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Health Watch: Taking The Ouch Out Of Going To The Dentist

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Taking the ouch out of going to the dentist, when it comes to getting those shots that everyone hates. 3 On Your Side Health Reporter Stephanie Stahl has more on the new technology.

Dentists are buzzing about a new way to make injections more patient friendly.

"It goes faster. It's smoother. It's just better for everybody," said Dr. Jane Soxman, a dentist.

And no more dreading a shot of Novocain from the dentist. It's especially popular for pediatric patients. 9-year-old Rylee just had her injection.

Dr. Soxman asked her, "Was that okay?"

Rylee replied, "Yeah. Wait. Was that it?"

Dr. Soxman replied, "That was it my darling."

Rylee said, "Cool."

Dr. Soxman said, "You just had a shot."

Rylee, said "I did?" That's right, she didn't feel the shot of Novocain.

Dr. Jane Soxman is using DentalVibe, an instrument that looks and sounds like an electric toothbrush with a special tip.


"We will place the Dental Vibe on the tissue, and the vibration goes for about 10 to 15 seconds so they become accustomed to that sensation. And then we will inject into the tissue slowly, about 30 to 60 seconds," said Dr. Soxman.

DentalVibe works on what's called the gate theory, that vibration created by the instrument travel faster than pain.

"The pulsation and the vibration actually overrides that sensation to the brain. The vibration goes faster. The nerve impulses carry faster, so that this one is actually blocked," said Dr. Soxman.

Patients say they only feel the vibration, not the injection.

"Not bad at all. I didn't feel it. Once I heard about what it did it kind of eased my nerves a little bit, and then once they did it I didn't feel a thing. So it was pretty simple," said Kaelin Clogan, a high school sophomore.

The DentalVibe instrument is available for both children and adults.

RELATED LINKS:

DentalVibe
Local Dentist Offering DentalVibe

Reported by Stephanie Stahl, CBS 3

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