Diamond burs are rotary tools that are used to cut hard materials such as dental composites and porcelain, ceramics, glass, metals and stone in Lapidary and Jewelry making. They are also used in tooth preparations (dental refracting, enameloplasty, coronoplasty and removal of old prosthetic material). They have been around for decades and are a mainstay in dental laboratories.
They are made up of a mix of diamond powder and a metallic binder such as boron nitride or zirconia. The bonded diamond particles are sintered under high pressure and temperatures creating an extremely strong and durable tool. This means that they last much longer than coated or plated abrasive points. This is because they don’t wear off easily or lose performance over time.
The use of sintered diamond burs allows for increased control and consistency over the cutting process, resulting in more accurate work. This translates to shorter preparation times, less debris and better results.
These burs have a shaped diamond head that is fully sintered to the mandrel. They are extremely durable and can last up to ten times longer than coated abrasive points. These burs are great for shaping, grinding and carving in glass and stone as well as some hard woods. They are also popular for use in stone sculpting and lapidary.
Sintered diamond burs are a lot more precise than traditional abrasive burs as they can be used with a light source to see what they are cutting. This allows for more accuracy and less damage to the tooth surface and surrounding structures. This leads to faster healing times for the patient.
Another benefit of the sintering process is that it is a green technology which has environmental benefits. Using this technique reduces carbon emissions by almost 50%. As an added benefit it can also be used to make abrasives for medical devices such as surgical burs, medical sandpaper and laser sanding systems.
The sintering process is an environmentally friendly manufacturing method that uses heat and pressure to bond the diamond particles together. This process has been used in the manufacturing of high-end industrial tools such as sandblasters and grinding wheels for more than two decades.
While new methods of tooth preparation are being advocated such as air abrasion and chemo-mechanical techniques, dental burs are still the most common tool for dentistry. This is because they are reliable, versatile and economical.
The purpose of this study was to identify the changing frequency of diamond burs after a number of uses. This was done by examining the surfaces of the diamond burs using a diffraction index and depth maps. The findings showed that the surface roughness of the diamond burs was reduced significantly after a few preparations. This is due to the wearing of the diamond and should be considered when planning to use a diamond bur for prosthetic prepartions or try-ins. It is therefore recommended that the diamond burs should be changed after every five preparations to prevent excessive wear.