Quieter dental drills may be on the horizon

If the thought of going to the dentist makes your teeth chatter in fear, you’re not alone. It is thought that at least 15-20% of adults suffer from odontophobia – that is, dental anxiety – which prevents them from having regular dental cleanings and check-ups.

One of the main sources of this anxiety comes from the high-pitched, eardrum-piercing sound of a dental drill used to cut teeth.

“I have repeatedly seen patients, including my own child, become anxious or uncomfortable with the sound of the dental drill,” says Dr. Tomomi Yamada, a dentist and professor at Osaka University in Japan. Popular science. “At some point I realized that someone had to take this problem seriously. »

Today, Yamada is presenting new research on how to reduce noise from dental tools at the sixth joint meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and the Acoustical Society of Japan, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

“Because this challenge involves both human psychology and the mechanics of the device, I knew it could not be solved by dentistry alone,” she says.

To better understand the aerodynamics of the exercise, Yamada and his collaborators from Osaka University, Kobe University and National Cheng Kung University used Japan’s leading supercomputer to perform large-scale aeroacoustic simulations. They studied the internal and external airflow of the dental drill, which is powered by compressed air and spins at around 320,000 revolutions per minute.

Using these computer simulations, the team visualized how air moves through and around the drill to create this characteristic unpleasant noise. They analyzed airflow as well as sound pressure inside and outside the dental drill to determine exactly where the noise is being generated.

“The most surprising part was being able to visualize the ultra-fast airflow inside the dental drill,” says Yamada. “Inside the turbine, the compressed air can reach speeds of around 135 meters per second, or around Mach 0.4. [about 306 miles per hour].”

Simulations revealed that simply making the drill quieter does not make the sound less piercing. The sound quality also needs to be improved. To address this issue, the team is working to optimize the geometry of the drill’s blade and exhaust port to minimize noise, while maintaining performance.

Additionally, Yamada and the team wanted to ensure their research was “human-centered” and took into account the patient experience. They tested the psychological effects of the high-pitched sounds of the dental drill. Younger listeners responded differently to the exercise, perceiving its sounds as louder and more unpleasant.

“If a child says the dental drill ‘hurts’ or ‘scary,’ it’s not just their imagination,” says Yamada. “Children hear and perceive high-frequency sounds differently than adults: they are often louder and more unpleasant. »

The team’s next steps are to work with dental tool manufacturers to create working prototypes for testing. According to Yamada, completely eliminating sound would not work for safety reasons, since the sound of the drill signals to patients that the instrument is active and helps them stay still.

They also plan to explore creating sound design that is more pleasant, more calming and more reassuring for patients.

“Although many challenges remain, we are committed to improving the sound environment in dental care,” concludes Yamada. “Creating a more comfortable sound environment can encourage people to receive regular dental care, helping them maintain their oral health and ultimately contributing to overall well-being and healthy longevity.” »

PopSci Outdoor Gift Guide 2025

20+ Editor-Approved Gifts for the Hikers on Your List