This study investigated the immediate effect of partial puipotomy in monkey teeth using different rotary instruments. The rotary instruments used were a diamond bur at 300,000 rpm, a tungsten carbide bur at 300,000 rpm and a steel round bur at 6,000 rpm. The pulps were examined halfan-hour after the operative procedure. Both high speed techniques were shown to cause minima! damage to the pulp. The results also suggested that steel round burs produced a satisfactory alternative where the bur could be supported on dentine.