Pac-Dent iGlo Silicone Polishers · Combo kit (10 cups, 10 discs, 10 points)

• Flexible silicone polishers — Grit bound in flexible rubber, in cup, point and disc forms, in place of grit glued to paper.
• Mounted rubber points — Comes already on its shank, so no mandrel is needed, and the point shape reaches where a cup cannot.
• Ceramic and porcelain polishers — Graded for ceramic, which a review reports needs at least two steps.
• Polishers — The catch-all for a bound-abrasive instrument whose shape is not what names it.
• Polishing wheels — A wheel rather than a point or cup, so it reaches flat and broad surfaces.
• Grinding wheels — Grinds material away; the polishing grades come after it.
• Heatless wheels — Unmounted, so it needs the spindle a glossary calls a mandrel: the shaft and bearings on which a tool is mounted.
• Buffing wheels — Soft and loaded with compound, where a grinding or heatless wheel is rigid bonded abrasive.
• Felt buffs — Felt rather than cloth or bristle, and carries the paste rather than any grit of its own.
• Coarse arbor bands — A sleeve that is replaced while the carrier stays, in place of a wheel or point that is thrown away whole.
• Abrasive Discs — Radial bristle discs and wheels, also filed on the discs shelf.
• Polishing Discs — The same radial bristle discs and wheels, under a second name.

Steps: published work notes that finishing and polishing systems differ substantially in abrasive composition, type and particle hardness. A review reports that reduced-step systems have shown results equal to the traditional ones and reached surface roughness below 0.2 microns, though only with at least two steps.

What is in the grit: compounds used in polishing protocols include aluminium oxide, silicon dioxide and diamond, and a review notes that diamond is harder than composite.

What it is being used on: a review notes that the filler particle size of the restorative material is itself an important factor in the final roughness and gloss.

Why it matters: a review lists reduced surface imperfections that would reduce plaque accumulation and surface breakdown, reduced wear on opposing and adjacent teeth, and a more light-reflective surface.