Intraoral dental suction and isolation system

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of dental mouthpieces. The present invention particularly relates to intraoral suction and decoupling dental mouthpieces.

2. Description of the state of the art

[0002] Dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants today use a variety of mouthpieces. In the past, dental patients were treated by a traditional two-person team consisting of a dentist and a dentist's assistant. In addition, dental treatment could be performed by the team using a wide variety of dental equipment and materials. Such dental equipment and supplies could include items such as an intraoral mirror, bite protector, low speed suction aspirator, high speed suction aspirator, gauze pads, cotton rollers, and dry angle inserts. Each piece of dental equipment can be used for different purposes and some can be used in conjunction with each other for certain types of dental procedures. The dentist performing such dental procedures may therefore have to use multiple pieces of such dental equipment. An essential role of the dental assistant is therefore to assist the dentist in coordinating the use of these many elements of various equipment and materials.

[0003] There is therefore a need in the art for improved systems and methods for carrying out dental procedures in a more efficient, comfortable and safe manner for a dental patient.

[0004] Various intraoral devices are known. For example, United States Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0015320 A1 discloses a bite-blocking device, a saliva-suction illumination device, and TIPS (twisted individual suction plates) to protect the patient's tongue. The described solution ensures that the patient's tongue is positioned in such a way that the patient's tongue can be safely and comfortably protected during the dental procedure. In addition, it is possible to quickly remove the saliva that accumulates around the patient's throat, leaving the patient with little foreign body sensation. TIPS also allows the tongue to be separated from one side of the oral cavity where the treatment is performed, thus providing space for the treatment. Moreover, it is possible to illuminate the entire oral cavity of the patient, enabling the dentist to conveniently perform the dental procedure.

[0005] In addition, US Patent No. 6,974,321 relates to dental devices for illuminating and / or vacuum suction from the mouth of a dental patient for examination and / or operational purposes.

[0006] United States Patent Application No. US 2009/0274991 A1 describes devices and methods for providing separation of the intraoral surgical field, suction of fluid and debris, and tongue and cheek removal.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLAIMER OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The invention is defined in claims 1 and 14, respectively. Particular embodiments are indicated in the dependent claims.

[0008] A dental mouthpiece is described herein in particular. The mouthpiece can be attached to a high-suction dental adapter to assist dental personnel during dental procedures by providing chair-side suction and hands-free separation. Such a mouthpiece includes a main body portion, a cheek lift portion, and a suction connection portion. In some embodiments, the main body portion, cheek lift portion, and suction connection portion (and components thereof) may be formed as a single piece, preferably by injection molding. In an exemplary embodiment, the mouthpiece may be made of a material that is flexible, translucent, injection-moldable, has high heat resistance, and is autoclavable. Such material may contain silicone. Since the mouthpiece may be made of a material having high heat resistance and autoclavable, such a mouthpiece may be reusable.

[0009] The main body portion includes a closed pocket formed of a front wall, a rear wall, and a side wall between the front wall and the rear wall. The side wall may be perforated with a plurality of perforations. Such perforations may form a strainer. Additional perforations can be on the front and back sides. The main body portion may further include a slot along a central longitudinal axis on the front wall. Such openings (for example, perforations and a slit) allow the suction of air, fluids and small debris from the patient's mouth through openings to the inner part and the suction connection part towards the suction source. As the mouthpiece is made of a flexible and resilient material (e.g., silicone), the mouthpiece is bendable when placed in the patient's mouth to conform to the shape of the mouth. When properly seated, the suction connection portion may protrude from one side of the patient's mouth, while the main body is positioned at the back of the patient's mouth and the cheek lift portion is pressed against the patient's cheek on the opposite side of the patient's mouth.

[0010] The main body may further include a protruding web structure on the inner surface of the rear wall. Such a bridge structure may project from the inner surface in a waveform with ridges and depressions. The ridges provide multiple points of contact with the front wall to keep the front wall separate from the back wall during suction. The recesses at the same time provide gaps which allow air, liquids and small debris to be sucked through the bridge structure.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0011]

Fig. 1A is a perspective view of an exemplary mouthpiece with a detachable mouth support.

Fig. IB is a top view of an exemplary mouthpiece and detachable mouth support of Fig. 1A.

Fig. 1C is a bottom view of an exemplary mouthpiece and detachable mouth support of Fig. 1A.

Fig. ID shows a side view of an exemplary mouthpiece and detachable mouth support of Fig. 1A.

Fig. 1E is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary mouthpiece and detachable mouth support of Fig. 1A.

Fig. 2A is a perspective view of the exemplary mouthpiece of Fig. 1A where the detachable mouth rest has been detached.

Fig. 2B is a top view of the exemplary mouthpiece of Fig. 2A.

Fig. 2C is a bottom view of the exemplary mouthpiece of Fig. 2A.

Fig. 2D shows a side view of the exemplary mouthpiece of Fig. 2A.

Fig. 2E is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary mouthpiece of Fig. 2A. Fig. 3A is a front view of an exemplary mouth support.

Fig. 3B is a rear view of the exemplary mouth support of Fig. 3A.

Fig. 3C is a bottom view of the exemplary mouth support of Fig. 3A.

Fig. 3D is a perspective view of the exemplary mouth support of Fig. 3A.

Fig. 3E is a side view of the exemplary mouth support of Fig. 3A.

Fig. 3F is a top view of the exemplary mouth support of Fig. 3A.

Fig. 4 is a close-up view of exemplary mesh sides in an exemplary mouthpiece.

Fig. 5 is a close-up view of an inner bridge in an exemplary mouthpiece. Fig. 6A is a close-up view of an exemplary reinforcement bar on an exemplary mouthpiece.

Fig. 6B is a cross sectional view of the exemplary reinforcement bar of Fig. 6A.

Fig. 7A is a close-up view of an exemplary cheek-sliding portion of an exemplary mouthpiece.

Fig. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary cheek lift portion of Fig. 7A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a mouthpiece including a main body portion, a cheek lift portion, and a suction connection portion. In some embodiments, the main body portion, cheek lift portion, and suction connection portion (and components thereof) may be formed as a single piece, preferably by injection molding. In an exemplary embodiment, the mouthpiece may be made of a material that is flexible, translucent, injection-moldable, has high heat resistance, and is autoclavable. Such material may contain silicone. As the mouthpiece may be made of a material having high heat resistance and autoclavable, such a mouthpiece may be reusable.

Figs. 1A-E show various views of an exemplary mouthpiece with a detachable mouthpiece 160, and Figs. 2A-E show various views of the exemplary mouthpiece of Fig. 1A where the detachable mouthpiece 160 has been detached. Such a mouthpiece includes a main body portion 110, a suction connection portion 120, and a cheek lift portion 130.

The main body portion 110 may have a strainer or perforations 140, a stabilizer bar 150, an open slot 170, and an internal web 180. The main body portion 110 connects at one end to the suction connection portion 120 and at the other end to the suction portion 130. pushing back my cheek. Such a cheek-lift portion 130 may be configured to be pressed against the patient's cheek and away from the patient's teeth. When placed in a patient's mouth, the suction connection portion 120 may protrude from one side of the patient's mouth, while the main body 110 is at the back of the patient's mouth and the cheek lift portion 130 moves the patient's cheek away on the opposite side of the patient's mouth. . The flexibility of the material used to form the mouthpiece allows it to flex to some extent when placed in the mouth of a patient. However, the material is resilient enough so that the cheek lift portion is pressed against the inside of the patient's cheek with a pressing force sufficient to lift the cheek away from the patient's teeth.

The exemplary main body portion 110, when placed in the mouth, may have a front wall facing the front of the mouth (e.g., the slit side 170) and a rear wall facing the rear of the mouth. The two walls can be connected to a top wall and a bottom wall to form a body that is at least partially closed.

[0015] The term "upper" may be used to refer to the side abutting the canopy of the patient's mouth when placed inside it, and the term "lower" may be used to refer to the side abutting the bottom of the patient's mouth. The top and bottom sides may be formed in the same manner, which may allow the orientation of the mouthpiece to be changed, whereby the top side may be treated as the bottom side in the new orientation and vice versa. In use, the respective sides of the main body 110 may be used to protect and separate the upper mouth and lower mouth / tongue. In addition, the main body portion 110 may also be used to protect the back of the mouth (e.g., the throat and airways) from falling debris.

[0016] The major portion of the main body 110 of the mouthpiece may be formed as a straight arrowhead or disk, the base of which corresponds substantially to the intraoral shape of the patient's mouth. It is possible to provide mouthpieces of different sizes to suit the different sizes of the mouths of adults and children. The base portion of the arrowhead may be formed with thicker walls than the remainder of the main body. Such thickening can provide additional stability.

[0017] Additionally, the main body 110 of the mouthpiece may have a plurality of openings 140 arranged along the top and bottom sides of the front wall and rear wall to facilitate suction of water, saliva, and debris from the mouth. In some embodiments, the set of holes may also form a strainer along the walls of the top and bottom edges. Fig. 4 is a close-up view of an exemplary mesh wall in an exemplary mouthpiece.

[0018] At the narrow end of the arrowhead that is connected to the cheek slide portion 130, the main body portion 110 may include a rectangular portion. The rectangular portion which is narrower than the base of the arrowhead may further include a reinforcement bar (or stabilizer bar) 150 (described in more detail below) and a slot 170 (described in more detail below) extending over at least a portion thereof leading to the interior of the pocket main body portion 110.

[0019] The stabilizing bar 150 can be a protrusion or otherwise thickened area that enhances the stability of the rectangular portion and helps to match the shape of this area to the intraoral shape of the back of the patient's mouth. Fig. 6A is a close-up view of an exemplary stabilizer bar 150 of an exemplary mouthpiece. In Fig. 6B is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary reinforcement bar included in the cheek-sliding connecting portion of Fig. 6A.

[0020] In some embodiments, an inner rectangular shaped reinforcement or stabilizer bar 150 may be positioned distal from the undulated inner bridge structure 180 and attached to both the inner side of the rear surface of the main body and the rectangular portion. Such a stabilizing bar 150 may be positioned in the area where the mouthpiece located begins to wrap from the lingual side of the rearmost tooth, around the distal side of the rearmost tooth and then to the front side of the rearmost tooth. thereby facilitating the conformation of the shape of the mouthpiece to the overall intraoral shape of the patient's mouth.

[0021] Various embodiments of the mouthpiece may further include a longitudinal, open slot 170 extending over approximately two-thirds of the main body on the front surface. Such a slot 170, extending along the center of the main body through the rectangle and most of the arrowhead, can aid in the entrapment and suction of water, saliva, and debris, as well as ease of cleaning and maintenance.

Additionally, the main body of the mouthpiece may include a bridge structure 180 on the inner surface to ensure that the anterior and posterior surfaces remain separated during suction. Fig. 1E is a cross-sectional view of the mouthpiece showing a bridge structure 180. Fig. 5 is a close-up view of a bridge structure 180 with no main body portion walls surrounding it. Such a bridge structure 180 may be formed as an undulating protrusion that substantially corresponds to the distance between the front and rear walls, extending substantially the full distance (e.g., 1 mm) at its spine and is flush with the surface at its recess. In some embodiments, the bridge structure 180 may be centrally located within the main body 110 of the mouthpiece. The gaps (or depressions) between the waves of the bridge structure 180 facilitate the displacement of water and saliva by suction to the suction connection portion 120 and then to the central suction vacuum site. In some embodiments, the bridge structure 180 may be in the shape of a logotype (e.g., an arrowhead or a disc).

[0023] The suction connection portion 120 may be oval shaped and may be attached to the main body 110. The suction connection portion 120 may have thicker walls than the main body 110 and may be configured to attach a high suction dental adapter and to be attached to the main body portion 110. facilitate the movement of water, saliva, and debris from the mouth into the external adapter for removal. Suction connection portion 120 may also include an internal stop to aid in advancing the mouthpiece over the adapter to the desired depth. The suction connection portion 120 may additionally have an outer concave and crimped area 210 that corresponds to a removable cap so that when the cap is in position, the outer walls of the cap and the remainder of the connection portion may be in the same plane.

The cheek lift portion 130 is shown as a hammer distal region that can be attached to the main body portion 110. Fig. 7A is a close-up view of an exemplary cheek lift portion 130 of an exemplary mouthpiece. Fig. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary cheek lift portion 130 of Fig. 7A.

[0024] The mouthpiece may be used with a 160 mouth support as shown in Fig. 1 (with a 160 mouth support) and in Fig. 2 (shown without a 160 mouth support). Figures 3A-E show various close-up views of an exemplary support 160 paragraph. A removable cap 310 can be attached to a mouth support 160 that can be used to support a patient's open mouth and teeth. In this context, the suction connection portion 120 may further include an external fitting 220 (Fig. 2C) protruding from the rear side of the suction connection part 120. Such connector 220 may correspond to the opening provided in the mouth support 160 and may be used to connect them. Due to the presence of the connector 220 in the opening, the 160-mouth support can be reinforced, which provides a more crush-resistant, almost incompressible and stable 160-mouth support. In some embodiments, the suction connection portion 120 may further include a cutout 230 (which may be, for example, a logotype shape) to provide additional interlocking with a corresponding protrusion (which may also be, for example, a logotype shape) on the outer large adapter. suction power.

[0025] The mouth support 160 may be made of a thickened silicone material injection-molded as a single piece with a resilient cap corresponding to the circumference of the suction connection portion. The mouth support 160 has an inner female rectangular shaped slot designed to be press fitly engageable with the outer male fitting 220 rectangular shaped portion 120 for engaging the suction of the mouthpiece. The mouth supports can be of different sizes corresponding to different sizes of the oral cavities. Since the mouth rest and the mouthpiece are detachable from each other, different sizes of these elements can be combined and matched to fit a given patient's mouth.

[0026] The mouthpiece described herein may be used with a single piece autoclave sterilizable connector providing high suction power. The body of such a suction adapter can be made of a single, homogeneous material. Such a high suction adapter having a single lever design can function in the same way as all current high suction vacuum pumps and saliva aspirators, providing controlled removal of water, saliva and debris from the mouth to an external vacuum source. The single lever may be designed to control the removal of water, saliva, and debris from the at least partially closed main body through a single large discharge channel in the suction connection portion.

[0027] Various embodiments have been described above, however, it should be understood that these have been presented only as an example and not as a limitation. The descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the specific forms shown. Thus, the extent and extent of the preferred embodiment should therefore not be taken as being limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative, not restrictive. Rather, these descriptions are intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The scope of the invention should therefore not be determined with reference to the above description but with reference to the appended claims.