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

Wanted to give an update - I had the first of three procedures for this done today, this one being the one with some drilling and a lot of digging around in the tooth itself. Fingers crossed, ears seem to be doing okay. I took some of the advice here - brought headphones and listened to music, made sure my dentist knew my concerns, etc. He drilled in pretty short spurts and it turned out okay. The next appointment involves more drilling, but I feel better knowing that my dentist is compassionate about this and understands where I'm coming from.

 

Good for you, glad you did OK.

 

Glad to hear it went well for you. These are the kind of posts we need around here. Most, as you'd assume given this is a support board, revolve around bad things happening. This gives me some real hope.

I just cancelled a dental cleaning appointment as my ear has been out of control lately. Perhaps I should rethink that and get on with life. Thank you.

 

Last tile i visited the dentist the drill did not seem that loud because i still could hear the back ground music. Tinnitus did not change.

 

Am I the only one who thinks going to the dentist with earplugs in is 15minute of absolute hell?

Mainly because when he is scraping the stuff off your teeth that scraping noise is magnified due to the ear plugs.

 

I would never go with earplugs in. Plugging my ears magnifies my ringing to begin with, so I can't imagine how horrible it would be at the dentist...headphones or the big earmuffs seem to be the better way to go.

 

I get increased volume with plugs in too! It's not that I'm more focused on my T, it absolutely gets louder. It takes about 15-30 minutes to go back down.

 

I figured out after getting tinnitus that the right ear was having more problems. Then a doctor helped me realize I had a tmj issue going on on the right side. I have gotten a mouthguard from my dentist and have had cranial sacral work done along with massage from someone who works on tmj. It has loosened up the right side alot and that has calmed the T down on that side so that now both left and right are about the same and better than when the right side was so inflamed.

 

I saw a specialist, and no tmj, but a mouthpiece was suggested .Been through a lot of dental work and will try the mouthpiece as soon as last crown is done.
Please tell me about your cranial sacral therapy, and how it has helped.

 

Hi Leah. Do you take any precautions when at the dentist for the drill noise? I have to go soon and want to minimise the affect on my T. Any tips?

Thanks

Rob

 

Leah,
The Cranial Sacral therapy I've had now 2 times has really benefitted me in multiple ways. I have learned how much tension I have stored in my face and jaw area and the treatment is loosening up everything. The main thing I was shooting for was to loosen up the right side where I was having TMJ issues. As it has been worked on the tinnitus on the right side has quieted down to be similar to the left. The result is a more tolerable situation for sure. I experienced alot of emotional release in my first cranial sacral treatment. It was amazing what all is stored in the bones and muscles of the face, neck and jaw. I feel like I'm in deep relaxation /meditation mode when I"m getting worked on. I really like it.

Note that I also have had a massage done on my face and jaw area from a person with experience working with TMJ and also Tinnitus. That has helped also and I am going back to see this person again.

 

Rob, I too am concerned about dental work that I will have to have done in the future. I'm thinking of posting that question in a new post so look for that.
Thanks,

 

Hi all,

I'll post my daily struggles and questions in here.
For a bit of a background on T and me, go here: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/music-surgery-and-science.6559/
For now, here's the short story:

I was born in 1986 in The Netherlands and I've had loud-music-induced T since 2004. It was all very manageable until I had dental surgery this summer. A week after, my T spiked to paralyzing levels, and then slowly subsided to (what I think was) the original level.

On Friday I rehearsed with a band for the first time since surgery. This band is real loud, so I wore earplugs like I always do (ER-25's for the first 30 minutes, then switched to heavier yellow foam ones). I made sure my ears were not subject to a single loud noise, and yet my T has increased quite notably. I feel weak, tired, experience a loss of high frequencies and have difficulty concentrating.

I've been playing loud music for over 10 years, always wearing earplugs, and never had a problem. Even my ears tested near perfect this summer.

So far I:
- have taken as much rest as I could,
- started protecting my ears even from moderate noise like traffic,
- will not use headphones (previously I used them rarely),
- try to maintain a healthy diet,
- already switched 'careers' from performing music to getting a Computer Science degree,
- visited a doctor's assistant (who told me my ears look fine and that it's just your normal 'disco-beep' which will subside within a couple of days),
- will visit a hearing specialist and get a new audiogram ASAP,
- will turn down all offers for future rehearsals and gigs.

Any further advice on what to do? The exams start next week, so it's important that I get stuff done.

Also, could the surgery have made my ears more sensitive to T? It seems like it...

 

I hope not. I am having dental surgery on the 30th.

I don't know what to tell you except maybe give the band a break for awhile.. Could you of developed TMJ from dental surgery? any jaw pain?

Sounds like you have anxiety over the increased T..take it easy with sounds for awhile.

 

Hey, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis... cool

No jaw pain at all. I do wear braces and use rubber bands. They're currently set up to realign my upper and low jaw. My lower jaw's 'default position' is slightly to the right. I do remember that I could influence my T by moving my jaw shortly after surgery. I'll look into TMJ a bit more...

I'll take your advice. Thanks for your reply.

 

Check to see if you have TMJ. The problems associated with TMJ can be due to jaw misalignment and this restricts blood flow.

 

Hey Street Spirit, sorry that I forget to comment on your situation! I was too busy figuring out my own life...

I just came back from the audiologist. He said that my ER-25 earplugs still fit adequately and that they should be reliable. He also said that there definitely is a connection between the jaw, its muscles and ones hearing, something which my ENT denied. I'll go back to the audiologist for a longer appointment in which I can ask more questions and get an audiogram made.

Please be very careful when undergoing surgery! Make sure you know what's going to happen and whether it can be harmful to you. Drilling, medications, anaesthesia, hospital food...

I hope it'll all work out well for you and maybe even reduce the T.

A bit of searching yields all kinds of lists of symptoms for TMJ... Is there an accurate list available somewhere? Can I just go to a (Dutch) GP and ask for a TMJ check?

I may have TMJ, although I have no pain at all. I do have missing teeth (genetic defect), a misaligned lower jaw and minor misaligned teeth. This all sounds worse than it actually is. Nobody ever notices there's anything wrong with my teeth until I tell them. And most issues are going to be corrected with braces.
If it turns out I have TMJ, then where do I go from there?

By the way, this TMJ sounds a lot like what my father experiences. He's been to a lot of specialists with a similar list of symptoms, and none of them mentioned TMJ or anything else other than 'I may be stress related'.

 

Hello all,

I need your advice.

I need extensive dental work and am concerned about worsening my tinnitus.

I would like to speak to people who have had dental work (including implants etc) about your experiences.

I am concerned about toxicity from local anaesthetic agents, including nitrous. Anyone had any issues with these?

My dentist also wants to work with my tmj..not exactly sure what that entails...but has anyone had treatment for this..and if so, did it have any impact neg/pos on your tinnitus?

thanks

deb

 

I have had many implants and crowns. No TMJ.
I explained my T to my dentist and took breaks to avoid jaw fatigue. Protected my ears with buds and no reaction to meds. Still having work, for me it did not make it worse. All the best, I know we analyze every new thing we put in our bodies or do them for fear of worsening our T.

 

Sorry for bumping my own thread, but... I'm going insane here. My T is louder today and an even higher pitched whine (12 kHz) is added to the mix.

I only played a 3 hr rehearsal with breaks using the heaviest earplugs... At most I could have been subjected to 85 to 90 dB's. Could this really have caused the paralyzing T I'm experiencing now?
I have given up on functioning in daily life, I can't get anything done. Impending exams or not...


Edit: the T is louder in my left ear, which was the one facing the drummer. But still... I can't believe it...

 

I had dental surgery at the age of 28 which included the removal of two primary teeth in my lower jaw. Both teeth had attached themselves to whatever bone is below them. A week later I had a huge spike in T which went away over the weeks after.

The ENT said that it was probably because of the stress caused by the operation. Other causes might have been the (general) anesthesia, painkillers or the prolonged bending of the neck. Being subject to loud noise during the operation was ruled out. Strangely enough, it was also ruled out that changes in ones teeth could have an effect on ones ears.

In my experience, doctors can't be fully trusted. I'd advice asking specifically what they want to do and which anesthetics they want to use. Then, do your own research to make sure they haven't missed something. As always, getting a second opinion may be a good idea. Different dentists often have different ideas on what's strictly necessary.
As for the procedure itself, consider bringing earplugs and/or ask the dentist to take short breaks in between drilling.

After the dental work is done, be extra careful with loud noises for a while.

Sorry that I can't say much about your specific situation...

 

I know the exact feelings you're going through now. I think its best not to focus on the how and just trust your gut. See if it settles down over the next few days.

 

This probably won't help....but.....after I started having tinnitus issues, I found that whenever the dentist was using the polisher (the high-pitched one), it hurt my ears when he put the polisher to my teeth. I started putting earplugs in, and that took care of the issue (in other words, it wasn't physical pain, but rather, the high-pitch squeal that hurt my ears). Hope this provides some help to you, or to anyone else who happens to read this.

 

Thanks. You're right in a sense... but I also want to see if there's a way to get rid of my T as it's very likely connected to my dental history. It might be as simple as reverting a procedure... but...

Which specialist can I turn to for T relating to dental/bite/jaw/TMJ-issues?


I have a feeling it's going to be like this:

Surgeon: "Surgery went well. Can't help you."
ENT: "Ears look fine. Nose is clogged, there's a popping noise when swallowing... but that's normal. Can't help you."
GP: "Beyond my scope. Can't help you. And I've never heard of TMJ."
Orthodontist: "Position of the teeth is fine. Braces are doing their job. Can't help you."
Dentist: "Teeth are in excellent condition. Can't help you."
Hearing specialist: "Your hearing is within normal range. Can't help you."
Psychologist: "I'm so sorry to hear that. Can't help you."

The last few week I've been wearing diagonal rubber bands to move my lower jaw closer to the correct position. Should I ask the orthodontist to revert this? I'd rather have slightly a-symmetrical teeth than "eeeeeeeeeee" all day long.
Is there someone who can find out if some bone is poking into a nerve near my ear or whatever?

Thanks again.

 

I found this article to be interesting. My t started after I had a root canal procedure and problems with new crown. (bite wise)
I want to believe that all is because of it as my t is louder and the site where the procedure was done.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080110114501.htm

But I also wonder, who do I go to to check this? Dentist says all is good, but I still feel discomfort after the root canal.

 

A little update:

T is still here. Sometimes left ear, sometimes both. It varies in volume throughout the day. I think I lost some high frequencies in my left ear over the last couple of days. Everything sounds a bit unbalanced and weird.
I hope these updates may possibly help others who are in the same situation, as well as enabling others to help me.


I went to the orthodontist yesterday. There wasn't much he could do and suggested going to a GP to get a referral to an ENT. Next month we may consider to stop using rubber bands to see if that changes anything.

This morning I visited my GP. I got the referral I'd hoped to get. In a month I'll go to a new ENT in a larger hospital where there should be more knowledge on T and less chance of a 'learn to live with it - bye'. For now, I got prescribed prednisolone (30 mg) for five days. After that, we'll evaluate and possibly extend the use for another five days.
I'm generally skeptical towards medication, especially those with possible mind-altering side effects, but I'll give this stuff a go. It might just get me through the impending exams.

The GP ruled out that I got T from exposure to loudness. He reasoned that I'd always played music without problems, so this severe increase in T couldn't have come from one rehearsal. He confirmed that my ears are in good condition (only -25dB @ 8kHz, left ear only).
My T probably comes from one of the muscles attaches to the ossicles. They might tense up for some reason which translates into T.

I have the feeling he is a bit optimistic, but at the same time it gives me hope that one day I'll be able to play bass guitar and dance around on a stage again, feeling right at home in the midst of beautifully orchestrated noise taking me to another world.


Both persons were very understanding and genuinely trying to help, which is incredibly comforting.

Next up: Friday, being in a quiet room for three hours taking an exam (any advice?), and visiting a hearing specialist later that day.

 

@ walkthroughwall, my advice for what it's worth ... tell your T that you are leaving it at the door of the exam room, and that you will pick it right back up when leaving the exam room. For the next three hours concentrate only on your exams, your mind will be so focused on the job in hand that i doubt you'll even notice your T, once your task is complete your old friend will be waiting for you. Good luck x

 

Talk to your professor. Explain the situation and see if you can use some masking crickets or nature sounds. I however feel like the "not" noise induced idea from your GP seems a bit far fetched. I mean couldn't it be that the one rehearsal was the straw that broke the camels back? I mean hearing damage is cumulative ... But I also feel like you may want to get an OAE to see if your hair cells are functioning properly. I feel like if you find they are not functioning it might be a sign that you have incurred excess "auditory insults". Trust me brother I am in the exact same ship as you and I truly hope some day well be able to get together and funk out on stage in NYC or Denmark ...I just want you to be safe.

 

Thank you for you response. I'd love to visit New York (City?) once more and go to all these jazz clubs...

Hearing damage is cumulative, but is tinnitus cumulative as well? I have the idea that my increase in T is different from the noise-induced T I already had. My new frequencies vary in volume, where I hear them and sometimes even in pitch. They also seem to be the loudest between 2pm and 6pm. My 'old T' is exactly the same, always.

I still find it a strange sequence of events: one more rehearsal (85-90 dB max), feeling alright for 12 more hours and then, BAM!, Full-on T. Although I must admit that at that time I just came out of a very stressful week and was low on sleep.

Taking an OAE seems to be a good idea, I'll see if I can get one. If my hearing is okay and not declining, my T is probably caused by something else which means I can continue to play music without worsening the T.


Update:

I took a three hour test today and I was just trying to wing it. The T was somewhat manageable, but I could still feel the effects of the stress I've been under for the last two weeks. It's not going to be an A, but with a bit of luck I'll still pass. It feels horrible to hand in substandard work, but... it's all I can do for now.
I'm hopeful that I can continue studying and eventually get my degree.

I didn't go for the headphones-and-crickets option, as I wanted to see how I'd do without. And it might be more a distraction than something that'll actually help. And I'm a bit scared of headphones. Maybe, for the next exam, I should just bring live crickets

I also had an audiogram made today, which came out slightly worse than my previous near-perfect one. Probably because I couldn't concentrate, I could hear my heart beat loudly because I'd been cycling fast and went straight in for the test, and the previous test used sine waves with vibrato which were much easier to distinguish from my T.
The result was still okay, slightly sub par, but nothing to really worry about.
He wanted to leave all practical and medical advice up to the medical specialists I'm going to visit in a month.


Overall, it's going a bit better with the T. I'm not sure if it has actually subsided a bit, but it seems to have gone from 'hearing a siren' to 'hearing a loud and annoying tv-beep'. I'm optimistic, but I still refuse all opportunities to play music. Just to be safe, just like you said, SoulStation


Next up: Monday, GP appointment to discuss the prednisolon. I'll probably also ask for a blood test, just to be sure.

 

I'd say playing your upright is probably safe ...especially with a mute. Maybe you could work on your bowing technique.
We are in very simular situations...I am also looking to possibly go back to study computer science/coding/web design...
I don't think if I can really say if T is cumulative. I would have to say because it's based on perception of a stimulus, probably not. I have heard of it getting worse in some cases and better as well. Mostly what changes is your reaction to the sound. You want to get somewhere wear the sound doesn't cause you to react negatively towards it. It does help but even those who have achieved habituation still usually can be occasionally distracted by there t.