Can people actually get over the fear of needles? This fear can have many causes.
Some people are afraid of the sight of the needle and the metal syringe. When they talk about the size of the needle, people always describe it as being several inches long. In reality, the needle itself is no longer than an inch to an inch and a half. Many injections, especially those given around the upper teeth, use only a small part of the needle.
Other people complain about the pinch that they feel when the needle is inserted, or about the feeling they feel when the anesthetic is injected. In most cases, this feeling can be lessened by a number of simple techniques that most dentists know very well.
These methods include:
1) Topical anesthetics (numbing gels or patches).
2) Warming the anesthetic cartridge.
3) Gently shaking the lip or cheek tissue near the injection site.
4) Slowly injecting the anesthetic.
Today, there are other products replacing the common metal syringe and needle tip that can be very helpful for patients in getting over the fear of needles.
One of them is The “Wand,” (CompuDent and STA (Single Tooth Anesthesia) Systems). A lot of people with needle phobia describe it as their “Magic Wand!” A computer controls the rate of flow of the local anesthetic. This means that the injection is slow and steady and therefore more comfortable. Most people think that needles sting because the skin is pierced, but this is not usually the case! As I said above, most often, the sting occurs when the anesthetic is delivered too quickly. Although it is possible for the dentist to control the speed with a standard syringe, the idea of The Wand is to take out the “human error.”
For people who get frightened at the sight of the standard metal syringe, The “Wand” doesn’t look like a syringe! It looks similar to a small computer tower. On the top of the little tower is a cartridge containing anesthetic. A tube connects this to a hand piece that looks similar to and is held like a ballpoint pen with a tiny one-inch needle at the end. The dentist uses a foot pedal connected to the computer tower to start the computer, which delivers the anesthetic at a slow rate. The cartridge holder, tube and wand handpiece are all disposed of after one use.
There is a “safety” wand hand piece with a self-retracting needle to prevent dental staff from accidentally poking themselves while getting rid of used handpieces.
Another product, Oraqix, is a needle-free anesthetic that has limited usage in gingival scaling and root planning procedures. It uses a blunt tip to deliver a combination of lidocaine and prilocaine around and then into periodontal pockets to numb the tissue within 30 seconds and for up to 20 minutes at a time. This combination of being needle-free and short acting increases patient comfort and reduces anxiety.
The use of “the Wand” along with the other products and manual methods available to the dentist when using a conventional syringe, can definitely aid patients’ to get over the fear of needles.
It is common knowledge that fear of dentists and dental procedures, including the use of needles to numb the teeth and gums, are major factors contributing to why many people avoid regular dental care. The use of Energy Psychology methods such as EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) can also help patients to gently reduce these fears.