Newest Dentist Visit Recommendations for a Person with Pre-Existing Tinnitus / Hyperacusis?

[Eric N]

I have a filling that needs to be redone due to a cavity. I had that feeling done last year with a dentist who used a laser, but it looks like he didn't do a good job. The dentist I went to today said if I leave it like that, I'll probably need a root canal within a few weeks. The tooth is somewhat sore and sensitive to heat. It was hurting quite a bit last week, but this week, it's been feeling better.

Using the drill will be unavoidable this time, and I'm reasonably confident that my tinnitus will get worse regardless of the protocol used; I'm very sensitive to noise at this point. My tinnitus level is borderline livable; I can't risk any increases, so I probably won't do anything unless the pain comes back and needs to be taken care of. I'll most likely extract the tooth and have it replaced with an artificial one sometime in the future.

 

[kingsfan]

I have a filling that needs to be redone due to a cavity. I had that feeling done last year with a dentist who used a laser, but it looks like he didn't do a good job. The dentist I went to today said if I leave it like that, I'll probably need a root canal within a few weeks. The tooth is somewhat sore and sensitive to heat. It was hurting quite a bit last week, but this week, it's been feeling better.

Using the drill will be unavoidable this time, and I'm reasonably confident that my tinnitus will get worse regardless of the protocol used; I'm very sensitive to noise at this point. My tinnitus level is borderline livable; I can't risk any increases, so I probably won't do anything unless the pain comes back and needs to be taken care of. I'll most likely extract the tooth and have it replaced with an artificial one sometime in the future.

I wonder if wearing foam earplugs and dealing with the occlusion from bone conduction would be safer than exposing your ears to the drill's ultrasonic frequencies. I've read that drills are designed to cause as little vibration as possible.

I also wonder if noise-cancelling headphones would be effective at all. The ADA recommends earplugs or noise-canceling headphones for dentists, so I wonder...

→ ADA: When using dental equipment, wear ear plugs or noise-cancelling (over-the- ear) headphones

 

[Luman]

I have a filling that needs to be redone due to a cavity. I had that feeling done last year with a dentist who used a laser, but it looks like he didn't do a good job. The dentist I went to today said if I leave it like that, I'll probably need a root canal within a few weeks. The tooth is somewhat sore and sensitive to heat. It was hurting quite a bit last week, but this week, it's been feeling better.

Using the drill will be unavoidable this time, and I'm reasonably confident that my tinnitus will get worse regardless of the protocol used; I'm very sensitive to noise at this point. My tinnitus level is borderline livable; I can't risk any increases, so I probably won't do anything unless the pain comes back and needs to be taken care of. I'll most likely extract the tooth and have it replaced with an artificial one sometime in the future.

I would not recommend letting it go. I have had implants, and there was noise during that procedure, as well. Make sure you have any problems fixed ASAP. If you are worried, use both in-ear earplugs and over-the-head earmuffs.

 

[Eric N]

I wonder if wearing foam earplugs and dealing with the occlusion from bone conduction would be safer than exposing your ears to the drill's ultrasonic frequencies. I've read that drills are designed to cause as little vibration as possible.

I also wonder if noise-cancelling headphones would be effective at all. The ADA recommends earplugs or noise-canceling headphones for dentists, so I wonder...

→ ADA: When using dental equipment, wear ear plugs or noise-cancelling (over-the- ear) headphones

If I understand correctly, there's no way to prevent the bone conduction noise.

I would not recommend letting it go. I have had implants, and there was noise during that procedure, as well. Make sure you have any problems fixed ASAP. If you are worried, use both in-ear earplugs and over-the-head earmuffs.

I was told that the drill used for implants is a lower RPM than the one used for drilling and is less noisy. Is this true? Apparently, it's only 1K RPM vs. 300K RPM for the normal drills. That's a massive difference. I don't have to get the implant right away; I could probably wait a few years until, hopefully, some upcoming treatments will be available for tinnitus, or maybe I'll leave it like that. You can live with a missing tooth, but I won't be able to live with any more tinnitus increases at this point. I don't think the value of a tooth is worth the value of my life.

 

[kingsfan]

If I understand correctly, there's no way to prevent the bone conduction noise.

I was told that the drill used for implants is a lower RPM than the one used for drilling and is less noisy. Is this true? Apparently, it's only 1K RPM vs. 300K RPM for the normal drills. That's a massive difference. I don't have to get the implant right away; I could probably wait a few years until, hopefully, some upcoming treatments will be available for tinnitus, or maybe I'll leave it like that. You can live with a missing tooth, but I won't be able to live with any more tinnitus increases at this point. I don't think the value of a tooth is worth the value of my life.

I don't really know if it would make a difference. Drilling into a tooth to remove a cavity seems like it would be less invasive than drilling in the jawbone for an implant.

I have read that if you don't get an implant right after extraction, you will eventually need a bone graft as the bone recedes.

 

[ploughna]

You could look into an old-fashioned 'dental bridge' or even a partial/single-tooth denture rather than an implant. It's worth talking to different dentists, as their approaches can vary wildly, and, much as I hate to say it, some of the more unscrupulous ones favor the more expensive treatments.

A few dentists told me I needed multiple crowns to replace a few molars because the side walls had weakened/cracked due to old large amalgam fillings that had compromised the structural integrity of the teeth. I didn't believe the damage was that bad, so I found another dentist who removed the fillings, cleaned everything up, scanned the tooth with a 3D scanner, and machined an 'onlay' in the shape of the missing structure that he then bonded in place creating a perfect result that's still going strong five years later. The system for this is called 'Cerec'.

 

[Eric N]

I don't really know if it would make a difference. Drilling into a tooth to remove a cavity seems like it would be less invasive than drilling in the jawbone for an implant.

I have read that if you don't get an implant right after extraction, you will eventually need a bone graft as the bone recedes.

One other thing to consider is that a filling doesn't seem to be a permanent solution. This would be my 4th filling on that tooth in 12 years, and it never felt normal after the first filling; it was always a bit bite-sensitive. Maybe getting rid of it is not such a bad idea. I'll try to get in touch with the laser dentist who did the last one; I don't think they can remove it with the laser, though. Hopefully, it falls off on its own.

 

[Varda]

What about taking supplements before the dentist visit to prevent hair cell damage?

I'm not very knowledgeable. What is good?

NAC + Glycine as antioxidants? Quercetin and Curcumin for inflammation?

 

[Eric N]

So, I went to see a dentist who does laser treatment today. He said the fillings can be removed with the laser, but he still needs to do some finishing touches with the drill to smoothen the filling. He is still investigating what the issue is. He's not sure yet if it's a cavity or the filling is high, which is causing the pain. I'll have to do a follow-up X-ray.

This dentist has an electric drill. He turned it on so I could hear it. It's surprisingly quiet; I could barely hear it with just earplugs. Of course, the real issue is bone conduction.

 

[Jon R.]

I have a dental visit coming up as my lower right wisdom tooth filling has come off, and the tooth is cutting my cheek, so I can't leave it. I am terrified, I have not been to the dentist since getting tinnitus, hyperacusis, and possible TTTS, and sadly the tooth is right on my worst side.

Is cotton wool better than earplugs/headphones due to the occlusion effect? It's not great protection, but perhaps it's enough for a compromise.

Ironically, my tinnitus already sounds like a dentist's drill; I think I am more worried about my hyperacusis.

 

[Aussie Lea]

Is cotton wool better than earplugs/headphones due to the occlusion effect? It's not great protection, but perhaps it's enough for a compromise.

I would just ask the dentist to take frequent breaks with the drilling. Cotton wool might be a good idea to help your nerves.

 

[MindOverMatter]

Go for laser dental treatment if possible, and you can afford it.

 

[Ryan Scott]

I, too, need to go back to the dentist for a cleaning and filling, as I have not been since getting tinnitus. I can't avoid it for the rest of my life, so I guess we will just have to see what happens. And it seems that wearing hearing protection does not really help due to bone conduction.