Shielded dental safety needle

A needle cannula apparatus comprising:

• a needle hub having a needle cannula coaxially mounted therewith and an engagement portion configured for releasably mounting the needle hub with an instrument,
• the needle hub including at least one hub slot and at least one tab slot defined in an outer surface of the needle hub, the at least one tab slot having a tab slot end, the needle hub further including a button member extending therefrom, the button member having a hub stop;
• and
• a shield being slideably engageable with the needle hub, the shield including at least one shield rail being configured for slidable engagement with the at least one hub slot of the needle hub such that the shield and the needle hub are relatively movable, the shield further including at least one tab stop being configured for movement within the at least one tab slot and engageable with the tab slot end,
• the shield defining a shield slot axially extending along at least a portion thereof, the shield slot including a proximal enlarged slot section adjacent a proximal portion of the shield and a transport enlarged slot section being distally disposed relative to the proximal enlarged slot section, the shield slot configured for relative slidable movement of the button member therein,
• wherein the shield has a range of movement relative to the needle hub between a distal and a proximal position and including a transport position, in the distal position the button member is fixedly lockable with the proximal enlarged slot section due to the engagement of the hub stop therewith, in the transport position the button member is releasably lockable with the transport enlarged slot section due to the engagement of the hub stop therewith and in the proximal position a distal portion of the needle cannula is fully extended from a distal opening of the shield.