Abstract: A medical or dental probe having a resistive, integrally heated tip. The probe tip provides a nearly continuous, controllable heat, and it may have a narrow, pointed shape. The tip may be heated rapidly, and it provides rapid heating of the instrument, continuous supply of heat for the purpose desired, and concentration of maximum heat at the end of the tip. Methods for making these tips are also described.

Abstract: A dental instrument heater having a pair of contact blades connected to a battery. The contact blades have notches formed along their respective edges, and they are mounted in parallel, spaced-apart relationship to each other. Consequently, a dental instrument may be positioned between adjacent notches so that electric current from the battery flows through and heats the dental instrument. The heating device includes a self-contained charging circuit which connects an external charger to the battery when the battery voltage is below a predetermined value, and it disconnects the charger from the battery when the battery voltage reaches a predetermined level.

Abstract: A system for testing the dental pulp of a tooth by electrically stimulating the pulp with a pulsating signal having a continuously increasing amplitude. The system includes a probe having an electrode adapted to the tooth, and a contact device for sensing when the probe electrode makes contact with the tooth and for increasing the amplitude of the stimulus from an initial value. The intensity continues to increase as long as the probe electrode is in contact with the tooth. The electrical stimulus may be generated by a voltage controlled pulse generator driving the primary of a transformer, with the secondary of the transformer connected to the electrode probe. The transformer has a relatively low cutoff frequency so that the amplitude of the signal across the secondary is proportional to the pulse width of the incoming signal. Consequently, as the control voltage to the voltage control pulse generator increases, the amplitude of the pulses across the secondary also increases.