dental handpiece

(hand′pēs″ )

To hear audio pronunciation of this topic, purchase a subscription or log in.

An instrument for holding dental burs to remove tooth structure or to smooth and polish restorative materials. Handpiece rotations are measured in rotations per second. Handpieces may be powered by electric motor or air turbines and are characterized as high speed or low speed depending on their rotational speed.
Overheated dental handpieces may burn oral tissues.

There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.