Abstract: Purposely made ceramic body for filling a pre-drilled cavity in a decayed, especially caries-ridden, tooth. The ceramic body has a roughly beam-shaped, tapered, blunt wedge-shaped, downward-pointing segment and an upward-pointing dove-tailed extension segment with an obtuse-angled notch forming a fissure in the upper surface of the body.

Abstract: A thermal tooth tester includes a handpiece which carries circulating water from a heated reservoir through an applicator tip located at the end of the handpiece. The reservoir includes a circulation pump and a temperature control with sensing means to accurately control the temperature of the circulating fluid and, hence, the temperature of the applicator tip. The handpiece further includes a replaceable disposable tip sheath to provide a clean antiseptic surface for each use.

Abstract: A tool and method for handling small objects particularly suitable for placing small cast restorations into prepared cavities inside the mouth of a dental patient. The tool comprises an elongate handle having an adhesive tip of nonhardening pliable adhesive material. The material is plastically deformable, upon sustained pressure, and a forward bonding surface may be formed of a size appropriate for the size of the object to be placed and the contour of the placement location. A lump of the material encompasses a terminal portion of the handle, and the tool is operable at any convenient angle within the space restrictions inherent at a particular location. Economical manufacture allows disposable use of the tool and lessens the likelihood of transferring infection between patients.

Abstract: An inexpensive, readily disposable identification bracelet is formed by a strip 10 of thin, but tough, flexible material and has identification indicia 22, 24, 26 on its top side 16 defining locations 28, 30, 32 for receipt of variable information that may be placed thereon by pen, pencil, typewriter or the like. Opposite ends, 12, 14, have, on opposite sides 16, 18 of the strip 10, respective bodies 40, 46 of pressure sensitive adhesive whereby the ends 12 and 14 may be overlapped and secured together.

Abstract: In a vanity case including a receptacle, a cover hinged with the receptacle and latch members for maintaining the cover in a closed position, a push piece is provided which is slidably movable along the longitudinal direction of the vanity case. The push piece has a center opening and an arm swingably connected to a rear wall defining the center opening, the arm having a portion extending forwardly from the rear wall and adjacent at least one of the receptacle and cover in the closed position. A stationary abutment is provided for, upon rearward movement of the push piece, abutting against the arm and causing it to swing relative to the rear wall with the front portion of the arm moving in the center opening, thereby forcing the receptacle and cover away from each other.

Abstract: A single crystal orthodontic bracket is disclosed which is provided with an outer protective layer of a polycrystalline material so as to provide fracture toughness of the orthodontic bracket.

Abstract: A nail clipper of the kind having spring arms arranged to be driven into nail clipping engagement of clipper jaws, is equipped with a nail positioning device mounted on or about the pin to which the lever is connected, and the device is held in nail positioning orientation relative to the clipper jaws when the lever is in the force applying operative relation. An antitilt member may also be provided. The device may comprise dual nail length gauging and antitilt structures which may be separate members, or combined in one member. The nail length gauging member may be adjustable for attaining selected nail length trimming positions.

Abstract: A dental floss holder includes a pair of elongated arm members (11), including cross member (14) located between said arm members (11). The arm members (11) are attached at first ends (12) and have floss holding slits (23) at second ends (13). The second ends may be squeezed toward one another to fasten the floss (15). The resiliency of the arm members (11) tautens the floss (15) upon the second ends (13) being released. As the floss (15) stretches during use, the arm members (11) may be squeezed toward one another causing the second ends (13) to pivot about the cross member (14), thereby restoring the floss (15) to its taut state.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sterilizing a root canal in which the apparatus contains an light source for generating bactericidal ultraviolet rays and an optical fiber coupled to the light source for transmitting the ultraviolet rays to and emitting the rays from an emitting end of the optical fiber placed in the root canal. Also included in a fiber protecting pipe that both protects the fiber and allows the fiber to be easily guided into the root canal. A flexible tube disposed over the emitting end of the root canal protects the exposed end of the optical fiber. Also, an arrangement of two optical fibers allows various shaped fiber protecting pipes to be used and a hand held coupling device couples two optical fibers.

Abstract: An illuminated medallion adapted for use on vehicles such as automobiles, boats or other owner or passenger occupied vehicles, in desk top display units or other interior or exterior display units by which various indicia, insignia or the like can be displayed in a manner to facilitate effective observation thereof. The illuminated medallion includes a lens having various insignia, indicia and the like including transparent areas, colored transparent areas combined with a backing plate with a light bulb mounted thereon in a unique relationship to the lens and a hollow, externally threaded mounting stud for supporting attachment to a bracket with the wires supplying electrical energy to the light bulb passing through the hollow threaded stud. The arrangement of the lens, light bulb and backing plate is such that substantially total light diffusion through a diffusion disc is obtained with all hot spots or bright spots being eliminated.

Abstract: An endodontic device in the form of a platform adapted to be mounted on a dentist's finger. A foam insert holder mounted on the platform is adapted to receive a removable foam insert for holding a plurality of root canal instruments. An open-ended slot formed in the platform is adapted to receive one of the instruments. Scale indicia is provided on the platform adjacent to the slot to permit adjustment of the working length of the instrument in the slot to guide the dentist in using the instrument during a root canal procedure. The platform also is formed having a plurality of instrument receiving holes to permit curving of the instrument where desired. The platform further has a plurality of finger-operated indexing plates having indicia to permit the dentist to assign a separate indication of the working length in each root canal being worked on.

Abstract: A screw driver system particularly adapted for use in placement and removal of dental implant screws is shown to comprise a forceps holder having distal pincer portions adapted to firmly engage the head of a screw driver at an optimal angle to permit improved visibility of the work area and access thereto when the system is placed in the mouth of a patient.

Abstract: A combined shoe horn and comb including an end tooth forming a falciform arch for gripping the comb when using the shoe horn. A plurality of indents in the spine of the comb are oppositely disposed for convenient use with either the left or right hand.In an alternate embodiment the shoe horn portion of the invention consists of a plurality of elongate teeth in arcuate array.

Abstract: A hair curling roller having an oval-shaped, elongated body with two rounded ends and a U-shaped clip attached to an annular pivotal housing embedded through one rounded end of the body. The opposite end of the U-shaped clip has an enlarged spherical tip adapted to slide over a groove which extends through the rounded end of the oval-shaped body. As the sperical tip slides over the groove, the clip is pulled towards the oval-shaped body, securing any hair wound around the roller. In an alternate embodiment the traverse cross-section of the body is circular in shape and the clip is rotatably secured to the body by a ball and socket.

Abstract: A fingernail polish protector that can be detachably connected to the fingers of a person who has just had a fresh coat of nail polish. A separate fingernail polish protector would be attached to each finger. The fingernail polish protector has the configuration of an elongated tubular sleeve that is frusto-conical in shape. It's front end and rear ends are both open.

Abstract: A sign carrying device. A cylindrical base section vertically mounted in a footing has an upper cylindrical section extending upwardly therefrom. A first collar extends radially outwardly between the sections for rotatably receiving a sign carrying support structure. The support structure is formed from two (2) frame members connected together by horizontal supports, one of which is connected to a second collar which is rotatably received on the first collar by providing bearings therebetween. A pulley rotatably mounted in the upper cylindrical section and dual pulleys mounted on a brace extending from the upper cylindrical section have a cable threaded over and therethrough respectively. One end of the cable is rigidly attached to the sign carrying support structure and the other end is attached to a counterweight suspended inside the axially-aligned bores of the cylindrical base section and the upper cylindrical section.

Abstract: A hairpiece for covering areas of partial hair loss, removal or thinning on a user's head is disclosed. The hairpiece includes a band of resilient material in an arcuate shape which conforms to the user's head and biases thereagainst, and a foundation member to which hair is attached. When worn, the foundation of hair is positioned over the area of hair loss or removal to conceal the area, and the user's own hair may be combed or styled in a fashion to incorporate the hair of the hairpiece with that of the user to produce a natural look.

Abstract: A fingernail protector is set forth utilizing an upper top convex shell formed with an arcuate convex upper surface overlying and pivoted at its forward end to an underlying shell formed with a planar bottom surface. The shells are biased in a normally opened position and include securement means at their entrance portions.

Abstract: An attachment for shoe laces and the like that, singularly or when combined with a plurality of the same, is capable of displaying a decorative design or personalized message on a shoe.

Abstract: An identification and personal information conveying device comprising: an elongate, flat, unitary, plastic member having a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion and having a generally planar top surface and a generally planar bottom surface and having two parallel lateral side edges comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge and having opposite first and second end edges; information receiving and displaying assembly fixedly attached to the bottom surface of the member for receiving and displaying information particular to a wearer wearing the device; attachment assembly for attaching the first end portion of the device to the second end portion of the device for providing an annular configuration for positioning the device in encompassing relationship about a wearer's limb the top surface of the member being positioned outwardly and the bottom surface of the member being positioned inwardly whereby information provided on the information receiving and display assembly is no