Clinical Study Conducted By: Jeffry R. Shaefer, DDS, MS, MPH; Stephanie J. Lee, BS; and Nina K. Anderson, Ph.D.; from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
Conclusion: This study showed that for subjects in this study, the DV3 significantly reduced pain from dental anesthesia when used with injections that are routinely difficult for patients to tolerate, such as the LB and IAN. The use of the DV3 did not influence the time it took to achieve complete mandibular anesthesia in this cohort of subjects. The pulsed vibration provided by the DV3 seems effective for controlling patient discomfort and improving pain control during the administration of dental anesthesia. The DV3 device could also be considered for use in medical practices when local anesthesia is used without sedation, as the use of vibration to prevent discomfort from cutaneous injection has been reported in two clinical trials, one that involved taking blood in a pediatric population and the other involving eyelid surgery. Pain control during procedures that cause discomfort, such as joint manipulation, wound cleaning, or bandage removal, that are routinely done without the use of local anesthesia could also benefit from the counter-stimulation effect of pulsed vibration. The role that the DV3’s unique pulsation frequency plays in controlling pain transmission warrants further investigation.
