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Diamond Rotary Dental Instruments

Rotary dental instruments enable dental health professionals to remove pieces of tooth matter and shape teeth during procedures. The instruments that are diamond plated are called burs. Diamond-plated burs have some limitations, including decreased cutting effectiveness over time and a short lifetime, according to a study by the University of Minnesota, Department of Mechanical Engineering. Diamond burs are fashioned of diamond and metallic binders on differently shaped tips.

  1. Round Bur

    • Dentists use round diamond burs to perform many dental procedures. According to the book "Competency Skills for the Dental Assistant," (CSDA) round-bur uses include single-surface cavities, opening tooth-pulp chambers, and drilling retention holes.

    Inverted Cone Bur

    • Inverted-cone diamond burs are used to make an undercut in preparation for a dental restoration. The undercut provides a mechanical latch to keep a filling or other dental preparation in place.

    Straight Plain-Fissure and Crosscut Bur

    • Dentists use straight plain-fissure diamond burs to prepare the parallel wall areas or floor areas for dental work. Straight-fissure with crosscut burs provide the same purpose but contain more cutting areas.

    Tapered-Fissure and Crosscut Diamond Bur

    • Dentists use tapered-fissure diamond burs to slightly diverge parallel wall cuts, according to the CSDA. The tapered-fissure crosscut bur performs the same function but has more cutting edges than does the regular tapered-fissure bur.

    End-cutting Bur

    • Dentists use end-cutting diamond burs to prepare a shoulder margin for crowns or metal-ceramic restorations. A shoulder margin means that a margin intersects with the tooth surface at a 90-degree angle.

    Flame Bur

    • Dentists use diamond flame burs to do fine detail work. They also provide good bulk reduction. Dentists may also use flame burs to bevel tooth margins.

    Cylinder Bur

    • Dentists choose diamond cylinder burs for shoulder preparation, such as for a dental crown. They also reduce tooth bulk.

    Round Bur

    • Two round bur styles are available: round-edge wheel diamond burs and round-end taper diamond burs. Dentists use round-edge wheel burs for feathering gold inlays and opening and contouring the biting and chewing surfaces of teeth. The round-end taper bur can reduce bulk and provide the finish on margins. They may also prepare finish lines for dental procedures.

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