US2056417A - Dental instrument - Google Patents

Description

L. L. BOSWORTH DENTAL INSTRUMENT oo s, 1936.

Filed June 28, 1955 LUTHER LAWRENCE BOSWORTH -INVENTOR ATTORN Y Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNI TED STATES PATENT OFFIQE DENTAL INSTRUMENT Luther Lawrence Bosworth, San Diego, Calif.

Application Junez-28, 1935, Serial .No. 28,907

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a dental ossisector, the primary use of which is to remove .bon-y structure overlying impacted teeth preparatory to extracting them.

To the dental profession the problem of impacted teeth is intensely interesting and of great importance. Heretofore only three methods have been employed in the removal of such teeth; (1) the chisel-and mallet, (2) the surgical drills; and. (3) the hand pressure cutting instruments.

Progress in dental surgery depends 'as much upon improving the instruments employed as upon improved technique. There :has long been felt a need for improving present instruments in .such a manner as to make it possible to cut bone with less pressure, less exertion, and less traumatization of tissue. Also to shorten the time required for operations thus lessening the shock to the patient.

By this invention an instrument is provided whereby an improved and radically different method of operating upon impacted teeth is .rendered possible, but the use of the invention is by no means confined to impacted teeth. Instruments constructed according to the principles of this invention are applicable anywhere in the mouth, and when badlycurved or exostosed roots are found the tooth can be removed intact after these instruments have been used to remove the obstructing tissues. Among the objects attained and advantages securedby the use of the instrument furnished by this invention may be mentioned the following: Local anaesthesia may be used for all types of impactions; a safer control of instruments is ensured; the operatorcan see the field of operation at all times; bony tissure can be more easily removed; very little pressure is required when cutting away the bony structure; less cutting is necessary; ease of operation results with less shock to the patient; there is less trauma and a more rapid recovery; and "there is afforded to the operator greater ease and dispatch in the removal of impacted teeth.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates what is at present deemed to be a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete instrument.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, thru the applicator portion thereof, on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the applicator portion, the plane of section being indicated by situation within the mouth of 'a patien't, the root I of thetooth beingoperated upon and those of adjacent teeth being shown in dotted lines, another of the instruments being similarly shown in readiness to perform the second stage of "the operation.

Fig. 5 is a 'view like Fig. 4 except that other types of instruments, constructed according to the principles of the invention are illustrated "and positioned for difierent cutting operations.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation outlining diagrammatically the applicator portions of a set of instruments differing in design but all constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the applicator portion 5 of the instrument designed as shown-in Figs. 1,2:and-8 is of a somewhat wedgesh'a-ped character and has, extending lengthwise of its face a plurality of longitudinal, angular cutting ridges or blades. By preference and as :shown, these cutters consist of a prominent central "cutter '6, and outer cutter I at each side and a cutter 8 at each side between an outer-cutter 1 and the central tooth 6.

The applicator :portion 5 is joined by means of :an offset neck 11 to a diametrically reduced portion I2 of the tool shank l3,'th'ere preferably being a definite annular shoulder l4 between'the shank portions 12 and 1 3. A transversely extending handle 15 having a fluted central portion [6 is secured to the outer end of the shank 1 3.

Describing more in detail the applicator or cutting portion '5 of the instrument, said portion, as viewed in transverse section, is somewhat convex and preferably smooth along its back side I1, and its opposite side or face is of a serrated, generally convex shape, the side portions being chamfered or flattened at l8. Owing to the downwardly tapering character of the cutting portion '5, each of the five angular cutting ridges thereof, which operates as a knife upon the bone with a shearing action, diminishes downwardly in its cross sectional extent. The central cutting ridge 6 is shown as substantially right angled in cross section, the a greater or less degree of angularity could be used without departing from the spirit of the claimed invention. The cutter ridges I and 8 at each side of the center each have their faces disposed to each other at less than a right angle as viewed in cross section, and perform their cutting or shearing action when the to is rocked as indicated by the arrows above Fig. 2. That is to say, the right hand cutters l and 8 cut when the tool is rocked towards the left, and the corresponding left hand cutters act when the tool is rocked in the opposite direction.

Fig. 4 shows the operative relation of the instrument in relation to an impacted molar tooth 20 to remove the obstructing portion of the bony structure at one side of the crown of the offending tooth to permit the proper application of an elevator thereto. In removing the bony tissue as stated the instrument is operated by a rocking movement during which its cutting surface may be either directed away from or towardthe tooth to be elevated, while its smooth back surface is always directed towards the adjacent tooth instrument used at the beginning of an excavating operation, and (1 shows the position of another instrument substituted for the first in order that this operation may be satisfactorily completed, thereby providing a clearance above and behind the impacted molar, so that it can be raised and extracted.

Altho the invention is illustrate-d in the drawing in an operative relation to impacted teeth, yet it is to be understood that it has a wide range of use in other situations for cutting bone when bone surgery is indicated.

In Fig. 6 is shown a representative set of instruments constructed according to the principles of the invention. These instruments are lettered, from left to right, a, b, c, d, e and a, the instruments a and a differing from each other only in that one is for right, and the other for left hand use. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the use of instruments a, b, d and e. The instrument shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is of a still different design.

In Fig. 6 the letter 12 is applied to the applicator portion of each instrument to designate the toothed or cutting face thereof.

So long as the general shape and arrangement of the cutting or shearing elements remain within the scope of the appended claims, various details thereof may be changed, as skilled workmen may desire, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An instrument of the kind described having an applicator portion which tapers from one end to the other, and a shank joining the larger end of said applicator portion, there being a set of oppositely disposed inwardly directed converging cutting ridges occupying one side or face of said applicator portion which extend lengthwise thereof and progressively diminish in their cross sectional extent away from that end of the applicator portion which is joined to the aforesaid shank, the face of said applicator portion which is occupied by said cutting ridges being of a generally convex character as viewed in cross section.

2. A tool of the kind described having an applicator portion with outwardly convexed opposite faces and a set of converging cutter ridges extending longitudinally of one of said faces, the cutter edges at each side of the medial portion of said applicator portion being directed toward the midwidth thereof.

3. A tool of the kind described having an applicator portion with convexed opposite faces and a plurality, of angular cutter ridges or blades extending lengthwise and slantingly of one of said faces, there being a central cutting ridge which runs longitudinally of the axis of the tool and projects farther than the others, and the slanting cutters at each side of said central cutter substantially converging to a point and having their cutting edges directed towards said central cutter.

4. In an instrument of the kind described, an applicator portion having two oppositely disposed faces each of a convex character, said instrument having a shank portion united to one end of said applicator portion, that end of said applicator portion being the largest and said applicator portion tapering toward its opposite or outer end, and there being a set of correspondingly tapering bone cutting knives or ridges extending lengthwise of one of said convex faces, said knives including a relatively large central knife which shears when the tool is rocked towards either side and cutting knives at each side thereof whose cutting edges are directed towards said central knife.

5. A tool of the kind described, said tool having an applicator or cutting portion comprising two oppositely disposed faces each of which converge toward .a common point, one of said faces constituting a front face and the other constituting a rear face, each of said faces being of a convex character with the rear face of less convexity than said front face, said front face having a plurality of converging cutters at each side of the medial portion of said' applicator which are directed toward the mid-width of the tool.

6. In an instrument of the kind described, an applicator portion having two oppositely disposed faces of diverse convexities, said instrument having a shank portion united to one end .of said applicator portion, that end of said applicator portion being the largest and said applicator portion tapering towards its opposite end, and a plurality of correspondingly tapering inwardly directed knives on one of said faces.

LUTHER LAWRENCE BOSWORTH.

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