Crown Cutters

Which instrument cuts which crown material?

The crown material determines the instrument, not its position in the jaw. Carbide cuts metal, while zirconia and all-ceramics require diamond-coated instruments.

Why do standard instruments blunt on zirconia?

Because zirconium oxide is harder than the cutting material. Carbide loses its sharpness on zirconia immediately, and even fine diamond grits barely remove material.

Sectioning and removing adhesively cemented all-ceramic crowns is among the greatest everyday challenges in the clinic. Starting with the wrong instrument consumes two or three instruments and generates unnecessary heat. A coarsely diamonded instrument designed for zirconia works faster and with less heat.

How do I section a crown gently?

Slot from occlusal to buccal, then lever the crown apart at the slot. The cut runs to just short of the prepared tooth, not into the dentine.

Work intermittently and with continuous water cooling. Keep the cut as narrow as possible, because every additional millimetre of material costs heat and time. Once the slot is continuous, a lever instrument is enough to split the crown. Check first whether the entire framework really is severed: a remaining bridge of material tends to pull the prepared tooth with it rather than release the crown.

How do I avoid heat build-up?

With light pressure and cooling, not with lower speed. Excessive contact pressure generates heat without speeding up the cut.

The instrument should cut, not be pressed. If removal fails despite pressure, the instrument is either worn out or unsuitable for the material. Changing it costs less time than continuing with a blunt instrument.

Which length do I need in the posterior region?

Extended versions, because access is limited. On molars the standard length often does not reach the cervical crown margin.

This page can be filtered by length. For further surgical procedures we offer surgical instruments, and for the subsequent restoration diamond burs.