ABRASION AND

POLISHING

PRESENTED BY -
Dr. Susovan Giri
 CONTENTS
 Abrasion definition
 Types of abrasion
 Supplied as
 Rate of abrasion
 Classification
 Types of abrasives
 Desirable characteristics
 Polishing
 Other polishing agents
DEFINITION

 The wearing away of a substance or structure

through a mechanical process, such as
grinding, rubbing or scraping (GPT-8).
TYPES OF ABRASION

 Abrasion may be
  A two body process, e.g. action of a
diamond bur on enamel.

 A three body process, e.g. pumice applied with
a bristle brush.
 SUPPLIED AS
 Paper/plastic coated – sand paper

 Coated strips – proximal stripping burs

 Powder form – pumice powder

 Cake form – polishing cakes

 Rubber impregnated – rubber cups

 Paste form – Ivoclar polishing paste

 Bonded stones – stone burs

 RATE OF ABRASION
 The rate of abrasion of a given material by a given
abrasive is determined primarily by three factors.
 1. Size of the abrasive particle.
 2. The pressure of the abrasive agent.
 3. Speed at which the abrasive particle moves
across the surface being abraded.
 SIZE OF THE ABRASIVE PARTICLE
 Larger particles cause deeper scratches in the
material and wear away the surface at a faster
rate.
 PRESSURE OF THE ABRASIVE AGENT
 Heavy pressure applied by the abrasive will
cause deeper scratches and more rapid
removal of material.
 SPEED OF THE ABRASIVE AGENT
 The higher the speed, the greater the frequency
per unit of time the particles contacts the
surface. Thus increasing the speed increases
the rate of abrasion.
 CLASSIFICATION
 Finishing abrasives Polishing abrasives

 Cleansing abrasives
 TYPES
 1. Emery

 2. Aluminum Oxide 3. Garnet

 4. Pumice 5. Kieselguhr

 6. Tripoli 7. Rouge 8. Chalk


 Carbides

 Diamond burs
 DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS
 It should be irregular in shape so that it presents
a sharp edge.
 Abrasive should be harder than the work it
abrades. If it cannot indent the surface to be
abraded, it cannot cut it and the abrasive dulls or
wears out.
 The abrasive should possess a high impact
strength.
 They should have attrition resistance, so that it
does not wear.
 METHODS OF ABRASION
 Abrasion may be carried out
 1. Manually, e.g. proximal stripping of enamel
using abrasive strips.

 2. Rotary instruments, e.g. burs, wheels, cups,

discs, cones, etc.
 Blasting - The object is blasted with a steady
 stream of abrasive, e.g. prophy-jet polishing
 of enamel, sandblasting.
 POLISHING

 It is the production of a smooth mirror like

surface without much loss of any external
form.
 NONABRASIVE POLISHING
 Polishing is usually achieved by an abrasive
process. However a smooth shiny surface can also
be achieved through nonabrasive means. These
include
 1. Application of a glaze layer, e.g.
 –– Glazing of composites
 –– Glazing of ceramics
 2. Electrolytic polishing

 3. Burnishing
 OTHER POLISHING AGENTS
 DENTRIFICES used in toothpaste to remove
stains, debris and soft deposits from the teeth.
 PROPHYLACTIC ABRASIVES used to remove
stains and oral debris.

 DENTURE CLEANSERS used to clean dentures.