Enamel cutting mechanism and performance of different dental burs: an in vitro study

Abstract Tooth enamel machining is a common procedure in dental surgery, yet the cutting mechanisms and performance of different dental burs remain unclear. In the dental field, this poses challenges for dentists in selecting appropriate dental burs for specific operations. In the engineering field, this creates difficulties in understanding the cutting mechanisms of tooth enamel and designing new high-performance dental burs. Therefore, the objective of this study is to bridge the gap between medicine and engineering by comprehending the cutting mechanisms and performance of different dental burs for tooth enamel machining. This study established an enamel machining experimental system and utilized the fissure bur, diamond bur, and round bur to conduct enamel drilling and milling experiments on the occlusal, buccal/lingual, and mesial/distal surfaces of the tooth. The results indicate that, compared to the buccal/lingual and mesial/distal surfaces, the milling force is lower (p< 0.05) but the milling temperature is higher (p< 0.05) on the occlusal surface. Furthermore, the fissure bur generated the lowest drilling and milling temperatures (p< 0.05) and the best milling quality. The diamond bur generated the best drilling quality but lacked drilling precision (p< 0.05). The round bur generated the smallest drilling force (p< 0.05) but the largest milling force (p< 0.05). The analysis of the structure and cutting mechanisms of different dental burs on various tooth surfaces explains the aforementioned phenomena. Different dental burs have distinct advantages based on their structures. This study enhances the understanding of tooth enamel cutting mechanisms and dental bur machining performance in the field of medicine and engineering, which can improve the quality of dental surgery and facilitate the development of high-performance dental burs.