Essential Guide: The 101 on Proper Dental Bur Maintenance

Dec 05, 2023Mr. Bur

When handling contaminated instruments, we should always wear a glove.
Pre-soak the burs for at least 10 minutes in a disinfectant solution intended for dental burs that contains a corrosion inhibitor to reduce diamond coating dulling.
Use a brush to clean the burs thoroughly if needed.
Rinse several times to remove the disinfection solution.
Dry the burs and store in a clean and moisture-free environment.

Proper instrument sterilization is extremely important to eliminate infectious disease transmission among patients and employees.
Place the burs in sterilization bags.
Autoclave the burs at least 10 minutes at a temperature of 135°C.
Dry the burs and store in a clean and moisture-free environment.
Use a dry heat sterilizer for one hour at 170 °C (340 °F). This won't corrode or dull carbide bursts when used as directed by the manufacturer's instruction.
Cold sterilizing solutions should be avoided since they include oxidizing chemicals that could weaken carbide burs.

Only qualified dentists should use dental burs to ensure the safety of both the user and the patient.
Sterilize all burs before each use.
Burs should be replaced frequently to avoid using a dull, worn, or damaged bur on a patient. A dull or damaged bur could result in reduced efficiency and possible harm to the patient.
Never force a bur into the turbine.
Observe recommended speeds and air pressure. This is especially true for burs with a large head size or coarse/super coarse diamond grit size, as excessive speed can generate unwanted heat.
Do not put pressure on the bur when in use.
Don’t keep the bur still; constant movement will avoid burning of the bur.
Do not “extend” the bur (always insert the bur fully into the handpiece chuck).
Always use the bur with sufficient water coolant.
Do not use a bur in a worn chuck; doing so may result in bur slippage and/or vibration, which can lead to breakage.