Aspirating dental device

• US 4,253,831 A
• Filed: 05/29/1979
• Issued: 03/03/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Melvin H. Eaton II
• Original Assignee: Melvin H. Eaton II
• Inventors: Eaton, Melvin H. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Peshock, Robert
• Application Number:
  US06/043,569
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 433/91, 433/95, 433/116, 433/92, 433/82
• US Class Current: 433/91
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/08 Aspiration nozzles

Abstract

An aspirating dental device. An elongated sleeve member extends along a dental instrument to define an airflow passage having an inlet, adjacent the working end of the dental instrument, and an outlet. A vacuum source is connected to the airflow passage to cause air to flow therethrough, drawing water and waste with it. The sleeve member can extend over the dental instrument to define the airflow passage between the exterior surface of the dental intrument and the interior surface of the sleeve member. In such case, the sleeve member can be cut to provide a hinged cover portion openable to permit access to the working end of the dental instrument, for example for installation or removal of a dental bur. Alternatively, the sleeve member can extend along and contact a portion of the exterior surface of the dental instrument to define the airflow passage therebetween. As another alternative, the sleeve member can be a tube extending along the dental instrument. In each of these embodiments, the sleeve member is readily removable for sterilization by an autoclave or other effective hygenic technique, while the dental instrument is sterilized with alcohol or other disinfecting agent in conventional manner, thus minimizing the possibility of transfer of infectious organisms. As another embodiment, the sleeve member can define the exterior of the dental instrument itself, with the airflow passage therein. The dental instrument can be a dental handpiece, a laser device, an electrosurgical device, an ultrasonic scaler or any other hard or soft tissue preparation or treatment device.

Claims

1. An aspirating dental device comprising:

an elongated sleeve member adapted to extend along an operative dental handpiece having a working end while being spaced therefrom, to define an air flow passage having an inlet adjacent the dental instrument working end and an outlet, said sleeve member being readily removable therefrom; and

means connected to said air flow passage outlet and adapted for connection to a vacuum source for providing suction to said airflow passage to cause air to be removed therethrough from said inlet to said outlet whereby during use said sleeve member provides a passage for suction of fluids and wastes from adjacent the dental handpiece working end and after use the sleeve member can be removed to permit sterilization of the dental handpiece.

2. A dental device as claimed in claim 1 in which said sleeve member comprises a hollow sleeve member adapted to extend over the dental handpiece to define the airflow passage between the exterior surface of the dental handpiece and the interior surface of said sleeve member.

3. A dental device as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a dental handpiece within said sleeve member.

4. A dental device as claimed in claim 1 in which said sleeve member is adapted to extend adjacent a portion of the exterior surface of the dental handpiece to define the airflow passage between said portion of the exterior surface of said dental handpiece and the interior surface of said sleeve member.

5. A dental device as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a dental handpiece having said sleeve member extending adjacent a portion of the exterior surface thereof.

6. A dental device as claimed in claim 1 in which said sleeve member comprises a hollow tube member adapted to extend adjacent the exterior surface of the dental handpiece.

7. A dental device as claimed in claim 6 further comprising a dental handpiece having said hollow tube member extending along the exterior surface thereof.

8. A dental device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a dental handpiece having said sleeve member extending therealong.

9. An aspirating dental device comprising:

an elongated sleeve member adapted to extend over a dental instrument having a working end, to define an airflow passage between the exterior surface of the dental instrument and the interior surface of said sleeve member, said airflow passage having an inlet, adjacent the dental instrument working end, and an outlet, said sleeve member being cut to provide a hinged cover portion openable to permit access to the working end of a dental instrument within said sleeve member; and

means connected to said airflow passage outlet and adapted for connection to a vacuum source for providing vacuum to said airflow passage to cause air to flow therethrough from said inlet to said outlet whereby during use said sleeve member provides a passage for suction of fluids and wastes from adjacent the dental handpiece working end and after use the sleeve member can be removed to permit sterilization of the dental handpiece.

10. A dental device as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a dental handpiece within said sleeve member.

11. A dental device as claimed in claim 10 in which said hinged cover portion permits installation of a dental bur in said dental handpiece.

12. An aspirating dental device comprising:

an operative dental handpiece having a working end for removal and adjustment of relatively hard tooth tissues and surrounding tissues;

an elongated sleeve member extending along the dental handpiece while being spaced therefrom to define an airflow passage having an inlet, adjacent said dental handpiece working end, and an outlet, the sleeve member being readily removable therefrom; and

means connected to said overflow passage outlet and adapted for connection to a vacuum source for providing suction to said airflow passage to cause air to be removed therethrough from said inlet to said outlet whereby during use said sleeve member provides a passage for suction of fluids and wastes from adjacent the dental handpiece working end and after use the sleeve member can be removed to permit sterilization of the dental handpiece.