It might not seem like much on paper, but the relief which ‘The wand’ can provide for dental phobic patients can be immeasurable. A fear of the dentists isn’t all that strange, statistics suggest that 7-13% of the western population suffer from some kind of fear of the dentist. The darkly comic image of Steve Martin torturing teeth might seem bad, but it is nothing compared to the horror dental phobia inflicts on its victims. A fear of the dentist means a fear of check-ups, meaning dental problems go unchecked; sadly, fear of the dentist also means fear of surgery. Some people will literally let their teeth rot, just to avoid the pressure of a dental waiting room. Thankfully, with the wand, at least one specific phobia can be eased!
What is the wand?
The wand is a computer controlled injection unit which can regulate the flow of the anaesthetic it is administering.
So… how does this help?
The fear of needles is a massive contributor to the fear of the dentist. One contributor to the fear of needles is the pain of an injection. Painful injections, however, are not caused by the needle itself, they are caused by the speed at which the anaesthetic is administered. By controlling the flow of the anaesthetic, the wand prevents painful injections!
So there is still a needle?
Yes, but it is minute and you won’t feel it. The needle is so small, in fact, that you probably won’t be able to see it. So if the sight of a needle terrifies, don’t worry – you won’t see it!
Is it actually called ‘The Wand’?
Technically it is called the CompuDent and STA (Single Tooth Anesthesia) System, but that isn’t all that catchy. ‘The Wand’ is a nickname derived from its wand-like appearance and it has obviously stuck!
Why don’t more dentists use this?
We ourselves don’t know, we’re too focused on providing the best service we can to find out!
Tags: dental phobia, liverpool, the wand, the wand Liverpool
