Effect of drill speed on bone temperature

Measurements of bone temperature rise were recorded during drilling of bovine cortical bone specimens. A surgical drill (Stryker-100) was fitted with a custom-designed speedometer for monitoring the rotational speed during the drilling, and the drill was mounted on a specially constructed drill press. The tests were conducted in 36 specimens at variable speeds (20000-100000 rpm) and at different constant forces (1.5-9.0 N) which were applied by placing weights on the drill platform. The results revealed that the temperature rise and the duration of temperature elevation decreased with speed and force, suggesting that drilling at high speed and with large load is much more desirable than previously thought.