4 Products that make the discomfort difference for dental patients
Anesthesics may not have changed much in recent years, but the delivery systems used can transform the patient experience.
Anesthesics may not have changed much in recent years, but the delivery systems used can transform the patient experience.
I was in a meeting with a dental manufacturer maybe 8 or 9 months ago discussing potential coverage for his articaine product. I went through my usual questions about key differentiators between competitors and core messages to focus on. What he said surprised me:
“An articaine is an articaine. We just want to make sure people know that we’re the least expensive.”
This astounded me. It did, however, play a key role in considering how we put together this month’s feature on anesthesia and how best to communicate the value of what you offer to patients.
In a category where it seems like there may be very few differentiators in terms of the actual product, how you deliver that product can make all the difference. And when it comes to offerings that create less pain and discomfort for the patient, you have a potential “word of mouth win” on your hands if you play your cards right.
The following products are just a sample of some of the unique technology available to help make anesthesia delivery (and recovery) a more painless process...
1. Onset from Onpharma
The Onset Mixing Pen is a precision compounding and dispensing device used to mix two solutions together. Precision buffering of local anesthetics reportedly provides rapid onset of analgesia with less injection pain for patients.
Once assembled, the Pen enables the precise transfer of fluid from a standard 3 mL size cartridge into a second container, such as a 1.8 mL cartridge, allowing the two solutions to be mixed.
Dr. Mark Colonna of Whitefish, Mont., shared this testimonial:
“By buffering our anesthetic, our patients are experiencing great comfort when we anesthetize them and, more importantly, they get numb very quickly and very profoundly. As a result I’m able to use less medication to get them numb and I’m able to create a favorable result for both the patient and my practice. I believe Onset is going to revolutionize dentistry and local anesthesia as we know it in our profession.”
For more on Onset, check out this video:
2. The STA Single Tooth Anesthesia System from Milestone Scientific, exclusively distributed by Aseptico
The patented, award-winning STA Single Tooth Anesthesia System® unit uses computer-controlled local anesthesia delivery to enhance the injection process for both the dentist and the patient.
The system incorporates the ‘pressure force feedback’ elements of Milestone’s patented CompuFlo® system with DPS Dynamic Pressure Sensing® technology, and consists of a computer-controlled drive unit about the size of a cable modem (5” L x 2”W x 5” H), and a separate single-use disposable handpiece/needle assembly. The core technology utilizes an electro-mechanical motor regulated by a central processor unit (CPU) functioning in concert with a force/pressure transducer.
Traditional syringe techniques utilized in routine intraligamentary injections are hampered by the blind nature of the injection, the extreme pressures generated in local tissues during the procedure, and the relatively small volume of anesthesia able to be reliably delivered. These factors have resulted in reduced duration of anesthesia, unnecessary collateral anesthesia and increased pain associated with tissue damage.
The STA system reportedly takes the guesswork out of the administration of anesthetic by providing real-time visual and audible feedback via the CompuFlo system with DPS technology, continuously monitoring the exit pressure of the anesthetic in real-time during all phases of administration.
The Wand® handpiece is used in conjunction with the STA system. This ergonomically designed handpiece enables all traditional and newer injections to be more comfortable and easier to perform, resulting in improved clinical outcomes for patients. Its pen-like grasp and reportedly “feather-like” weight produce unparalleled tactile control for every injection.
It allows bi-directional rotation during injection, which prevents needle deflection that can occur with a traditional syringe. A straighter path results in a more accurate injection, meaning fewer missed injections and more rapid onset of medication.
milestonescientific.comaseptico.com
For more on the STA, check out this video:
3. DentalVibe from DentalVibe Inc.
The DentalVibe Injection Comfort System is a patented and FDA-approved device designed to “redefine the dental experience” by making pain-free injections possible for every patient.
DentalVibe is a cordless, rechargeable, handheld device that delivers soothing, pulsing, percussive micro-oscillations to the site of injection. Operating on the principles of The Gate Control Theory of Pain, vibrations are deployed to reach the sensory area of the brain before the pain does, closing the body’s neural “pain gate” so pain can’t pass through.
4. OraVerse from Septodont USA
OraVerse is the first and only local reversal agent. In clinical trials, the median time to recovery of normal sensation in the upper lip was 50 minutes for OraVerse patients versus 133 minutes for the control group and in the lower lip was 70 minutes for OraVerse patients versus 155 minutes for the control.
Also in clinical trials, OraVerse patients were more quickly able to smile, speak, drink normally and minimize drooling.
OraVerse is indicated for reversal of soft-tissue anesthesia, i.e., anesthesia of the lip and tongue, and the associated functional deficits resulting from an intraoral submucosal injection of a local anesthetic containing a vasoconstrictor. OraVerse is not recommended for use in children less than 6 years of age or weighing less than 15 kg (33 lbs).
