Dental-plate anchorage

Application filed April 6, 1922. Serial No. 550,113.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I Edward H. Lace, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vandergrift, in the county of Westmorland and 5 State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Dental-Plate Anchorage, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dental plates and more particularly to means for anchor10 ing them.

It is well known that with plates carrying artificial teeth for use on the lower jaw that unless some anchorage is provided therefor, the plate will move and be more 15 or less uncomfortable.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device for anchoring the lower jaw dental plate to one or more natural teeth by the use of which the tooth 20 used as an anchor is protected from injury by abrasion, from decay, fracture or traumatic injury.

Another object is to provide such a device so constructed that the plate may be 25 readily removed by simply lifting it up thereby freeing the anchorage connection and which will yet maintain a solid position at all times when in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in 30 view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described, it being understood that changes in 35 the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without depart. ing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:—

Figure 1 represents a plan view of the plate embodying this invention shown applied, and

Fig. 2 is a detail transverse section taken on the line 2—2 of Fig. 1.

The plate 1 embodying this invention is adaptable for use in any mouth possessingone or more natural teeth as points of attachment, it being preferable to use two where possible. This plate 1 carries the 50 usual artificial teeth 2 and 3 according to the number of missing teeth in the mouth of the person who is to use the plate, a full set being here shown except for two anchoring teeth. The plate carries two metal over55 caps preferably gold shown at 10 and 15 and which are connected by a metal bar 11 soldered or otherwise rigidly secured to the overcaps,, and which continues along the lingual side and is preferably covered with rubber, thereby affording a sufficient means 60 of reinforcement for the plate as well as insuring staple position of one overcap relative to the other.

Each of the teeth T to be used as an anchor is first trimmed into peg shape form 65 so that all points of anchorage are parallel, enough biting surface of the teeth being trimmed off to allow for the fitting of the gold protective caps 5 when placed in operative position. After the anchoring teeth T 70 have been so trimmed, gold caps 5 are constructed to fit these teeth and are permanently and hermetically cemented onto the teeth, each cap being placed well down into the free margin of the gum so that 75 no portion of the tooth T will be visible. These permanent caps 5 which are designed to receive the overcaps 10 and 15 protect the anchoring teeth T from injury by the abrasive action of the overoaps as well as from 80 decay, fracture or traumatic injury. The overcaps 10 and 15, it is of course to be understood are constructed of a caliber sufficiently large to fit snugly down over the permanent caps 5 and yet may be readily 85 disengaged therefrom by an upward lift exexted on the plate.

It is understood of course, that after the overcaps 10 and 15 have been mounted on the plate and connected by the metal bar 90 11, the artificial teeth are set up in proper articulation and packed in rubber and vulcanized in the ordinary manner and the plate will be ready for use, it being applied by simply placing the overcaps 10 and 15 95 in engagement with the permanently mounted caps 5 carried by the anchoring teeth T. The plate when so applied will maintain a solid position at all times in the mouth, and yet may be easily removed when 100 desired.

The overcaps 10 and 15 are preferably closed at their outer ends as shown, but obviously, they need not be, but may be in the form of bands snugly fitting the 105 capped anchor teeth.

It is to be understood that while these double caps are shown in connection with platework, they may be applied to bridge work as well. no