APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OR POLISHING OF TEETH

• US 3,660,902 A
• Filed: 04/24/1970
• Issued: 05/09/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Per A.T. Axelsson
• Original Assignee: Per A.T. Axelsson
• Inventors: Axelsson, Per A. T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peshock, Robert
• Application Number:
  US05/031,564
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 32/50,40,58
• US Class Current: 433/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/00 Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses instruments acting like a sandblast machine A61C3/025; tooth polishing discs or holders therefor A61C3/06; devices for cleaning between the teeth A61C15/00; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle

Abstract

A dental apparatus for home care of teeth is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a wedge-like and pointed tool adapted for insertion into teeth interstices for cleaning the approximate teeth faces, and a handle whereby the tool can be easily operated. A stem of the tool is held with friction grip by a socket inserted transversely through the end of the handle and completely free to turn about its axis so that the tool by itself adjusts its angular position to the teeth faces being cleaned.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning adjacent surface portions of teeth comprising a pointed tool dimensioned for insertion between teeth interstices and having generally oppositely facing abrading surfaces, an elongated handle having a substantially cylindrical bore at one end extending through said handle, the longitudinal axis of said bore being generally transverse to the length of said handle, said bore having a hollow tubular socket member disposed therein, said socket member being rotatable in said bore about its longitudinal axis and said tool having a shank portion frictionally engaged in said socket member so that, when said tool is inserted into and is moved relative to the teeth interstices, said tool will rotate relative to said handle to bring said abrading surfaces into contact with adjacent teeth surfaces.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said tool faces are set at an acute angle to one another.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said socket member is sleeve-shaped and accommodated with slight play in said cylindrical bore extending through an eccentric head integral with the end portion of the handle, the ends of the socket member being formed with annular flanges which abut against opposite faces of the head to prevent withdrawal of the socket member.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shank portion is generally cylindrical and provided on its exterior surface with axial ridges which gradually increase in height toward said abrading surfaces of said tool.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the tool is substantially triangular in crosssection, two similar rough working faces being set at an angle of 30* to 40* to one another and the third face forming a smooth back of the tool, the cross-sections of the tool being substantially similar and of sizes decreasing towards the tip of the tool.

6. A dental cleaning tool comprising a substantially cylindrical stem portion and a wedge-like and pointed operating end portion integral with said stem portion and having a narrow back face and two broad side faces, the latter meeting along a sharp substantially straight edge extending from the point of said end portion to said stem portion, said side faces being rough and said back face being smooth, and said back face being curved towards said sharp edge whereby the point of the tool is blunted.

7. A dental cleaning tool comprising a substantially cylindrical stem portion and a wedge-like and pointed operating end portion integral with said stem portion and having a narrow base face and two side faces broader relative to said base faces, said side faces meeting at an angle of 20* to 40* along a sharp edge extending from the point of said end portion to said stem portion, said base being concave and smooth and said side faces being provided with a plurality of ridges of substantially triangular cross-section forming walls completely surrounding depressed areas in said side faces.

8. A dental tool as claimed in claim 7, wherein said ridges are annular so as to enclose circular depressed areas.

9. A dental cleaning tool comprising an elongated stem portion and a wedge-like pointed working portion integral with said stem portion and having two similar rough working faces set at an angle of 20* to 40* to one another and forming a sharp edge extending from the point of said working portion to said stem portion and a back face forming a deep furrow between said rough working faces and extending from their remote parts at least half-way to said sharp edge and along the major part of the length of said working portion, the diverging portions of said working faces located opposite said furrow being resiliently deformable in order to adapt themselves to varying shapes of teeth interstices.