03/26/2015
Nearly Painless Novocaine!
Throughout my dental career, I have been hoped to see several inventions Wouldn’t it be great to have a needleless needle or novocaine that didn’t cause numbness? They still doesn’t exist in 2015, but the “Wand” Anesthetic device comes VERY close.
Even though this technology has been around for several years, dentists have been slow to adopt it because of its high cost. So, I purchased the machine on a trial basis. I was the first guinea pig in the office, followed by one of my hygienists. Yes, I injected myself and all I could say was “Wow! No pain!” My hygienist reported a little pressure, but no pain.
The following Monday, two of my most fearful patients came in for fillings. They left with smiles. Over the past month, I have been using the “Wand” on any patient who requires novocaine and except for one curmudgeon (who would never cut me an inch of slack), there was 100% agreement that the novocaine was painless. I don’t think that anyone would request that I go back to the old-time syringe and needle (and I’ve asked)
The secret is a computer controlled pump that very gently drips novocaine into the area around a tooth. The drip rate is far slower than can be achieved by hand. It’s so slow, in fact, that it’s beneath the level of perception for most patients. There’s still a tiny needle involved, but it looks more like a Bic pen than a needle. And honestly, it’s about as painful as a Bic pen – wow again!
With the “Wand”, I can often avoid the shot that gets your whole jaw numb. Are there any disadvantages? Not that I can tell. The novocaine takes longer to give, but it’s no big deal – you just sit there with a Bic pen in your mouth! Honestly, this may be one of the greatest purchases I have ever made for the practice. Anything that makes your visit easier is worth it.
