Dental Diamond Burs: Can "Heat-Dissipating Coatings" Reduce the Need for Numbing? The "dreaded drill" is often feared because of the heat it generates, which can cause pain even if the tooth is partially numbed. In 2026, however, Advanced Thermal Coatings are changing the game. These 2026 burs are coated with a specialized sub-micron layer that acts as a "heat sink," drawing friction-based heat away from the tooth’s nerve and into the handpiece’s cooling spray....