Burs are specifically designed to cut through hard dental tissues and certain dental materials, but too many practitioners pay little attention to the particular burs they use every day micro motors australia. They seem insignificant in size and low in cost when compared to other clinical equipment and materials that the dental practice requires. Efficient burs, however, contribute to the rhythm of the practice and an improved bottom line, while less effective burs slow down the practice and negatively impact both treatment quality and productivity. A sharp, new bur prepares tooth structures smoothly for patient and dentist. A dull, older bur requires more torque, cuts significantly more slowly, and causes more hand fatigue. When carbide cutting instruments were first introduced, they represented a major advance over steel instruments. Carbide burs cut faster and more predictably than steel and offer more effective tooth preparation with fewer surface striations than diamond instruments. Operative burs may be straight-bladed or cross-cut. Straight-bladed burs are slower but cut more smoothly, particularly with harder substrates. Cross-cut burs cut faster but may cause more vibration. Recent research has developed a variety of cross-cut designs that speed up preparation and reduce clogging even further dental lab supplies australia. Re-engineering the cutting bur has created a varying innovative flute angle and cutting characteristics that are specifically designed for an intended task. Operative, cavity-cutting, and crown-preparation carbide burs have flutes (known as dentates) that are deep and wide, providing a more aggressive, more efficient, and faster cutting of enamel. For the practitioner, cutting speed tops the list of important features in selecting dental burs. Finishing burs have shallower flutes that are closer together than operative instruments. This anatomy is best suited to fine finishing and polishing of dental materials and/or tooth surfaces. The relative merits of single-use burs versus sterilizable ones form an ongoing debate. Single-use burs are expected to be used for one patient only and then safely discarded. Multiple-use burs can be sterilized and reused and typically have a functional life expectancy of several cycles. The driving consideration is usually the cost; the upfront expense of single-use burs is higher. Other factors, however, must be considered. There is less danger of cross-contamination to patients and accidental infection of staff with disposable cutting instruments. Sterilization has associated material costs and takes staff time and may not actually be worth the effort. The cutting efficiency of the sterilized bur must be factored into the equation, as well. Sterilized burs often exhibit a significantly decreased cutting efficiency after one or more sessions in the autoclave. Their decreased grinding speed and efficiency are readily noticeable to the patient and can have a negative impact on the practice’s bottom line.  Is Kissing Dangerous To Your Health? for more information.