US 4,728,292 A · Dental apparatus

Abstract

A dentinal retention pin and dental tool for inserting the retention pin into the healthy dentine portion of a tooth. A cylindrical hole with a beveled top is predrilled in the tooth to receive a threaded end portion of the pin such that the threads cut into the dentine to secure the pin. A chamfered stop is positioned above the threaded portion, which seats against the beveled top of the hole to limit penetration of the pin into the tooth. The pin is dimensioned to stop before the threaded portion engages the bottom of the hole. A supra-coronal portion of the pin pertrudes above the stop and provides a surface for securely attaching a reconstructed coronal portion to the tooth. A manipulating section of the pin attaches to the supra-coronal section by a frangible link. The manipulating section comprises a cylindrical extension of the pin having a flat engagement surface in a plane approximately along the diameter of the pin. The dental tool for operating the pin has a socket for receiving and retaining the manipulating section, the socket having a flat surface for engaging the corresponding flat engagement surface of the pin. The pin is elastically retained in the socket to permit self-alignment of the pin along the axis of the hole within a range of tool positions.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A tool operator for removably holding an elongated dental tool at a manipulative end thereof and rotating said tool around its longitudinal axis, comprising

a rigid tubular socket open at its first end for receiving said manipulative end of said tool into said socket through said first end thereof,
resilient annular tool-retaining means in said socket near said first end thereof adapted to engage the sides of said tool near said manipulative end thereof for resiliently and removably holding said tool in said socket, and
tool driving means operative through the second end of said socket for engaging said manipulative end of said tool so as to rotate said tool around said longitudinal axis,
in combination with an elongated dental tool removably received in said socket and intended in use to be rotated around its longitudinal axis,
the external diameter of said manipulative end of said tool being smaller than the internal diameter of said tubular socket,
said tool having on its side wall annular groove means removably received by said resilient tool-retaining means by pushing said tool into said socket in its axial direction,
said tool having means axially extending from said manipulative end thereof remote from said groove means and operative upon entrance of said tool into said socket to engage said tool driving means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dental apparatus

Life of this patent

Dental apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14