US No. 6 Bur – Busch Round Carbide & Steel, Made in Germany

The US No. 6 is the American number for a round bur with a 1.8 mm head (ISO size 018): a spherical head that cuts on every surface, so it excavates, opens and shapes in any direction. Busch & Co. manufactures it in Germany as Busch No. 1 018 and Busch No. 1S 018 (plus 2 further variants below). Every US No. 6 on this page is a genuine Busch instrument and ships from our US warehouse.

Which US No. 6 Do You Need?

US No.	Busch No.	Material	Cut	Shank	Best for	Pack
6	1 018	Carbide	Plain-cut	FG	High-speed handpiece	6
6	1 018	Carbide	Plain-cut	RA	Slow-speed contra-angle	6
6	1 018	Carbide	Plain-cut	HP	Straight handpiece: laboratory and denture work	6
6	1 018	Steel	Plain-cut	HP	Economical laboratory cutting of acrylics and plaster	6
6S	1S 018	Carbide	Fast-cut	FG	Fast-cutting S version (green ring)	6
6S	1S 018	Carbide	Fast-cut	RA	Fast-cutting S version (green ring)	6
6S	1S 018	Carbide	Fast-cut	RA-L (26 mm)	Fast-cutting S version (green ring)	2
6SX	1SX 018	Carbide	SX-Cut	RA	SX-cut: fast cutting, low vibration	6
6SX	1SX 018	Carbide	SX-Cut	RA-L (26 mm)	SX-cut: fast cutting, low vibration	2
6SXM	1SXM 018	Carbide	SXM-Cut	RA	SXM-cut: fast cutting on a slender neck for visibility	6
6SXM	1SXM 018	Carbide	SXM-Cut	HP	SXM-cut: fast cutting on a slender neck for visibility	2
6SXM	1SXM 018	Carbide	SXM-Cut	RA-L (26 mm)	SXM-cut: fast cutting on a slender neck for visibility	2

FG (friction grip, 1.6 mm shank, high-speed handpiece). RA (latch, 2.35 mm shank, contra-angle). HP (2.35 mm shank, straight handpiece). RA-L (latch, 26 mm surgical length). See the Busch Bur Size Chart for head and shank dimensions.

Clinical Uses of the US No. 6

Caries excavation: removing softened dentin from the cavity floor and walls with light, sweeping strokes.
Access: initial penetration of enamel and the first opening of a cavity or endodontic access.
Retention and shaping: undercuts and retention grooves where a rounded form is wanted, and smoothing rounded internal line angles.
Laboratory work: the HP and steel versions hollow out, relieve and adjust acrylic, plaster and wax in the straight handpiece.

At 1.8 mm the No. 6 is a mid-size head for everyday caries removal and access openings.

The 6S is Busch’s fast-cutting version (green ring); the 6SX adds the SX-cut geometry that cuts fast with noticeably less vibration (green ring, gold-plated neck); the 6SXM puts the same SX-cut on an extra-slender neck for a clear view of the working area in minimally invasive excavation.

Speed and Technique

In the high-speed handpiece use the FG versions with water spray and a light touch; the RA versions belong in the slow-speed contra-angle for caries removal, where lower speed gives better tactile feedback; HP versions run in the straight handpiece for laboratory work. Maximum recommended speeds for every Busch shape are in our Dental Bur Speed Chart, and reprocessing steps in the Bur Sterilization Guide.

Made in Germany by Busch & Co.

Busch & Co. has manufactured rotary instruments in Engelskirchen, Germany since 1905. Every instrument on this page is a genuine Busch product, precision-ground on a concentric shank under ISO-certified quality management and guaranteed to arrive free of manufacturing defects under our Busch arrival guarantee.

Dental Instruments, Tools, Burs, Diamonds and Polishers Made In Germany

FAQ

What is the Busch number for a US 6 bur? Busch No. 1 018 in carbide (FG/RA/HP); Busch No. 1 018 in steel (HP). The 6S is Busch 1S 018; the 6SX is Busch 1SX 018; the 6SXM is Busch 1SXM 018.

What size is a No. 6 bur? The No. 6 has a 1.8 mm head diameter (ISO size 018) on a round bur head, ISO shape 001 (ball).

What do the letters after No. 6 mean? The 6S is Busch’s fast-cutting version (green ring); the 6SX adds the SX-cut geometry that cuts fast with noticeably less vibration (green ring, gold-plated neck); the 6SXM puts the same SX-cut on an extra-slender neck for a clear view of the working area in minimally invasive excavation.

Carbide or steel? Tungsten carbide for enamel, dentin, composite and amalgam in the clinic; the steel No. 6 is the economical choice for acrylics, plaster and other soft materials in the laboratory.

Are Busch No. 6 burs reusable? Yes. Carbide and steel burs are cleaned, disinfected and sterilized between patients and replaced when they dull; the Bur Sterilization Guide gives the validated steps.

Related resources: US Bur Number Finder · Bur Comparison Chart · Speed Chart · Bur Glossary · Nearby sizes: US No. 4, US No. 5, US No. 7, US No. 8