Swaggering Endodontic Instruments

• US 20130273497A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Scianamblo
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Scianamblo
• Inventors: Scianamblo, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,882,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 3/02 Tooth drilling or cutting instruments; Instruments acting like a sandblast machine
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 5/42 Files for root canals; Handgrips or guiding means therefor

Abstract

Endodontic instruments are described which have at least a section with a center of mass offset from an axis of rotation so that when the instrument is rotated, the section bends away from the axis of rotation.

Claims

1. An endodontic instrument for preparing an endodontic cavity space, comprising:

a shank configured for attachment to a motor to rotate the endodontic device about an axis of rotation; and

a body extending from the shank, the body having a tip end and a shank end and a working surface between the shank end and the tip end, at least a portion of the body with the working surface being tapered such that the tip end has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the shank end, the body having a center of mass at each transverse cross-section of the body, centers of mass of transverse cross sections of the body defining a mass path, wherein at least a portion of the mass path is off the axis of rotation with the mass path configured and the body of a material having a flexibility such that the body swaggers when the instrument is rotated about the axis of rotation at a speed appropriate for preparing an endodontic cavity space.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the material comprises TiN.

3. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a super-flexible material.

4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein a number of sides of the transverse cross-section remains constant along the length of the body.

5. The instrument of claim 4, wherein transverse cross-sections of the body are defined by a polygonal shape that rotates about the axis of rotation from the shank end to the tip end.

6. The instrument of claim 5, wherein the polygon is quadrilateral or triangular.

7. The instrument of claim 6, wherein a ratio of lengths of sides of the polygon remain constant along the length of the body.

8. The instrument of claim 6, wherein a ratio of lengths of sides of the polygon vary along the length of the body.

9. The instrument of claim 5, wherein the mass path lies along a mass axis that is canted relative to the axis of rotation.

10. The instrument of claim 9, wherein the mass path forms a helix around the mass axis.

11. The instrument of claim 10, wherein the polygon is quadrilateral or triangular.

12. The instrument of claim 11, wherein a ratio of lengths of sides of the polygon remain constant along the length of the body.

13. The instrument of claim 11, wherein a ratio of lengths of sides of the polygon vary along the length of the body.

14. The instrument of claim 10, wherein the tip is on the axis of rotation.

15. The instrument of claim 5, wherein the mass path forms at least one half-waves of a sinusoid.

16. The instrument of claim 15, wherein the mass path forms a plurality of half-waves of a sinusoid.

17. The instrument of claim 1, wherein a least a portion of the mass path between the tip end and the shank end is linear to provide a linear portion.

18. The instrument of claim 1, wherein a least a portion of the mass path between the tip end and the shank end is curved to provide a curved portion.

19. The instrument of claim 18, wherein the mass path forms at least one half-waves of a sinusoid.

20. The instrument of claim 19, wherein a least a portion of the mass path between the tip end and the shank end is linear to provide a linear portion.

21. The instrument of claim 18, wherein the mass path forms a plurality of half-waves of a sinusoid.

22. The instrument of claim 1, wherein a least a portion of the mass path between the tip end and the shank end is linear to provide a linear portion.

23. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the body has regions of different rates of diametrical taper.

24. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the tapered body includes a first transverse cross-section and a second transverse cross-section.

25. The instrument of claim 24, wherein the first transverse cross-section has a first geometry, and wherein the second transverse cross-section has a second geometry different from the first geometry.

26. The instrument of claim 25, wherein each transverse cross-section between the first transverse cross-section and the second transverse cross-section has a different geometry.

27. The instrument of claim 24, wherein the body is sufficiently flexible such that when a tip of the body is bound at a fixed position as the body rotates, a portion of the body that intersects the second cross section bends away from the axis of rotation a substantially equal amount at a first angle of rotation and at a second angle of rotation.

28. The instrument of claim 27, wherein the first angle of rotation is 180°

from the second angle of rotation.

29. An endodontic instrument for preparing an endodontic cavity space, comprising:

a shank configured for attachment to a motor to rotate the endodontic device about an axis of rotation; and

a body extending from the shank, the body having a tip end and a shank end and a working surface between the shank end and the tip end, at least a portion of the body with the working surface being tapered such that the tip end has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the shank end, the body shaped and having a flexibility such that the body swaggers when the instrument is rotated about the axis of rotation at a speed appropriate for preparing an endodontic cavity space.