Dental instruments and method for increasing patient comfort
AssigneeRobert L. Esposito
InventorRobert L. Esposito
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dental instrument (10) has an elongated shaft (16) and a user grip handle (26). A dental tool (12) extends from one end (18) of the shaft (16). A rotatable sleeve (14) is rotatably mounted to the shaft (16) and rotates relative to the shaft (16) and the dental tool (12). The rotatable sleeve (14) is mounted to the shaft (16) between the user grip handle (26) and the dental tool (12). During use of the dental instrument (10) the rotatable sleeve (14) contacts a portion of the patient's mouth and rotates as the dental instrument (10) is moved to provide greater comfort to the patient.
Claims22
A dental instrument for use in a patient's mouth, comprising:
- an elongated shaft having a user grip portion;
- an end portion fixed axially on one end of the shaft;
- a dental tool extending from the end portion away from the shaft;
- and
- a patient contact sleeve between the user grip portion and the end portion rotatably mounted to the shaft and rotatable relative to the shaft and the dental tool, the end portion axially constraining the patient contact sleeve on the shaft, the patient contact sleeve so constructed and arranged and having a length such that when the dental instrument is in use in the patient's mouth, the patient contact sleeve contacts the patient's mouth and rotates when the dental instrument is moved along the patient's mouth.
A dental instrument for use in a patient's mouth, comprising:
- a main body having a user grip portion between first and second end portions;
- a first tool mounted to the first end portion;
- a first rotatable patient contact surface positioned between the first tool and the user grip portion, the first end portion axially constraining the first patient contact surface on the main body, the first rotatable patient contact surface so constructed and arranged and having a length such that when the dental instrument is in use in the patient's mouth the first rotatable patient contact surface contacts the patient's mouth and rotates when the dental instrument is moved along the patient's mouth;
- a second tool mounted to the second end portion;
- and
- a second rotatable patient contact surface positioned between the second tool and the user grip portion, the second end portion axially constraining the second patient contact surface on the main body, the second rotatable patient contact surface so constructed and arranged and having a length such that when the dental instrument is in use in the patient's mouth the second rotatable patient contact surface contacts the patient's mouth and rotates when the dental instrument is moved along the patient's mouth.
A method of using a dental instrument on a patient having a mouth and a lip, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a dental tool portion of the dental instrument inside of the patient's mouth;
- contacting a lip contact portion of the dental instrument to the patient's lip;
- and
- moving the dental instrument while rolling the lip contact portion on the patient's lip.
A dental instrument for use in a patient's mouth, comprising:
- an elongated shaft having a user grip portion;
- a dental tool extending from one end of the shaft;
- a bearing on the shaft wherein the bearing includes rolling elements;
- and
- a patient contact sleeve between the user grip portion and the dental tool rotatably mounted via the bearing to the shaft and rotatable relative to the shaft and the dental tool, the patient contact sleeve so constructed and arranged and having a length such that when the dental instrument is in use in the patient's mouth, the patient contact sleeve contacts the patient's mouth and rotates when the dental instrument is moved along the patient's mouth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.