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Dentistry vocabulary · Instruments and the Dental Clinic

Bur

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

/bɜːr/nounCommon term

In dentistry, bur means: A small rotating cutting tool that fits into a handpiece. Burs come in many shapes and sizes and are made of diamond, tungsten carbide or steel.

In Turkish: frez

How it is used

Dentists select, change and discard burs: a round bur to remove decay, a fissure bur to cut, a finishing bur to smooth. Assistants keep them organized in a bur block or bur stand.

Example sentences

  1. Can I have a new diamond bur? This one's worn.

  2. Use a round bur at slow speed to remove the soft decay.

Common collocations

  • diamond bur
  • round bur
  • tungsten carbide bur
  • change the bur
  • fissure bur
  • handpieceThe hand-held tool that holds and spins a bur or polishing cup. High-speed handpieces cut enamel and old fillings; slow-speed ones remove soft decay and polish.
  • cavityA hole in a tooth caused by decay. In restorative dentistry it also means the space the dentist shapes in the tooth before placing a filling.
  • compositeA tooth-colored filling material made of resin mixed with fine glass or ceramic particles. It is bonded to the tooth and usually hardened with a blue curing light.
  • crownA cap made of ceramic, metal or both that covers a damaged tooth completely and restores its shape and strength. The word also means the part of a tooth visible above the gum.

More terms: Instruments and the Dental Clinic

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.