Dentistry – Apparatus – Hand manipulatable implement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-02
2001-02-13
Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Hand manipulatable implement
C433S029000, C433S141000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186786
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a dental instrument to facilitate the filling of dental cavities with light activated restorative material and more particularly to a dental instrument having a removable and disposable insert member at each opposite end thereof for establishing proximal contact, as well as plugging, shaping and brushing a dental filling. The dental instrument also has indicator means for monitoring the depth of a restorative preparation and for alignment of the preparation with an adjacent tooth.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Recent advances in dentin bonding and the increased importance of esthetics in dental restorative preparations have accelerated the use of light activated resin composite materials as filling materials for both anterior and posterior restorations. However, despite improvements in materials and techniques, the placement of the resin composite remains technique sensitive and establishing firm and properly located interproximal contact using resin composite filling materials particularly for posterior restorations remains difficult to achieve. If adequate contact is not achieved after matrix removal, a space will occur with the adjacent tooth. Food impaction may result in decay formation and periodontal disease. The plasticity of resin composite materials prior to the application of light radiation for curing the material makes it difficult to contour the restoration and to establish contact with adjacent teeth. In addition, it is, at present, difficult to cure composite in the deeper recesses of a dental preparation. Moreover, currently available dental instruments do not make accurate contact mesially and distally to provide for adequate approximal contact during hardening and are unable to accommodate different size preparations. Commercially available devices are also unable to gauge or monitor the depth of the restoration or to assist in aligning the preparation with an adjacent tooth. For proper curing of the resin composite light must to able pass from the light curing source into the gingival floor area through the proximal box. Otherwise open margins, sensitivity and recurrent decay will develop. Accordingly, the dental instrument should facilitate the transmission of light into the gingival floor areas.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The dental instrument of the present invention enables light to pass deep into the proximal box and includes removable and interchangeable insert members at the opposite ends of the instrument handle to readily facilitate the use of the instrument both mesially and distally and is adaptable for use with any size restoration by substituting different size insert members. Moreover, the insert members are disposable. In addition, the instrument handle includes a notch at each opposite end thereof adjacent an opening through which the insert member extends forming a definitive rest stop for the positioning of a conventional light guide against the insert member. The notch also readily aligns the light guide in a substantially concentric relationship with the insert member to assure maximum light transmission through the insert member. Each insert member includes an indicator to monitor the depth of the restoration to the pulpal floor and to assist in alignment of the restorative preparation to the marginal ridge of an adjacent tooth.
The dental instrument of the present invention assists in the filling and curing of a dental restoration with light activated resin composite material(s) and comprises: a handle having an elongated body of triangular shape with a first opening at one end thereof adapted to receive a first removable and disposable insert member and a second opening at the end of the elongated body opposite said first opening with said second opening adapted to receive a second removable and disposable insert member, said first and second insert member being interchangeable with one another for facilitating mesial and distal contact with the filled preparation and having a notch adjacent the location of each opening, said notch having a geometry forming a rest stop for the placement of a light guide against either insert member to establish a substantially concentric relationship therewith when curing the light activated resin composite material in the filling.
The present invention is also directed to a dental instrument having an elongated body of triangular shape forming a handle with a first and second end section extending from the elongated body at each opposite end thereof and a first and second opening in each end section in combination with a first and second insert member removably engaging said first and second opening respectively in each of the opposite ends of the handle with each insert member having a shaped body tapered at one end thereof and indicator means to monitor the depth of the restoration to the pulpal floor and to provide alignment of the preparation relative to the height of the marginal ridge of an adjacent tooth. Each insert member further includes an upper end section of generally cylindrical configuration adapted to be slidably inserted into an opening in one of the opposite ends of the handle and a lower end section having a concave surface on one side thereof and a convex surface on the opposite side with the lower end section tapering downwardly to form a tip which is flat ended and of rectangular geometry.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 13621 (1913-09-01), Kelly
patent: 1356372 (1920-10-01), Kelly
patent: 4617718 (1986-10-01), Andersson
patent: 4666405 (1987-05-01), Ericson
patent: 5178537 (1993-01-01), Currie
patent: 5681163 (1997-10-01), Wolk
AdDent Inc.
Bumgarner Melba
Wilson John J.
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