Bone drilling is used in many surgery fields, such as orthopedics,
plastics and reconstructive, neurosurgery, cranio-maxillo-facial surgery and
more. The technique typically involves using a surgical drill-bit to make a cylindrical
tunnel in bone, which will accommodate a fixation device such as a screw,
suitable for the function of the skeleton to bear load during the movement.
Using surgical drill bits affects the performance as well as
the regular temperature of the bone, during the intervention. However, not all
drill bits are created the same way, which is why variables are almost
inevitable. They may have variable point and rake angle, diameter, flute number
and chisel edge length. The maximal bone temperature reached during drilling, as
well as the overall performance of a drill-bit depends on the quality of the
materials and the specific drill design.
Bone tissue can be damaged by poorly manufactured drill
bits, as they may lack precision and cause thermal damage. This is why surgeons
should always opt for quality orthopedic surgical instruments created by reliable manufacturers who
machine them to the highest standards and achieve the tightest tolerances, even
on very small and complex bits.
There are also new surgical drill bits with two types of
cutting edges. Tests showed that they are able to reduce tissue damage
considerably compared to the conventional drill bits.
