A clinical comparison of pain perception to the Wand and a traditional syringe

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the pain response of a group of 40 volunteers to the Wand with the response to syringe injections.Study Design: Of 240 total injections given, 120 were with the Wand system, and 120 were with the traditional aspirating syringe. Three injections were evaluated: injections to the middle superior alveolar (MSA) of the maxillary right first premolar and the maxillary left first premolar; palatal injections of the maxillary right first premolar and the maxillary left first premolar; and inferior alveolar nerve injection (IAN) of both the right and the left sides. Each volunteer received 6 injections, 3 on one side with the Wand and 3 on the opposite side with the syringe (control). All injections were given by the primary investigator without the use of a topical anesthetic. Pain perception levels were recorded with a 4-point visual analog scale: no pain, mild pain, moderate pain, and severe pain. The results were evaluated statistically by using an unpaired t test. RESULTS: The results showed injections with the syringe were statistically more painful than injections with the Wand in 4 of 18 evaluations: MSA of the maxillary left first premolar, female volunteers responses to MSA of the maxillary left first premolar, IAN left side injections, and male responses to IAN left injections (P =.01, P =.05, P =.05 and P =.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The Wand generally seemed to provide less painful injections; however, the mean ratings of pain were mostly mild pain for both injections. Therefore, the clinical significance of the results should be interpreted with caution. The operator technique and tactile skill in syringe injections and site of injection (right or left) could be important factors that were not evaluated in this study.