Abstract: An appliance for the three-dimensional adjustment of the maxillary cast is mounted by means of a screw on an articulated part. The appliance includes a first measuring element whose tip cooperates with a first reference point on a central incisor of the maxillary cast. The appliance includes also a second and a third measuring element whose tips correspond each with a further reference point on a first molar of the maxillary cast. Each of these measuring elements can be adjusted separately and three-dimensionally to the desired position by the special design of the appliance.

Abstract: A dental cartridge for dispensing a dental material having a body portion made of a material transparent to at least a portion of the visible light spectrum and opaque to the actinic light of the dental material contained therein. Also, a dental cartridge having a body portion formed from a toroidal segment and a coaxial nozzle attached thereto. The dental cartridges are used in a dental syringe for application of the dental material to a patient. Several embodiments provide various discharge end configurations, including hemispherical, conical frustum, and flat. Additionally, dosing indicia are placed on the body portion of the dental cartridge, permitting the dentist to fill the dental cartridge with a predetermined volume of dental material. A specially configured piston having an appendage thereon is used in combination with the dental cartridge for extruding substantially all of the costly dental material therein.

Abstract: A method of administering an injectable anesthetic to the palatal tissue covering one of the foramina of the palate with a hypodermic syringe and a specialized instrument. The instrument has a handle with stem ends, the right hand end and left hand stem end each having a compositely angled shank part connected to a ring to be disposed flatwise on the palatal tissue. The ring at each end presents a blunted bottom to the palatal tissue. The ring further has a through slit therein. Firstly the instrument is placed in the patient's mouth with one of the rings in contact with the palatal tissue immediately adjacent to one of the foramina. The ring is firmly pressed against the palatal tissue until the tissue blanches and a pressure anesthesia through ischemia is achieved. Then a hypodermic syringe is placed in the mouth of the patient, and the needle is inserted through and guided by the ring into the very center of the palatal tissue.

Abstract: Dental apparatus includes a tank of compressed sterile oxygen, or another compressed gas such as nitrogen, a source of a pressurized treatment liquid, and valves for coupling the oxygen tank or treatment liquid to the water inlet of the dental unit enabling the dental unit to be used for a wide variety of dental treatments, particularly when using a triple syringe for rinsing the canals in root canal treatment, or when using an ultrasonic scaler for dislodging hard deposits and stain.

Abstract: An orthodontic shape-memory alloy archwire for ligating to orthodontic appliances is heat treated, so that different sections of the archwire each exhibit a predetermined modulus of elasticity, and therefore impart a predetermined range of force when deflected. The distal ends of the archwire are further heat treated, or are treated with a dopant, to exhibit substantially diminished superelastic properties in comparison to the other sections of the archwire. The distal ends can therefore be deformed into shapes when ligated to orthodontic appliances to secure them to the appliances, and thus prevent them from slipping therethrough.

Abstract: The modular dentistry apparatus comprises a plurality of modular operative blocks which each bear a respective instrument and have electric connection means and channels for supplying hydraulic and pneumatic power to said instrument which are suitable for being connected to similar connectors and power supply channels. The operative blocks are mutually associable in series by means of coupling means which comprise at least one pin which protrudes from a front face of each operative block and is adapted for coupling to a corresponding seat arranged on a rear face of an adjacent operative block and to be retained by locking means which are pneumatically actuated by means of a duct which is connectable to the pneumatic power supply channel of the instrument.

Abstract: An improvement in an unitary preassembled intraoral dam for all dental procedures which comprises an extrudable thermoplastic polyurethane which is the reaction product of an aliphatic diisocyanate, a high molecular weight polyether diol, and a low molecular weight aliphatic diol. The improved polyurethane intraoral dam is impermeable to particles of 10 micrometers or greater, with a high degree of puncture and tear resistance, hemocompatibility, hydrolytic stability, non-cytotoxicity, thus guaranteeing the maintenance of a sterile operative field, and a high degree of prevention of contamination and infection for either patient or practitioner.