Dental Work (Including Drilling) & Tinnitus — Questions and Experiences

[Gosia]

I can see the topic died a bit. I had one filling done around 4 months ago with no problems after. The more I was afraid because it was the upper jaw on the right side which is exactly where my T is the worst. The dentist took breaks but they weren't long enough to me. At least it wasn't continuous drilling and altogether , there wasn't much of it.
Today I went to another one cause I was sure I had two teeth ready to be drilled. Fortunately Xrays showed it was only a change of colour of the old fillings , but he offered cleaning . Since I haven't done one for centuries and I had some nasty coffee - tea stains I agreed. He took breaks but once more, they weren't long. ( dentist are pretty anxious to just keep going..) . Fortunately, only the front teeth were cleaned so I guess ( I hope ! ) altogether it didn't last longer than 3 - 4 minutes, but I'm beating myself up a bit .. it wasn't a necessary thing, just vanity ? :/ this crap is loud even though I can't tell what's louder or worse - drills or this ultrasonic cleaner ( when you write ultrasonic you talk about this stuff that cleans the teeth with bicarbonate under pressure ? Feels like sand and you finish with the whole face covered in it , right ? ) - well, I had this one. I guess the T somewhat spike. My whole head is buzzing..I took NAC before and after the visit, altogether 1000mg and vit c with.

 

[mandi]

@Gosia Did the spike go away? Were you wearing noise cancelling headphones or plugs? Thanks.

 

[Kazue]

You guys shouldn't wear earplugs to the dentist. All that noise is just going straight to your head and ears via bone conduction. That will make the spike worse actually. I got dental work done and I was fine. No breaks or spikes at all.

 

[Sen]

I have a dental appointment coming up in a few days and I'm pretty sure I have a small cavity on my top left front tooth that will need to be repaired. I'm looking for advice on how to approach this given my auditory problems.

How loud are the drills exactly? Are there any ways I can reduce the noise from the drill? How likely is it that this the sound from a dental drill will exacerbate my DST or tinnitus over the long term? Is there a way to repair a cavity without utilizing methods that create loud noise?

I think that in all likelihood I will be fine, but the concern still haunts me. I've been losing sleep over it. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[dh42]

I've had T for about 2.5 years.

I had my teeth cleaned early this afternoon- mostly manually done, but the hygienist used a device that had a very, very hitch pitch noise (scaler?) to help remove some plaque in a few areas. Probably 3-4 times for maybe a few seconds the noise was just very piercing.

My T is not any louder tonight, but I can hear a second layer of T in my right ear now. It's high pitch and sort of intermittent. So, I have two sounds in my right ear instead of one if that makes sense. I do have a very slight amount more of high frequency hearing loss in this ear.

I will not have that electronic device used again. Strictly manual and polishing is fine.

Is this something likely to calm down? I didn't hear it until this evening.

 

[Julien87]

Is the drilling likely to cause permanent damage?

I went to the dentist yesterday and he had to do some drilling. It was very loud and i just spent a terrible night, it looks like it worsened my T And I hate myself for not asking him to change tools..

 

[Apocalypse77]

I was at the dentist today. How loud is it? In my opinion it was not that loud maybe 97 db max. I still got a spike. They used the drill and the small vacuum thing (the cleaner not sure what it is, the thing that sucks all the saliva from my mouth) for total of 15 minutes, about in 1-2 min at a time. Is this spike temporary?

 

[PamelaNY]

I had a crown done within the last week and found that the novacaine suppressed my tinnitus. Has anyone else experienced that? I didn't have any the whole time I was numb, and it was also much lighter the next day it's now returned to baseline). I wondered about connections between the nerves in the face and the ears.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Is this spike temporary?

There is a reasonable chance that it will be temporary. If it doesn't go away in three months, at that time you might begin worrying that it is permanent.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I went to the dentist yesterday and he had to do some drilling. It was very loud and i just spent a terrible night, it looks like it worsened my T And I hate myself for not asking him to change tools..

Could you give us an update, please?

 

[Julien87]

Hi Bill,
Fortunately it was a temporary spike. On the next visit, I talked to him about my concerns and now he makes sure not to use his noisiest tools, except for a few seconds when he really has to. He's very understanding

 

[IvanRus]

Hello! I'm interested in the topic of going to the dentist. Who had such experience after the beginning of tinnitus.

How did this affect the noise in your ears?

I have to go to the dentist. Indeed, this makes one fear - the sound of a drill a few centimeters from the cochlea of an ear ... How many decibels?

 

[Bill Bauer]

I have to go to the dentist. Indeed, this makes one fear - the sound of a drill a few centimeters from the cochlea of an ear ...

Two weeks ago, I had a dental filling replaced. The dentist used a laser. The laser itself was great - Peltor muffs made the noise very reasonable. During my earlier visit, the dentist told me that the laser could be used on dental fillings. This was true - he used the laser to remove the old filling. Unfortunately he still needed to use a traditional drill to "polish" the filling, and to ensure that the shape of the filling wouldn't lead to the lower tooth always putting pressure on the tooth with the filling. [I have no idea whether he used a regular air-powered drill, or the electric-powered drill that I asked him to use, but that he told me he won't need to use as he would be using a laser.] It was very loud. It sounded the same with and without Peltor muffs. The dentist, all of a sudden, had a problem with drilling for 5 seconds and taking a 10 second break. I paid him $300 for the extra time, but all of a sudden he said that the drill needs time to get up to speed, and that 5 seconds is not enough time. He didn't want to spend the extra 5 minutes, and seemed to be more than willing to take a risk that my T would be louder for the rest of my life. He would continue drilling, even after I would raise my hand for him to stop(!)

In any case, using a laser cuts down on the time during which you have to bear being exposed to the drill. So if you need to have dental work done that involves drilling, find a dentist who has a laser and a electric-powered drill, and who is not an asshole. Pay upfront for the extra time, and make sure to remind the dentist that you paid for the extra time (there is a chance that my dentist had forgotten that I paid for the extra time).

After that dental work, I had a spike for about a day, and a full ear sensation for about two days... It looks like it hasn't caused any long term damage.

 

[Agrajag364]

Has anyone noticed a positive or negative effect on your tinnitus from dental work? I have heard from someone who says their tinnitus went down after they had some teeth extracted, and even from someone who says their had tinnitus for 5 years and it actually resolved after he had teeth extracted and dental infection treated. On the other hand you also see accounts from people who say their tinnitus started or worsened with dental work.

 

[Luman]

I had a tooth drilled down to have a crown fitted, about three months ago. There was no spike or increase in my tinnitus.

 

[Jcb]

I have a tooth that is broken half off, I've had a temporary filling but in. The dentist says I need a proper filling and something else I can't remember putting on my tooth. I'm terrified about the drillling and if it makes my T worse. Should I wear ear plugs? I will ask him to drill for 5 seconds then stop for ten seconds. The thought of it makes me even more anxious than I already am.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

I received added tinnitus, somatic tinnitus from a dental visit a year ago from having drilling into front lower jaw for an implant stem. Lots of pressure on jaw and neck. I never had the upper stem and new tooth placed. More drilling around lower stem needs to be done. I wouldn't be worried if it was any other dental procedure.

 

[Localboy]

I received added tinnitus, somatic tinnitus from a dental visit a year ago from having drilling into front lower jaw for an implant stem. Lots of pressure on jaw and neck. I never had the upper stem and new tooth placed. More drilling around lower stem needs to be done. I wouldn't be worried if it was any other dental procedure.

Do you have a choice not to get the dental procedure done? Maybe you need to have it done?

 

[Jcb]

Went to the dentist today (hygienist) had a polish and a scale.
The hygienist was so understanding as she was scaling my teeth she said she would stop if I felt agitated which I did a few times and she stopped and let me get my breath back.
The polish/drill tool she use along with the nurse and the suction tube was louder than I thought especially when she went to back of my mouth. I did work myself up a bit and have got a horrible headache (this could be to do with the weather as well the as it's freezing in the UK) my back and neck are so tense as well.
Anyway apart from the headache and tension it wasn't as bad as I thought and hopefully I won't get any spikes.

 

[CrystalB]

So I've had tinnitus for 6 months.

Learning now to deal and Cope with it, which has been so hard, but I'm still hopeful that I will eventually learn to deal with it little by little.

I have been really careful not to go to Theaters, or extremely loud places, which is hard because I'm only 30 years old, most of the time sounds hurts my ears. My tinnitus is very high pitch ring, also static, and all sorts of other sounds.
Anyways, I am due a Dentist appointment of a cleaning and I've been too afraid to go, due to the loud sounds and drilling. I need to go because I need my teeth in good shape lol.

Has anyone's tinnitus been affected my going to the dentist?

 

[Zug]

Hi @CrystalB , at first a lot of stuff seems scary. Do not cover your ears at the dentist. Chill and don't freak out too much. If you're really bothered by the sounds during the consultation just ask for a couple of seconds.

Also, remember that noise harm is a function of volume + exposure time. Even if there's some drilling involved it's not like they'll be drilling for 2 hours straight, so the loud noises aren't that bad.

Best,
Zug

 

[daiso]

If you are going to just have cleaning, just ask for manual cleaning and there's no need to worry. Polishing also makes noise but it is not loud. If your dentist/hygenist is not willing, find one who does. You are paying! I also wear earplugs to block out drilling or other noises from neighboring patrons.

 

[Holly1987]

So I've had tinnitus for 6 months.

Learning now to deal and Cope with it, which has been so hard, but I'm still hopeful that I will eventually learn to deal with it little by little.

I have been really careful not to go to Theaters, or extremely loud places, which is hard because I'm only 30 years old, most of the time sounds hurts my ears. My tinnitus is very high pitch ring, also static, and all sorts of other sounds.
Anyways, I am due a Dentist appointment of a cleaning and I've been too afraid to go, due to the loud sounds and drilling. I need to go because I need my teeth in good shape lol.

Has anyone's tinnitus been affected my going to the dentist?

I'm 30 too, it sucks I have a cleaning appointment April 12th and called up and asked for a manual clean. It's an extra $65 (Ausdollars) but it's worth it!

 

[jer]

Has anyone ever thought about laser dentistry? It is a relatively new field, but also a proven field. You can use this for dental cleanings, cavities and also root canal work. It seems. Whole lot less noisy.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I will receive a laser deep cleaning this week. I will update here on how it went.

 

[Bill Bauer]

due a Dentist appointment of a cleaning

Ask them to clean your teeth manually, and not use ultrasonic cleaning.

 

[Hazel]

Hey guys, I was worried when I had to get a cavity filled recently, but it was absolutely fine in the end. The drilling was loud, but in the end you're not exposed for more than 10min or so. Using hearing protection is apparently not recommendable because of the occlusion effect, so I opted out of that, and as I said it was totally fine. If anything, you're more likely to get a spike from related anxiety than the dental work itself. Having said that, there might be dental procedures that are more invasive than just getting a cavity filled, but even then we usually don't have a choice but to do it - letting your teeth decay is not an option imo.

 

[Carlyi]

I went to the dentist yesterday and today to get 2 fillings, i can't believe how noisy it was, i was so extremly scared it would make my t. louder,

I need to go in again to get another filling done but i'm going to cancel! Why do those things have to be so dang loud? i could just feel the sound vibrating through my whole body, how many db are those drills?

 

[SeaJay]

I just noticed this posting after I commented on different posting on dental work at https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...t-will-make-tinnitus-worse.26189/#post-331307.

May useful........

The big plus to implants is the use of low speed drilling into the jawbone. It's mainly a mild vibration, but relatively quiet. From what I know, most other procedures use high-speed, noisy drills.

I've had 5 implants over the last maybe 10-12 years. Other than one implant screw loosening up and needing to be retightened, I've not had any problems. As mentioned, implants don't move like natural teeth, so if you grind your teeth at night, a bite guard is a big help in reducing pressure on teeth.

My tinnitus & hyperacusis were greatly worsened back in 2015 when the dentist found a large cavity and used the high speed drill for at least several minutes. It permanently worsened my T&H to the point where I can't tolerate the high speed drill anymore. If I had a crystal ball, I'd have had the dentist just yank the tooth and had another implant done.

I found a dentist that uses "water-lase" and "air abrasion", both of which are pretty quiet. But they can only remedy small cavities, so I see my new dentist every 3 months for checkups to catch things early.

When my dentist fits the caps for implants, he takes the cap into another room, makes adjustments with the high speed drill and comes back to check for fit, and repeats as necessary. Small dental adjustments can be done with a low speed drill. I don't have any dental bridges, but I believe a high speed drill is involved in grinding down the 2 adjacent teeth to fit the bridge.

Just my experiences with dental work.

 

[Ahat]

I know there are so many posts about dentist visits already, but to be honest it is stressing me out even more to go through all of them.

I have had a fear of the dentist since I was little (I'm talking panic attacks), so as I got older and didn't have anyone forcing me to go I quit after a while. I know I need some fillings (possibly a root canal because I have a tooth that is killing me) and at least my bottom wisdom teeth out because they are impacted and really hurt.

I have read about asking them to drill for 5 seconds and take a break for 10 seconds and keeping your neck straight (still not sure I understand why). I have also never been able to open my mouth really wide so the dentist would always put pressure on my jaw trying to open it wider when work was being done.

Also, what about medication?? I really don't think I can get the wisdom teeth out without being put under, which is scary by itself.

My already out of control anxiety is even worse just thinking about it and I'm kicking myself for waiting now that I also have tinnitus. Does anyone have any advice? I'm going to have the work done regardless because of the pain and I have an appointment tomorrow to have X-rays and stuff. I'm just really nervous.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Does anyone have any advice?

Hi @Ahat
I have had tinnitus for 22 yeas and seen quite a few dentists throughout this time. In the early days I mentioned to a dentist that I had tinnitus but noticed I wasn't affected by dental work. The dentist was understanding and did take his time. I believe some people convince themselves that dental work will make their tinnitus worse and often it does when their mindset is this way. The mind is very powerful and we can create a lot of stress this way. We all know the detrimental impact that stress can have on tinnitus.

I have had a tooth removed, fillings and deep root canal work. I haven't had any problems with my tinnitus during these procedures. My tinnitus can reach very severe levels. It ranges from: silent, mild, moderate, severe and can be extremely severe where I need to take clonazepam. My advice is not to read negative posts regarding dental treatment and tinnitus as this could make your anxiety worse. It is important that our teeth and gums are regularly checked and any treatment required to be carried out. Failure to do this on a regular basis, eventually we will face the consequences.

All the best
Michael