It's not uncommon for patients to experience anxiety about going to the dentist, and most of that anxiety stems from perceived pain of the procedure, i.e. getting a shot in your gums.
That's why many different companies have started to develop needle-free injectors, such as Startseite's INJEX30. The device is said to be less painful than a needle because "the skin is penetrated by an extremely fine jet of medication." While a needle's point has a circumference of .39 mm, the INJEX30 has a jet with a width of .17 mm, so the puncture point is half the size.
St. Renatusis also finishing clinical trials for a needle-free anesthetic in the form of a nasal mist. Soon, the fear of going to a dentist may be quelched with the introduction of painless anesthetics.
Lauren Burns is the editor of Proofs magazine and the email newsletters RDH Graduate and Proofs. She is currently based out of New York City. Follow her on Twitter: @ellekeid.
