Dental Drill or Dental Laser for Cavities: What's Best and Safest for Tinnitus Sufferers?

[PeteJ]

I have a cavity and a dentist appointment tomorrow. I forgot about it because I rescheduled twice already—this is the third appointment I've made. I became really anxious and started calling other dentists, looking for a clinic that offers laser surgery as an option.

I finally found one, but there aren't many in Ontario, Canada, that do laser procedures on both soft tissue (mostly gums) and hard tissue (bone/teeth). Most only handle soft tissue or cosmetic work.

Anyway, I'm on a fixed income due to severe tinnitus and chronic ear pain, and most dentists, including the one I found, don't accept government-issued insurance. The clinic sounds great, and the person I spoke with was really helpful. I'd like to switch, but I'd have to pay out of pocket—even if the procedure requires a drill. Maybe their drills are quieter, too?

What should I do? I'm thinking I might need to go to my regular dentist since I keep putting this off and then save up money in case I need more dental work in the future. I could still go to the laser clinic later on, especially since the Canadian government is planning a new program that might help, depending on who gets elected next year. Right now, it only covers seniors, but it should eventually cover people under a certain income level.

Any advice would be appreciated. I'm not going to blame anyone—it's ultimately my decision—but maybe someone will think of ideas I haven't considered, or maybe you've been to the dentist recently and know if most drills are similar nowadays. I'm really anxious and afraid of going.

Thanks for reading and any replies. I hope everyone, including the reader of this post, is doing well!

P.S. My current dentist accepts the government insurance, but they don't have laser tools. I've been there before, and their drill is quite loud, even though I asked them to use the quietest one they have. I plan to ask them to do the 10-second drill, take a 10-second break, and then repeat the cycle—is that okay? My dentist is understanding, but it's still loud.

 

[Mark F.]

Would using earplugs work? I know people have mentioned the "occlusion effect," but I'm not sure I fully understand what that means. Is it harmful to your ears to wear earplugs at the dentist's office? If so, is it because the dental drill is being used inside your mouth, causing the sound waves to get trapped or bounce around in your ears since they can't escape due to the earplugs?

 

[PeteJ]

Would using earplugs work? I know people have mentioned the "occlusion effect," but I'm not sure I fully understand what that means. Is it harmful to your ears to wear earplugs at the dentist's office? If so, is it because the dental drill is being used inside your mouth, causing the sound waves to get trapped or bounce around in your ears since they can't escape due to the earplugs?

That question has come up in the forum a few times—others have explained it much better than I can. Unfortunately, my memory isn't great, so I might not answer it well. From what I remember, wearing earplugs, muffs, or other hearing protection won't really "protect" you because the noise is happening inside the ear. Sure, there's noise from the drill outside, but when your mouth is open and the drilling is happening in the bone or teeth, the noise is inside your head due to the occlusion effect. So even if you wear something on your ears, the sound is still there inside your head (if that makes sense—maybe it doesn't?). Some people say that noise-canceling headphones help somewhat, but I'm not sure why.

I'm feeling a lot of anxiety this morning—my appointment is an hour away.

Should I keep the appointment or wait until I'm ready? Or should I save up money (which is tough on a fixed income) to go to another dentist who might be more advanced? Maybe they have a quieter drill? I don't know, but they do offer laser dentistry, so I assume they've invested more in technology and their practice—probably, right?

In 2025, if a new government administration isn't elected, they might not cancel the new dental program set to start in the new year. This program would cover more dental procedures and people, which would allow me to go to that new practice or clinic and be fully covered. I think the laser drill is quieter, but I'm not completely sure. The question is whether it's bad to delay getting dental work done. I've read that if the cavity gets worse, it might require more drilling, but I'm not certain. I just have so much anxiety about dental visits, especially since my ears have been pretty bad lately.

I think I have other issues, like clenching or grinding my teeth at night. I also have an unexplained problem with my left ear (and sometimes my right) where I experience pain and a crackling sensation, especially at the bottom of the ear near that muscle. My current dental clinic said it's not TMJ, so I still don't know what's going on—just theories at this point.

 

[Mark F.]

That question has come up in the forum a few times—others have explained it much better than I can. Unfortunately, my memory isn't great, so I might not answer it well. From what I remember, wearing earplugs, muffs, or other hearing protection won't really "protect" you because the noise is happening inside the ear. Sure, there's noise from the drill outside, but when your mouth is open and the drilling is happening in the bone or teeth, the noise is inside your head due to the occlusion effect. So even if you wear something on your ears, the sound is still there inside your head (if that makes sense—maybe it doesn't?). Some people say that noise-canceling headphones help somewhat, but I'm not sure why.

I'm feeling a lot of anxiety this morning—my appointment is an hour away.

Should I keep the appointment or wait until I'm ready? Or should I save up money (which is tough on a fixed income) to go to another dentist who might be more advanced? Maybe they have a quieter drill? I don't know, but they do offer laser dentistry, so I assume they've invested more in technology and their practice—probably, right?

In 2025, if a new government administration isn't elected, they might not cancel the new dental program set to start in the new year. This program would cover more dental procedures and people, which would allow me to go to that new practice or clinic and be fully covered. I think the laser drill is quieter, but I'm not completely sure. The question is whether it's bad to delay getting dental work done. I've read that if the cavity gets worse, it might require more drilling, but I'm not certain. I just have so much anxiety about dental visits, especially since my ears have been pretty bad lately.

I think I have other issues, like clenching or grinding my teeth at night. I also have an unexplained problem with my left ear (and sometimes my right) where I experience pain and a crackling sensation, especially at the bottom of the ear near that muscle. My current dental clinic said it's not TMJ, so I still don't know what's going on—just theories at this point.

Thank you for explaining the "occlusion effect." If you're unsure about going to the dentist, don't rush into it. Dentists are businesses, and part of their job is to create a sense of urgency, making you feel like you need to act quickly before your teeth deteriorate. Don't fall for it—you usually have more time than they lead you to believe.

About two months ago, I had an old crown removed and replaced with a new one. Like you, I asked my dentist if he had a quieter drill, but he didn't. I put in my earplugs and hoped for the best. The drilling was loud and unpleasant, especially when he was grinding the old crown loose—it took about 5-10 minutes. Fortunately, I didn't experience any negative effects.

Good luck with whatever decision you make!

 

[PeteJ]

Thank you for explaining the "occlusion effect." If you're unsure about going to the dentist, don't rush into it. Dentists are businesses, and part of their job is to create a sense of urgency, making you feel like you need to act quickly before your teeth deteriorate. Don't fall for it—you usually have more time than they lead you to believe.

About two months ago, I had an old crown removed and replaced with a new one. Like you, I asked my dentist if he had a quieter drill, but he didn't. I put in my earplugs and hoped for the best. The drilling was loud and unpleasant, especially when he was grinding the old crown loose—it took about 5-10 minutes. Fortunately, I didn't experience any negative effects.

Good luck with whatever decision you make!

Hi,

Thanks for replying! I know my original post was on short notice. I was trying to get ideas on what to do for the next day! So, I appreciate your reply! I guess I only received one. Oh well. :-/

Update:

I went to my appointment with my current dentist and got a filling. It went okay—it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I tried using earplugs, but I couldn't really perceive much difference. The suction part of the visit, which people here have discussed as being loud, was just as you all said—it's almost as bad as the drilling. The drilling was pretty intense, but I'd describe it as:

A) About 80% of it was what you'd expect—maybe not as bad because I was mentally prepared for it to be terrible, meaning ear pain afterward and a spike in my tinnitus.

B) The last 20% was worse than I expected—the drilling near the end was pretty bad, though I'm not sure why.

I did experience some ear pain in my left ear, particularly around the joint area, but the spike in my tinnitus wasn't much worse than my usual baseline. The practice I went to seems to have fairly up-to-date tools, though I still wonder if the tools at the other place might be better. I'd like to go there if my dental coverage improves or includes more services, as cleanings aren't currently covered.

I asked my dentist about their laser tools. They do have one but rarely use it, and it's only for soft tissue, so it wouldn't have been an option for me anyway.

For anyone reading this who's going to the dentist, I hope this helps. I would recommend looking for dentists who use lasers on hard tissue (e.g., bone), as they probably have the most high-tech and up-to-date equipment. If they use lasers on hard tissue, any fillings they do might be quieter than with traditional tools. That's what I was hoping to find—a practice that could offer this option.

You're right, I could have waited, and I almost canceled. However, to go to the other clinic, I probably wouldn't be able to go until the new year because it would be out-of-pocket, potentially costing hundreds of dollars. There's also no guarantee they would use the laser tool, and even if they did, I don't know how much quieter it would be. If they had to use the standard drill, I'm unsure if it would have been any quieter than what I experienced at my current dentist. I wish there was some way to know.

My mouth is recovering quickly, and it's not bothering me too much. I do have a bit of a spike, but it's no worse than some of the bad ones I've had. My tinnitus seems to be in a constant state of elevated spikes, which feels like my new baseline. It's tough to describe, but that's the best way I can put it. It sucks. :-(

I took NAC and Magnesium glycinate before and after the appointment, and I also took half of a 1000 mg NAC tablet this morning. I don't know if it helps, but as long as it doesn't cause stomach or other health issues, I figure it can't hurt. :-/

P.S. I requested the 10-second drill with a 10-second break, and it went okay. The dentist counted out loud when she did it, but I had my hand ready to signal her. They generally took breaks anyway to clear water from my mouth. Even so, the breaks never felt long enough. I kept wishing they were longer. The whole process seemed to take forever, and I would really prefer quieter tools in the future. I definitely want to avoid any more appointments involving cavities or drilling. It's such an awful experience to go through with this condition.

 

[Mark F.]

I'm glad it went well for you! Did you wear earplugs throughout the entire process?

 

[PeteJ]

I'm glad it went well for you! Did you wear earplugs throughout the entire process?

Nope, I tried them, though. I took them out a few times, but it didn't seem to help much. I'm going for a cleaning tomorrow and planning to request manual scaling. I hope it doesn't take much longer than the ultrasonic cleaning, as I have an appointment right after for a night guard fitting. I'll just ask the hygienist to do as much as they can with the manual cleaning.

Unfortunately, these services aren't covered, and I don't have insurance, so I'll have to make payments. I guess as long as I don't have any major issues afterward, the worst part will just be paying out of pocket.

 

[Mark F.]

Good idea with the manual scaling! A bit of extra money to pay versus risking your sanity—easy choice!