Recent developments in technology and restorative materials have renewed interest in air abrasion as a means of tooth preparation. The technique, also called kinetic cavity preparation, uses kinetic energy to remove tooth structure. The purpose of this investigation was to use scanning electron microscopy to compare the effects of this technique to those of high speed burs on extracted human teeth. Class V buccal preparations were made on five teeth with a No. 34 carbide bur used at 400,000 rpm and on 23 teeth with kinetic cavity preparation using differing combinations of aluminum oxide particle sizes and delivery pressures. Features of the specimens prepared at high speed included sharp line angles, chipping of the cavo-surface margin, and straited internal surfaces. Kinetic cavity preparations had rounded cavo-surface margins and internal line angles. The surfaces were microscopically rough and the dentinal tubules were occluded. There was little difference in appearance between specimens treated with various combinations of particle sizes and delivery pressures.