Endodontic instrument
AssigneeDENTSPLY International Inc.
InventorsDerek E. Heath, Jerry A. Mooneyhan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of fabricating an endodontic instrument by a machining operation is disclosed, and wherein a wire-like rod composed of a titanium alloy is advanced past a rotating grinding wheel at a relatively slow feed rate, with a sufficient depth of cut to remove all of the material on a given surface without over grinding a previously ground surface, and with the grinding wheel rotating at a relatively slow surface speed. The disclosed method is able to efficiently produce endodontic instruments having a high degree of flexibility, high resistance to torsional breakage, and with sharp cutting edges along the working length.
Claims3
An endodontic instrument that is flexible and resistant to torsional breakage and that is adapted for use in performing root canal therapy on a tooth, comprising:
- a cylindrical elongate shank composed of an alloy comprising at least about 40% titanium and at least about 50% nickel and having a diameter not greater than about 0.07 inches, said elongate shank further having a proximate end and an opposite pilot end so as to define a working length adjacent said pilot end;
- and
- at least one ground flute extending helically around said shank working length, said at least one flute defining at least one cutting edge, a helical land positioned between axially adjacent flute segments, and with each of said cutting edges being formed by moving the shank past a grinding wheel only once and which defines an as-ground condition of said cutting edge which is sharp and substantially free of rolled deformed metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.