Arch bar
OwnerFrank Fore, Michael Cassatlyinventors
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Abstract
An improved arch bar for dental surgery is formed from a strip of malleable material. The strip is the shape of a right angle having a splint portion and a retainer portion. A series of apertures extend through the splint portion and the retainer portion with the longitudinal edges of the strip being continuous and smooth. The splint portion is attached to the bone and the retainer portion forms an outwardly projecting shelf having a smooth surface. The soft tissue of the mouth is protected from ligature wires threaded through the apertures by the shelf.
Claims3
An improved arch bar for protecting the soft tissue of the mouth from ligature wires comprising an elongated strip of malleable material adapted to be formed into an arcuate shape, said strip having a splint portion and a retainer portion, said retainer portion disposed approximately normal to said splint portion, said splint portion having a teeth engaging surface, a series of apertures through said splint portion and said retainer portion, each said aperature shaped as a window with four side walls with a side wall between adjacent aperatures forming a post, said splint portion and said retainer portion terminating in a smooth continuous surface for engaging the inside of the mouth, wherein said arch bar is secured to an individual by placing said splint portion against the teeth and wrapping a ligature wire around a tooth an a post passing through adjacent windows.
An apparatus for use in reducing and fixing fractures in the jaw and protecting the soft tissue of the mouth from ligature wires comprising an upper arch bar and a lower arch bar, said upper arch bar and said lower arch bar each adapted to be formed into an arcuate shape having a convex side and a concave side, said upper arch bar and said lower arch bar each having a splint portion and a retainer portion, each said retainer portion disposed approximately normal to said splint portion on said convex side, each said splint portion having a bone engaging surface on said concave side, a series of apertures through each said splint portion and each said retainer portion, each said aperature shaped as a window with four side walls with a side wall between adjacent aperatures forming a post, each said splint portion and each said retainer portion terminating in a smooth continuous surface for engaging the inside of the mouth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.