• Dental Phobia Support

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The Dental Button

What do you think of the dental button?

  • Brilliant idea!

    Votes: 39 54.2%
  • Not sure/I might want to try it

    Votes: 17 23.6%
  • Not my thing

    Votes: 16 22.2%

  • Total voters
    72
I had the most interesting thing happen yesterday. I am researching and writing daily about The Dental Button, about Bowers research originally done in 1968 and corroborated by Royal College of Surgeons in the 90's, and discussing the potential of implementation with Dental Schools. And I love it when I find out something I hadn't thought about, or some new research that I didn't know about...
I was working in a room not equipped with The Dental Button System. My patient grabbed my hand while I was drilling and pulled it out of his mouth. And then immediately sneezed twice.
He didn't think to raise his hand because of the immediacy of the sneeze. A potentially dangerous action that could have been prevented with The Dental Button. Why didn't I think of that?
 
Ye gods no. That would just INCREASE my anxiety - thinking it might be so painful I might need an alarm button to stop 'em! Not a good idea. What's wrong with having the pre-arranged 'put your hand up' signal?

Oh lol at the first reply! I'm with ya there!

Also just want to let him/her at it. If I leave them alone to do the job it will all be over more quickly.
 
I'm sold and I have an excellent relationship with my dentist. She does use a stop signal but I'm a major "control freak" in the chair and I for one would love to have the button. I don't think I would necessarily ever use it or need to but psychologically, I would feel much more secure just holding on to it just in case. It's total and instant control...doesn't get any better than that. It's somewhat similar to a method my hygenist uses where she lets you hang on to the suction tube and you can use it as you need it so you don't feel like your going to gag or drown on the water...great idea seeing that communication is so compromised in the dental setting.
 
I have now had the button install for three days. Pateint response has been very positive. No one has actually activated it in yet. This is very dissapointing as it was very expensive and I want to get some value for money!!
One thing had have noticed is that the patients visibly look more relaxed. Also they tend to hold it loosely and not with their thumbs poised over the button as I was expecting.
I always demonstrate it use first and tell patients that I am not expecting them to need to use it but merely trying to give them a little bit of control which most people find helpful. I also assure them that I will not get annoyed if they actually use it!
 
Another update from Lincoln, who has FINALLY had a patient press the button:

"I have to say I really notice how much less tense patients area when the have the button. I tried with a 9 year old boy today. We were doing a very deep filling. Gave local using the wand and right at the very end of the cavity preparation he pressed the button(the first patient to do so) as he was just starting to feel it a bit. What was pleasing was he was able to stop the drilling before it became really sore and as a result remained relaxed. RESULT!!!!"
 
Just took delivery of my 'dental button' a couple of days ago and will get it installed this week. A number of patients have already asked about it having read the flier (which is sent out with the pack) which we now have in the patient lounge. As many have pointed out on this thread- the dental button probably isn't for everyone- but I think that there will be significant numbers of people who will find it helpful- and isn't it great to have it as an option if you want it?! Also I think that many people will be reassured that it the dentist has gone to the bother investing in something like that for anxious patients- then it is evidence that they really do care. I will update with how it goes- but I am looking forward to being able to offer my patients another thing which they may find useful. I know there has been mixed personal feedback here however-it really is great to have an increasing array of options and techniques available, and I'm sure that anyone with dental fear would agree that the more inovations and techniques that become available, and the more aware dentists become about the importance of dental fear- the better the world will be!
Will let you know how it goes!
Regards
Dr Mike
 
Just to say that paients are loving the dental button, even if they're not particularly anxious.
Its been installed for a few months now in our clinic.
Very few people have actually pressed it during treatment, but everyone comments that it is great to have real control over what is happening in their hands.
I'm delighted to have it and wouldn't want to go back to just having hand signals. Patients can still give hand signals if they want- but the dental button is something I'd recommend to any dentist working with anxious patients.
Dr Mike
 
[broken link to YouTube video removed]
 
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Have they brought this device over to the USA yet? I'm jealous! They need to move it over here more quickly! :)
 
I absolutely love this idea. I have had an oral surgeon NOT stop before when I signaled him.
 
I tend to cringe during drilling but not from pain. I just hate the sound and sensation and whole idea of it but my dentist is not able to decipher my reactions so during my last appointment she stopped like 100 times during the drilling to check in with me. Even though we do have an agreed stop signal I don't think she trusts me to use it and she encourages me over and over to use it if I need to but the button may help with this issue as well. Unless she doesn't trust that I will actually use the button when I need to either. I think I would be less tense if I had it though and maybe would cringe less if anything so that would help a little bit.
 
I think it might be a very good idea for some but in my hands I think it would be annoying both to myself and the dentist. I think I may just be pressing it all the flipping time. I am like kitkat and hate the drill and I don't trust myself to only use the dental button when really necessary. :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
I don't know why I'm just getting around reading this (and responding) now. I think that, for me, the biggest part of starting to overcome my dental phobia is being able to fully and completely trust my dentist. I've had some experiences in the past where a dentist has not responded to a stop signal so I understand why some people find the dental button appealing. For me, absolutely knowing that if I even start to raise my hand (i'm always careful to hold my right hand in my left hand during dental work so as not to accidentally raise the hand closest to the dentist) or flinch or make a funny noise the dentist will stop immediately has been so powerful for me. Also, knowing that I am able to ask to stop at any time and that the dentist will stop has been super important. I don't think that knowing I have the power to stop the drill would allow for me to build the trust I have built knowing that the dentist will stop if I ask.

I know that this is just my experience, but thought I would share.
 
I don't think the practice I go to has a dental button, just the general hand rise, I would if I was in pain and not having work done in my mouth would tap out.

I be scared to use the dental button even though I don't enjoy going to the dentist, in case I annoyed the dentist because I will be doing it all the time.
 
sounds good idea but I don't think dentist would like it with me in that chair. I'll probably pressing buttons even before he start. he'll be extremely annoyed. but I wont mind that chair come with head phone and choice of radio station. dentist can have little mouth piece so if he need me to do something then just talk over his mouth piece and sound comes to headphone. They actually had that system at MRI. when I had MRI they had that and it was cool. I wouldn't mind having that for dentist office. I brought my ipod with me when I went to dentist office. but people forget. and do really do not want to hear sound of drilling.
oh by the way..i think button might make me more nervous. I might take it as "there will be pain! press when you feel pain)
 
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Could have done with the dentist button at my last cleaning (even I go every three months) my normal was a bit too rough. I did not make much of an act since my Dad went with me.
 
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