Has anyone ever heard of this before? I found it during a late study night when taking a break. I don’t remember how I found it, but I downloaded an article by the inventor of the technique, Joseph Kravitz, DDS, MS. The article was featured in Practical Procedures & Aesthetic Dentistry pg. 242 Vol. 18, No. 4. The website for this peer reviewed journal can be found here. The article is an editorial of the procedure which involves rolling the handle of the mirror near the area to be anesthetized. According to the article and a google search this is a great technique at alleviating pain. A palatal injection can be one of the more painful oral injections and something as simple as this can be a lifesaver to the nervous patient.
It seems simple enough. The idea is to refer pain to another area of the body to ‘confuse’ the nervous system. Many dentists will slightly squeeze the cheek while giving an injection to distract the patient from the real pain. It reminds me of the movie Major Payne. The main character is running through the battle field and comes across a fallen comrade who has lost a leg. The fallen soldier is screaming, “My LEG, OH, MY LEG!”. Major Payne comes up to him and says something along the likes of, “Let me help you take your mind off that leg.” He then breaks his finger. The next shot is classic. We are shown the guys face with his hand in the air with one finger bent at 90 degrees. He is screaming, “My FINGER, OH, MY FINGER!!”
I have attached the three page article, enjoy!
Palatal Press and Roll Anesthesia Technique
