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US 2002/0172920 A1Published application
Anatomically contoured matrix bands for use in dental restoration procedures
AssigneeUltradent Products, Inc.
InventorDan J. Bills
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AssigneeUltradent Products, Inc.
InventorDan J. Bills
Estimating the term…
The invention comprises an asymmetrically shaped matrix band. The asymmetrical shape of the matrix band provides form for molding a dental filling into a shape that closely approximates the asymmetrical and generally trapezoidal shape of a tooth. The matrix band comprises a cross-sectional area that curves asymmetrically in the vertical direction along a curve that is constrained by two radii. The first radius is applied near the top of the matrix band and has a magnitude that is approximately one third of the magnitude of the second radius that is applied at the bottom of the matrix band. The curvature of the cross-sectional area enables the matrix band to also provide form for molding a dental filling with a contact point in the anatomically correct location on a restored tooth.
An anatomically contoured matrix band for providing form when filling a tooth comprising a strip of a flexible material that is sufficiently thin so as to fit between a tooth to be filled and an adjacent tooth and that has a length in a longitudinal direction sufficient to at least partially wrap around the tooth to be filled and a height in a latitudinal direction sufficient for the strip to substantially enclose a hollow in a side of the tooth to be filled, the strip having an asymmetric latitudinal curvature defined by a plurality of radii of curvature while in an initial relaxed condition so that when the strip is wrapped at least partially around the tooth to be filled it will at least partially approximate the correct anatomical shape of the tooth to be filled.
An anatomically contoured matrix band for providing form when filling a tooth comprising a strip of a flexible material that is sufficiently thin so as to fit between a tooth to be filled and an adjacent tooth and that has a length in a longitudinal direction sufficient to at least partially wrap around the tooth to be filled and a height in a latitudinal direction sufficient for the strip to substantially enclose a hollow in a side of the tooth to be filled, the strip having a longitudinal curvature while in an initial relaxed condition so as to facilitate wrapping of the strip at least partially around the tooth to be filled, the strip having an upper latitudinal curvature defined by a first radius of curvature and a lower latitudinal curvature defined by a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius while in an initial relaxed condition so that when the strip is wrapped at least partially around the tooth to be filled it will curve more tightly around an upper portion of the tooth and less tightly around a lower portion of the tooth.
An anatomically contoured matrix band for providing form when filling a tooth comprising a strip of a flexible material that is sufficiently thin so as to fit between a tooth to be filled and an adjacent tooth and that has a length in a longitudinal direction sufficient to at least partially wrap around the tooth to be filled and a height in a latitudinal direction sufficient for the strip to substantially enclose a hollow in a side of the tooth to be filled, the strip having a longitudinal curvature while in an initial relaxed condition so as to facilitate wrapping of the strip at least partially around the tooth to be filled, the strip having an upper latitudinal curvature defined by a first radius of curvature and a lower latitudinal curvature defined by a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius while in an initial relaxed condition so that when the strip is wrapped at least partially around the tooth to be filled it will curve more tightly around an upper portion of the tooth and less tightly around a lower portion of the tooth, the strip further including a flange extending from a lower edge of the strip and having a third radius of curvature that is different from the first and second radii.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.