Abstract: A dental appliance for audibly signalling the onset of tooth clenching and thereby assist the wearer in altering the habit patterns which constitute bruxism. The appliance is self contained and does not require the use of external control boxes or telemetering equipment.

Abstract: There is disclosed an absorbent beauty coil comprising an absorbent core and a non-retentive cover, which beauty coil exhibits increased absorbency of permanent waving solution and other fluids before dripping. Wicking action at the interface of the cover and the core draws fluid to unsaturated areas, thereby preventing dripping at saturated areas of the coil.

Abstract: A method for constructing a capillary prosthesis, toupee or other form of hairpiece which conforms to the shape, exactly, of the cranium of the head of the person who is intending to wear it comprising:a) preparing a negative mold from plaster of paris or the like, on the cranium, and allowing it to cure;b) preparing a positive mold from the negative and allowing it likewise to cure;c) placing on the positive a thermosetting sheet of plastic and applying heat and pressure to form the plastic to the configuration of the positive and trimming the excess plastic to thereby accomplish a first sjablon;d) fitting the sjablon to the cranium of the person and ascertaining the high and low spots thereon;e) using the sjablon in modifying the positive to neutralize high and low areas and making a subsequent sjablon, or sjablons, as necessary until no high or low areas are noted upon refitting on the cranium of the person;f) affixing hair to the final sjablon so that there is produced a hairpiece which may be press-vacuu

Abstract: This dental casting apparatus includes a track, and a tray. The track has an inner and an outer track wall and a first and a second end portion which combine to define a chamber. A hardenable wet stone material is positionable within the chamber of the track. After the stone is allowed to harden within the track, a sharp knife cuts through the stone and the track to form a plurality of dies. The tray has an inner tray wall and outer tray wall which combine to define a recessed portion. The individual dies are positionable within the tray recessed portion, and are readily engageable and disengageable therefrom. The dental casting apparatus also includes a mechanism for securely retaining the dies to the tray in such a manner that each die can be individually removed from the tray without disengaging adjacent dies.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a dental syringe having a capsule holder and a plunger for accurately and precisely placing a viscous or low viscosity composite resin dental restorative material from a capsule directly into a tooth. The improvement resides in a plunger having an ejector tip which is maintained under a positive bias that is intended to retract when a resistance exceeding a predetermined amount is met during an ejecting procedure so as to prevent any build-up of pressure within the capsule containing the material to be dispensed that may tend to distort or rupture the capsule. In the case of a low viscosity resin, the plunger having an ejector tip maintained under a positive bias that is intended to retract when the speed of ejection exceeds that of a predetermined rate, so as to prevent sudden and excessive extrusion of material from the capsule.

Abstract: A mold for taking impressions of the teeth including a substantially U-shaped bottom plate having a bottom surface which is bordered by an inner defining wall and an outer defining wall and a cover member including a perforated bottom. The cover member preferably is received within the bottom plate and separated from a bottom thereof by a spacer including an upwardly opening channel that registers with the perforations. Formed between the bottom part of the cover member and the bottom surface of the bottom plate are channels which function to conduct coolant through the mold. The mold is preferably made from a plastic material.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket having a horizontal archwire slot and wire-engaging surfaces for use in any treatment technique and coacting with an archwire and force generating means to produce tooth movement through crown tipping and root uprighting actions and for defining predetermined tip values. The bracket includes pivot edges for permitting pivotal movement between the bracket and the archwire, and a stop for limiting over-root-uprighting. It may also have a stop for limiting over-crown-tipping.

Abstract: An apparatus for scaling of teeth and lavage of the gingival sulcus is provided. The apparatus comprises a base unit which contains reservoirs for the medicaments used in the lavage procedure, and a handpiece connected to the base unit by a conduit, which contains an insert for scaling of teeth. Switches on the base unit and a footswitch make it possible for the practitioner to use the apparatus for scaling only, lavage only, or for simultaneous lavage and scaling.

Abstract: A magnet element for a dental prosthesis having a contact surface; a permanent magnet having a first magnet end directed to the contact surface and a second magnet end opposite the first magnet end; and a magnet housing comprising a magnetizable first housing section and a non-magnetizable second housing section. The magnet is only in contact with the first housing section along the second magnet end.

Abstract: A cosmetic applicator tip has a plurality of dimples on an exterior surface thereof for receiving and dispensing a cosmetic. The tip is injection molded from a soft material to provide the tip with a pleasing "feel" when rubbed against the skin of a user. An air cushion within the tip can be varied to adjust or regulate the "feel" of the tip.

Abstract: The hairdresser's comb of this invention has several structures which aid in increasing the accuracy of cutting the hair. The features include an adjustable angle stop so that a section of hair can be combed out and held at the proper angle with respect to the head and an adjustable finger stop so that the section of hair clamped between the fingers can be held at an accurate distance from the head for cutting that section of the hair.

Abstract: An endodontic reamer or file instrument for cleaning and shaping root canals includes a shank having a tapered working portion extending along a section of the shank length to a leading end. A pilot is attached to the working portion adjacent the leading end and is smaller in diameter than is the working portion at the leading end. The working portion includes at least one continuous helical flute which spirals along its length and a helical land at the periphery of the working portion which extends between adjacent flutes. The working portion also includes at least one lip adjacent the pilot which has a cutting edge which lies generally in a radial plane of the shank, and each flute which spirals along the length of the working portion toward the leading end terminates at the cutting edge of a corresponding lip so that as the instrument is moved longitudinally through a root canal, root canal tissue disposed to one side of the pilot is exposed to the cutting edge of the working portion.

Abstract: The composite resin reinforcement system for use in dental operations provides improved strength by the use of etched glass fiber material which is then silanated with an organo-functional silane and utilized in a composite resin in the dental operation. The glass fiber material may be uniform or random mesh, rope, thread or other suitable shapes. The etched silanated glass fiber material is utilized in the composite resin for restoring and/or splinting teeth.

Abstract: A dental instrument for use in filling cavities in teeth with a light activated filling compound which includes a condensing tip constructed from a plastic or glass fiber optic material. A source of light, either external to the instrument, or contained therewithin, can be selectively energized to enable controlled activation of the activator in the filling compound as the compound is being packed and shaped within the cavity by the condenser tip of the instrument. The dental instrument includes a suction cup removably connected to the tip for releasably gripping a dental overlay.

Abstract: A plug connection for the detachable fitting of a prosthesis structure such as a tooth on a tooth peg or post characterized by a plug part provided on the post having a cylindrical base with a tip having a portion of a larger diameter than the base and having a circumferential conical surface extending to a tip, a socket part having a cavity for receiving the plug part and containing a clamping ring for engaging the shoulder formed at the portion and base and supporting a bearing ring in the cavity of an elastic plastic material for relieving impact stresses occurring substantially in a direction of a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the post.

Abstract: A finger groomer attachment for a writing instrument is disclosed. The inventive device that performs a variety of manicure operations, and can be used to secure a writing instrument to an item, such as a shirt pocket to protect the writing part of a writing instrument from damage and to protect against unwanted marks made by an unprotected writing point while at the same time guarding against fouling of the instrument. The inventive device incorporates a fingernail cleaner for cleaning under fingernails, a pocket-clip for attaching a writing instrument to an item such as a shirt pocket, a cuticle pusher for pushing back the cuticle of a finger, and an abrasive strip for shaping of the fingernails. These are conveniently incorporated into a durable and easy to manufacture attachment which fits on a variety of writing instruments.

Abstract: A bracket having a vertical column for supporting a face bow and a bite fork on the face of a patient with impressionable material on the bite fork in the mouth of the patient with the patient's teeth engaging the impressionable material making an impression thereon, and ear engaging members on the face bow engaging the ear openings of the patient, and a lip engaging indicator on the face bow engaging the lip of the patient. The face bow being removable from the bracket and the bracket with facebow removed being adapted to support the bite fork on an articulator, where dentures supported on the articulator can be articulated relative to the impressions on the impressionable material supported on the bite fork.

Abstract: A self-threading pin (1) for the implantation of a dental prosthesis is formed at one end with a drill bit (2). The screw threaded portion (3) of the pin (1 ) is provided with longitudinal flutes (5) for discharging the drilled material, departing from the rear end of the discharge grooves (4) of the drill bit (2) and extending along the whole length of the screw threaded portion (3) of the pin (1). The head (6) of the pin has a polygonal cross sectional shape for driving the pin by a tool.

Abstract: Method of installing a post in a tooth having a metal obturator therein including the steps of drilling a borehole in the tooth with a tubular burr having a tubular opening therein of internal diameter at least slightly greater than the diameter of the obturator to thereby provide a borehole of selected internal diameter having the metal obturator remaining essentially therein, the obturator serving to assist in the guiding of the burr and inserting a tubular post into the borehole, the post receiving the metal obturator therein, the post extending partially above the top of the tooth for attachment of a crown or the like.

Abstract: A method of obturating an extirpated root canal utilizes two types of filler material, one type of which is in the form of a gutta-percha point and the other type of which is a thermoplasticized gutta-percha having a melting temperature of about 15.degree. to 20.degree. C. less than the melting temperature of the gutta-percha point. The steps of the method include the introducing of an initial amount of thermoplasticized gutta-percha in a heated and softened condition into the root canal so that the initial amount fills the bottom of the canal. A gutta-percha point is then positioned within the root canal and another amount of thermoplasticized gutta-percha is introduced in a heated and softened condition into the canal. The thermoplasticized gutta-percha is then manipulated into contact with the portion of the gutta-percha point positioned within the root canal so that the gutta-percha point is fed into and compacted within the root canal with the thermoplasticized gutta-percha.