iDentistry The Journal January 2017 | Page 40

The Journal *Dr. Gagan Makkar **Dr. Vinay Verma Dental PHOBIA Management : Innovative Painless Approach In dentistry pain is like double edge sword to the dentist. Methods used to control dental operative pain may themselves produce distress. Injections play a vital role in medical and dental care. This needle phobia is associated with anxiety which later leads to syncope. Various new approaches have been introduced to lessen the pain which thus helps in management of dental phobia and anxiety. Introduction 1. Dental Vibe Dental fear is prevalent problem that impacts dental treatment seeking behavior and thus oral,systemic and psycgologic health.. After studying the Gate Control Theory of pain, three-in-one injection comfort system was introduced to enable the delivery of anesthetic injections without discomfort. It was estimated that 75% of adults experience some degree of dental fear. Fear of pain is critical component of dental fear. Studies reviewed dental phobia and concluded that about 9% of children and adolescent suffers from dental phobia particularly needle phobia. Pain is one of the most common reasons for physician consultation. In dentistry pain is like double edge sword to the dentist . Effective local anaesthesia is the single most important pillar upon which modern dentistry stands. Injections of local anaesthesia are one of the effective methods to reduce pain. But injection of local anaesthetic itself is a great source of patient fear. This needle phobia is associated with anxiety which later leads to syncope. High- pitched whine of dentist’s drill fills patients with fear. Below are enlisted few innovative approaches which help to reduce dental anxiety and fear. The DentalVibe works with proprietary VibraPulse technology, delivering pulsed vibration while at the same time retracting the lip and check and illuminating the injection site. The result is a comfortable, stress-free injection. DentalVibe is a handheld cordless injection system, which consists of a U-shaped vibrating tip attached to a microprocessor-controlled Vibra-Pulse motor. The device delivers a pulsed, percussive vibration with enhanced amplitude, which gently taps the mucosa in a synchronized but changing pattern which keeps the α-β nerve fibers activated thus diverting the pain sensation, in other words. The device's forked tip stimulates A-beta nerve fibers that travel much faster than C-nerve fibers, which carry pain sensations As a result, the brain registers the vibrations instead of the pain. The activated Ushaped vibrating tip is first applied to the injection site, and the dental needle may be inserted anywhere in the vibration zone. *MDS, Prosthodontist and Implantologist **FAD, New York University 29 10 23 22 3 1 38 Vol. 13 12 No. 1 2 3 May-August Sept-Dec 2017 Jan-April 2016 2016