Bensheim/Salzburg – Noise-induced hearing loss has long been one of the most common occupational diseases. Many dentists complain about the high noise level during treatment from the high-pitched whir of their turbines that make it difficult to concentrate and can cause stress or tinnitus. Over time, hearing loss can develop. Advacoustics, an engineering office in Berlin, studied the noise levels from turbines of various manufacturers and how the new turbine generation from Sirona compares.
New four-nozzle spray effectively reduces the noise level
The acousticians compared turbines of various manufacturers with respect to acoustic pressure, loudness, and sharpness. It was clear that the noise is not caused only by operating and drilling sounds, but also from the spray used for cooling. “The measurement of the noise level can reflect the actual working conditions during treatment only if the turbines are tested using spray,” says Dr. André Jakob, Managing Director of advacoustics.
Most turbines were significantly louder in the test when they were operated with spray, sometimes up to 10 dB (A), which is equivalent to doubling the noise level. The smallest differences in acoustic pressure were found with the two Sirona turbines T1 Control S and T2 Boost S, which were only 2.2 or 0.2 dB (A) louder when using spray than without. The reason Sirona introduced a new generation of turbines in 2013 with an innovative four-nozzle spray. Thanks to this innovation, the Sirona turbines were quieter than the other models tested when using spray. In the oral cavity simulation, the acoustic pressure was 60.1 or 61.1 dB (A).
Fig. 1: Sirona turbines with four- nozzle spray performed excellently in the acoustics test: Measurement set-up with the turbine in the oral cavity.
Fig. 2: Quiet cooling: The T2 Boost S turbine is only 0.2 dB (A) louder with the spray than without. 
More power from the new generation of turbines from Sirona
In addition to the greatly reduced noise level, the Sirona turbines in T1 Premium class and T2 Comfort class also have perceptibly more power and better control. “SoundCheck” app illustrates the low noise level To make it clear how quiet the Sirona turbines are, the company developed a SoundCheck app. The aim of the game is to arrange drilling noises and sounds in nature according to their noise level. Participants in the game can win Sennheiser HD 600 stereo headphones. The “Sirona SoundCheck” is available in the app store at: https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/sirona-soundcheck/id806229729?mt=8
Facebook users can access the app at https://apps.facebook.com/soundcheck/.
ABOUT SIRONA:
Sirona is the global market and technology leader in the dental industry and has been a worldwide partner for specialty traders, dental practices, clinics, and dental laboratories for more than 130 years. Sirona develops and produces the complete spectrum of dental equipment products, including CAD/CAM systems for computer-assisted ceramic restorations (CEREC), digital imaging systems for intraoral and panoramic x-rays, as well as volume tomography (3D), treatment centers, instruments and hygiene devices.
Visit www.sirona.com for more information about Sirona and its products.