As a follow-up to our story on Kupa’s electric files (July 2000, p.24), we asked marketing director Richard Hunter to tell us more about the bits they produce on-site at their Buena Park, Calif., facility, Namely, what makes carbide bits so special?

“Carbide bits have little blades (like microscopic razor blades) that cut at an angle. Unlike bits with a sandpaper-like surface that grid, carbide bits actually shave the acrylic, which means less pressure is required. This results in less dust, and since there’s less friction, there’s less heat,” he explains. “Since tungsten carbide is one of the hardest materials available, the bits last a long time, and if the shaft is carbide, they won’t bend or go out of round if you drop them.” The other key to Kupa’s bits, says Hurter, is that the head and the shaft are ground concentric to one another, so when placed in the electric file, there is no “out of round” vibration, which is easier on the tech, as well as the client.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.