Abstract: A dental instrument (2) for use on a work area within a patient's mouth including controls for a tool element (16) illuminated by a fiber optic lens (46, 48) and displayed on a video imaging device (24). An elongated body (4) of the dental instrument houses connections (50) for communication between a control cable (18) and the distal end (15) of the instrument. Additionally, an objective element (20) and a camera (22) are sized to fit within the elongated body. The video imaging device monitors and/or records the work area via a light source (40), a video monitor system (42) and a video receiver (44). The elongated body includes an angled section (12) at the distal end of the body adjacent the tool element such that the fiber optic lens and video imaging device are oriented to illuminate the work area (26) within the patient's mouth. A quick-disconnect is provided for disconnecting the cable, connections and camera from the tool element.

Abstract: A prophy angle having a single snap-in retention mechanism that is integral with the housing for retaining the prophy cup rotating member in permanent field position and providing good smooth rotation performance and a detent drive shaft snap-in retention mechanism that locks in position when the dental handpiece is connected.

Abstract: A disposable prophy angle is permanently assembled from four plastic components each of which is integrally formed in one piece. Two of the components are mating half sections which when bonded together along a longitudinal mating plane form a housing for an input gear member secured in driving engagement with an output gear. The input gear with its rearwardly extending drive spindle is housed in an elongated tubular portion of the completed housing while the output gear, except for its protruding prophy cup-receiving mandrel or button, is housed in the nose portion on the front end. The housing has internal formations which provide thrust and support bearing elements for cooperating bearing elements on the gear members. The components can be mass-produced and assembled at low cost making it economic to discard the prophy angles after one use.

Abstract: In order to provide a surface in a gripping region of a dental handpiece that meets the requirements of being optimally smooth for hygienic reasons and also to provide an adequate non-slip surface, the dental handpiece has a plurality of thin lines arranged in line patterns having a roughened surface in the gripping portion. These lines or line patterns extend in a longitudinal direction and may have portions that extend at an angle to the longitudinal portion, and these patterns are arranged at least in two quadrants of the circumference of the grip part that preferably lie diametrically opposite one another.

Abstract: A dental handpiece is provided with a gripping sleeve, which receives a base member arrangement composed of either a single piece or multi-pieces. The base member having bearing arrangements for supporting a drive shaft section, which is engageable with the drive shaft of a motor and has an arrangement for guiding various agent lines, such as water, air or light or electrical power on the outer surface of the base member within the interior of the sleeve. The outer sleeve is free of holding and guide elements for the agent lines and the gripping sleeve can be firmly clamped onto the base member or can be clamped to the base member with interposed elastic vibration-dampening elements.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for pressing into place, in the sub-gingival area, packing to separate a tooth and the soft tissue, or sulcus, in preparation for carrying out dental procedures. In a first embodiment, a mechanically driven packing hammer is provided for pressing conventional cord packing into place. The packing hammer comprises a reciprocating drive, a hammer comprising an elongated shank operatively and directly, but removably, connected to the reciprocating drive, and a hammer head rigidly secured to the shank; the hammer head is secured to the shank end distal from the reciprocating drive. The end surface of the hammer head is concave and extends substantially transverse to the axis of the shank. An external guide, rotatably secured to the reciprocating drive at a first end, extends along the length of, and substantially coaxial with and surrounding, the hammer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the thickness of the dentin layer of a tooth in a patient, at a region where the dentin is exposed, during a dental treatment, by the steps of: establishing an electric voltage between the dentin at the region where it is exposed and a region of the patient's body spaced from the tooth to create an electric current flow through body tissue between those regions; monitoring the current flow to produce an indication of the electrical impedance between those regions; and converting the electrical impedance indication into an indication of the thickness of the dentin layer.

Abstract: A dental chuckless handpiece of the compressed air drive type includes a body having a head in which bearings are attached to the upper and lower portions of a shaft provided with a turbine impeller, and a rotary member fixedly provided to the lower end of the shaft is mounted in place through the upper and lower bearings. At least portions of the body excepting the head is formed of a synthetic resin discriminably colored with a color including transparent color.

Abstract: A detachable head having therein an air turbine and connecting pipes extending sideways therefrom and a synthetic resin grip provided at its end with a connecting portion having connecting holes into which the connecting pipes of the head are inserted, the dental handpiece having a structure in that a fluid-passage tube formed of a flexible synthetic resin and having a fibrous reinforcing material embedded in its wall is to be connected at its one end with a dental unit body, and passes at least through the synthetic resin grip and is caused to communicate at its other end with the connecting holes in the connecting portion.

Abstract: A laser-type handpiece including a reflector pivotably connected inside a head section and a control sleeve which is connected to the reflector and fitted over the external circumference of the handpiece body so that the sleeve can move back-and-forth along the axis of the handpiece body, whereby the reflector can be adjusted to any desired angle by the back-and-forth movement of the sleeve. When this handpiece is used for dental treatment, the head section of the handpiece can be smoothly inserted into and taken out from a narrow oral region and the angle of laser beam can be changed easily.

Abstract: A dental tool for grinding spikes formed on the molar teeth of horses. An elongated hollow tube is fixed to the tool grip, and the grinding bur is removably attached at the other end of the tube to a rotary flexible connector that passes along inside the tube. The length of the tube is approximately the mean depth of a horse's mouth, to enable the tool to access teeth lying well back in the mouth. A detachable cover is provided for the bur, having an opening for exposing the bur to the tooth under treatment and protecting the tongue and cheek tissue from possible injury.

Abstract: A pneumatic dental drill handpiece has a light-bulb (40) fastened in its head, so directed that it illuminates the tip of the burr (32). An electric cell (2) is positioned in a semicylindrical chamber (15) located in the rear part (10) of the handpiece casing; the chamber is eccentric to the axis of the casing and is accessible through an opening therein, this opening being closed by a thin sleeve (9) slidable on the rear part. Ducts for admission of air (13) and water (12) extend through a channel (17) in the portion of the casing opposite the opening. Electric contact between the front pole of the cell (2) and one terminal of the bulb (40) is made by a conductor wire (21) passing through the hollow front part (20), and between the rear pole of the cell and the second terminal of the bulb through the anodized aluminum parts (10) and (20) of the casing. The aluminum parts are conductively connected through non-anodized contacting surfaces.

Abstract: An arrangement for imposing pressure on cleaning media and/or lubricants which are contained as maintenance media in the movable components of medical, particularly dental handpieces, wherein the maintenance medium is adapted to be placed under pressure by a pressure drive acting through an outlet opening of a housing which contains a motion drive for the movable handpiece components, the last mentioned being brought into connection with the outlet opening through an inlet opening in the handpiece. During this pressurization of the maintenance medium, the movable components of the handpiece are placeable into movement through the motion drive of the housing in such a manner, whereby engaging means of the motion drive which are accessible through the outlet opening of the housing can be brought into engagement with cooperating engaging means of the movable components of the handpiece which are accessible through the inlet opening.

Abstract: A dental handpiece having therein a non-contact rotating speed detection device which includes an electromagnetic induction pulse generator including a permanent magnet provided close to the rotor in the head of a dental handpiece and a coil wound around the permanent magnet, and a rotor made of a magnetic material provided with recesses and/or projections around its circumference. The handpiece according to the invention facilitates to accurately detect rotor speed by detecting a pulse voltage proportionate to the rotation speed and therefore is useful for dental treatment and experiments.

Abstract: An angle-drive head of a dental handpiece with the housing thereof removable. A speed-increasing pinion is provided for meshing with a drive pinion of the angle-drive. A shaft connected to the pinion extends axially in the head and has a speed-increasing pinion for developing a greater speed. A speed-increasing device removably coupled to the head has a third speed-increasing pinion and a fourth pinion is coupled thereto. A tool-receiving jaw is provided in the device for coupling to the fourth speed-increasing pinion for being rotationally driven therefrom.

Abstract: It consists of a movable guide (3) surrounding the drill and attached to the head of the hand-tool by way of elastic means able to be compressed, the frontal portion (7) of the said guide (3) during the whole duration of the drilling being applied against the gum which it compresses, and the guide including a bore through it for the drill (2) to pass through.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning and/or disinfecting especially so-called handpieces in a dentist's equipment. The improved apparatus comprises a vessel which is fillable with a suitable liquid or liquid mixture. Said vessel encompasses a rotatably disposed shaft extending through a channel serving as an outlet for the liquid or liquid mixture. There are further means for temporary driving connection with the shaft of the handpiece intended for cleaning and a source for producing a force which, firstly, serves to cause the liquid or liquid mixture, preferably under rotation, to flow out through the channel and then pass through the handpiece, and, secondly, imparts a rotary motion to the shaft, which via a driving connection is transmitted to all of the moving transmission parts of the handpiece.

Abstract: This dental hand piece, notably of the contra-angle type, comprises three sleeve-like members assembled to each other by screwing and an external socket covering these three sleeves so as to clamp them between an inner shoulder formed at the front end of the socket and the front end of a complementary end sleeve fitted on the rear sleeve and to which the external socket is screwed at its rear end.

Abstract: A dental handpiece having a holding sleeve, a driven shaft rotatable in the holding sleeve to drive a dental instrument, a driving device releasably connected to the holding sleeve and having a drive shaft which is drivingly connected to the driven shaft via a drive-transmission unit which is removably mounted in the holding sleeve. The unit comprises a bearing sleeve which houses one or more shafts, and optionally a ball-type planetary transmission, and is mountable in and removable from the holding sleeve through an end of the holding sleeve remote from the instrument end of the handpiece. The bearing sleeve is secured in the holding sleeve against axial and rotational movement relative to the holding sleeve.

Abstract: This composite insert for injecting a liquid product under pressure into a member provided with an internal bore comprises first and second coaxial rigid sockets surrounding the outlet aperture of the container filled with said product, the first socket comprising an external flange and the second socket comprising an internal shoulder adapted to engage an internal abutment element of the member, the front end of the second socket comprising an external flange. A flexible resilient sleeve fits around the second socket and bears with its ends against the external flanges of the first and second sockets so that when an axial pressure is exerted against the second socket by means of the internal abutment element of the member the second socket is sunk more or less into the first socket, thus causing an elastic deformation of the sleeve which develops a bead engaging in a fluid-tight manner the wall of the inner bore of the member.

Abstract: A surgical bone operation instrument that has a straight tube-shaped shaft and arrangement coaxially in relationship to the longitudinal axis of the instrument to form a continuous channel from one end of the instrument to the other including the end parts, which serves for the guidance of materials utilized in the operation of the instrument, and a driving assembly being of a bell-type electrical motor with the stator enclosed within the bell-shaped rotor, the latter having windings of lacquered wire embedded in a plastic material, the windings further being wound to form a hollow cylinder of relatively thin wall thickness to form a part of the bell-shaped rotor, the mechanical structure of the rotor being furthermore reinforced by glass fibers.

Abstract: An electrically driven dental floss device having a tip with a forked end adapted to hold a short piece of dental floss tauntly across the forked end. A body handle having finger grips is adapted to move the forked end in a straight line motion vertically within a range of 1 to 2 millimeters such that the dental floss will move along side the tooth to clean such. A thumb button is provided to allow momentary energization by the elderly when using the device.

Abstract: A dental handpiece having a drive arrangement which provides for different speeds to be imparted to a dental tool. The drive arrangement comprises a planetary gear arrangement and a transmission member adapted for intercoupling to provide the different speeds at an output drive shaft for the dental tool. Interengagement means comprising axial slots are provided on the planetary gear arrangement, and a counter-engagement means including balls having segments which protrude from the transmission are provided to engage the interengagement axial slots to transmit the different speeds from a drive motor to the dental tool.

Abstract: A drilling apparatus for the preparation of bone cavities includes a plurality of drills which are simultaneously driven in opposite direction with the cutting surfaces of each drill overlapping the cutting surfaces of at least one other drill to provide intersecting bone cavities. The drills may be driven by gearing located within the drill head or by gearing located in an attachment suitable for connection to a conventional drill head having a single output drive. The drills may be disposed along a straight or curved line or may be disposed in a triangular relationship with the axis of rotation of one of the drills being transversely movable relative to the axis of rotation of another drill.