Many dental procedures are performed under local anesthetic: fillings, gum disease treatment, root canal, tooth extraction and implant placement. Local anesthetic numbs the area completely so you don’t feel any pain. But the local anesthetic has to be injected into the gums, and that’s when many people get jittery.

Dentists have devised ways to get around this problem. Some dentists apply topical anesthetic before injecting the local. Others make sure to inject the drug very, very slowly (fast injection is actually the cause of pain, not the needle entering the skin). Patients who are extremely anxious or fearful pop Halcion or Valium to lessen the discomfort. Prairie Village, KS dentist Dr. Smith has another solution: DentalVibe.

What is DentalVibe?

DentalVibe is a new method of delivering pain-free anesthesia. The DentalVibe is a handheld, portable wand that looks like an electric toothbrush. Dr. Smith points the wand to the target area, and it emits a series of gentle vibrations that you feel immediately. At this point, the local anesthetic is injected.

You only feel the vibration, but not the needle. This is because the nervous system cannot process both pain signals and vibration. Essentially, the vibration blocks the pain sensations. Your dentist can then work on your teeth and you can sit back in your chair comfortably.

If You’re Really, Really Scared

But what if the mere thought of seeing the dentist terrifies you? Not a problem! Dr. Smith takes care of fearful patients every day, and they are often surprised at how comfortable dental procedures can be. If you are very scared or very anxious, Dr. Smith can prescribe medication to help you relax. The sedative can be inhaled through a small mask (nitrous oxide sedation), taken by mouth (oral sedation) or injected into a vein (IV sedation).

Make an appointment today with your Prairie Village dentist to learn more about DentalVibe and virtually pain-free dentistry.