The Quicksleeper is a system that claims to give pain-free injections by delivering anaesthetic directly (and deeply) into the spongy bone around the teeth to be numbed. The folks who developed this system go on to say that numbness is very focussed and will not affect lips, tongue and other soft tissues that do not need to be numbed.
Some of the reviewers claim that there is no nerve endings in bone – someting patently untrue. And I certainly can’t see how a needle can be inserted deep into bone (obviously having first passed through the mucosa) can cause no pain. Unless of course, the needle is inserted mm by mm with tiny drops of lignocaine injected with every mm. If that’s the case, how long will it take to inject? I doubt the Quicksleeper suppliers’ claim that it saves time is true.
Most dentists who do not have deep pockets employ a slow, deepening injection technique. First is surface or topical anaesthesia, followed by a few drops in the mucosa. When the mucosa is adequately anaesthesised, the bulk of the anaesthesia is then delivered – often with no pain at all. The very slight pain experienced when the mucosa is first injected (for just one second) is tolerable to 99% of my patients. For those who can’t tolerate that, they probably won’t tolerate drilling, yanking and other movements involved in the dental procedure.
IV sedation solves the problem.
I find it curious that so far, almost all the information we can get from internet are sponsored reviews. One practice that boasts that it owns such a machine makes a telling statement that it’s not suitable for all patients but did not elaborate.
The price tag? US$6000
