A handpiece maintenance system and method identifies a dental handpiece and operates in a diagnostic cycle to power the handpiece and determine predictive maintenance condition thereof. The handpiece maintenance system includes a temperature sensor and/or an acceleration sensor to measure the conditions of the handpiece during the diagnostic cycle. The predictive maintenance condition of the handpiece is based on data from the diagnostic cycle and other stored data for the identified handpiece. A system is also configured to determine a predictive maintenance condition of the handpiece based on sensor data read from a handpiece and historical usage data thereof.

A handpiece maintenance system and method identifies a dental handpiece and operates in a diagnostic cycle to power the handpiece and determine predictive maintenance condition thereof. The handpiece maintenance system includes a temperature sensor and/or an acceleration sensor to measure the conditions of the handpiece during the diagnostic cycle. The predictive maintenance condition of the handpiece is based on data from the diagnostic cycle and other stored data for the identified handpiece. A system is also configured to determine a predictive maintenance condition of the handpiece based on sensor data read from a handpiece and historical usage data thereof.

A dental hand piece or angle piece including a rotating tool, which is driven via a rotating drive element disposed in a housing, wherein the rotating drive element is mounted in the housing by a radial rolling bearing, wherein the rolling bearing comprises an axial abutment surface and the housing comprises an axial countersurface, and wherein the rolling bearing is axially preloaded with respect to the housing by a spring element 11 and has a coefficient of friction for the static friction of the abutment surface to the countersurface or the abutment surface and the countersurface to the spring element that is at least 0.16 in the lubricated state and at least 0.25 in the unlubricated state.

Described herein is a dental handpiece for the endodontic treatment of a root canal, including a chuck for attaching and holding an endodontic file, an electric motor having a shaft for driving the endodontic file, and a control unit for controlling the motor, which receives a stream of input data. While monitoring the stream of input data, the control unit determines the current absorbed by the electric motor, and controls the motor so that the file alternates the direction of rotation at a frequency of from 1 to 20 Hz between a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and whereby the control unit controls the electric motor so that the file continuously rotates in the second direction when the monitored data fulfils a predetermined torque threshold condition during rotation in the first direction.

Described herein is a dental handpiece for the endodontic treatment of a root canal, including a chuck for attaching and holding an endodontic file, an electric motor having a shaft for driving the endodontic file, and a control unit for controlling the motor, which receives a stream of input data. While monitoring the stream of input data, the control unit determines the current absorbed by the electric motor, and controls the motor so that the file alternates the direction of rotation at a frequency of from 1 to 20 Hz between a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and whereby the control unit controls the electric motor so that the file continuously rotates in the second direction when the monitored data fulfils a predetermined torque threshold condition during rotation in the first direction.

The invention provides a unitary cordless dental drive apparatus with a cantilever arm extending outward and positioned to allow a dental nose cone to be connected. An activating switch is located at the free end of the cantilever arm in a position that is convenient for manipulation by a user. In a second embodiment, the switch is in the form of a contactor mounted below the cantilever arm to contact the nose cone when pressed. In a third embodiment, a foot pedal connected to a wireless transmitter is provided to send a signal to a receiver located within the handpiece for activating the handpiece.

The invention provides a unitary cordless dental drive apparatus with a cantilever arm extending outward and positioned to allow a dental nose cone to be connected. An activating switch is located at the free end of the cantilever arm in a position that is convenient for manipulation by a user. In a second embodiment, the switch is in the form of a contactor mounted below the cantilever arm to contact the nose cone when pressed. In a third embodiment, a foot pedal connected to a wireless transmitter is provided to send a signal to a receiver located within the handpiece for activating the handpiece.

An endodontic treatment system comprising a handpiece and comprising a root canal file that can be detachably coupled to the handpiece. The root canal file has a metallic file wire having a tip, a middle portion adjoining the tip, and a connecting portion adjoining the middle portion. The handpiece has a housing, a drive motor arranged in the housing, and a coupling, which is connected to a drive shaft of the drive motor in a torsionally rigid manner and is rotatably mounted in the housing for transmitting a rotational movement of the drive motor to the file wire.

An endodontic treatment system comprising a handpiece and comprising a root canal file that can be detachably coupled to the handpiece. The root canal file has a metallic file wire having a tip, a middle portion adjoining the tip, and a connecting portion adjoining the middle portion. The handpiece has a housing, a drive motor arranged in the housing, and a coupling, which is connected to a drive shaft of the drive motor in a torsionally rigid manner and is rotatably mounted in the housing for transmitting a rotational movement of the drive motor to the file wire.

An electrical discharge irrigation device and method is described. The device includes a power source to produce a first voltage, a circuit coupled to the power source to convert the first voltage to a second voltage, a discharge capacitor to receive the second voltage from the circuit, a transistor or controlled rectifier coupled to the discharge capacitor to receive the second voltage, and an output tip. This output tip is coupled to the transistor or controlled rectifier and includes an electrode located in an interior space of the output tip configured to receive a charge from the transistor or controlled rectifier and to release an electric discharge, and a ground return. The ground return is an outside surface of the output tip and a space between the electrode and the ground return holds a conductive medium.