Dental instrument camera apparatus

A dental tool system comprising:

• a dental tool apparatus comprising:
• a housing having a planar first end surface, a second end, and a handle, the housing defining an axis that extends through the planar first end surface, the second end, and the handle, the housing further defining an instrument aperture in the planar first end surface configured to receive a dental instrument;
• a camera lens disposed on the planar first end surface of the housing adjacent to the instrument aperture;
• a dental instrument removably coupled with the instrument aperture and extending from the planar first end surface of the housing, the dental instrument having a stem and a working tip, at least a portion of the stem being generally parallel with the axis;
• a motor within the housing for moving the dental instrument;
• an electrical power source within the housing and electrically coupled with the motor;
• and
• at least one light source disposed on the planar first end surface of the housing, between the instrument aperture and the camera lens, for illuminating the working tip of the dental instrument;
• wherein the camera lens provides a camera with a line of sight having a portion that is both generally parallel with the axis and in line with the working tip of the dental instrument;
• wherein the camera lens has a fixed position relative to the stem of the dental instrument when the dental instrument extends from the first end of the housing;
• wherein the dental instrument is a powered dental brush;
• and
• a display associated with the dental tool apparatus for displaying images from the lens on the first end of the housing.

A dental tool apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a first end, a second end, a handle, and a sidewall that extends from the first end to the second end, the sidewall defining an axis that is parallel with the sidewall and extends through the first end, the second end, and the handle, the housing further defining an instrument aperture configured to receive a dental instrument;
• a camera lens disposed on the first end of the housing, the axis extending through the lens;
• a dental instrument removably coupled with the instrument aperture and extending from the first end of the housing, the dental instrument having a stem and a working tip, at least a portion of the stem being parallel with the axis, the axis extending through at least a portion of the working tip;
• a motor within the housing for moving the dental instrument;
• an electrical power source within the housing and electrically coupled with the motor;
• and
• at least one light source disposed on the first end of the housing between the instrument aperture and the camera lens, the light source for illuminating the working tip of the dental instrument, wherein a straight line from a center of the instrument aperture to a center of the camera lens extends through the light source;
• wherein the camera lens has a fixed position relative to the stem of the dental instrument when the dental instrument extends from the first end of the housing;
• wherein the camera lens provides a camera with a line of sight having a portion that is both generally parallel with the axis and in line with the working tip of the dental instrument;
• and
• wherein the dental instrument is selected from the group consisting of a powered dental brush comprising a plurality of bristles, a gum stimulator, a mirror, a pick, and a scaler.