Intelligent dental drill

Claim 1

In an apparatus for high-speed drilling of bone tissue, wherein varying tissue densities cause proportional variations in the rotational speed of the drill bur, the improvement comprising means for promptly sensing the momentary drill rotational speed and producing a processable signal representative of that speed further comprising: (a) first means for emitting a detectable continuous light beam in a direction substantially parallel to the drive shaft of a drilling assembly; (b) second means within the assembly providing for intermittent and regular interruption of the light beam, the frequency of which is indicative of the rotational speed of the shaft which further comprises a turbine wheel secured to said shaft which is perforated partially along the circular path thereof such that it intersects the light beam; (c) third means for detecting the frequency of interruption of said light beam and converting the frequency into an electrical signal which further comprises an optical fiber serving as a pathway for the light emitting means and a photodiode serving as a detector; (d) fourth means for counting and recording the frequency of the electrical signal from the detecting means; (e) fifth means for outputting the digital output to a visual display means indicative of the momentary rotational speed of the drill while passing through bone tissue; and (f) a sixth means provided for converting the electrical signal to a digital form which is adapted to be stored by a signal microprocessor means, whereby controlled penetration of human tissues with minimal damage to healthy tissues is achieved.