Plug forming removable closure in openings of dental appliances and the like

A method of rapidly forming a removable closure for an occlusal/lingual opening in a dental appliance such as an artificial tooth or denture, the occlusal/lingual opening having a substantially uniform diameter with an inner or gingival end and an outer or occlusal/lingual end, comprising the steps of

• forming a plug to include an elongated shaft portion having a diameter selected to mate with the diameter of the occlusal/lingual opening, and an inner or gingival end of the plug which is enlarged relative to the elongated shaft portion, the enlarged gingival plug end being an annulus with an axial opening extending within the plug to a junction of the inner or gingival plug end and the elongated shaft portion, the shaft portion being solid, the relative enlargement of the gingival plug end and the thickness of the annulus being selected together with the shaft material to produce a cork type or press-fit engagement of the enlarged gingival plug end with the occlusal/lingual opening to retain the plug firmly in place within the occlusal/lingual opening,
• inserting the plug into the occlusal/lingual opening, and
• terminating the elongated shaft relative to the outer or occlusal/lingual end of the occlusal/lingual opening.

A plug for use with dental appliances, the plug being adapted for rapid installation to form a removable closure in openings of physiological appliances, the openings having substantially uniform diameter with an inner end and an outer end, the plug comprising

• an elongated shaft portion having a diameter selected to mater with the diameter of the appliance opening, and
• an inner or gingival end of the plug which is enlarged relative to the elongated shaft portion, the enlarged inner plug end being an annulus with an axial opening extending within the plug to a junction of the inner or gingival plug end and the elongated shaft portion, the shaft portion being solid,
• the relative enlargement of the inner plug end and the thickness of the annulus being selected together with the shaft material to produce a cork type or press-fit engagement of the enlarged inner plug end with the appliance opening to retain the plug firmly in place within the appliance opening.

A method of rapidly forming a removable closure for an appliance opening in physiological appliances, the appliance opening having a substantially uniform diameter with an inner end and an outer end, comprising the steps of

• forming a plug to include an elongated shaft portion having a diameter mating with the diameter of the appliance opening, and an inner end of the plug which is enlarged relative to the elongated shaft portion, the enlarged inner plug end being an annulus with an axial opening extending within the plug to a junction of the inner or gingival plug end and the elongated shaft portion, the shaft portion being solid, the relative enlargement of the inner plug end and the thickness of the annulus being selected together with the shaft material to produce a cork type or press-fit engagement of the enlarged plug end with the appliance opening to retain the plug firmly in place within the appliance opening,
• inserting the plug into the appliance opening, and
• terminating the elongated shaft relative to the outer end of the appliance opening.