A method and corresponding system for operating a dental handpiece, wherein the handpiece comprises a motor for driving a tool. the method comprises (a) sequentially capturing values of a physical parameter, which—at least approximately—represent the power or energy fed to the motor, (b) forming an integration value by integrating the values captured in (a), and (c) automatically reducing a power or energy fed to the motor if the integration value formed in (b) exceeds an upper threshold value. The integration value formed in (b) represents a measure of the power integrated over time and can thus be used at least approximately as a measure of the temperature of the instrument. The automatic reduction in the power or energy fed to the motor performed in (c) can therefore effectively act against a further increase in temperature or allow cooling if the temperature of the instrument exceeds an upper threshold value. In this manner, the risk of damage due to excessive temperature of the instrument can be effectively reduced.
