Diamonds

Diamonds are generally used for reducing tooth structures to place crowns or porcelain veneer. Diamonds may also be used to smooth, refine, and polish composite or porcelain material. A diamond is the hardest of all known materials. When bonded to stainless steel through a special metallurgical process, it can be used to create a cutting edge with superior cutting ability and durability. However, compared with carbide burs, diamonds usually have a more pronounced decrease in cutting effectiveness over time leading to a shorter lifespan.

Types of Diamond Shanks and Shapes

Unlike carbide burs, which are available in a variety of shank types, diamonds are most commonly friction grip type because they are used primarily in high speed handpieces. However, similar to carbide burs, they come in a variety of head shapes and sizes.

Diamond Grits

Diamonds also come in a variety of grit sizes. Coarse and super-coarse diamond grits for tooth reduction are the most popular, with fine and super-fine for polishing and smoothing a distant second. Grinding and polishing diamonds should be used to trim and finish micro-filled composites. Coarse grinding tools leave behind striations; fine and extra fine diamonds are suitable for finishing. 

Single-Use versus Multi-Use Diamonds

Diamonds come in two types: single-use and multi-use. Single-Use diamonds provide the convenience of an individually packaged pre-sterilized diamond and a new sharp instrument with each use. Multi-Use diamonds are designed to be re-used for a number of procedures and hence are more economical. There are many more shapes and grits available in multi-use diamonds.