Unified Floss and Guide Device for Persons Wearing Orthodontic Braces

Abstract

The present invention is a device and manufacturing method to be used by persons wearing orthodontic braces to simplify the task of flossing their teeth. The device consists of a convenient pre-cut length of dental floss with a first and second end, an elongated guide element fabricated from a semi-rigid material suitable for oral use and configured with an attachment aperture, an optional flex aperture, and optional curvature, and further consisting of pre-attachment of the floss first end to the guide element leaving the second end of the floss unencumbered. Preferentially, the means of pre-attachment is accomplished with a friction knot formed by first inserting a looped length of floss through the guide attachment aperture then folding the tip of the guide element through the loop and retracting the slack in the floss until it gathers tightly and securely around the trailing end of the guide element. This attachment method advantageously can be accomplished without employing the time consuming method of tying a conventional knot. The invention further includes sanitary enclosure in an envelope, preferentially the size of a credit card, for convenient transport in a wallet or purse.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.