What burr are you taught to use for excavation?

[phremius]

Hey guys, I'm writing a paper on epistemology and dental education. I've come to realize that there is tremendous diversity in educational philosophy and methodology from institution to institution. Going to explore this on a very basic level. So here are some questions:

At your very first cariology/operative/restorative class or lab, what burr do they teach or demo with for simple cavity preps?

I personally was taught 1556 at NYU, but have met people who were taught to use a round burr.

How about yourselves?

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[Ostracized]

For caries removal or cutting the prep? I generally use a 245 burr for cutting preps. We haven't done any caries removal yet (D2).

 

[phremius]

For caries removal or cutting the prep? I generally use a 245 burr for cutting preps. We haven't done any caries removal yet (D2).

Cutting the prep w/ the initial high speed, I'm not referring to decay removal with the slow speed (which I was trained to use a round 6 or 8). What program are you at?

 

[armorshell]

Pacific - 330

 

[monreal]

256/245 for amalgam and 330 for composite

 

[Ostracized]

Cutting the prep w/ the initial high speed, I'm not referring to decay removal with the slow speed (which I was trained to use a round 6 or 8). What program are you at?

Toronto. #245 ('pear shape') for most things, #330 for others. The profs/demonstrators are not insistent on a specific burr. They generally let us use whatever works, provided it has the required undercuts (or not).

 

[tinman831]

Here at Tufts we were introduced to the #330 first. Faculty said that once we develop a feel for the handpiece, we were given the freedom to choose whatever we liked best.

 

[HupHolland]

245 and 330 for preparation- 556 for deep proximal boxes. round bur (on slow speed obvs) for caries excavation.

Hup

 

[lotexigeus]

245 and 330 for preparation- 556 for deep proximal boxes. round bur (on slow speed obvs) for caries excavation.

Hup

this, at Memphis.

 

[L413]

bu- 330 or 329 used for amalgam and composite preps

 

[gryffindor]

I'm pretty sure we were taught to use a #169 at Buffalo. The #330 bur wasn't introduced to us until we did the unit on pedo preps.

 

[JamesOSU]

330 was the first one we were introduced to at Ohio State for initial cavity prep

 

[jjohnny1185]

330 or 245 for amalgam and composite.

 

[Istr8nthem]

I'm pretty sure we were taught to use a #169 at Buffalo. The #330 bur wasn't introduced to us until we did the unit on pedo preps.

This was what I was taught at Buffalo as well. We also used the 556 for dropping boxes. 330 was used early by some of my classmates, but I started using it the same as gryff, once we started pedo preps. When it came to caries excavation, we were taught to use the largest round bur we could get in prep in slow speed and hand instrumentation.

 

[DrJeff]

I was taught that a 330 carbide was the bur of choice for ideal access prep design, then the largest round latch we could fit for final excavation -0 pretty much text book G.V. Black stuff.

Nowadays it's what ever generally speaking pear shaped DIAMOND bur or inverted cone DIAMOND bur is the appropriate size for a conservative access prep, and that's usually it. Rarely do I use a round latch for excavation anymore. Rarely do I use carbides.

The fun thing is when you get to private practice, you'll find that there are SO many more sizes, shapes and grits/flutes available for bur choices that you can find a bur that works for YOU as opposed to the textbook bur that works for someone else (often though what you'll end up using as your bur of choice won't look too much different than the bur you first put in a handpiece for prepping your 1st mannequin tooth in a sim lab

 

[caffeinehigh]

330

 

[HupHolland]

I'm pretty sure we were taught to use a #169 at Buffalo. The #330 bur wasn't introduced to us until we did the unit on pedo preps.

That's funny 'cause the 330 was introduced initially in pre-clinical operative, and the 169 was introduced for pedo crown preps 🙂

Hup

 

[KinKs]

Howard - we are taught to use a bur that best accomplishes what you are trying to do. As such, several burs are used during the completion of for eg. a class II amalgam prep. I would probably start an outline with a 330 or something smaller, drop the proximal box with a 169, 245 etc.

For the excavation of caries, we are taugh that any round bur will do. If the decay is in enamel, high speed is used and if it is in dentin a slow speed handpiece is used.

 

[Streetwolf]

SB teaches 556 at first and then mentions 245. I use 245 for smaller preps (class 3) and dropping the box on class 2.

169 on primary teeth.

I've heard good things about 330 but have never used it.

 

[HupHolland]

the 330 is really too small to cut most clinical class 1 & 2 preps. therefore, the 245 is my workhorse for these preps. the 330 is good for class 3 and 5.

i find the 169 good to break contact for class 2 amalgam preps and for knife-edged margins on SCC's.

Hup

 

[UKdent]

330 to cut preps at kentucky

 

[VCUDDS]

i would have to echo Dr. Jeff's post, you will find the bur the suits your need once you get to pvt practice. 330 is a great bur, but it might not do an efficient enough job when you have to prep #2,3,4,5 at the same time. I like diamonds (inverted cones mostly) bec the i have better feed back and control when i'm preparing. if i'm excavating, than it's a #6 usually latch.

 

[scottyhoop]

Our first prep at VCU was a class 1 on #19. We could use either a 330 or a 329.

Scotty

 

[lotexigeus]

once i started using diamond burs i fell in love. i don't want to go back to carbide.

 

[midwestboy]

UConn- 329/330

 

[efficient]

330 and 245 for amalgan and composite