KaVo INTRA Head L68 / L68 B Repair Guide: Fix the Head, Keep the Handpiece

Here is something most practices do not realize about KaVo's INTRA system: when the business end of your contra-angle wears out, you may not need a whole new instrument. KaVo designed the INTRA head L68 and L68 B to come off the shank and be swapped.

Precision Cleaning of a Metal Component on Repair Guru

That changes the repair conversation completely. This guide shows you how to have it.

Quick answer: The L68 and L68 B are both 1:1 KaVo INTRA heads for contra-angle burs. The L68 B adds a ball-bearing-mounted push-button chuck and a listed 100 to 40,000 rpm operating range. KaVo says that after several years of use, the head should be replaced while the contra-angle handpiece can keep working.

What Is the Difference Between the L68 and the L68 B?

Detail	INTRA head L68	INTRA head L68 B
Mat. no.	1.008.1833	1.008.1834
Transmission	1:1	1:1
Chuck	Push-button tensioning, debris deflector disc, reinforced chuck system	Ball-bearing mounted push-button chuck
Instruments	Contra-angle burs	Contra-angle burs and root canal instruments
Speed	Max. 40,000 rpm	100 to 40,000 rpm

Both are listed by KaVo for removing carious material, preparing the cavity floor, and rotary root canal preparation, for example with NiTi files.

Why Does KaVo Talk About Replacing Heads, Not Instruments?

KaVo states plainly that after several years of use, the head should be replaced, whereas the contra-angle handpiece can still be used. That is the core economic idea of the INTRA system: you invest in a head, not a whole instrument.

For a repair decision, it means the first question is always "head or shank?"

How Do You Know the Head Is the Problem?

Scenario (illustrative): A clinician notices burs no longer feel centered in an L68 B mid-morning. The assistant swaps in a spare 1:1 head on the same shank and the problem disappears. That points firmly to the original head.

Burs that slip, wobble, or will not release cleanly
Roughness or noise that travels with the head onto another shank
Heat at the head during normal use

What About US Naming?

On KaVo's US site, the L68 B appears as the "INTRA latch head L68 B." If you order parts or describe a fault to a US supplier, use the material number (1.008.1834) to avoid confusion.

Is It Still Under Warranty?

KaVo lists a 2-year warranty for INTRA heads. If your head is still covered, start with KaVo REPAIR.

What Happens When You Send It to Repair.Dental?

We confirm whether it is an L68 or L68 B from its material number.
We test it on a known-good shank to separate head from shank faults.
We check chuck retention, concentricity, noise, and heat.
We tell you honestly whether repair or a replacement head makes more sense.

Which Shanks Does It Fit?

KaVo says INTRA heads fit all MASTERmatic shanks and older LN/LH/CN/CH shanks, and lists the restoration heads as ideal with the MASTERmatic M20 L and M07 L.

What Makes the New INTRA Head Case More Durable?

KaVo describes the current INTRA heads as having a long-lasting stainless steel case with 65% higher material hardness, which it says makes them twice as resistant to deformation as titanium. A tougher case helps the head survive daily handling, but internal parts like the chuck and gearing still wear with use.

Should You Keep a Spare 1:1 Head on Hand?

Because INTRA heads come off the shank with KaVo's quick-action safety retention collar, a spare L68 or L68 B lets you keep working while the original is evaluated. It also makes the head swap test possible, which is often the fastest way to tell a head fault from a shank fault. If downtime is costly for your practice, our Emergency Repair Service Agreement is worth a look.

KaVo INTRA Head L68 / L68 B Repair Guide | Repair.Dental