Podguy

I am curious if any one has ever attempted to use dental drills as a Dremel. They look ideal for small close operation where there is very little space. If this thing can go through metal as fast as it can go through teeth.

eBay has some good deals. What kind of adapters would be needed to hook up to a shop compressor.

For about $50 it looks like you can get a lot of different burrs, a handset with a nice offset and a hose connector.

danglerb

Nothing quite like the smell of the smoke your teeth make with a dental drill going a touch too fast ...

Bits are TINY, very high speed 400k rpm, and low torque 4 oz in. Burrs large enough to be practical would need more torque, thats my guess.

Worries me that some dentist is buying a $50 ebay drill though.

heinrich

You could probably do that. Or, you could use .... A dremel.

jeff spahn

I'd like to drill my dentist.

77tony

That just doesn't sound right ! 77Tony

Chuck Z

Unless of course THIS is your dentist....

Brent

I have, but that's another story.

Dan, if you could post a link to exactly what you're looking into would help. Yes I have used mine a few times. My guess is it is a lab handpiece. If it's an air turbine, not that hard to hook up to a home air compressor. (max 40 psi) Not worth the trouble though. Air turbines can wear out quickly if you apply too much pressure while cutting. Electric is going to be better and have more torque. Some will allow a contour angle end piece to be attached. These take the small burs, some latch type or friction grip. The diamond burs will cut through metal the best and cost the most too. The burs I use run about $5-7 a piece, bought in bulk. Lab burs for the straight nose cone, the bigger burs, can cost more.
Overall, I have a lot of dental instruments in my garage. Minimal use though. The one thing I'm wanting to do is bring one of my overhead lights home for my work bench. The older I get, the more light I require to see. I've even brought my $1,200 surgical loops home for the weekend before. Nothing like working with high magnification.

tmpusfugit

a couple of thoughts....I have a number of dental burrs from various sources. All that I have use a non standard colleting clip device that does not fit my Dremels, or my air powered pencil grinder...they use 1/8" shafts for the greater part, and in some cases 3/32" shafts. I have also had a couple of the high speed dental handpieces...very high speed, very low torque. Bottom line, my shop tools do not readily accept the dental burrs, wrong colleting, and the high speed dental handpieces won't accept my usual tools, and don't have the required torque for what I need done..... pencil grinding tool pieces can be had from the usual sustpects for little money...use them until they fail and buy a new one http://www.harborfreight.com/1-8-eig...der-47869.html

9two8

..., wow ! that,s my dentist, she does that all the time, to take your mind off other things

Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed

UK

Brent

Why did I know this thread was headed in this direction?

fbarnhill

Dan, in my other hobby (building wooden sailing ships) many have used the dental drills for carving figurheads and other gingerbread work. They work fantastick..

jeff spahn

Close. Very close. My teeth are looked at a lot.