There is nothing more stressful during a clear aligner case than IPR (interproximal reduction). It just isn’t easy, no matter how you slice it! It can be dangerous, exacting, and easy to screw up. As much as I wish I never had to do it, IPR is just part of performing clear aligner therapy. We can’t only expand, especially in adults. There are many cases where IPR is just going to be a necessary evil, and we need multiple tools to accomplish it.
I love the GOST disc system; however, sometimes I have a hard time getting the disc started and need another option, like in the posterior. The IPR Bur Kit by EOCA is a great low-risk option that gives you fine control for IPR.
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The IPR Bur Kit comes with a total of six burs, three different grits in two different sizes. Each bur comes in a shorter (3.5 mm) and a longer (6 mm) version, depending on if you’re using them in the posterior or anterior. The 3.5 mm bur works better in the posterior, while the 6 mm bur is best used in the anterior. The blue-striped bur is a fine grit and provides the fastest reduction. The blue does .3 to .5 mm of interproximal reduction. The red-striped bur is super fine and will provide .25 to .5 mm of interproximal reduction. The yellow stripe is an extra super-fine diamond. It’s the most delicate bur in the kit and is best used for refinement of the IPR and polishing the enamel.
The bur kit can be used from a gingival to incisal technique or a buccal to lingual technique. The gingival to incisal is best when there is an embrasure that allows for easy insertion of the bur without fear of damaging a papilla. The red- or blue-striped bur should be used to start this technique, and only the thinnest third of the bur should be used. Once the amount of IPR is verified, the yellow-striped bur is used to finish and polish. A diamond strip can also be used to perfect out the contours.
The buccal to lingual technique should be used when there’s no navigable gingival embrasure. The key is to open the contact slightly with a diamond strip or hand saw. The thinnest parts of the red- or blue-striped IPR burs should be used, and then finished with the yellow stripe.
The IPR Bur Kit by EOCA provides a great option to execute interproximal reduction for your clear aligner cases. They’re safe and simple, causing fewer headaches and concerns for you and your team.
Joshua Austin, DDS, MAGD, is a graduate and former faculty member of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Dentistry. Author of Dental Economics’ Pearls for Your Practice column, Dr. Austin lectures nationally on products, dental technology, online reputation management, and social media. He maintains a full-time restorative dentistry private practice in San Antonio, Texas. You may contact Dr. Austin at [email protected].
Editor's note: This article appeared in the December 2023 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
