Abstract: A patient control mechanism is provided for an air conduit circuit that has a dental unit, a foot control and a compressed air source. The mechanism consists of a first valve disposed within the air conduit circuit between the dental unit and the foot control, a second valve directly connected to the first valve and a third valve disposed within the air conduit circuit between the dental unit and the second valve. A patient can manually control the third valve by sending an air signal to the second valve which operates the first valve deactivating the dental unit if pain is felt by the patient.

Abstract: Adult to child tethers consist of lengths of narrow flexible material. Each end of the material is closed to form loops, one to hold the child and adjustable and the other to be held by the adult and also preferably adjustable. The intermediate portion of each tether of material is of sufficient length to enable the tethered child to walk freely but close to the adult. In one embodiment of the invention, the adjustable loop for the adult may be formed by passing the end of that closed loop through an adjusting slide providing a relatively short intermediate portion and when pulled free of the slide enabling the closed loop to be adjusted for use by the adult with a substantial increase in the length of the intermediate portion resulting.

Abstract: Toothbrush with toothpaste container consisting of a body, having the function of case and support of the toothbrush, and of a toothpaste container; a housing for the toothbrush in the case allows delivery of the toothpaste onto the bristles, when the toothbrush is closed. By pushing a button housed on the cover of the container, metering of the toothpaste is performed, and the quantity dispensed is controlled by the pressure inside the dispenser.

Abstract: A dental pin assembly including an elongated dental pin inserted within a magazine sleeve. The magazine sleeve is removably inserted into the distal end of a shank and locked in place. The shank in turn is driven by a handpiece or manual driver for rotation of the pin. The pin is a composite of a plurality of individual contiguous coaxial pin sections, each pin section having a threaded stem and an enlarged head. Adjacent pin sections are separated by reduced diameter throat portions which are frangible to permit separation of one pin section from the next upon insertion of the one pin section into an aperture in a tooth stub. As one pin section is sheared off upon insertion, the next adjacent pin section is ejected from the adapter to place it in operative position for subsequent insertion into another aperture in the tooth stub. In this manner only one pin section projects at a time and all of the throat portions can be of identical diameter.

Abstract: A dental handpiece, which has a gripping part connectable to a supply hose and a head part with a head housing which is removably held at the free end of the gripping part, characterized by the gripping part having at least one light conductor with an end located adjacent to the connection between the two parts to project light therefrom and having an inclined free end surface engaging an inclined oblique surface of the head part with the surfaces extending so that the lower end thereof merges with the head housing. A lower portion of the end surface is formed by a carrier part which accepts the ends of the light conductors to project light into the area of the tool held by the housing of the head part.

Abstract: A threaded pin for implantation use in dentistry, comprising a cylindrical stem with an external thread near one end, a head for application of a tool at the other end and a point at the opposite end near the thread. The point has the same shape as the point of the milling cutter used to make the elongated hole in the bone in which the implantation is to be make. The dimensions of the thread are relatively small in comparison with the diameter of the stem to avoid exerting excessive pressure and cause damage to the bone as the pin is screwed thereinto.

Abstract: Dental crowns, bridges and jointing implements or tabs for dental prostheses which are capable of being welded in the mouth are disclosed. These structures are preferably comprised of high purity titanium alloy. The dental crowns are formed as a cast or prepressed central cap in the shape of the tooth to be treated. The crown is additionally provided with one or two tabs which correspond to one or both of the linking sides of the crown with an adjacent crown. The titanium jointing tabs are designed for coupling and welding in the mouth and may be used with crowns or bridges of conventional structure such as gold or a gold alloy. Each jointing implement is provided at one end with a shaped element such as a screw to be rigidly coupled to the crown. The jointing implement is also optionally provided with one or more microindentations on the inside lateral surface to facilitate welding in the mouth with the jointing implement or tab of the crown element associated with the adjacent tooth.

Abstract: A hand held abrasive dental instrument for use in cutting the proximal aspect of a tooth's surface to create an interproximal space between abutting tooth surfaces. The instrument features a thin circular disc shaped abrasive cutting member provided with a coating of abrasive material over one of the circular surfaces of the disc which is rotatably mounted between abutting handle portions. The handle portions serve to provide means for convenient grasping of the instrument by the user in a manner which permits facile manipulation of the cutting disc between abutting teeth. The handle portions are constructed to automatically lock the disc against rotation when grasped in the normal operational mode so that effective cutting can be accomplished. However, upon releasing the grasping pressure, the disc may be rotated to position an unused portion of the abrasive coating for operative use.

Abstract: A harvester includes a mobile vehicle with a forward vertically adjustable header that includes a mechanism for stripping grain from a standing crop as the machine advances while leaving the stem of the crop attached to the soil. The stripping mechanism including a pair of axially transverse vertically offset brush-type rotors having randomly spaced radial bristles, the upper rotor being disposed slightly forwardly of the lower and being driven so that its lower surface moves rearwardly in close proximity to the rearwardly moving upper surface of the lower roller that is driven in the opposite direction from the first rotor. The grain heads on most of the standing crop is disposed between the axes of the rotors, and the grain is stripped as the heads move into the bite between the rotors.

Abstract: This is a shield made principally of a single sheet of filtering plastic, shaped in a convenient paddle configuration. The dimension of the filter-paddle is sufficient to block all direct and reflected light from the tooth of the patient that would possibly be seen by any personnel in the operatory. A portion of the paddle is provided with a magnifier which may be employed by the physician for closer inspection of the tooth being operated on. Additionally, a relatively thin intensity-filtering material is applied to the back of the light paddle so that the intensity of the filtered light is reduced for the increased comfort and protection of the physician.

Abstract: Apparatus includes a mandible alignment device and a jaw pattern jig to prepare a one-piece metal dental implant for insertion into a patient's mouth. The alignment device has a central scissors member with a rear positioned thumb wheel controlling the longitudinal spread of the scissors blades. A front portion of a longitudinal angle adjustment member mounted over the scissors holds an anterior foot portion of a dental implant. A rod integral with the end of each scissors blade supports a housing holding a ramus member portion of a dental implant. After a pattern is determined by the alignment device, it is locked into the jaw pattern jig and the one-piece metal dental implant is bent to shape to substitute for the anterior foot and ramus members removed from the alignment device.

Abstract: An improved dental floss holder having a comparatively inflexible elongate member supporting two flexible spaced arms at the opposing ends, and supporting an inflexible spaced arm between. A single length of commercially available dental floss is fastened near the terminal end of either flexible arm, then wrapped around the inflexible spaced arm, then fastened at the flexible spaced arm at the opposite end; two taut and usable lengths of dental floss are thus defined, either of which may be used for flossing while the other end of the dental floss holder is used as a handle. The dental floss fastening systems of the invention include buttons/protrusions in combination with frictional securing slots.

Abstract: A dental floss holder for readily applying floss to teeth includes a pistol grip offset handle with an arm extending angularly forward of the handle top and a post extends laterally of the handle bottom, a thimble at the end of the arm is engaged by the index finger, a receiving ring is located forwardly of the thimble and a floss stretching member is selectively rotatably positionable in such member having two spaced upstanding fingers with a loop end of floss engaged thereon and passing through the ring and another loop end about the post on the handle and adapted to be stretched taut by squeezing the floss between its ends towards the handle by the user's fingers and a lip retractor is included on the flossing head.

Abstract: The process of reshaping a tooth comprising the steps of: applying a fabric to the tooth; bonding the fabric to the tooth; sculpting the bonded material; polishing and finishing the bonded material, wherein the fabric or cloth is silk or nylon.

Abstract: A hair-streaking cap which includes a semi-hemispherical body formed of relatively resilient polymeric or copolymeric plastic material. The cap has a plurality of areas adapted to be penetrated by a hook-like implement for pulling groups of strands of hair therethrough which can be treated with a liquid. The semi-hemispherical body has on its internal surface at least one radially inwardly directed circumferential rib which projects beyond an inner semi-hemispherical surface of the body. The circumferential rib (1) prevents internal liquid leakage downwardly when the head of a person, (2) automatically increases the resilience of the semi-hemispherical body, and reduces the internal diameter to effect a relatively tight fit of the cap upon the head of a user.

Abstract: A draping apparatus for covering dental and medical equipment and appendages extending therefrom such as water hoses, electric cords and the like. The apparatus includes an elongated sleeve and a ring-like element mounted on one end of the sleeve, the ring-like element being sufficiently rigid to define the periphery of the opening to the sleeve to permit an operator to grasp the same and pull the ring and sleeve over the instrument and appendages. Preferably, the apparatus is packaged in an enclosure attached to the ring-like element and adapted to be severed therefrom so that one end of the sleeve can be held in one hand of the operator and the other end to which the ring-like element is attached can be pulled over the instrument and its appendage.

Abstract: An instrument and method for establishing those relationships and modifications required for making and properly fitting a removable partial denture suitable for dual paths of insertion and removal. The instrument includes a platform having a surface for supporting a dental model and, alongside that surface, at least one guide track. An upstanding base is supported upon the track for movement therealong and is equipped with an extendable and rotatable head. The head carries a pivot shaft that is parallel with the plane of the support surface and that may be adjusted longitudinally along, and rotated about, its longitudinal axis. In use, such axis is aligned with that point on an abutment tooth of the model that is to serve as the intended point of rotation for insertion and removal of a partial denture. A transverse bar is carried by the shaft and is equipped at its end with a blade parallel with the axis of the shaft.

Abstract: Vertical dimension of occlusion, i.e. the vertical dimension of the face with the posterior teeth fitting tightly together, is readily determined by a method comprising first measuring the distance between the external auditory meatus and the lateral corner of the occular orbit, making an adjustment in the first measurement to arrive at the factored distance and then positioning the mandible so that the distance between the nasal spine and the anterior part of the undersurface of the mandible corresponds to the factored distance. Gauging devices are disclosed for performing the method.

Abstract: A toothbrush is provided which has a headpiece with a cylindrical brush and a handle. By means of a gravity switch the direction of rotation of the brush is reversed according to the turning movement of the handle, in order to automatically maintain a direction of rotation of the brush from the gums to the crown of the tooth. In order to obtain the correct position of the toothbrush, the brush is provided with a protecting cap leaving an opening in order to form a working region. The gravity switch is arranged parallel to the plane of the free working region of the brush.

Abstract: A protective carrier for a dental model including a tray portion hinged to a cover portion, a recessed cavity being provided in the tray portion to receive the pedestal part of the dental model. An arcuate rib member is removably coupled onto the tray portion and overhangs the cavity of the tray portion to thereby engage a ledge provided on the dental model to securely retain the dental model within the cavity. A recessed chamber is provided in the cover portion to mate with the cavity in the tray portion to define a closed compartment for the dental model.