Combating dental anxiety and odontophobia: painless anesthetic delivery and conscious sedation – Part 3

This post is the third in a series on combating dental anxiety with painless anesthetic delivery and conscious sedation. If you haven’t read parts 1 and 2 yet, I recommend you do before continuing.

Painless anesthetic delivery (continued)

The Wand (continued)

The Wand’s computer assist system has two main functions. First, it precisely controls the flow and pressure of anesthetic. This means it can be used to anesthetize in a highly efficient manner, using no more fluid than is necessary. This decreases patient discomfort and allows for highly targeted numbing – no more leaving the dentist’s office after a procedure with half of your face numb!

Dental Vibe

DentalVibe is another great tool for delivering anesthetic without pain. Unlike The Wand, DentalVibe doesn’t deliver anesthetic. Instead, it is used to apply vibration to the area where the injection will take place. It may sound a bit strange, but numerous studies have shown that this vibration overwhelms the nerve that would carry pain signals to the brain. Instead of feeling the pain and discomfort of the injection, all the patient feels is a light buzzing in their mouth. According to their website, “95% of the patients that have experienced the DentalVibe Injection Comfort System say that it has changed their view on going to the dentist.” (1)

Conscious Sedation

Conscious sedation is another invaluable tool in providing dental care to those with dental anxiety and odontophobia, especially in cases of moderate or severe odontophobia. Sometimes also called sedation dentistry or sedation analgesia, conscious sedation involves the use of pharmaceuticals to relieve fear and anxiety, combined with anesthesia to prevent pain once it’s time for the procedure to begin.

Check back soon for Combating dental anxiety and odontophobia: painless anesthetic delivery and conscious sedation – Part 4! In the meantime, check out our page on painless anesthetic delivery.

Source cited:

1 – https://www.dentalvibe.com/how-it-works/