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Why I Use…Rocky Crown Cutters

By: Dental Product Shopper

4/2/2026

Diamond-infused crown cutters power through all-ceramic materials with sharpness, durability, and speed

GRAZIANO D. GIGLIO, DDS

Dr. Giglio is a board-certified prosthodontist specializing in esthetics and implant dentistry. He received his DDS and completed postgraduate training in prosthodontics at New York University College of Dentistry. He is a fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists, the American College of Dentists, the Greater New York Academy of Dentistry, the Northeastern Gnathological Society, and the New York Academy of Dentistry. Dr. Giglio stays at the forefront of research and technology, frequently publishing and lecturing on dental implants, esthetics, and digital technology, and has received multiple honors throughout his career, including the Prosthodontist Private Practice Award from the American College of Prosthodontists. He shares an interdisciplinary practice in New York City with his wife, Dr. Ana Giglio, a periodontist.

Monolithic materials have become a fixture in everyday practice, with zirconia and lithium disilicate frequently chosen for their high strength and compatibility with digital workflows. The trade-off? While these materials deliver durability for patients, they also are notoriously difficult to remove once they’re in place. For New York City prosthodontist Dr. Graziano Giglio, that challenge is exactly where Komet’s all-ceramic crown cutter, Rocky, proves its value.

In my office, we see many patients with old dental work that needs replacing. And when a zirconia or lithium disilicate crown needs to come off, Komet’s Rocky burs are excellent for the job.

They’re very efficient, and they don’t wear out. There’s also a good shape to them—I like using the round-end burs so I don’t create any angles or fractures in the teeth. The control is very good, and they don’t vibrate much, which means it’s a smooth cut through zirconia.

A regular bur wears out very quickly; these don’t. In my experience, they’re probably 3 times as efficient as your average bur. Many companies make their own version of an all-ceramic crown cutter, but in my hands, these seem to be the most efficient.

Technique Matters

It’s not just about the bur but also how you approach the case. There has to be a plan of attack. You can’t remove zirconia or lithium disilicate the same way you'd take off porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and bridgework years ago. If you try to section it and break it apart with a crown remover the way we did in the past, you can actually fracture the tooth because these materials are so strong.

And now, with many zirconia crowns being bonded in, they’re even harder to remove. Using a high-torque electric handpiece can save even more time. When you pair that with the Rocky bur, it becomes almost as efficient as cutting through a PFM.

My approach is to start with a diamond-shaped occlusal reducer—the largest bur we have—and grind down the occlusal surface first. Then, I cut the crown into fourths: mesial, distal, and then buccal and lingual. Usually, when I’m using a Rocky bur, the crown will just shatter.

So really, it’s a combination of the handpiece, the bur, and the technique.

Every Second Counts

Especially for a full arch, if I can save even 10 minutes, why not? I’m probably saving hours when removing cemented zirconia implant restorations where I can’t access the screw openings, or even a full arch of zirconia crowns that need to come off due to caries. The burs cost about the same, but if I’m 3 times as efficient, I’m saving both time and money.

The bottom line is that it has to benefit the patient. I want to use instruments that are as effective and efficient as possible.

My goal is to minimize chair time. Patients don’t want to sit there while I’m drilling on them forever. It all adds up. Even if you spend 30 seconds changing a bur and go through 3 burs to remove a single crown, that’s a minute and a half right there, compared with just cutting through it.

Ultimately, with these Rocky instruments, you're working faster, you’re more efficient, and you’re not constantly switching burs.

Tags: Carbide Rotary Instruments, Komet Usa, Rocky

Rocky

Komet Dental introduces Rocky, a crown cutter engineered specifically for removing all-ceramic crowns, including the infamously tough zirconia. With exceptional strength and performance, Rocky helps dentists work more efficiently and save valuable time.

Komet Usa