Fear of going to the dentist is extremely common - according to the American Dental Association, more than 20 percent of Americans are too afraid even make an appointment.

But a new medical device called Dental Vibe is helping to lessen patients' pain and anxiety during dental procedures.

New York City-based root canal specialist Dr. Aleksander Iofin said the device only looks simple.

"It looks like an electric toothbrush, but what it does is it creates, oscillations or vibrations and when applied to the patient's mouth, that basically takes away the sensation of pain where the injection is delivered," Iofin said. "You feel the vibration, you don't feel the pain."

Dental Vibe is applied to the gums during Novocaine shots, and the vibrations travel to the brain faster than pain signals.

Before, dentists only had topical pain relievers to help with the discomfort of Novocaine needles.

"The problem is the actual injection.