Methods for manufacturing endodontic instruments
AssigneeUltradent Products, Inc.
InventorsPaul Lewis, Barry L. Hobson, Dan E. Fischer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing endodontic files involves a chemical milling process to yield endodontic files having a desired taper and/or degree of sharpness. The process involves the steps of (a) forming helical cutting edges in the cutting portion of the metallic rod; and (b) chemically milling the cutting portion of the rod so as to sharpen and/or taper the cutting portion. The rod may be formed of any desirable metallic material, for example stainless steel or a nickel-titanium alloy. The cutting edges may be formed by torsioning, cutting, grinding, machining, laser micromachining, or grit blasting.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing an endodontic instrument for use in performing an endodontic procedure, comprising:
- (a) providing an intermediate instrument comprised of a metal and having a cutting portion;
- (b) providing a chemical milling composition that chemically strips metal from a surface of a metallic substrate as result of chemical action of the chemical milling composition;
- and
- (c) chemically milling at least a portion of said cutting portion by contacting at least a portion of said cutting portion with said chemical milling composition so as to chemically strip metal from an entire surface of the portion of said cutting portion in contact with said chemical milling composition so as to yield an endodontic instrument having a desired taper and/or cutting edges having a desired degree of sharpness and/or a more contiguous surface with fewer microfissures or cracks.
A method of manufacturing an endodontic instrument adapted for use in performing an endodontic procedure, comprising:
- (a) providing a metallic rod;
- (b) forming said rod into an intermediate endodontic instrument having a cutting portion comprised of at least one helical cutting edge;
- and
- (c) chemically milling at least a portion of said cutting portion of said intermediate endodontic instrument by contacting at least a portion of said cutting portion with a chemical milling composition in order to chemically strip metal from an entire surface of the portion of said cutting portion in contact with said chemical milling composition so as to sharpen said at least one helical cutting edge and/or taper said cutting portion and/or remove microfissures or cracks in said cutting portion.
A method of manufacturing an endodontic instrument adapted for use in performing an endodontic procedure, comprising:
- (a) providing a metallic rod having a polygonal cross section;
- (b) torsioning, grinding and/or machining said rod so as to form an intermediate endodontic instrument having a cutting portion comprised of at least one helical cutting edge in said cutting portion;
- and
- (c) chemically milling at least a portion of said cutting portion of said intermediate endodontic instrument by contacting at least a portion of said cuffing portion with a chemical milling composition in order to chemically strip metal from an entire surface of the portion of said cutting portion in contact with said chemical milling composition so as to sharpen said at least one helical cutting edge and/or taper said cutting portion and/or remove microfissures or cracks in said cutting portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.