Tool and method for adjusting orthodontic expansion screws

A hand-operated tool for turning orthodontic expansion crews comprising:

• a) an elongated tool body having a longitudinal axis an substantially opposite ends, said body having an interior region and an exterior portion extending longitudinally from one end for grasping by the user, said body having a longitudinally extending slot near the other end thereof;
• b) a key in the form of a pin having a shape and size for engaging a structure such as a bore in the orthodontic expansion screw, the key having one end for engaging the structure of the screw and another end pivotally mounted to the body in the interior region thereof near the other end thereof, the key extending through the slot in the body, so that during engagement between the key and the orthodontic expansion screw structure the screw is rotated in response to movement of the tool body manually by the user causing the one end of the key to move along an angular path in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tool body from the beginning of the path to the end of the path during engagement between the key and the orthodontic expansion screw;
• and
• c) holding means carried by the tool body near the other end thereof and near the end of the angular path of the one end of the key for releasably holding the key at the end of the angular path to allow the key to be disengaged from th expansion screw without rotating the screw in an opposite direction.

A method for adjusting orthodontic expansion screws comprising:

• a) sighting the insertion hole of an orthodontic expansion screw located in the mouth of a patient;
• b) introducing a hand-held tool having a rotatable pin at the end thereof into the mouth of the patient;
• c) inserting the pin into the insertion hole;
• d) moving the tool so as to pivot the pin along an angular path while turning the orthodontic screw;
• e) capturing the pin within the tool when the pin reaches the end of the angular path;
• f) disengaging the pin from the orthodontic screw;
• and
• g) removing the tool from the patient's mouth.

A hand-operated tool for turning orthodontic expansion screws comprising:

• a) an elongated tool body having a longitudinal axis an substantially opposite ends, said body having interior region and an exterior portion extending longitudinally from one end for grasping by the user, said body having a longitudinally extending sloth near the other end thereof;
• b) a key in the form of a pin having a shape and size for engaging a structure such as a bore in the orthodontic expansion screw, the key having one end or engaging the structure of the screw and another end pivotally mounted to the body in the interior region thereof, the key extending through the slot in the body, so that upon engagement between the key and the orthodontic expansion screw structure the screw is rotated in response to movement of the tool body manually by the user causing the one end of the key to move along an angular path in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tool body from the beginning of the path to the end of the path;
• c) holding means carried by the tool body near the end of the angular path of the one end of the key for releasably holding the key at the end of the a regular path to allow the key to be disengaged from the expansion screw without rotating the screw in an opposite direction;
• and
• d) a light source carried by the tool body to assist the user with sighting the end of the key and the structure on the orthodontic expansion screw to be engaged by the key.

A hand-operated tool for turning orthodontic expansion crews comprising:

• a) an elongated tool body having a longitudinal axis and substantially opposite ends, said body having an interior region and an exterior portion extending longitudinally from one end for grasping by the user, said body having a longitudinally extending slot near the other end thereof;
• b) a key in the form of a pin having a shape and size for engaging a structure such as a bore in the orthodontic expansion screw, the key having one end for engaging the structure of the screw and another end pivotally mounted to the body in the interior region thereof, the key extending through the slot in the body, so that upon engagement between the key and the orthodontic expansion screw structure the screw is rotated in response to movement of the tool body manually by the user causing the one end of the key to move along an angular path in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tool body from the beginning of the path to the end of the path;
• c) holding means carried by the tool body near the end of the angular path of the one end of the key for releasably holding the key at the end of the angular path to allow the key to be disengaged from the expansion screw without rotating the screw in an opposite direction.
• d) the too body being of a length such that when the key engages the orthodontic expansion screw the portion of the tool body grasped by the user extends out of the mouth of the patient and only the remainder of the tool body in which the key is carried is located in the mouth of the patient so that the remainder can be sterilized separate from the portion of the tool body grasped by the user;
• and
• e) the remainder of the tool body is detachable to facilitate its sterilization and replacement.