Diamond burrs, used in a dental handpiece, are designed to grind away hard tissue and come in a variety of shapes, lengths, and sizes. They are available in two main types: diamond or carbide. Each offers advantages that function best in specific situations.
A diamond bur is constructed from a stainless steel body that’s bonded to industrial diamond powder. They are incredibly strong and precise, capable of grinding through hard tissues such as enamel. Because of this, they are often preferred by dentists for certain procedures that involve cutting through Zirconia and porcelain as well as when preparing teeth for crown fittings.
However, unlike other types of burs, they tend to leave a rough surface behind due to their grinding action, which can be undesirable in some cases. Because of this, dentists sometimes choose to use tungsten carbide burs for a more smoother surface environment when preparing cavities and fillings.
Both diamond and tungsten carbide burs can be found in both sintered and coated versions. A sintered bur features tiny bits of industrial diamond that are embedded or bonded into the metal, making them more durable and long lasting than coated burs that use industrial diamond particles that are just layered onto the metal. Coated diamond burs are much more affordable, but they will wear down quicker than sintered ones.
When choosing a diamond bur, it’s important to select one with the right grit size. This will determine what procedures the bur can be used in. Diamond burs are usually divided into categories based on their diamond grit surface density. The higher the grit number, the finer the diamond bur will be.
Another factor is whether the diamond bur will be single-use or multi-use. Single-use diamond burs are individually packaged, pre-sterilized and sharp allowing you to have a fresh new bur for each patient while multi-use diamond burs can be reused for more procedures.
Lastly, it’s worth looking at the length and head shape of the bur you’re considering. You’ll find a large selection of shapes and lengths in both the NTI and BluWhite diamond bur lines. Both lines offer a variety of shank sizes as well, ranging from friction grip to FG surgical.
The wide range of options in our collection makes it easy to find the perfect diamond bur for your needs. Our burs are made by reputable brands like Dentsply Sirona, Meisinger, Kerr Rotary and Premier Dental as well as our own Henry Schein private label brand. We also carry value-focused electroplated and durable sintered diamond burs. If you have any questions about what type of diamond bur is best for your practice, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are always happy to help! Our experts have extensive experience in the industry and are happy to assist you in any way possible. We look forward to hearing from you!