Sintered diamond burs consist of a solid diamond matrix and last much longer than coated dental burs. They are used by dental labs, jewelry and lapidary for shaping, carving and polishing all kinds of minerals including glass, stone and other hard materials. They are also used by dentists for preparing partial frameworks and finishing restorations such as enameloplasting, soft tissue re-contouring and odontoplasty. These diamond rotary instruments can be used at any rotational speed between 15,000 and 30,000 RPM.
They can be used on a variety of materials such as zirconia, Alumina Oxide and other hard ceramics, porcelain and natural teeth. They are especially useful for cutting and trimming of zirconia and other hard materials without the heat build-up associated with tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) burs. Their superior durability and performance are also attributed to the fact that they have higher Vickers hardness than uncoated metal dental burs.
Unlike plated diamond burs, the grit of sintered diamond burs is evenly distributed over the entire head of the instrument. This makes them extremely durable and allows for consistent cutting quality over the entire lifetime of the bur. This is particularly important when cutting hard dental materials such as zirconia, titanium, alumina and cobalt alloys.
As the diamond grit erodes over time it is replaced with fresh abrasive material. This process is accelerated by the presence of water, which serves as a cooling agent and dissolves the abrasive particles. This is why it is very important to use a coolant when working with any type of diamond bur.
A recent study examined the effects of varying the surface finish on the wearing properties of sintered diamond burs. A commercial metallic diamond bur with extra coarse gradation was used on Zirconia and WC-Co specimens with a modified milling machine at a rotational speed of 25,000 RPM. The abrasive wear was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereomicroscopic imaging. The results showed that the abrasive surface of the sintered diamond bur was subject to substantial erosion after 5 preparations on Zirconia, and less superficial pits and grooves were observed on tooth surfaces for Group Z when compared to groups T and M.
Similarly to carbide burs DFS Diamon manufactures a wide range of sintered diamond burs with different grit sizes and shapes, suitable for all types of preparations in dental laboratories. They are available in a range of diameters and lengths and are compatible with most micro motors. The burs in extra coarse and coarse grit are primarily used to prepare metal partial frames, while the finer grits, Micro and Milli-Micron, find their application in softer materials such as porcelain and composite. Using sintered diamonds reduces the overall cost of a dental treatment and is particularly beneficial for patients who have limited financial resources. The life span of the instrument is up to 20 times that of a typical stone and it requires significantly less pressure than conventional dental burs, which helps save energy.