US2151738A

US2151738A - Oral treatment device

Info

Publication number: US2151738A
Application number: US88618A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter W Buhse
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-07-02
Filing date: 1936-07-02
Publication date: 1939-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1956-03-28

Description

' W. W. BUHSE ORAL TREATMENT DEVICE March 28, 1939.

Filed July 2, 19 36 2 Sheets-Sheet l rs m 3mm muwo 2 km .E 5 MW March 28, 1939.

w. w. BUHSE ORAL TREATMENT DEVICE Filed July 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [MI/6722507? MAT/5e M4 til #65 F ATTOENEYS Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a device adapted for use in connection with treatment of body tissues, and is particularly adapted for use in electrolytic medication, in which therapeutic or antiseptic 5 substances are carried into the tissues electrically. The device has found valuable application in the dental field for desensitizing or treating one or more teeth; for post-operative alveolar treatment; for pyorrhea; for preventing post-opera- 10 tive complications following removal of infected or impacted teeth; for trench mouth; and for general prophylactic purposes.

An important object is to provide an insulated electrode which can be inserted in the mouth 15 and so placed as to facilitate electrical transfer of medicament to the dental structures.

Features of the invention include: the provision of a device of the class described having pledget-receiving means which can be held in operative position by biting action; the use of a groove or depression adapted to be gripped by the teeth; the use of a teeth-receiving depression which corresponds in shape to the occlusal line of the teeth; the provision of a pledget-receiving means which has the form of a socket having an electrode with which the pledget can contact; the angular relation of the teeth-gripping portion and the pledget-receiving means whereby gripping action forcibly moves the pledgetreceiving means and its contained pledget toward the surface or part to be treated; specifically all details of construction shown and described; and all broader ideas of means inherent in the disclosure.

Objects, features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description ofthe drawings forming a part of this application, and in said drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of my invention adapted for treatment of large areas of the labial and buccal surfaces of the teeth or gums;

Figure 2 is a sagittal section through the oral cavity showing the device of Figure 1, in treatment-applying position, said device being in section on a line which corresponds to line 2-2 of Figure Figure 3 is a reverse plan view of the device of Figure Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a modification of my invention, which is reversible and is adapted for the treatment of the lingual gum portions 55 of the human mouth;

Figure 6 is a sagittal section through the oral cavity showing the device of Figure 5 in use, the section of the device being taken on line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a plan view of another form of my invention, which is reversible, and is adapted for treating smaller areas of the tooth and gum surfaces;

Figure 8 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevation showing the device applied for treating buccal o gum surfaces of the mandible;

Figure 9 is a frontal section through one side of the oral cavity, on line 9-9 of Figure 8, further illustrating the use of the device of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a plan section of a reversible device similar to that of Figure 8, it being noted that the devices of Figures 8 and 10 are related as rights and lefts;

Figure 11 is a View similar to Figure 8 showing another form of device in use for treatment of 0 the buccal surfaces of the gums of the maxillary;

Figure 12 is a frontal section similar to Figure 9, on line l2l2 of Figure 11; and

Figure 13 is a sagittal section of the mandible illustrating the use of another form of my invention, applied for treating a dry or post-operative alveolus, the device being partly in longitudinal vertical section.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive: The form of my invention comprises a metallic core preferably formed of a thin sheet of copper bent to provide an upright portion- 2 and a horizontal teeth-grip portion 3 which forms with the portion 2 an inside angle A which is preferabls slightly less than a right angle. The

portions

2 and 3 are U-shaped in plan, as shown in Figure 1, to conform generally to the occlusal line of the teeth and to the labial and buccal gum surfaces. The device is reversible to fit either the maxillary or the mandibular portions of the oral cavity.

The horizontal portion 3 is provided in its under side with a groove or valley 5 and on its inner side with a corresponding peak or projection 6. This valley and peak are so related that biting on the element 3 will cause the pledget I2 .or electrode to be forced toward the surface to be treated, and this can be done by giving other contours to the plate or portion 3. The structure just described is adapted for engagement by the teeth substantially in the manner shown in Figure 2, although no limitation is intended by making this statement.

My device, therefore, broadly provides means having a portion adapted to be gripped by the teeth to hold the electrode in operative position,

and such gripping will tend to bring the device to and hold it in operative positon, if desired, under pressure.

To the upright portion 2 is connected a hollow stem Ill also preferably of copper (but it may be of any suitable electrical conducting material) and the upright element 2 is provided at its top with an inwardly extending flange II which, with the

portions

2 and 3, forms a pledget-receiving means, of which part 2 is the electrode with which the pledget |2 (ordinarily saturated with a solution of sodium chloride) is in electrical contact.

The upright portion 2 is the only portion which is exposed, the other copper parts being surrounded by suitable electrical insulating material generally indicated at M. The tubular portion I6 is threaded as at |6 to receive the corresponding threaded plug I! of a coupling device generally indicated at IB, with which the conducting wire IQ of a suitable electrical circuit is connected. Another electrode Hill, of suitable character is applied to another part of the body of the patient to complete the circuit.

The insulation covering the tube It) forms a V handle designated 20 by which the device is thrust into the mouth. The terminals of the U, that is the rear ends of the element 2, and the insulation covering them, is shaped as at 2|, to lessen the vertical height of the inwardmost parts of the implement. It is again noted that the pledget-receiving means and its pledget are held in treating relation with the gums or teeth by biting action.

The structure of the reversible device shown in Figures and 6 is generally like that of Figure 1,

except that the metallic tubular portion 30 merges into or is attached to a plate 3|, and this plate is provided with an upright U-shaped portion 32 (see Figure 5) shaped to conform to the lingual surface of the teeth and gums. The pledget-receiving means or pocket is here faced outwardly instead of inwardly, as in Figure l. The means includes the upright portion 32 and the flange 33, which of course is also U-shaped as shown in Figure 5. The pledget is shown at 34 and it is noted that the inside angle A between the plate 3| and the part 32 is slightly less than a rightangle. The

parts

30, 3|, 32 and33 are covered with suitable insulating material 35. A recess 39 is provided, by the U-shaped contour, into which the tongue may extend, as shown in Figure 6. It will be understood that the device of Figure 6 is reversible, that is, it can be placed either in the 1 position shown in Figure 6 to treat the lingual gum portions of the mandible or it may be reversed to treat lingual gum portions of the maxillary. The tube 30 is provided with threads, not shown, which are similar to the threads l6 of the tube I6 of Figure 2 and a device H3 is used for the conducting connection I9 as in the first case.

The reversible devices of Figures '7 to 12, inclusive, are adapted particularly for treating labial and buccal tooth or gum surfaces of relatively small area. Referring first to Figures 7 and 10, it will be noted that these devices are made in rights and lefts. The device of Figure "I is adapted for treatment of relatively small areas of the left buccal and labial gum portions of the mandible and for the right buccal and labial portions of the maxillary. The device of Figure is adapted for treating relatively small areas of the right labial and buccal portions of the mandible, and the left labial and buccal portions of the maxillary.

Referring first to Figure 9, it will be seen that the device is provided with a plate portion 40 adapted to be gripped by the teeth, and. with an angularly related portion 4| having a terminal flange 42, the general cross-sectional shape corresponding to that of the devices of Figures 2 and 6. The plate 40 has a teeth-receiving depression curved on a line substantially corresponding to the occlusal line of the teeth. and as in the other instances, the pledget-receiving means or pocket is provided by the relation of the elements 4|], 4| and 42. The metal parts are all insulated as at 44, including the tubular handle portion 45, as in the other forms of the invention. In this case, when the device is placed, as shown in Figure 10, biting results in causing the pocket and the pledget therein to be moved toward the gum in the direction of the arrow C. This is a valuable feature for all forms of the invention. It is also noted that the inner angle A between the elements 40 and 4| is slightly less than a right angle.

In Figures 11 and 12 is shown another form of the invention adapted for treating relatively small areas of teeth and/ or gums, in which the pledgetreceiving means, generally indicated at 50, comprises a copper plate 5| having an angularly related horizontal extension 52 which has connected therewith an elongated rather narrow portion 53, see Figure 11, which terminates in a tubular portion 54, both portions 53 and 54 being shown in dotted lines in the figure. The electrode 5| is covered on all but one side with an insulating material indicated at 56 and the elements 53 and 54 are covered with insulating material such as Bakelite indicated at 51.

The opposite surfaces 58-59 of the element 51 are in this case shown parallel, and lines S which are extensions of those surfaces form an angle A of less than 90 with line T, which is an extension of the working surface 60 of element 5|. The element 51 is adapted to be gripped by the teeth, and because of the relation of the surfaces represented by the lines S and T to one another, gripping tends to move the pledget-receiving means and its pledget forcibly into treating relation with the gum as shown. This is a feature which is common to practically all forms of the invention thus far illustrated and is a valuable feature of the invention. Another valuable feature which is claimed is the provision of curved means like those shown at 3| in Figures 5 and 8, which means is gripped by the teeth. In fact, I claim broadly any means having a portion which is adapted to be gripped by the teeth, and to which is attached pledget-receiving means which can be held in operative position by biting on the first mentioned means.

The form of the invention shown in Figure 13 comprises an elongated narrow plate 64 having connected thereto at one end the tubular portion 6|. At the opposite end the plate has a pin 62 adapted to receive pledget 63, and to be introduced into a tooth socket in the manner shown. The entire device with the exception of the pin 63 is suitably electrically insulated as at 65. In this instance, also, the element 64 constitutes means adapted to be gripped by the teeth.

I claim as my invention:

1. An oral treatment device including, means having a portion adapted to be gripped by the teeth andpledget-receiving means mounted on the first means and having an electrode which the pledget contacts, the teeth-gripping portion of the first mentioned means being arranged substantially transversely of the pledget-receiving means, so that after proper placement of the device within the mouth, the teeth-gripping action on said portion moves said receiving means and pledget carried thereby toward and holds them in treating relation with the gum.

2. An oral treatment device including, means having a portion shaped to receive and be gripped by the teeth and pledget-receiving means mounted on the first means and having an electrode which the pledget contacts, the shaped portion of the first mentioned means being mounted at one edge of the pledget receiving means and at an angle thereto, so that after proper placement of the device within the mouth, teeth-gripping action moves said receiving means toward the gum and holds the pledget in treating relation thereto.

3. An oral treatment device comprising, a preformed plate of insulating material having a teeth-receiving depression curved on a line substantially corresponding to the occlusal line of the teeth, pledget-receiving means arranged along one edge of said plate comprising an electrode in part enclosed by insulating material and arranged so as to be in treating relation with the gum when the plate is gripped by teeth engaged in said depression.

4. An oral treatment device including, a preformed base element having thereon a pledgetreceiving element, said elements being so formed and related that when the pledget-receiving element is placed in juxtaposition to the gum, biting action upon the base element accompanied by a transverse movement of the teeth moves said pledget-receiving element toward and holds its pledget under pressure in treating position against the gum,

5. An electrode construction for use in the electro-therapeutic treatment of a cavity such as a tooth socket, comprising a strip of electrically insulated material of length sufficient to protrude from the mouth when gripped between the teeth, an electrical conductor completely embedded in the strip, and a bare electrical pledget-receiving terminal arranged adjacent one end of the strip, transversely thereof, and electrically connected with the conductor embedded in the strip.

WALTER W. BUHSE.