diamond burrs are a type of rotary tool that use a diamond-tipped bit to grind, smooth or shape hard materials like glass, metal and stone. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be used for a wide range of applications in industries from manufacturing to dentistry. Despite the variety of applications, there are some important differences between diamond and carbide burrs that dental professionals should be aware of before making a purchase.
In general, diamond burs are favored by dentists for grinding through tooth enamel and other hard materials like ceramics when making crowns or veneers. The precision of the burs allows for a faster, cleaner cut than most other types of dental instruments. They also help to avoid damaging the inner pulp tissue, which is a critical factor for many patients. While the coarser grits of diamond burs may be useful for extensive gross tooth preparations, they can have negative effects on surface finish, heat generation and enamel damage.
Because of their high-quality, efficiency and durability, diamond burs are the preferred choice for most dental practitioners. They are available in a variety of different shapes and cut styles, each with its own specific set of benefits and uses. Dental diamond burs can be differentiated by color-coded stripes on the shank that indicate the grit size: black (super-coarse), green (course), blue (medium) and red (fine). These different grits allow for a greater or lesser amount of cutting power, with the higher grit numbers producing more rough results.
While most dental diamond burs are made from synthetic diamond, there is a growing number of manufacturers that offer natural diamond burs as well. These burs tend to cost more than their synthetic counterparts, but can offer superior quality and efficiency in certain applications. The BluWhite diamond burs offered by Kerr Dental are an example of this type of natural diamond bur. These burs are specially formulated to minimize clogging, and feature a dual density diamond deposition process that increases the number of diamond surfaces exposed during cutting.
These sintered diamond burs are ideal for carving, grinding and pre-forming hard and soft material such as glass, stones, metals and bone. They are bonded to a stainless steel body and are available in several grit sizes. They have a 3/32″ diameter shank that fits perfectly into any Dremel or flex shaft hand piece that accepts a 3/32″ collet. They are perfect for use on the Dragtool, Do*All and Petal Knives. They have a slight bevel on one side that indicates the sharpened edge of the bur, which can be lightly run over a knife to renew its sharpness.