The entrance to the ear canal is made of cartilage and widening here is made by cartilage excision and is called a Meatoplasty.  The inner part of the ear canal is made of bone and hence widening here involves a drill.  In some people who swim or surf the ear canal can form bony growths called exostoses (seen above).  These can block the ear canal causing infection and hearing loss.  Widening the ear canal with a drill (or in the case of exostoses sometimes also a chisel) helps restore the normal width of the ear canal, resolves ear infections and improves hearing loss.