Vibratory Dental Tool

A powered dental tool generally includes a tool tip at its distal end, a body at its proximal end and a motion generating mechanism. In one aspect, the dental tool includes a tool tip having a proximal end and a distal end along a generally longitudinal axis and a reciprocating motion generating mechanism. The reciprocating motion generating mechanism may repeatedly move the tool tip generally back and forth by a given displacement generally along the tool tip's longitudinal axis. This displacement generally resembles the action of a hand scaler, i.e., a reciprocating motion along the longitudinal axis of the scaler, which is unlike the vibration of most powered scalers. Such action may be advantageous as it may be more intuitive for the dental professional or hygienist and may provide more effective scaling action. It may further be advantageous for a powered scaler to more closely resemble a hand scaler in form, which is small, portable and untethered. In one embodiment, the motion generating mechanism may include a rotational source and set of opposing magnetic transfer elements.