Scared of Needles?
According to the American Dental Association, some 10 million people avoid the dentist due to a fear of needles -- and understandably so! Dental needles can cause a pinching sensation, which makes for an uncomfortable moment in the dental chair. While topical gels are now available to briefly minimize the pain felt during dental injections, their effectiveness is limited for patients who require several shots or wish for longer-lasting results.
Noven Pharmaceuticals has come up with a solution for patients who don't benefit from a topical gel. The DentiPatch® numbs your gums more thoroughly -- for a longer amount of time! The DentiPatch is a small adhesive strip that securely attaches to your gums to prevent or minimize the needle pain often associated with local dental anesthetic injections. Approved by the FDA in 1996, the DentiPatch has been helping fearful dental patients get the work they need for over 10 years!
Numb or Numb-er?
The DentiPatch's effective ingredient is lidocaine, which is slowly diffused through the soft tissues of your gums to block your underlying nerves from pain. You may have heard of lidocaine before -- in fact, it's now a common local dental anesthetic, having replaced novocaine as the primary numbing agent found in dental anesthesia in recent years.
The DentiPatch is a vast improvement in pain-free dentistry -- the DentiPatch penetrates deeper and lasts longer than topical numbing gels. While these gels are still successfully used today, there are several reasons you may choose a DentiPatch over traditional topical numbing agents:
- Topical gels only penetrate the first layer of tissue; the patch allows the lidocaine to diffuse deeper into several layers of the gums.
- It only takes about two minutes for the anesthetic to start taking effect.
- According to one study, the effects of a topical gel only last about one minute, whereas you may feel the effects of the DentiPatch for up to 45 minutes.
The DentiPatch is also used to reduce discomfort during gum disease treatment, such as scaling and root planning and some even ask for the DentiPatch for regular checkups and dental cleanings. If you suffer from tooth sensitivity, the DentiPatch may improve your level of comfort during your regular dental visits.
