Patent ID: 7762813

Claim:
A dental prophylaxis angle comprising: a body having a sleeve with an open rear end, a neck, a head, a first axial bore in the neck, and a second axial bore in the head, the first and second bores communicating with each other at an intersection, a channel extends through the body from the base of the neck to the open rear end; a drive gear adapted to be inserted into said body through said head, the drive gear including a gear, an intermediate portion and a shaft, the shaft extending rotatably from the open rear end of the sleeve through the first bore into the second bore, the intermediate portion further including an angled leading edge, the drive gear defining a circumferential groove between said gear and said intermediate portion; a driven gear rotatably mounted in the head and operatively connected to the drive gear; and the body including a lip extending into the channel and adapted to be received by the groove when the drive gear is inserted through said head, the lip restraining the displacement of the drive gear in a first longitudinal direction along the length of the drive gear and a second longitudinal direction along the length of the drive gear, the first longitudinal direction being different from the second longitudinal direction said angled leading edge adapted to engage said lip to allow insertion of said drive gear into said body from said front end of said body until said lip is engaged by said drive gear groove.