Dental cleaning device
AssigneeMardelle M. LaMoure
InventorsEston A. Husted, Mardelle M. LaMoure
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dental cleaning strip constructed of a polymeric material having a plurality of spaced openings having raised peripheral portions for cleaning interproximal surfaces and contact areas between teeth. The polymeric material may be formed into apertured strips by means of a laser. The raised peripheral portions of the flexible strips may have raised irregular peripheral shapes extending from at least one surface thereof.
Claims19
A unitary dental cleaning strip for cleaning interproximal surfaces and contact areas between teeth, comprising a length of a thin, flexible polymeric material having opposing outer surfaces, a thickness, a hardness and coefficient of friction, said flexible polymeric material having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough and extending along said length of flexible polymeric material, each opening peripherally surrounded by a hardened molten polymeric material having a raised, irregular volcanic-like contoured peripheral ridge protruding from both said opposing outer surfaces of said flexible polymeric material, said hardened polymeric material having an irregular, volcanic-like contoured surface for cleaning purposes, said irregular, volcanic-like contoured surface having a hardness greater than said hardness of said flexible polymeric material and a coefficient of friction higher than said coefficient of friction of said flexible polymeric material, whereby the hardened, less slippery, irregularly shaped volcanic-like contoured peripheral ridges extending from both sides of said strip facilitate the movement of said unitary dental strip and the removal of plaque from interproximal surfaces between teeth.
A dental cleaning strip for cleaning interproximal surfaces and contact areas between teeth, comprising a length of a thin, flexible, polymeric material having opposing outer surfaces, a thickness, a hardness, a coefficient of friction and a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, each opening having a raised, peripheral ridge protruding from both of said opposing outer surfaces, said raised peripheral ridges comprised of a hardened, inflexible material of an irregularly configured surface with a coefficient of friction more than that of said thin flexible polymeric material, and a hardness greater than that of said thin flexible polymeric material, said irregularly configured surfaces further forming a continuous volcanic-like surface on each said protruding peripheral ridge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.