numbed (so there won’t be a danger of biting your lip or tongue without realizing it), but it will still be enough to stop you from experiencing pain. Studies have shown that patients who received Exparel after other surgeries required significantly fewer narcotics than those that didn’t; this dramatically illustrates the difference that this unique approach to surgery can make.