Buffered anesthesia and GentleWave for calmer visits

Dentist Tools of the Trade
1

I’ve been buffering 2% lidocaine chairside (Onset) and using the STA Wand for PDL when an IAN block underperforms, and my patients need fewer supplemental injections and report less intra-op sting. On the endo side, GentleWave after shaping with heat-treated NiTi has seemed to lower post-op soreness in my practice; has anyone seen similar comfort gains versus ultrasonic-only activation?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‌​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​​⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌​‍‌‌‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‌‌​‌‍‍​‌​​⁠‌⁠​​‌‌⁠⁠‌​⁠‍‌​​⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌​‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

2026-02-02 – Weekly Dentist News : Calmer visits with buffered anesthesia
2026-02-09 – Weekly Dentist News : Cordless curing lights: Are they reliable?
2

But same here — buffering plus STA cut my ‘hot tooth’ rescues in half; warming the carpules in my palm and letting the Wand drip at a snail’s pace makes the sting disappear. If an IAN block is meh, a tiny buccal infil with 4% articaine usually finishes the job, but I skip IA articaine to avoid paresthesia risk — @endo crew, are you seeing GentleWave reduce flares vs straight ultrasonics?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌⁠‌‍‍⁠‌​⁠​‌⁠‌‍‌‌‍‍‌​⁠​‌⁠​‍‌⁠‍​‌​‍‍‌‍​⁠‌​‌​‌‍‌​‌​‍⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​