Apparatus for applying suction adjacent to a tooth

A device for isolating a focus tooth of a patient from saliva during dental procedures, the focus tooth being one of a plurality of teeth oriented in an arcuate line in a patient's mouth, at least one anchor tooth in the arcuate line being located adjacent to the focus tooth, each of the teeth having an inner lateral surface facing inwardly from the arcuate line and an outer lateral surface facing outwardly from the arcuate line, the device comprising:

• a bow member for extending about a tooth of a patient, the bow member being substantially U-shaped, the bow member having a central axis, the bow member including:
• a transverse portion for extending above a portion of the arcuate line of teeth, the transverse portion extending transverse to the central axis of the bow member;
• and
• a pair of side portions each being for extending adjacent to lateral surfaces of the tooth, the side portions extending substantially parallel to the central axis of the bow member, the side portions extending from the transverse portion in a substantially parallel relationship, each of the side portions extending substantially perpendicular to the transverse portion of the bow member each of the side portions having a root end connected to the transverse portion and a free end opposite the root end, the side portions of the bow member being resiliently flexible;
• each of the side portions having a tooth gripping structure for gripping one of the lateral surfaces of the anchor tooth of the patient, each of the tooth gripping structures including an inward surface on one of the side portions, each inward surface of the side portions being oriented toward the central axis of the bow member and the inward surface of the other of the side portions;
• each of the inward surfaces having a central section oriented in substantial opposition to the central section of the inward surface of the other of the side portions, each of the central sections being concave, the central concave section of one of the side portions being opposed to the central concave section of the other of the side portions;
• wherein the central concave section of each inward surface extends between protruding points, the protruding points on the inward surface extending inwardly toward the protruding points of the other of the side portions;
• at least one of the protruding points of each of the side portions having an interproximal ball mounted thereon for engaging an undercut surface of a tooth, the interproximal ball of each side portion being positioned laterally opposite of the interproximal ball of the other of the side portions;
• the inward surface of each of the side portions having a first end section extending from the central concave section toward the free end of the side portion, the first end section of the inward surface extending generally away from the central axis of the bow member, the first end section being arcuate for extending about a portion of the lateral surface of the focus tooth located adjacent to the anchor tooth, the first end section of one of the side portions being opposed to the first end section of the other of the side portions;
• the inward surface of each of the side portions having a second end section extending from the central concave section toward the root end of the side portion, the second end section of the inward surface extending generally away from the central axis of the bow member, the second end section being arcuate for extending about a portion of the lateral surface of the tooth located adjacent to the anchor tooth and opposite the focus tooth in the arcuate line of teeth of the patent's mouth, the second end section of one of the side portions being opposed to the second end section of the other of the side portions;
• wherein each of the side portions has an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface being concave and the upper surface being convex,
• wherein each of the side portions has a hole for being engaged by a clamp forceps, the aperture being located substantially centrally between the root and free ends of the side portion;
• wherein the side portions of the bow member lie substantially in a common plane, the transverse portion extending in a plane parallel to the plane of the side portions, the plane of the transverse portion being located above the plane of the side portions;
• a pair of suction pads each being adapted for positioning adjacent to one of the lateral sides of the anchor tooth and the focus tooth, each of the suction pads being mounted adjacent to the lower surface of one of the side portions of the bow member, each of the suction pads having a proximal and a distal end, a bore being formed in the proximal end of each of the suction members and extending toward the distal end of the suction member, each of the suction pads having a substantially cylindrical exterior shape, each of the suction pads being formed by an open cell foamed material permitting the flow of fluid therethrough;
• a pair of suction conduits each being adapted for suctioning fluid from one of the suction pads, each of the suction conduits extending into one of the suction pads through the bore in the suction pad, each of the suction conduits having a lumen extending along the length of the suction conduit, each of the suction conduits having a plurality of apertures through the suction conduit for permitting fluid communication between the lumen and an exterior of the suction conduit, the pair of suction conduits being joined together to form a suction tube, the suction tube being adapted for connecting to a suction source, wherein each of the suction conduits is positioned at a spacing from the side portion for positioning a portion of the suction pad between the suction conduit and the side portion for placing the suction conduit toward a center of the suction pad.