Family Dentist Tools for Sedation
Bringing Calm to Dentist Offices
The Wand (also known as CompuDent) is essentially a computer-controlled dental injection. The flow rate of the local anesthetic is controlled by a computer. This means that the injection is guaranteed to be slow and steady and therefore comfortable.
Most people who have had a bad experience with injections think that needles sting because the skin is pierced, but this is usually not so! Most often, the sting was caused because the anesthetic was fired in too quickly. Obviously, it is possible for the dentist to control the speed with a standard syringe, but the idea of the Wand is to take out the “human error”. This can be very reassuring for people with previous bad experiences.
What does the Wand look like?
It simply doesn’t look like a syringe! Welcome to the space age…
As you can see in the photo, the “hardware” looks similar to a miniature computer tower.
On the top of the little tower sits a cartridge with local anesthetic. A tube connects this to a pen-like headpiece (It does sport a needle. You’ve got to get the sleepy juice in there somehow, but the needle is very tiny.)
The headpiece device looks just like a ball point pen (see below).
It is even held like a pen! Using the Wand is very enjoyable for the operator (that is, the dentist) because it is so light and easy to handle. To start the computer, the dentist uses a foot-pedal connected to the computer tower. The computer does the rest. That way, the operator can focus all attention on holding the headpiece in the right position.
The cartridge holder, tube and wand headpiece are all single-use disposables.
A “cool blue” “safety” wand headpiece with a self-retracting needle is also available. The safety feature is there to prevent dental staff from accidentally poking themselves while getting rid of used headpieces. However, most dentists prefer the “standard” wand on the left, because they find it easier to handle.
What are the advantages?
Looks non-threatening and almost cute. Researchers have found that the Wand induces less anxiety than any other injection method.
The precise control of flow rate and pressure reliably produces a comfortable injection even in potentially more “difficult” areas like the palate, where the tissue is less elastic.
Many dentists enjoy the light weight and easy handling. The pen like grasp allows the operator to rotate the headpiece, which can make it easier to glide the needle into the tissue.
