Abstract: A dental handpiece having a slow speed, high torque rotary output, comprises a housing member; an input shaft rotatably mounted in the housing member; a coupling member at an end portion of the input shaft for being coupled to a rotary dental drive unit; a plurality of planetary gear stages sequentially arranged within the housing member, a first of the planetary gear stages being coupled so as to be rotationally driven by the input shaft; subsequent planetary gear stages being sequentially coupled to each other such that an output of one planetary gear stage drives an input of a next subsequent planetary gear stage; and an output shaft coupled to a final output planetary gear stage of the plurality of sequentially arranged planetary gear stages. The output shaft provides a slow speed, high torque rotary output responsive to the input shaft being driven by a higher speed rotary dental drive unit.

Abstract: A disposable right angle dental handpiece comprises a disposable plastic outer housing having an elongated opening therein for receiving a drive shaft mechanism which is preferably made of metal. The drive shaft mechanism is connected to the disposable outer plastic housing by means of a quick connect-quick disconnect mechanism. The outer housing also contains a gear which is engaged with a gear at the end of the drive shaft mechanism, a working member being connected to the gear for being driven by the drive shaft member. The drive shaft member is connectable to the dental tool for being driven thereby. Also disclosed are embodiments wherein the drive shaft mechanism is connected to the dental drive tool, and wherein the outer housing is independently connected to the dental drive tool by means of a quick connect-quick disconnect mechanism, which locks the outer housing relative to the dental drive tool in both the longitudinal and circumferential directions.

Abstract: A disposable right angle dental handpiece comprises a disposable plastic outer housing having an elongated opening therein for receiving a drive shaft mechanism which is preferably made of metal. The drive shaft mechanism is connected to the disposable outer plastic housing by means of a quick connect-quick disconnect mechanism. The outer housing also contains a gear which is engaged with a gear at the end of the drive shaft mechanism, a working member being connected to the gear for being driven by the drive shaft member. The drive shaft member is connectable to the dental tool for being driven thereby.