Dental prophylaxis cup

In a flexible prophylaxis cup for cleaning teeth which is to be mounted on a dental handpiece including a holding portion of a holding member having a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end which is rotated by a rotating means of the dental handpiece and having a distal end, and a head portion at the distal end of the holding portion along the longitudinal axis, the head portion mounting an annular disc adjacent to the handpiece with a reduced cross-section portion adjacent the annular disc and with an enlarged cross-section portion extending from the reduced portion, the improvement in the prophylaxis cup, which comprises:

• (a) the prophylaxis cup adapted for cleaning teeth and comprised of a silicone polymer with an abrasive material incorporated therein, which has been heated and then injection molded to form the prophylaxis cup, wherein the cup is then post cured by heating to achieve a hardness between about 50 to 75 Durometer on the "A" scale, and wherein the prophylaxis cup includes a mounting end and a working end, the mounting end having a cavity along the longitudinal axis that is shaped similarly with the opposed end of the head portion of the holding member and which is smaller in cross-sectional diameter than the reduced portion and the enlarged portion of the head portion, wherein when the prophylaxis cup is mounted on the head portion of the holding member, the mounting end of the cup is adjacent to the annular disc, spaced from the dental handpiece and, the cavity in the mounting end of the cup is in a friction fit with the reduced portion and the enlarged portion of the head portion so that the cup does not slip on the head portion of the holding member when the working end of the cup is used to clean teeth.

In a dental handpiece including a holding portion of a holding member for mounting a dental prophylaxis cup, the holding portion having a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end which is rotated by a rotating means of the dental handpiece and having a distal end, and a head portion of the holding member at the distal end of the holding portion along the longitudinal axis, the head portion having a reduced cross-section portion adjacent the distal end of the holding portion and an enlarged cross-section portion extending from the reduced portion, the improvement in the prophylaxis cup, which comprises:

• (a) a silicone polymer with an abrasive material incorporated therein, which has been heated and then injection molded to form the prophylaxis cup, wherein the cup is then post cured by heating to achieve a hardness between about 50 to 75 Durometer on the "A" scale, and wherein the prophylaxis cup has a shaped body for cleaning teeth with a mounting end for securing the prophylaxis cup over the reduced portion and the enlarged portion of the head portion of the holding member and an opposite, working end around the longitudinal axis of the head portion, spaced from the mounting end, wherein the mounting end has an inletted portion that is similar in shape with the head portion of the holding member and is smaller in cross-section than the reduced portion and the enlarged portion of the head portion of the holding member so that when the mounting end of the prophylaxis cup is mounted on the head portion of the holding member, the inletted portion is stretched over the enlarged portion and the reduced portion in a friction fit that does not slip as the working end of the cup is used to clean teeth.

A method for cleaning teeth with a flexible prophylaxis, cup which is to be mounted on a dental handpiece including a holding portion of a holding member having a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end which is rotated by a rotating means of the dental handpiece and a distal end, and a head portion at the distal end of the holding portion along the longitudinal axis, the head portion having a reduced cross-section portion adjacent the distal end and an enlarged cross-section portion extending from the reduced portion, the improvement in cleaning teeth with the prophylaxis cup, which comprises:

• (a) mounting the prophylaxis cup comprised of a silicone polymer with an abrasive material incorporated therein, which has been heated and then injection molded to form the prophylaxis cup, wherein the cup is then post cured by heating to achieve a hardness between about 50 to 75 Durometer on the "A" scale, and wherein the prophylaxis cup has a shaped body for cleaning teeth with a mounting end to be secured over the enlarged and reduced portions of the head portion and opposite, working end around the longitudinal axis of the head portion, spaced from the mounting end, wherein the mounting end has an inletted portion that is smaller in cross-section than the enlarged portion of the reduced portion of the head portion of the holding member, wherein when the mounting end of the prophylaxis cup is mounted on the head portion of the holding member, the inletted portion is stretched over the enlarged portion in a friction fit that does not slip as the working end of the cup is used for prophylaxis;
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• (b) cleaning the teeth with the prophylaxis cut while holding the dental handpiece.

A method for cleaning plaque and stains from teeth and gingival crevices with a dental handpiece including a holding portion of a holding member for mounting a dental prophylaxis cup, the holding portion having a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end which is rotated by a rotating means of the dental handpiece and having a distal end, and a head portion of the holding member at the distal end of the holding portion along the longitudinal axis, the head portion mounting an annular disc adjacent to the handpiece with a reduced cross-section portion adjacent the annular disc and an enlarged cross-section portion extending from the reduced portion, the improvement in the prophylaxis cup, which comprises:

• (a) mounting the prophylaxis cup comprised of a silicone polymer with an abrasive material incorporated therein, which has been heated and then injection molded to form the prophylaxis cup, wherein the cup is then post cured by heating to achieve a hardness between about 50 to 75 Durometer on the "A" scale, and wherein the prophylaxis cup has a shaped body for cleaning teeth with a mounting end to be securing the prophylaxis cup over the reduced portion and the enlarged portion of the head portion and an opposite working end around the longitudinal axis of the head portion, spaced from the mounting end, and wherein the mounting end has a cavity along the longitudinal axis that is similar in shape with the head portion of the holding member and is smaller in cross-section than the reduced portion and the enlarged portion of the head portion of the holding member so that when the mounting end of the prophylaxis cup is mounted on the head portion of the holding member, an end of the mounting end of the cup, spaced from the working end of the cup, is mounted adjacent to the annular disc when the cavity is stretched over the enlarged portion and the reduced portion of the head portion in a friction fit that does not slip as the working end of the cup is used for prophylaxis;
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• (b) cleaning the teeth and gingival crevices with the prophylaxis cup while holding the dental handpiece.