Tuning into dental health by tuning out sound of drill

However, they may not be able to use this as an excuse for missed check-ups for much longer, with the invention of a device to provide a less daunting experience.

Experts have created an MP3 player friendly apparatus which cancels out the noise of the drill and which, they hope, could spell the end of people's anxiety about the dental chair.

It is widely thought that the sound of the drill is the prime cause of worry about trips to the dentist.

The team from King's College London, Brunel University and London South Bank University hope their device could address people's fears and encourage them to seek the oral healthcare treatment they need.

The prototype works in a similar way to noise-cancelling headphones, but is designed to deal with the very high pitch of the dental drill.

Patients would unplug their headphones, plug the device into their MP3 player or mobile phones, and then plug the headset into the gadget, allowing them to listen to their own music while completely blocking out the sound of the drill and suction equipment.

The patient can still hear the dentist and other staff speaking to them, but other sounds are filtered out by the device.

Containing a microphone and a chip that analyses the incoming sound wave, the gadget produces an "inverted wave" to cancel out the unwanted noise.

It also uses technology called "adaptive filtering", where electronic filters lock onto sound waves and remove them, even if the amplitude and frequency change as the drill is being used.

The device was initially the brainchild of Professor Brian Millar, at King's College London's Dental Institute, who was inspired by car-maker Lotus's efforts to develop a system that removed unpleasant road noise, while still allowing drivers to hear emergency sirens.

Now, with more than a decade of collaboration with engineering researchers at Brunel University and London South Bank University, a prototype has been designed, built and successfully tested.

Although the product is not yet available to dental practitioners, the researchers are calling for an investor to help take it to market.

Prof Millar said: "Many people put off going to the dentist because of anxiety associated with the noise of the dentist's drill.

"But this device has the potential to make fear of the drill a thing of the past."

Andrew Lamb, director of the British Dental Association in Scotland, said a recent report indicated one third of adults in Scotland said they did not have a dental check up in 2008.

"While there are many reasons for that, some will be put off because of anxiety associated with the noise from the dental drill," he said."This technology clearly needs investment before it is available in surgeries, but it is an encouraging development that has the potential to ease the concerns of patients who have particular worries about the sound made by drills."