When the dentist mentions that a procedure requiring anesthesia is needed, many patients freeze up and become anxious at the thought of a needle sticking in their mouth. Whether it is a root canal or a tooth extraction, the patients’ fear of the needle keeps them from moving forward with the procedure. However, St. Renatus, a start-up based in Colorado, has begun the process of getting U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve of a nasal spray that can administer anesthetic without touching the needle. This nasal mist, known as the Kovacaine Mist, is made to anesthetize the maxillary arch; if Kovacaine Mist is able to come into the market, this product will truly provide the dental practice with many advantages. A dental assistant can easily apply this topical drug to patient’s mouth, giving the dentist more time to work on the actual procedures. Kovacaine Mist is also an anesthetic that does not stay in the bloodstream for as much time as injected anesthetics; thus, this nasal mist is less harmful to the liver, lungs, and kidneys. Since this anesthetic’s effects will wear off in less time, patients will drool after their procedure is finished. So how did this fantastic idea come up? Well, it was actually through a game of basketball. Mark Kollar, DDS, was shooting around with some of his friends one day, and a bad pass hit him right in the face, leaving him with a bloody and crooked nose. When he went in to straighten out his nose, Dr. Kollar noticed that the nasal spray he was given for the procedure not only numbed his ear, nose, and throat, but also numbed his upper teeth. This gave Dr. Kollar the idea of looking into a nasal mist targeted for dental procedures. St. Renatus entered phase II clinical trials in July 2012; St. Rentatus hopes that this drug will gain FDA approval by early 2014 at the latest. If everything works out, we will soon have a new product on the market that will truly change the face of dentistry. Many tend to believe that a trip to the dentist’s office will always include needles and pain. With Kovacaine Mist, individuals may be more willing to go in for a check up. Feel free to contact Drs. Ali & Ali and the caring team at Wellesley Dental Group if you have any thoughts or concerns; they will be happy to answer your questions! Contact us today at 781-237-9071 or smile@wellesleydentalgroup.com to set up an appointment and consultation. References: http://innovationews.com/science/bioscience/nasal-spray-anesthetic-beats-dental-injections-by-a-nose... http://www.drbicuspid.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=bai&pag=dis&ItemID=313570 http://www.st-renatus.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/RMI2_release.pdf
