Patent ID: 6852014

Claim:
A method for sharpening a hand held dental tool, comprising the steps of: providing a sharpening guide having a guide body and a first side wall and an opposing side wall defining an opening through said guide body with said first side wall having a predetermined height and further having a predetermined distance from said opposing side wall; providing an abrasive surface adjacent to the guide body such that the abrasive surface is accessible through the opening; placing a shank of said dental tool against and in contact with said first side wall; placing a working portion of said dental tool against and in contact with said opposing side wall so that said working portion further contacts said abrasive surface; and moving said dental tool with respect to said abrasive surface while substantially maintaining said contact of said shank with said first side wall and substantially maintaining said contact of said working portion with said opposing side wall wherein said contact of said shank and said contact of said working portion position said dental tool at a predetermined angle with respect to said abrasive surface.