Tools used in the dental industry have to meet high standards. They have to be precise, heat resistant and must not fracture when bent. That is why the dental instrument manufacturer Gebr. Brasseler has placed its trust in CERATIZIT’s high quality carbide blanks for its Komet brand for years.
Having your teeth drilled at the dentist is not an experience you look forward to, but you can always rely on the drills. If you go to see a dentist, you can usually be sure that they will be using a Komet drill made by Gebr. Brasseler. The company has been producing rotary instruments and systems for use in dentistry for over 90 years. CERATIZIT has supplied carbide blanks for milling cutters and drills to dentists and dental laboratories for many years.
Carbide dental instruments that do not fracture when bent
Due to rising cost pressures, dentists and dental laboratories in particular are increasingly turning to high-quality non-precious metals or titanium alloys for implants. These are difficult to cut and require a particularly high standard of processing tool. These tools have to work with great precision and, at the same time, they need to be capable of removing large quantities of implant material. Moreover, it is vital that drills and milling cutters are robust. After all, they have to withstand pressures of up to two kilonewtons.
For dental instruments to be extremely resilient and resistant to fracture when bent, Gebr. Brasseler needs a highly compressed and particularly fine-grain carbide. “That’s why we turn to CERATIZIT’s high-quality carbide blanks”, explains Michael Küllmer, Director of Strategic Research at Gebr. Brasseler. “Our products are tested by an independent body which endorses the consistently high quality of the carbide.” The grades used by CERATIZIT and regularly deployed in the dental industry have a homogenous and non-porous structure.
The carbide is also resistant to extreme heat. Even during processing, the carbide blanks are exposed to high temperatures when soldered to the steel shaft. Further temperature fluctuations arise when operating on teeth and in dental work. That is when it is essential that the tool remains robust and retains its precision at all times. “Another important feature is that our carbide is corrosion-resistant”, explains Heiko Haverkamp, sales representative at CERATIZIT. This is vital as the tools are used frequently and are constantly treated with disinfectant and cleaning agents.
Innovative products developed through team work
The needs of dentists and dental technicians could not be more different. Every practitioner prefers specific geometries and materials and requires different instruments and tools for a variety of applications. As a result, new types of carbide are in constant demand. “We get together with CERATIZIT once a year”, says Küllmer. “We discuss trends and what is required of the tools”. New carbide grades and molds appear at regular intervals, continually refined for new areas of application. If a problem should arise with the tool, Gebr. Brasseler benefits from a rapid response from CERATIZIT. “We can use various testing methods in our own laboratories to find out very quickly if it is the carbide powder or the subsequent processing which is the cause”, says Haverkamp. This customer-friendly service is rewarded by Gebr. Brasseler in its supplier ratings. CERATIZIT scored almost 100 percent in 2012.
The carbide specialist CERATIZIT is synonymous with “hard material matters”
CERATIZIT, headquartered in Mamer, Luxembourg, is a pioneer and global player in sophisticated hard material solutions. The company is the world market leader in unique and consistently innovative hard material products for wear protection and cutting tools. It has a presence in more than 50 countries around the world providing services to customers in the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, oil industry, medical systems, electronics and tools and mould construction, to name but a few. With more than 600 patents and more than 5,140 employees CERATIZIT is your high-powered partner worldwide.
