The drill is one of the most important instruments of the dentist. Thus, it has a share in numerous different treatments.
What is a drill?
When used, the dental drill emits a sound reminiscent of a conventional drill. For numerous patients, this sound triggers rather frightening feelings. Various rotating dental instruments are grouped under the term drill. The dentist clamps these differently equipped and designed attachments into turbines, handpieces or contra-angle handpieces. When used, the dental drill emits a noise reminiscent of a conventional drill. For numerous patients, this sound triggers rather frightening feelings. A particularly important part of the dental drill is the turbine, which is indispensable for drilling and milling. To work, the dentist connects it to a dental unit that has standardized connections. It is used for both conservative treatment and prosthetic therapy.
Shapes, types and styles
There are different types of dental drills. They are driven with the help of a turbine. However, greater differences are in the ball bearings. Modern drills have a ceramic ball bearing in their turbine. This makes drills of this type less noisy than other specimens, which in turn has a positive effect on patients. In addition, the device transmits only a few vibrations to the teeth, which significantly reduces the sensation of pain. Since these modern drills work more sensitively, they are also suitable for dental restorations. There are some differences in the rotating instruments of the drill. These include its shape, material, circumference, shaft, as well as the area of application. The materials used are steel, diamond, carbide, ceramic abrasives, as well as elastic polishers, which are also called rubber polishers. The various forms of instruments are offered in several sizes. Among the most important rotary dental instruments is the round drill. It is also known as the rose drill and is used to remove caries. Other types of drills include the fissure drill, the wheel drill and the carbide or steel drill, which have similar purposes to the round drill. In some cases, these drills can also be used to work on plastics and metals. A dental drill of a special kind is the laser drill. This dental laser is gentler than the conventional drill and is suitable for treating smaller caries defects. It removes less tooth substance in the process. However, there are some limits to the procedure, so the conventional dental drill cannot yet be dispensed with.
Structure and mode of operation
A dental drill consists of several sections. These include the head, neck and shank. The working part is done by the head of the drill. On the other hand, the shank provides the attachment within the drive. A dental drill must have important quality characteristics. These are the hardness of the material, sharpness and the accuracy of concentricity. In addition, the instruments should have accuracy of shape. Among the conspicuous features of the dental drill are the different color markings. They serve as information on the toothing properties or diamond grit. Dental drills are considered high-quality precision instruments. The turbine of the drill achieves a high rotational speed. This enables the drill to treat even fine areas. Neighboring teeth are not damaged as a result. In addition, the speed of the turbine generates a certain degree of heat. This can trigger pain in the treated tooth in some patients. However, by cooling the drill with water, the dentist has the opportunity to counteract this process, ensuring gentler treatment. To treat the caries, the dental drill must have hard material. For this reason, it is made of very hard metal such as steel or diamond. In most cases, the patient receives an anesthetic injection before the treatment with the dental drill. In this way, the drilling treatment usually proceeds painlessly.
Medical and health benefits
Although the dental drill causes rather an unpleasant feeling in many patients, its health benefits are very great. For example, with its help, tooth spots that are affected by harmful tooth decay can be easily removed. This usually prevents further dental problems.Moreover, dental treatment was much more painful before the invention of the drill in 1790. At that time, patients were treated by so-called tooth breakers, who simply levered the painful tooth out of the affected person’s dentition without any anesthesia. A red-hot branding iron was then used to stop the bleeding. In 1790, however, the American dentist John Greenwood, George Washington’s personal dentist, succeeded in developing a drill from a spinning wheel that could be driven by a pedal by foot. In 1875, the American George Green finally invented a dental drill that was driven electrically. This is still considered the basis for the treatment of caries today. With the help of the dental drill, the dentist removes not only caries, but also dentures or older fillings. The areas affected by caries are cleaned with the drill and treated accordingly. In doing so, he uses the drill as gently as possible. If the fear of the dental drill is nevertheless too strong, very sensitive patients can be anesthetized with a sedative or general anesthesia.
