Dental Pain Relief In Seconds Without Drugs?

Main Category: Dentistry
Also Included In: Pain / Anesthetics;  Medical Devices
Article Date: 14 Dec 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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The FDA says yes, recently certifying the first cryoanesthetic dental mouthpiece for the US OTC market. Used standalone or in conjunction with conventional anesthesia, gumEase provides pain relief without the side effects or complications of drugs. It's a tempting solution for clinicians plagued with patient needle phobia, sharps and the complex issues of hypodermic delivery.

The easy-to-use, disposable device is a breakthrough in pain management - as effective as it is inexpensive. Inserted easily into the upper and lower sulci, the latex-free device delivers a soothing, cool temperature to the maxillofacial nerves, quickly diminishing pain across a wide area of the mouth. In patient tests the new gumEase diminished pain by 90% in 2 to 3 minutes for the average participant. Patients can apply them post-operatively as needed, and reuse without side effects by storing in a household freezer.

"It gives dentists an option they didn't have before", says Tay McClellan, BioMeDevice CTO, "they can manage patient pain easily in a wider range of situations. Now it's not a problem to have a patient who can't use drug-based anesthesia." The device also holds promise for situations where needle use is limited; such as Brazil, whose interest in the gumEase is spurred by HIV initiatives there.

The Class 2 gumEase G-100 is prepared by storing in a conventional freezer until freezing temperature is reached. Proprietary solutions inside the mouthpiece prevent it from freezing, allowing it to form comfortably within the patient's mouth for several minutes. Pain reduction lasts for up to twenty minutes, and the process can be repeated as often as needed.

Developed in Laguna Hills, California by BioMeDevice, the gumEase is manufactured in Ireland. The company's plans for the device include estalishing a global supply network to meet current demand, and emphasis on the US OTC market.

http://www.biomedeviceltd.com