Establishing the Durability and Reliability of a Dental Bur Based on the Wear

This paper analyzes the phenomenon that conditions the durability and reliability of a type of dental bur based on the wear of the active part and with effect on its quality. For the experimental study, a conical-cylindrical dental bur and a sample dental material in cobalt–chromium alloy, cylindrical shape, tested on a specially made experimental installation were used. In this paper, the most significant parameter was considered (loss of mass, m(w), through the wear of the active part of a tested dental bur), which highlights the studied wear phenomenon. This is useful for the establishment of the durability and reliability of the dental bur by the extension of the lifetime or even optimization of its operation. The wear phenomenon of the active part of dental bur is studied based on the results and experimental data obtained in the work process that was validated by interpolation and led to polynomial functions which approximate very well the dependent parameter, m(w), considered in the experimental program. The results of the interpolation showed that in the first 11 h of work, the dental bur works with high efficiency (allow optimizing operation or offering new ideas for constructive solutions), after which it can be easily decommissioned; i.e., it should be replaced with a new one (establishing some possible criteria for replacing the used dental bur).