What Are Dental Burs?
Dental burs, also known as burrs, are cutting instruments used in dentistry. The shape removes hard dental materials such as enamel, dentin, and cementum. They are a common tool in the dental office, with dentists using them daily to treat patients.
Dental burs come in many different forms and sizes for other uses. They are made from steel, carbide, or diamond and have several different head shapes. Dental burs have three parts:
- The shank, which is the handle.
- The bur head.
- The cutting surface itself (usually made of diamond).
What Are the Types of Dental Burs?
There are several different types of dental burs available on the market today. Each type has its own set of benefits and uses depending on your situation and what you’re trying to accomplish with your treatment plan:
Diamond Burs
A diamond bur is a high-quality tool made from industrial diamonds which allows the dentist to effectively remove small amounts of enamel from the teeth without damaging them. A diamond bur can also be used for drilling holes in teeth for filling or placing crowns on them. Diamond burs come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common – they’re very sharp!
This means that you must take extra care when handling them because if you’re not careful, you might end up hurting yourself. You must always use proper protection when handling diamond burs, such as gloves or face shields, so that if one slips out of your hand while working, it won’t cause any injury to yourself or anyone else who might be nearby.
Carbide Burs
Carbide dental burrs are made from tungsten or silicon carbide, making them very abrasive. This means they can be used on hard surfaces such as enamel without damaging them too much. They also have a very long lifespan due to their hardness, making them ideal for use on almost any material, including porcelain or metal fillings.
Steel Burs
Steel burs are made from hardened steel, which makes them strong but also brittle. They’re often used to smooth soft materials like enamel or dentin because they don’t wear down as quickly as other dental bur burs do when used on these softer substances.
Ceramic Burs
These are made of zirconia and have a very high hardness that makes them helpful in finishing difficult-to-work metals like titanium, gold, or stainless steel. They’re also used in pediatric dentistry because they don’t break easily, even when working with young patients who may not cooperate during treatment sessions.
What Are the Three Parts of Dental Burs?
Bur Head: The bur head is the part of the bur you see. It is typically made from a hard material such as steel, carbide, or diamond and has a flat surface for cutting. Sometimes, it may have other designs (such as round or triangular) to help with specific tasks.
Shank: The shank is the long shaft that connects the bur head to its handle and helps guide it during use. It can be made from various materials, including steel or plastic.
Handle: The handle or handle grip allows you to hold onto your burs while working with them. It can be made from various materials, including plastic, rubber, and wood (for those who prefer traditional tools).
What Is Dental Bur Sizing?
Dental bur sizes are determined by the diameter of the bur shaft or shank. Smaller numbers (0.05mm to 0.10mm) are used for finishing work, while more significant numbers (0.30mm to 1mm) shape and smooth teeth before polishing them with a diamond burr or polishing paste.
The length of dental bur shafts varies depending on the work performed. Most dental burs have a standard length of 5 inches or 12.7 centimeters, but some longer shafts also exist at 6 inches (15cm) or 8 inches (20cm).
What Are Dental Bur Head Shapes?
Dental bur head shapes are either conical or cylindrical. Conical burs are better suited for cutting into hard objects such as enamel, while cylindrical ones are ideal for polishing delicate surfaces such as dentin or cementum. You should select a type depending on your needs and requirements since they both have advantages and disadvantages.
What Are Surgical Length Burs?
Surgical length burs have a longer shank than standard dental burs and can reach deeper into tight spaces. These burs are often used in root canal procedures because they allow for more maneuverability when working inside tight spaces and around nerves and blood vessels.
What Are the Three Types of Bur Shanks?
The size of a bur shank refers to the diameter of its shank or body. A large shank is useful for heavy-duty work, while a smaller shank is best for delicate tasks. Some burs have interchangeable shanks that can be changed based on the type of work.
There are three bur shanks: straight, right angle, and curved.
Straight Shank: These burs have a straight shank, meaning there is no bend in the middle (see picture below). This makes them ideal for working in tight spaces because they can be used for cutting or shaping without worrying about hitting a tooth or root structure in an area where you don’t want to damage anything vital. Straight-shanked burs are typically used by dentists who do traditional dentistry, such as filling cavities and placing crowns on teeth.
Right Angle Shank: A right angle shank has two bends at right angles at the tip of the shaft. This makes it easier to access tight spaces between teeth or below gum lines when shaping dentures or crowns.
Curved Shank: A curved bur may have one or two curves along its length depending on its purpose; some have only one curve, while others have two curves facing opposite directions so that they can be used like saws to cut grooves into the material (such as dentures).
How To Keep Dental Burs Clean?
Dental burs are very popular dental supplies and must be kept clean to avoid bacterial contamination that can cause infections in patients who use them during procedures. Cleaning tools should be boiled for 10 minutes between uses (or soaked in an iodophor solution), killing any bacteria that may have gotten on them during use in the mouth.