US1818146A - Gum massaging device - Google Patents

Description

J. A. MAKER Gum MASSAGING DEVICE Aug. 11, 1931.

Filed Feb. 2, 1925 gnvwntoz Patented Aug. 11, 1931 JOHN A. MAKER, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA GUM MASSAGING DEVICE,

Application filed February My present invention relates to a method of physical culture and device for accomplishing same, and particularly to such a A method of and device for the maintenance-of 5 healthy conditions in the human mouth; the

latter being the principal object of the invention.

Another object and advantage of the novel technique and device is the accomplishment ofsuch healthful culture by the manipulation of the subjects jaws as for example in the act of biting, chewing, or other movement thereof.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the further description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective View looking intoone of the exercising matrices or cups;

Figure 2 is a similar view of a pair of the matrices or cups having a vibrating plate between same;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section of a tooth and adjacent gums showing the relative position of one of the exercising cups as applied thereto, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one form of vibrating plate to be used in conjunction with the cups.

The beneficial results to the human body derived from the practice of physical culture are well known, and the same as applied to the human mouth is fully appreciated by specialists in the art of dentistry.

To obtain best results in carrying out the instant invention, it becomes essential to not only treat each patient or subject individually, but to prepare the device for such treatment individually. To accomplish this, one or more matrices or cup-like exercises such as illustrated at 1 and 2 are made for the individual subject.

This may be accomplished in any desired manner such for example as taking impressions of the teeth and adjacent gums of the subject, making a casting preferably for each jaw from said impressions for example 2, 1925. Serial No. 6,404.

of plaster of Paris, or the like; then removing from the castings thus made material to preferably form a continuous concave groove in that part of the casting representing the gum and in close proximity to the line of same with the teeth so that the ultimate exercising cup, formed from the casting, will carry a slightly protruding portion wherever such removals have beenmade, either in the form of a continuous groove or a plurality of individual spots. This protruding portion or portions are illustrated at 3 in the drawings and are for the purpose of provid ing means whereby abnormal frictional contact and compression are caused intermediate of the cup and that portion of the mouth thus contacted when the exerciser is being used. That is to say if the cup'or cups were made a perfect fit in the mouth, any biting effect thereupon when placed within the mouth would not produce the desired massaging or culture'of the gums, but, as is obvious, if the cups are made to abnormally frictionally engage the gums, (the extent of which abnormality may be controlled as experience dictates), the moment pressure is brought upon the cups as for example by the act of biting, the gumswill be slightly compressed or indented, and the desired result obtained.

It is possible thatother ways of increasing the tightness of fit of the cups may be resorted to for example by'reducing the size of the impressions with coatings of shellac or the like sothat when the ultimatev cup is formed will be slightly smaller than the CliHIGHSiOHS OfthG mouth and a roughened condition of the gum engaging surface for best frictional and compression results accomplished in some other way without departing from the spirit of the invention.

These cups I prefer to form of rubber of a yieldable consistency approximately equal or somewhat less ieldable than the gum tissue, and if desired the main body portion of the cup may be reinforced as by a more rigid layer or' covering of rubber, indicated at 4c in Figure 3, or, if proven desirable this reinforcement may be of some light material as for example aluminum or the like, so as to insure more positive massaging action.

In Figure 3 I have shown the outer or reenforcing member 4 as being faced with a more yieldable tread surfacing as at 5 for engagement either with the teeth of the opposing jaw in the event of but a single cup being used or with a like facing on the opposing cup when a pair are used. This facing of soft rubber is provided particularly to avoid possible unpleasant sound as well as sensation of the intermittent engagement of the harder surfaced material. of which the reinforcing member may be made, and particularly so if the same be of metal.

IVhen either one or .a pair of these massaging or culture cups are placed in the mouth from which they were made and repeated biting or gnawing action resorted to, a most thorough and ideal massaging of the gums results.

If it becomes desirable to augment this action as for example in special cases of diseased conditions of the mouth a more penetrating vibratory effect may be produced by placing a horseshoe shaped metal member indicated at 6 in Figure i of the drawings intermediate of a pair of cups and having the patient firmly bite said vibrating member when any desired form of vibrator may be attached to the stem 7 formed integral with the shoe 6 whereby a more thorough agitation of the gum tissue and teeth may be acis well known, is the stimulation of blood flow and nerve energy in the tissue resulting in normal mouth hygiene.

The vibrating plate 6 is provided with marginal flanges 8 to insure proper registering thereof with the cups and in lieu of such flanges the plate might be corrugated or otherwise roughened to prevent its slipping about when being used in the mouth.

It is further evident that when desirable any form of medicine or dentifrice considered beneficial when applied to the mouth may be most conveniently and e liicaciously accomplished by first applying same to the cups and when the latter are put into the mouth and manipulated as above described every iota of surface in and about the teeth and gums is treated, thus producing an extremely efficient massaging tooth brush.

Furthermore in the forming of the improved culture cups it is to be noted that other phases of mouth defects may be improved by resorting to careful registration of the facial dimensions, bite, etc., of the subject, and forming the cups in accordance with well known scientific rules, such for example as gained by the use of Monsons or other like articulators so that if any one or more teeth produce inlished, the principal object of which as ,7 correct articulatiop the same will be recorded in the cups and if they are correctly' formed to comply with the scientifically correct delineation in accordance with the individual face dimensions, will, when used in the mouth, tend to correct the abnormality.

WVhile I have shown and described means for taking exact impressions of an individual mouth so that the cups when applied thereto will fit perfectly, it is apparent that somewhat satisfactory results may be accomplished by using an approximately correctly formed resilient cup, such, for example, as might be previously prepared in various sizes for such purpose.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have produced a novel method of and device for physically cultivating a healthy condition in the human mouth, and, having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A device of the character described comprising a pair of U-shaped exercising cups having flat cooperatively engageable faces, and a U-shaped vibrating plate for engagement intermediate of the cups.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature.

JOHN A. MAKER.

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