Because most people dislike the idea of having the dreaded “s” word when they come to the dental office, I prefer to call it an injection. When you visit Sonoma County Family Dental you may hear a talking computer that also makes various beeping sounds. These sounds are coming from the Milestone Scientific STA system that I use to give injections to my dental hygiene patients.
Many people believe that the needle is the part of the injection that causes the pain. Typically this is not the case, since topical anesthetic is usually used to numb up the surface of the tissues where the needle will be placed. What generally makes people more uncomfortable is the acidity of the anesthetic used and that the injection is given too quickly. This is where the STA system comes in. It is a state-of-the-art computer-controlled injection machine that allows me to give patients precise injections at a controlled rate to enhance patient comfort levels. This machine has been designed to deliver local anesthetic at such a slow rate that the patient can rarely detect the injection. I have been asked by my patients, “What did you just do?” They are always surprised when I tell them that I just gave them the injections they needed for their procedures.
I am very happy to provide my patients with comfortable treatment. The STA system has been a wonderful tool that I hope will help my patients not dread the thought becoming numb for dental hygiene treatment any longer. If you would like to learn more about the STA, please visit www.milestonescientific.com/dental.html. I look forward to seeing you at SCFD soon!
Teresa Ann Voreis, RDH
