It’s a place a lot of people dread: the dentist’s chair. Some people actually fear going under the drill. But, there’s a new device that’s literally putting control in the patient’s hands.
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It’s called the “dental button,” a kill switch for patients that automatically stops the drill.
It’s currently being offered by Centennial dentist Dr. Stace Lind.
“It does make a difference. They have the dental button that makes the patient feel in control, and have a voice in when to stop,” Lind said.
Here’s how it works: If there is any pain or discomfort or when the patient just need a break, the dental button acts as an automatic override to switch off the power tools being used at that moment.
Studies show 85 percent of people have dental anxiety, and 50 percent of those don’t get their annual dental exams. Lind hopes that this alleviates some of the anxiety so they can get back in the dentist chair.
So far, Lind is the only dentist in the Denver area to use the dental button but it’s being used across the U.S. and in Europe.
The machine costs a little more than $1,000, but Lind doesn’t charge his patients extra to use it.
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