How to find the right Dental Burs AI guide
Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge.
What the AI looks for in Dental Burs
- Shank type
- FG (friction grip, 1.6 mm) for high-speed. RA/latch (2.35 mm, notched) for slow-speed contra-angles. HP (2.35 mm, long straight) for straight handpieces and lab work. The shank must match the handpiece chuck or it will not seat or will be unsafe.
- Carbide vs diamond
- Carbide for cutting metal and amalgam and for precise cavity walls. Diamond for enamel, porcelain and zirconia reduction. Each cuts by a different mechanism and suits different substrates.
- Diamond grit colour code
- Standard rings: black super-coarse, green coarse, blue medium, red fine, yellow extra-fine, white ultra-fine. Picking grit by ring colour avoids over-cutting or a rough finish.
- Head shape and size
- Order by ISO shape and head-diameter numbering, or the maker's equivalent, when replacing a bur. Brand catalogue numbers differ, but ISO codes let you cross-reference.
- Zirconia removal
- Use burs marketed specifically for zirconia sectioning. Standard diamonds dull fast and overheat on zirconia.
- Single-use vs reusable
- Follow the maker's labelling. Single-use diamonds are not designed for reprocessing. Reprocessed single-use diamonds lose grit and cutting efficiency.
Brands that matter
- Brasseler: Broad carbide and diamond range.
- Komet: German maker with a large catalogue, including zirconia and endo burs.
- SS White: Long-running carbide maker.
- Meisinger: German burs, strong in surgical and lab ranges.
- Prima Dental: UK carbide and diamond maker.
- Dentsply Sirona: Midwest burs and various specialty burs.
- Coltene: Diatech diamond burs.
What to avoid
- Unbranded diamond assortments with uneven grit or off-centre heads.
- Mismatched shanks in the wrong handpiece.
- Running a dull bur longer to save stock, which overheats the pulp.
Questions
Do FG burs fit slow-speed contra-angles?
Not directly. FG is 1.6 mm friction grip for high-speed. Slow-speed latch angles need RA/latch burs, unless the angle is specifically an FG-type.