Dental supplies of high quality are hugely important. Dentists need to outfit their clinics with an extensive catalogue of equipment, and working with the right distributors near them, such as for dental supplies in Melbourne, is essential.
We are all much more familiar than we’d like to be with the concept of the dental drill. What most non-dentists aren’t aware of is the dental bur – without which the drill is practically useless!
A “dental drill” is really a dental handpiece. Dental burs the functional pieces that are fitted to the handpiece and selected to suit the specific procedure required.
Dental Burs – Uses & Types
Dental burs are tiny drill pieces. They attach to the handpiece or “drill” and are primarily used to remove tooth and bone material and shape the tooth. Doing this provides access for the dentist to facilitate fillings, root canal treatments, and more.
Burs are selected for their size, shape, and material, and each has a specific purpose for:
- Cutting
- Grinding
- Reducing
- Smoothing
- Refining
Based on different criteria, dental burs are ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) classified per their:
- Material Type
- Shape
- Shank
The size and diameter of the head are also important.
- Bur Material
This choice is critical for cutting quality, strength, and durability. While traditionally crafted from steel, today most burs are made from either diamond, carbide, or steel.
Diamond is the hardest-known material and ideal for use on tooth enamel, which is the hardest substance in the human body. Natural diamond burs are more durable, but synthetic diamond burs are more economical.
Diamond burs are available in an array of grits from ultra-fine to coarse. They facilitate fast, smooth, precise cutting. They’re very efficient but have a more limited lifespan than other options, quickly wearing down and easily clogging with debris. Diamond burs are preferred for use on restorative porcelain and for polishing.
Tungsten carbide is a newer material that is highly rated in terms of efficiency, strength, and durability. It is also very water resistant. It remains sharp and has a smoother surface than diamond – which translates to less debris buildup. They are used to cut and chip into the tooth as well as on acrylics, gold, and silver. They are ideal for shaping bone, removing old fillings and metal-based tooth restorations, on composites, and preparing cavities for filling.
Steel burs are being widely replaced by carbide, but remain an economical option for preparing cavities for filling. They quickly become blunt with use but are softer, more flexible, and more resistant to chipping and breaking than carbide burs.
Bur Shape
Dental burs may beround, pear-shaped, or cross-cut. Round burs create access points, undercuts, and channels, and are used for cavity preparation. Also used in cavity prep and access-point creation, pear-shaped burs are used to split the roots of smaller teeth. With a tapered fissure, cross-cut burs help reduce crown height and section teeth with multiple roots.
Shank
The shank is the longer part of the bur piece with various end types to attach to different types of handpieces. These are selected based on speed requirements.
Slow-speed handpieces use long straight shanks with diamond cutting discs for surgical procedures. Latch shanks also fit in these handpieces for contra-angle use. High-speed handpieces use friction-grip shanks with diamond and carbine bur heads.
Conclusion
Choosing the right dental supplies and items like dental burs is essential for dentists to improve their clinical work and optimise patient outcomes. The right choice of manufacturers and distributors will provide a range of options.
