U.S. patent application number 10/945033 was filed with the patent office on 2006-03-23 for dental filing tool.
Invention is credited to Daniel S.Y. Kim.
Application Number | 20060063131 10/945033 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36074473 |
Filed Date | 2006-03-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060063131 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Daniel S.Y. |
March 23, 2006 |
Dental filing tool
Abstract
A dental filing tool having a handle easy to hold between
fingers which arches over and secures at both ends a thin filing
strip coated with some superfine abrasive material, especially but
not limited to diamond dust, or alternatively a sharp cutting
system along the edge or lateral surface. From hole-like openings
at each end, the strip is fastened between each end of the handle
with sufficient tension in the strip to create a rigid filing and
grinding surface. On the outside edge of each vertical arm of the
handle is a smooth flatten surface where to place fingers to hold
the handle. The horizontal top arm of the handle that extends above
the filing strip tapers in thickness from the top down towards the
filing strip reducing in thickness to a beveled edge. The vertical
arms of the handle also taper in thickness inwards towards the
filing strip reducing in thickness to a beveled edge.
Inventors: |
Kim; Daniel S.Y.;
(Vancouver, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Daniel S.Y. Kim
215 DuBois Court
Vancouver
WA
98661
US
|
Family ID: |
36074473 |
Appl. No.: |
10/945033 |
Filed: |
September 21, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
433/142 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C 3/12 20130101; A61C
3/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
433/142 |
International
Class: |
A61C 3/06 20060101
A61C003/06 |
Claims
1. A dental filing tool which comprises an arch shaped handle
component and a strip.
2. The handle component comprises a horizontal arm element with the
first vertical arm attached at the first end of the horizontal arm
and the second vertical arm attached at the second end of the
horizontal arm forming an arch structure.
3. The strip is coated with a superfine abrasive material, or
sharp-edged perforations along the lateral surface.
4. The strip is alternatively having a sharp cutting edge system
like saw teeth.
5. The strip has hole-like openings at the first and second
ends.
6. The strip is secured between the end of the first vertical arm
and the end of the second vertical arm.
7. The first end of the strip is fastened inside of the end of the
first vertical arm.
8. The second end of the strip is fastened inside of the end of the
second vertical arm.
9. The first end of the strip is embedded in the middle of the end
of the first vertical arm, when the melted formable material like
food grade polypropylene but not limited is injected into the
molded cavity form of handle component and hardened.
10. The second end of the strip is embedded in the middle of the
end of the second vertical arm, when the melted formable material
like food grade polypropylene but not limited is injected into the
molded cavity form of handle component and hardened.
11. The first and second vertical arms of the handle component have
flat and smoothed surface on the outside of the arms for finger
rest.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to dental filing tool, more
particularly to a dental filing tool that holds a thin filing strip
coated with superfine abrasive material or has a sharp cutting edge
for efficient filing of the interproximal area and fitting of
dental crowns, bridges, onlays or inlays.
[0002] The current conventional method for fitting dental crowns,
bridges, onlays and inlays, herein referred to generally as
restorations, involves the dental practitioner sliding colored
carbon paper, which the thickness is the recommended measured
distance between teeth, between the interproximal area of the tooth
and the restoration. The carbon paper marks with carbon ink the
proximal contact area where the two surfaces of the teeth and/or
restoration are too close, and then the practitioner grinds the
restoration with a rotary instrument to remove excess material.
This method is tedious, inefficient, and inexact. The dental
practitioner has to continually remove the restoration and grind
the heavy proximal contact surface until the fitting surface and
shape is achieved. The practitioner first must insert the carbon
marker to gauge the distance between the restoration and tooth,
withdraw the carbon marker, remove the restoration, and then grind
the surface of the restoration marked by the carbon ink with a
separate rotary instrument or a freestanding grinding machine which
often is in another room. Then return to the patient to fit the
restoration, and then start the process all over again until the
desired distance between the restoration and the adjacent teeth is
achieved. It is a time consuming process and there is possibility
of over-grinding, in which case a whole other restoration must be
reconstructed to replace it which is expensive for the patient and
the practitioner, not to mention inconvenient for the patient who
suffers for the delay and agony.
[0003] Another method employed is the stand alone use of a metal
filing strip coated with some superfine abrasive material. The
metal filing strip is inserted between the interproximal area to
file down the proximal contact area of the crown for an accurate
fit. Since the space between the tooth and the crown, bridge,
onlay, and inlay must not be too close nor too spaced apart the
practitioner must file increments at a time. These steps are
repeated until the desired distance between the tooth and the
restoration is achieved. Because the filing strip is extremely
thin, narrow, and malleable, it is necessary for the practitioner
to create rigid tension in the strip by holding it taunt at
opposite ends with fingers from both hands. Unfortunately holding
the filing strip in such a manner is cumbersome in the patient's
mouth and impedes the practitioner from achieving desired angles
and restricts range of motion to effectively file. Especially when
the patient is receiving crowns, bridges, onlays, or inlays in the
back of the mouth where it is considerably more difficult to
access, it is difficult for the practitioner to file since both
hands are needed to hold tension in the strip and often a patient's
mouth is too small or cannot open wide enough to accommodate
comfortably. As a result, the patient must endure strenuous
stretching of the lips and jaw area. Often a practitioner struggles
to find the best placement for fingers to pinch the strip to create
sufficient tension while attempting to minimize the restricting
presence of both hands in the patient's mouth. This method is
inefficient, tiresome for the practitioner, and uncomfortable for
the patient. Moreover, because of the difficulty involved handling
the filing strip, often patients sustain suffer small cuts due to
the sharp edges of the strip coming in contact with gums and lips
while filing the tooth or restoration.
[0004] In order to solve the existing problems with both of the
current methods for interproximal grinding and adjustment between
restorations and teeth, it is the object of the present invention
to provide a tool which has a handle that secures a filing strip
with sufficient tension which can be held by one hand between
opposable fingers. This allows for the practitioner to maneuver
within the patient's mouth with easier reach and greater range of
motion for more time efficient and effective filing and grinding of
the interproximal area with greater comfort for the patient for a
quicker fitting of crowns, bridges, onlays, and inlays.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The main object of the present invention is to provide a
filing tool which secures a filing strip with sufficient tension,
that is easy to hold and maneuver while inserted in a patient's
mouth to efficiently and effectively file and grind between teeth
and the crown, bridge, onlay, or inlay for an accurate fitting.
[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
filing tool that inflicts the least amount of discomfort and injury
to patient's gums and lips during filing.
[0007] Accordingly, the present invention is comprised of a handle
made of a formable material, not limited to but like plastic, which
has a horizontal arm element with a first vertical arm extending
downward from its first end and a second vertical arm extending
from its second end forming an arch. Between the first and second
vertical arms a filing strip is secured at each end tautly with
tension. The horizontal arm which arches above and flush with the
filing strip from its top edge tapers downwards towards the filing
strip reducing in thickness to a fine beveled edge. Additionally,
the first and second vertical arms of the handle also taper in
thickness from the outside edge inwards towards the filing strip
reducing in thickness to a fine beveled edge. The outside wider
edges of the first and second vertical arms have a flatten surface
area on which opposable fingers may be placed to hold the invention
to facilitate an easy sawing back and forth movement to file.
[0008] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the
present invention will be fully understood from the following
description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings
included.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment
constructed according to the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a horizontal front view of preferred embodiment
shown in FIG. 1 of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section view of the preferred
embodiment according to the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a plan view of preferred embodiment from the under
side of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 5 is an alternate embodiment of the filing strip with a
sawtooth cutting edge of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 6 is an alternate embodiment of the filing strip with
multiple sharp edged perforations along the lateral surface of the
present invention.
[0015] FIG. 7 is an elevational view depicting the insertion of the
filing tool interproximally.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The dental filing tool 1 shown as preferred embodiment in
FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises of handle component 10 made of a formable
material, not limited to but like plastic, which has a horizontal
arm element 11 with a first vertical arm 12 extending downward from
its first end and a second vertical arm 13 extending from its
second end forming an arched structure. Between the first 12 and
second vertical arms 13 is a filing strip 15 secured at each of its
ends tautly with tension.
[0017] The one or both lateral sides of the filing strip 15 are
coated with some superfine abrasive material 16, especially but not
limited to diamond dust. The filing strip 15 utilized in the dental
filing tool 1 is of the appropriate thickness to be inserted into
the interproximal area between teeth and/or crowns, bridges,
onlays, or inlays, generally referred to as restorations.
[0018] The outside wider edges of the vertical arms 12, 13 have
identical flat surface areas 14 on which opposable fingers may be
placed to adeptly hold the dental filing tool 1 to facilitate an
easy sawing back and forth movement to file, eliminating the
cumbersome need to grip with both hands.
[0019] In the construction of the dental filing tool 1 according to
FIG. 2, the filing strip 15 has hole-like openings 19 at each of
its ends to which each opening is fastened securely between the
ends of the first 12 and second 13 vertical arms of the handle
component 10 with sufficient tension creating a rigid filing and
grinding surface.
[0020] Additionally in FIG. 3 the horizontal arm element 11 of the
handle 10 which positions parallel above and flush with the filing
strip 15 tapers equilaterally downwards from its top thick edge
towards the filing strip 15 reducing in thickness to a narrower
beveled edge. This facilitates maximum reach and access of the
filing strip 15 within the interproximal area between teeth and/or
restorations. Beveling the edge of the horizontal arm 11 maintains
structural strength of the handle 10 while eliminating unnecessary
presence of material which otherwise could interfere with how
adeptly the filing strip 15 maneuvers or how deep the filing strip
15 could reach within the area where the gums and
teeth/restorations meet.
[0021] Using the same means to facilitate maximum reach and access,
FIG. 4 depicts the first 12 and second 13 vertical arms of the
handle 10 also taper in thickness from the outside edge inwards
towards the filing strip 15 reducing in thickness to a narrower
beveled edge. The beveling of the vertical arms 12, 13 allows the
practitioner to achieve more acute filing angles and prolonged
surface contact with the filing strip 15 while filing in a back and
forth sawing motion on the proximal surfaces of the teeth and/or
restorations.
[0022] Depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6 are alternative embodiments of the
dental filing tool 10 having a filing strip 15. In FIG. 5 the
alternate embodiment of the filing strip 15 has a cutting edge 17,
including but not limited to sawteeth or serrated system provided
along the longitudinal edge. In FIG. 6, the alternate embodiment of
the filing strip has multiple sharp edged perforations 18 along the
lateral surface of the filing strip 15.
[0023] The dental filing tool 1 is used in the following manner as
depicted in FIG. 7. Initially the user holds the handle 10 placing
opposable fingers on each flat surface area 14 of the vertical arms
12, 13 and aligns the filing strip 15 portion above the
interproximal space between the tooth 20 and the restoration 21.
The handle 10 is used to firmly insert the filing strip 15 into the
interproximal space until stopped by proximal surface contact
between tooth 20 and restoration 21. At which moment the user may,
with applied pressure, commence a back and forth sawing motion with
the slight movement of the opposable fingers or wrist to file down
the proximal surface to create the appropriate interproximal
distance.
[0024] It should be noted that while the handle component 10
maintains sufficient tension in the filing strip 15 to create a
rigid surface, the slight malleability of the strip 15 still allows
the user to manipulate it with directional pressure applied through
the handle 10 to form to any concavities along interproximal
surfaces of teeth. As the filing tool 1 is pulled back and forth
between the area of proximal surface contact the abrasive lateral
surface of the filing strip 15 gently removes enamel or restoration
material in whatever conservative or aggressive increments desired
by the user in relation to the repetitive filing motions and
applied pressure.
[0025] It should also be appreciated that the beveling of the
horizontal arm element 11 and vertical arm elements 12, 13 of the
dental filing tool 1 is angled to such a degree to allow optimal
access to the interproximal area between teeth and/or restorations.
But while still maintaining adequate thickness to help prevent
against the filing strip 15 slipping too deep inflicting
undesirable cuts, nicks, and other injuries against gums.
[0026] Moreover, it should also be appreciated that the handle
component 10 contains the filing strip 15 within a protective frame
shielding the patient from suffering ambient cuts and nicks of the
gums, lips, and cheek walls while the user is repositioning,
re-angling, or moving the dental filing tool 1 within the
mouth.
[0027] It will be understood that each of the elements described
above, or two or more together may also find useful application in
other types of methods differing from the types described
above.
[0028] While the present invention has been described with
reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that it
is not intended to be limited to the details described above. Those
skilled in the art understand that various alterations,
modifications, substitutions, or omissions of the forms and details
of the preferred embodiment may be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of this prevent invention. Therefore, it should be
clearly understood that the descriptions and illustrations of the
preferred embodiment are only to facilitate a clearer understanding
of the invention and not used to unduly limit the scope of the
present invention.
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