A dental filing strip system includes a base metal strip having opposite surfaces, adhering layers applied to either or both base metal strip surfaces, and abrasive particle layers adhered to either or both base metal strip surfaces by the respective adhering layers, wherein the abrasive particle layers are composed of abrasive particles having nominal average particle sizes not greater than approximately 0.035 mm. The dental filing strip system includes a plurality of filing strips of incremental thicknesses, wherein the particle sizes are maintained not greater than approximately 0.035 mm but the base metal strip thicknesses are selectively modified, to obtain greater overall thicknesses without requiring larger particle sizes. The dental filing strip system may provide free ends, or may have the filing strip ends couple to a handle.
