Researchers Are Rethinking Dental Drills to Reduce Anxiety by Improving Sound Quality

Dental anxiety, often referred to as odontophobia, is a widespread issue that keeps many people away from regular dental checkups and necessary treatments. While fear of pain plays a role, researchers have long suspected that the distinctive high-pitched sound of dental drills is one of the biggest triggers. Now, new research from Japan is taking a deep, scientific look at that sound—and how it can be improved.

The work is led by Tomomi Yamada, a dentist and assistant professor at the Graduate School of Dentistry at Osaka University. With a background in dental materials, Yamada noticed a surprising gap in dental research: despite decades of technological advancement in dental tools, almost no one had seriously studied the sound of dental drills from a scientific acoustics perspective. That realization sparked a project focused not just on reducing noise, but on making dental drill sounds less unpleasant for patients.

Why Dental Drill Noise Matters More Than We Think

Dental drills produce a sharp, whining noise that many patients find deeply uncomfortable. This sound is not just annoying—it can trigger stress responses, increase heart rate, and heighten fear, especially in people who already associate dental visits with anxiety.

According to the research, modern air-turbine dental drills rotate at around 320,000 revolutions per minute, powered by compressed air. At such extreme speeds, even small changes in airflow or mechanical design can significantly affect how sound is generated. The result is a high-frequency noise that can reach nearly 20 kilohertz, a range that is especially noticeable—and unpleasant—to younger ears.

Yamada’s work highlights an important point: reducing loudness alone does not automatically reduce discomfort. Two sounds can have the same volume but feel very different to the listener. In dentistry, it turns out that sound quality—including pitch, sharpness, and frequency balance—matters just as much as how loud the drill is.

Using Supercomputers to Understand Drill Noise

To understand exactly how dental drills create sound, Yamada and her collaborators turned to advanced computational tools. The research team includes experts from Osaka University, Kobe University, and National Cheng Kung University, combining knowledge from dentistry, engineering, and acoustics.

They used Japan’s flagship supercomputer to run large-scale aeroacoustics simulations. These simulations allowed the team to visualize how air flows inside and around the dental drill while it is operating. By modeling both internal and external airflow, the researchers could identify specific turbulence patterns responsible for generating high-frequency noise.

This approach provided something that traditional experiments struggle to capture: a clear, detailed picture of how tiny design elements—such as the drill’s blades or exhaust ports—contribute to the overall sound. With this information, the team could begin thinking about design changes grounded in physics rather than trial and error.

Children Hear Dental Drills Differently

One of the most striking findings from the study came from psychological and perceptual testing. The researchers tested the effects of dental drill sounds on both children and adults, focusing on how different age groups perceive the same noise.

The results showed that children experience dental drill sounds as louder and more unpleasant than adults, even when the physical sound level is the same. This difference is linked to physiological hearing sensitivity, as younger people can hear higher frequencies more clearly.

This finding challenges the idea that children’s fear of dental procedures is simply psychological or imaginative. Instead, the research suggests that children genuinely hear dental drill sounds differently, making their anxiety a real sensory response rather than an exaggerated fear.

Designing Quieter Drills Without Sacrificing Performance

Based on their simulations and listening tests, Yamada and her colleagues are now working on optimizing the drill’s blade geometry and exhaust port design. The goal is to reduce the most unpleasant sound components while preserving the drill’s cutting efficiency and reliability.

This is a critical balance. Dental drills must meet strict standards for performance, safety, and durability. A quieter drill that cannot effectively remove tooth material or fails under clinical conditions would not be practical, regardless of how pleasant it sounds.

That is why the research emphasizes sound quality improvement rather than simple noise reduction. By shifting the frequency profile and reducing sharp, high-pitched tones, it may be possible to make drills feel less stressful without compromising their function.

Industry Collaboration and Commercialization Plans

Turning this research into real-world dental equipment will require close collaboration with manufacturers. Yamada has emphasized the importance of industry–academia partnerships to move from laboratory simulations to commercial products.

Before quieter drills can reach dental clinics, they must undergo regulatory approval, safety evaluations, and durability testing. These steps ensure that any new design meets international medical device standards. The research team hopes that, with industry support, these improved drill designs could eventually become part of everyday dental practice.

The findings were presented at the Sixth Joint Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and the Acoustical Society of Japan, held from December 1–5 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Presenting the work at this international conference highlights its relevance beyond dentistry, touching on broader themes in acoustics, human perception, and engineering design.

The Bigger Picture: Sound and Healthcare Anxiety

This research fits into a growing field that examines how sound affects patient experience in healthcare settings. From MRI machines to hospital alarms, noise plays a significant role in stress and comfort. Dentistry, with its uniquely high-frequency tools, is a particularly important area for this kind of work.

By applying aeroacoustics, psychology, and engineering together, Yamada’s research shows how interdisciplinary approaches can solve long-standing problems that have been overlooked simply because they seemed too familiar or unavoidable.

If successful, quieter and better-sounding dental drills could help patients feel calmer, reduce avoidance of dental care, and improve long-term oral health outcomes—especially for children who are forming their first impressions of dental treatment.

Research Reference

Acoustical Society of America & Acoustical Society of Japan – Proceedings of the Sixth Joint Meeting (2025):
https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings-and-conferences/