Abstract: A dental handpiece especially for transmitting intense light for use in polymerizing dental materials in situ has a readily removable opaque shield of deformable material affixed to the end thereof to preclude the light from spreading and to prevent inadvertent contact of the handpiece tip with the subjacent area.

Abstract: An apparatus for diagnosing the environmental tissue of teeth, which has an electro-mechanical oscillation converter for converting the electric oscillation output from an electric oscillation output generation circuit into mechanical oscillation, a probe connected to the converter to be brought into contact with a patient's tooth for applying the mechanical oscillation from the converter to the tooth, and patient's responding means for actuation by the patient when he detects the sense threshold of the mechanical oscillation applied through the probe to the patient's tooth. Thus, a dentist can scientifically diagnose the health of the tissue of the patient's teeth as distinguished from the diseased part without visual examination nor palpation by the dentist.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating the surface of a dental inlay for a tooth has a cup enclosure with a restricted opening therein. A hollow stem is slidably received in the cup and releasably held in a chosen position. An inlay holder is at the end of the stem within the cup enclosure and in the path of a stream of grit particles projected from the reservoir through a nozzle extending through the opening into proximity with the inlay holder.

Abstract: For use in reducing atmospheric contamination by mercury vapor from an amalgam container, there is provided a rigid tube hooked over the rim of the container and open to the interior thereof. The duct is connected through a filter for taking out the noxious material to a vacuum source.

Abstract: A dental dam clamp in each of two lateral wings has an aperture at least partially bounded by several arcuate walls to engage a handling tool in any of several different positions.

Abstract: A dental wedge system has two interfitting circular-bodied wedges adapted to extend between adjacent teeth and to abut and hold a matrix disposed around one of the teeth.

Abstract: A dental apparatus for measuring the sensitivity of teeth. The apparatus includes an electrode probe for contacting a tooth and an electrical lead for forming a complete circuit with the probe through the tooth. Electrical energy is applied to the tooth in varying amounts; the apparatus measures and records the quantitative magnitude of a parameter proportional to the effective electrical energy applied to the tooth.

Abstract: An interdental stimulator for use with human teeth in situ is formed of a stick of clear wood, preferably European sycamore, elongated in the direction of the wood grain and for the most part being substantially rectangular in transverse cross-section. One end portion of the stick is conformed to define two mutually inclined, longitudinally extending, approximately planar side surfaces. This end portion is substantially triangular in transverse cross-section and is truncated to form an inclined planar surface opposite the apex or ridge of the triangular portion. The end portion in transverse cross-section is of a size to be at least partly received in the normal interproximal spaces between human teeth.