Dental Appliance

This invention relates generally to dental appliances, and more particularly relates to a novel rubber dam device.

In the past, rubber dam frames have been well known in dental use for maintaining a dry field for dental work in progress and to prevent dental debris from entering the patient's mouth and throat. The conventional type of rubber dam structure utilizes a U-shaped metal frame to which a piece of rubber sheeting is attached which then becomes the dam, the rubber sheeting being first perforated for projection of the teeth therethrough, and then clamped around the tooth or teeth to be worked upon. The high speed dental drill uses water as a cooling medium for the tooth and causes a considerable water discharge over the face of the dam which necessitates the use of a suction tube handled by a dental assistant to maintain a dry field of work and prevent the water from running uncontrollably over the patient.

The rubber dam device according to the invention eliminates the need for a dental assistant to handle the suction tube by providing a structure which by itself maintains a dry field for dental work. Accordingly, the dental assistant may either be dispensed with, or may be utilized for other purposes during the dental procedure.

Briefly, the rubber dam device according to the invention is constructed so as to provide a suction path for connection to the standard suction coupling of a dental stand, and to accept the standard dental suction tube fitting as an easily attachable and detachable part. Additionally, most, although not all, rubber dam frames heretofore utilized have been made of metal which is radio-opaque, and which cast shadows on X-ray films if such are exposed during the course of the dental procedure with the rubber dam frame in position. In the past, this has sometimes required the removal of the rubber dam structure at an intermediate point in the dental procedure in order to take X-rays for the purpose of checking the course of the procedure, followed by the necessity for reinstalling the rubber dam structure. This problem is eliminated by the rubber dam device according to the invention which is suitably made of radio-transparent material, such as molded plastic, and which may remain in place while X-rays are taken without producing shadows on the exposed X-ray film.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a novel dental rubber dam device which incorporates within its structure means for applying suction to the field of work without the intermediary agency of a dental assistant.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel rubber dam device as aforesaid which is radio-transparent and may remain in operative installed position during the entire course of a dental procedure without adversely affecting dental X-rays taken during the course of the dental procedure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel rubber dam device as aforesaid which incorporates provisions for the use of a standard dental suction tube by operative connection to the device at a plurality of locations, and which includes means for cleaning out and sterilizing the interior suction passages formed within a portion of the body of the device.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become clear from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with an examination of the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dental rubber dam device according to the invention in operative position installed upon the teeth of a dental patient;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the prior art type of dental rubber dam frame;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rubber dam device according to the invention with a sheet of rubber and a suction tube installed;

FIG. 4 is a view of the rubber dam device from the side of the frame which in use is closest to the patient's face, portions being sectioned away to disclose interior details;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the rubber dam device as would be seen when viewed along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the rubber dam device as would be seen when viewed along the lines 6--6 of FIGS. 3 and 4; and

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section through one of the arms of the rubber dam device, on an enlarged scale, as would be seen when viewed along the lines 7--7 of FIG. 3.

In the several figures, like elements are denoted by like reference characters.

Turning now to the drawings, it is observed that the rubber dam device according to the invention is designated generally as 10, having a horizontal lower arm 11 from the opposite ends of which upwardly extend a pair of vertical side arms 12, and from the center of which downwardly extends a suction stem 13. As best seen from FIGS. 4 and 6, the suction stem 13 and the horizontal arm 11 are hollow and interconnected so that suction applied at the end of the stem 13 is also applied within the hollow branches of the horizontal arm 11. The upper surface of the arm 11 is provided, at a point spaced somewhat in from the ends thereof, with openings 14, within one of which openings is disposed a sealing rubber plug 15, and within the other of which openings is seated a standard disposable dental suction tube 16. The opposite ends of the horizontal arm 11 are also apertured as at 17, and the apertures are closed by sealing rubber plugs 18. Additionally, formed through the vertical surface of the horizontal arm 11 which faces the patient are a plurality of apertures 19 which communicate with the hollow interior 20 of horizontal arm 11, which in turn communicates with the hollow interior 21 of suction stem 13.

Formed on the outwardly facing side of the vertical arms 12 and the bottom surface of horizontal arm 11 and at the corner junctions of the vertical and horizontal arms are a plurality of prongs 22 which pierce through and retain a rubber membrane 23 in taut stretched condition on the frame 10. As best seen in FIG. 1, the membrane 23 is slit and stretched to contract about the teeth of a person being worked upon and the rubber membrane is clamped to a tooth by a standard clamp 24 which holds the entire rubber dam structure on the face of the patient.

The suction tube 16, being deformable, is bent over into the proper position to aspirate water and debris resulting from the drilling operation through its hollow interior into the hollow interior 20 of arm 11, and then down through suction stem 13 into the suction apparatus of the dental stand via the connection to the dental stand suction coupling 25. Any water which is not picked up by the suction tube 16 flows down over the face of the rubber membrane 23 and is drawn into the hollow interior of arm 11 through the arm apertures 19. The disposable suction tube 16 may be plugged into either of the openings 14 in the arm 11 as a function of the desired positioning of the suction tube with respect to the teeth being worked upon, the other opening 14 then being sealed with the rubber plug 15.

For cleaning and sanitizing purposes, the suction tube 16 is removed, as are the rubber plugs 15 and 18, thus permitting a cleaning brush to be run through the horizontal arm 11 from end to end. Additionally, the entire frame 10 is autoclavable to sterilize the interior passages 20 and 21.

The typical prior art device shown in FIG. 2 is a solid piece of material 26 provided with prongs 27 which function in the same manner as the prongs 22 of the invention. This prior art structure does not have the ability to maintain a dry field because it cannot provide the suction function, and requires the attendance of a dental assistant to manipulate a suction tube.

Having now described my invention in connection with a particularly illustrated embodiment thereof, variations and modifications of the invention may now naturally occur to those persons normally skilled in the art without departing from the essential scope or spirit of the invention, and accordingly it is intended to claim the same broadly as well as specifically as indicated by the appended claims.