MEMORIES
Drill master
Do you dread dental appointments? As recently retired dentist Gerald Feaver explains, a certain piece of equipment could be to blame…
This year marks the 150th birthday of the electric dental drill – though I can’t imagine many will rush to celebrate this particular invention. Now retired from a 40-year career as a dentist, I know fear of the drill runs deep. With its high-pitched whine and high-speed vibrations, it is easily the most daunting dental tool, long associated with discomfort. That stigma persists, even though you’re unlikely to feel much pain these days. Plus, there’s no escaping the connotations of DIY and construction. I think people have this image of a Black+Decker drill thumping away in their mouth.