A bur for performing a medical/surgical procedure, said bur including: an elongated shaft having opposed proximal and distal ends, a longitudinal axis that extends proximally to distally through the shaft, and geometric features adjacent the proximal end of the shaft that facilitate the coupling of the shaft to a surgical handpiece so that the handpiece can rotate the shaft; and a head (42, 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 42e, 42f, 42g, 42h, 42i, 42j, 42k) attached to the distal end of the shaft, the head having a single cutting flute that is shaped to have a rake surface (44, 44a, 44c, 44d, 44e) that defines a cutting edge (46, 46a, 46b, 46d), characterized in that: the head (42, 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 42e, 42f, 42g, 42h, 42i, 42j, 42k) is shaped to have a tip (78, 80, 82, 86) that is the most distal end of the head (42, 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 42e, 42f, 42g, 42h, 42i, 42j, 42k) and so that the flute rake surface (44, 44a, 44c, 44d, 44e) has opposed longitudinal sides wherein one side is defined by the cutting edge (46, 46a, 46b,, 46d, 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j, 46k) that extends proximally from the tip (78, 80, 82, 86) and the opposed side by a recess edge (54, 54a, 54d, 54f, 54g, 54h, 54i, 54j, 54k) that extends proximally from the tip (78, 80, 82, 86) and is further shaped so that, as the cutting edge extends proximally away from the tip (78, 80, 82, 86), the cutting edge (46, 46a, 46b, 46d, 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j, 46k) curves outwardly from the tip (78, 80, 82, 86) so that, adjacent the tip (78, 80, 82, 86), the cutting edge (46, 46a, 46b, 46d, 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j, 46k) is convex in shape and so that, in at least one plane perpendicular to an extension of the shaft longitudinal axis, the cutting edge (46, 46a, 46b, 46d, 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j, 46k) is located a first distance from the extension of the shaft longitudinal axis and the recess edge (54, 54a, 54d, 54f, 54g, 54h, 54i, 54j, 54k) is located a second distance from the extension of the shaft longitudinal axis, the second distance being less than the first distance. an elongated shaft having opposed proximal and distal ends, a longitudinal axis that extends proximally to distally through the shaft, and geometric features adjacent the proximal end of the shaft that facilitate the coupling of the shaft to a surgical handpiece so that the handpiece can rotate the shaft; and a head (42, 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 42e, 42f, 42g, 42h, 42i, 42j, 42k) attached to the distal end of the shaft, the head having a single cutting flute that is shaped to have a rake surface (44, 44a, 44c, 44d, 44e) that defines a cutting edge (46, 46a, 46b, 46d), characterized in that: the head (42, 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 42e, 42f, 42g, 42h, 42i, 42j, 42k) is shaped to have a tip (78, 80, 82, 86) that is the most distal end of the head (42, 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 42e, 42f, 42g, 42h, 42i, 42j, 42k) and so that the flute rake surface (44, 44a, 44c, 44d, 44e) has opposed longitudinal sides wherein one side is defined by the cutting edge (46, 46a, 46b,, 46d, 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j, 46k) that extends proximally from the tip (78, 80, 82, 86) and the opposed side by a recess edge (54, 54a, 54d, 54f, 54g, 54h, 54i, 54j, 54k) that extends proximally from the tip (78, 80, 82, 86) and is further shaped so that, as the cutting edge extends proximally away from the tip (78, 80, 82, 86), the cutting edge (46, 46a, 46b, 46d, 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j, 46k) curves outwardly from the tip (78, 80, 82, 86) so that, adjacent the tip (78, 80, 82, 86), the cutting edge (46, 46a, 46b, 46d, 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j, 46k) is convex in shape and so that, in at least one plane perpendicular to an extension of the shaft longitudinal axis, the cutting edge (46, 46a, 46b, 46d, 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j, 46k) is located a first distance from the extension of the shaft longitudinal axis and the recess edge (54, 54a, 54d, 54f, 54g, 54h, 54i, 54j, 54k) is located a second distance from the extension of the shaft longitudinal axis, the second distance being less than the first distance.