What instruments are used in dental handpieces to prepare cavities for filling?

Burs are the correct instruments used in dental handpieces to prepare cavities for filling. Burs are dental tools that have cutting surfaces and are designed to remove decay and shape the cavity in preparation for a filling. They come in various shapes and sizes, enabling dentists to work efficiently on different types of surfaces and cavities.

Drills are often a general term used to describe the entire dental handpiece, but they are not the specific instruments that shape or prepare the cavity. Files are primarily used in endodontics (root canal treatment) to clean and shape the root canal system rather than for cavity preparations. Scalpels are surgical instruments designed for cutting soft tissues rather than for dental procedures involving cavity preparation. Therefore, burs are the specialized tools that dentists rely on to effectively prepare cavities for filling.