Studies have shown that for many people it is the sound of the drill that causes the most anxiety about visiting the dentist.
This could soon be a thing of the past with a new innovative device which cancels out the noise of the dental drill.
The device contains a microphone and chip that analyses incoming sound waves and inverts those waves coming from the drill. This removes the unwanted noise. Electronic filters also remove unwanted sound waves, even if the amplitude and frequency of the sound waves change while the drill is in use.
As the device only cancels out the drill noise, patients can still hear the dentists and nurses talking to them. It can be attached to an MP3 player or phone, so patients can even listen to their own music while unwanted drill sounds are silenced.
The device was created by Professor Brian Millar at King's College Dental Institute, who drew inspiration from carmaker Lotus, which has developed a system to remove road noise while allowing drivers to hear emergency sirens.
Containing a microphone and a chip that analyses soundwaves, it plugs into the MP3 or mobile ahead of the headphones, and uses adaptive filtering to mask only the disturbing sound of the medical equipment, such as the drill and suction pipes.
Engineers from Kings College, Brunel University and the London South Bank University who all helped build and test a prototype of the device are hoping the device will encourage more people to get necessary treatment.
''The beauty of this gadget is that it would be fairly cost-effective for dentists to buy,'' said Professor Millar.
The researchers are now looking for an investor to develop the product further.
''[That would] enable us to bring this device to as many dental surgeries as possible, and help people whose fear of visiting the dentist stops them from seeking the oral healthcare they need,'' Professor Millar said.
This could soon be a thing of the past with a new innovative device which cancels out the noise of the dental drill.
The device contains a microphone and chip that analyses incoming sound waves and inverts those waves coming from the drill. This removes the unwanted noise. Electronic filters also remove unwanted sound waves, even if the amplitude and frequency of the sound waves change while the drill is in use.
As the device only cancels out the drill noise, patients can still hear the dentists and nurses talking to them. It can be attached to an MP3 player or phone, so patients can even listen to their own music while unwanted drill sounds are silenced.
The device was created by Professor Brian Millar at King's College Dental Institute, who drew inspiration from carmaker Lotus, which has developed a system to remove road noise while allowing drivers to hear emergency sirens.
Containing a microphone and a chip that analyses soundwaves, it plugs into the MP3 or mobile ahead of the headphones, and uses adaptive filtering to mask only the disturbing sound of the medical equipment, such as the drill and suction pipes.
Engineers from Kings College, Brunel University and the London South Bank University who all helped build and test a prototype of the device are hoping the device will encourage more people to get necessary treatment.
''The beauty of this gadget is that it would be fairly cost-effective for dentists to buy,'' said Professor Millar.
The researchers are now looking for an investor to develop the product further.
''[That would] enable us to bring this device to as many dental surgeries as possible, and help people whose fear of visiting the dentist stops them from seeking the oral healthcare they need,'' Professor Millar said.
