Electric heating – Metal heating – For bonding with pressure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-06
2003-01-21
Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)
Electric heating
Metal heating
For bonding with pressure
C433S039000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06509540
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to tooth spacers and to a method of making a tooth spacer for use in shaping tooth filling material, such as composite resin, which has been placed in a tooth cavity preparation and for other dental applications.
In dentistry, teeth which are subject to decay are typically drilled or otherwise prepared by removing the decayed tooth material and creating a form for receiving filling material. This leaves an aperture, slot or other void in the tooth which needs to be filled with composite resin or other filling material. When dentists fill class 2 cavity preparations, they typically insert a temporary substrate adjacent to the cavity preparation to contain and control the flow of filling material. The temporary substrate that dentists have traditionally used is an elongated band called a matrix band. The bands are typically placed in some type of a retaining device and then tightened around the prepared tooth by rotating a portion of the retaining device with the tightening being accomplished shortly before the filling process is begun. One example of a matrix band is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,198 to Suhonen. This particular band has at least one window covered by a transparent strip of plastic such as cellulose acetate. The plastic strip rests against the dental filling material which may be cured using light. This patent also mentions retaining the matrix band in position with the aid of a matrix tightener such as used in a Tofflemire system.
Since most of the composite resins used to fill teeth today are light cured resins, clear plastic bands offer significant advantages over metal matrix bands. Composite resin can be observed by a dentist through the clear plastic band to ensure that there are no unfilled voids before curing. In addition, the composite resin may then be cured by shining light through the clear plastic band to ensure a better depth of cure. However, clear plastic matrix bands which are known to the inventor have been composed of strips of mylar (polyester) which is at least 0.0015 inch thick or plastic materials such as mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,198. The materials in U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,198 are also understood to be relatively thick. This patent equates in one example, the thickness of the plastic to the thickness of a steel band included in the device of e.g., 0.05 mm thickness.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved method for producing tooth spacers for applications such as shaping tooth filling material and for improved tooth spacers. The present invention does not require the solution of all of the problems of the prior art. Instead, the invention is directed toward new and unobvious features and methods set forth in this disclosure both alone and in combination with one another and as set forth in the claims below.
SUMMARY
In accordance with one embodiment, a method of making at least one tooth spacer is disclosed, the tooth spacer being designed for insertion between the interproximal surfaces of at least one pair of adjacent teeth during a dental procedure, the adjacent teeth having a proximate area where the teeth are closest to or in contact with one another. In accordance with the method of this embodiment, first and second tooth spacer body portions are provided which each has at least one opening therethrough. A film is positioned at least partially between the first and second tooth spacer body portions. The respective openings through the tooth spacer body portions are at least partially aligned with one another and the film is visible through at least the aligned portions of the at least partially aligned openings. The film and first and second tooth spacer body portions are interconnected such that only the thickness of the film is present at least at one proximate tooth contact location of the tooth spacer. The at least one proximate tooth contact location is positioned where the openings are at least partially aligned and the film is present. As a result, the at least one proximate tooth contact location of the tooth spacer may be positioned at the proximate area between the adjacent teeth. In this case, only the thickness of the film is present in the proximate area between the adjacent teeth. The tooth spacer with the film is usable in shaping filling material especially in the proximal part of the tooth being filled.
The film may be a thin polymer sheet material. Preferably, the thickness of the sheet material film positioned between the proximal or adjacent most surfaces of the two adjacent teeth during filling of one of the teeth is no more than 0.0005 inch and desirably from about 0.0003 inch to 0.0006 inch. A light transmissive material or optically transparent material such as clear polyethylene may be used. The two body portions hold the film in place to span at least the aligned portions of the at least partially aligned openings. The assembled tooth spacer is flexible enough in one form so that it can be easily bent or wrapped at least partially around a tooth to be filled. The tooth spacer body portions may be elongated so that they may be wrapped entirely around a tooth with the tooth spacer being flexible enough to closely follow the natural unprepared contours of the tooth being filled. In some applications a conventional mechanism may be used to tighten the tooth spacer and to hold it in place during the dental procedure.
The tooth spacer body portions may be of the same or of a different thickness and may also have a total thickness which is no greater than 0.003 inch to 0.004 inch without the thickness of the film. As a specific example, if the tooth spacer body portions are of the same thickness, they may each, for example, have a thickness which is no greater than 0.002 inch, with 0.0015 inch being a more specific example. Each of the tooth spacer body portions may be formed from sheet material which may be of a homogenous single layer of material such as metal, with stainless steel being a specific example. The film may also be a single layer of film. Alternatively, and less desirably, the components of the tooth spacer body portions may be laminated of multiple layers.
In a more specifically desirable embodiment, the tooth spacer body portions may be of an identical size and shape and may be substantially aligned with one another with the openings through the respective body portions also being substantially aligned. By substantial alignment it is meant that the boundaries of the openings match one another within manufacturing tolerances as opposed to being deliberately offset.
In accordance with another aspect, each tooth spacer body portion may be elongated with at least first and second spaced apart openings. The first opening in the first tooth spacer body portion may be at least partially aligned with the first opening of the second tooth spacer body portion. In addition, the second opening of the first tooth spacer body portion may be at least partially aligned with the second opening of the second tooth spacer body portion. In addition, the film may entirely span the first and the second at least partially aligned openings. In this example, when the tooth spacer is wrapped around a tooth, the respective first openings may be positioned in the proximate area between the tooth and a first adjacent tooth and the respective second openings may be positioned in the proximate area between the tooth and a second adjacent tooth with the second adjacent tooth, being on the opposite side of the tooth from the first adjacent tooth.
Interconnection of the first and second tooth spacer body portions with the film may be accomplished in a number of ways such as adhesively or otherwise. Desirably this interconnection is accomplished at least in part by compressing and heating the film to heat fuse or heat seal the film and first and second tooth spacer body portions together. The film may be heated and simultaneously compressed at plural discrete spaced apart locations. Elongated heating elements may be utilized to apply both heat and pressure to one or both of the tooth
Stock Gregory
Summer John D.
Klarquist & Sparkman, LLP
Summer John D.
Wilson John J.
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