US2753461A

US2753461A - Dental X-ray film holder

Info

Publication number: US2753461A
Application number: US271205A
Authority: US
Inventors: Julius M Goldberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-02-12
Filing date: 1952-02-12
Publication date: 1956-07-03
Anticipated expiration: 1973-07-03

Description

July 3, 1956 J. M. GOLDBERG 2,753,461

DENTAL X-RAY FILM HOLDER Filed Feb. 12. 1952 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY DENTAL X-RAY FILM HOLDER Julius M. Goldberg, New York, N. Y.

Application February 12, 1952, Serial No. 271,205

4/ tlllaims. (tCl. 25070) This invention is an improvement in dental X-ray film holder particularly an instrument for supporting sensitive films in the oral cavity of a dental patient and indicating the correct position for the cone of the X-ray apparatus when X-ray pictures are to be taken of the teeth and supporting bones.

An important object of my invention is to provide an instrument of this type having the form of a holder for the film, and bearing a clip to secure the film in place and prevent shifting of the film when the holder is manipulated, and comprising a handle by which the holder can be readily inserted into a patients mouth, and which is so related to the holder when the film is mounted therein that it serves as a guide for the operator in preparing for the exposure.

To produce an accurate shadow image on an X-ray film the proper direction of such rays with reference to surface of the film must be carefully chosen. A further object of my invention is to provide a holder for an X-ray film that will enable an operator always to judge such direction exactly and to proceed accordingly so that he can deliver a perfect shadow picture that can quickly be read to diagnose the condition of the tooth and the part of the jaw bone at the root thereof.

Another object is to provide a holder which is simple and inexpensive in construction, sanitary in use, easy to manipulate and capable of being rigidly held by the patient between his teeth with no discomfort or other inconvenience.

Other objects of the nature and advantages of my invention will appear in the following description. The drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of my improved holder, but variations in details may be made, within the meaning of the terms of the appended claims.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a dental instrument according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 shows the instrument supporting an X-ray film in the mouth of a patient.

In its construction the holder includes a guide in the form of a straight stem or rod 1, affixed to one end of a wedge-shaped block 2 at the thicker end of said block. At the other end of the block 2 is an upward extending inclined rigid plate 3; the angle between the rod 1 and plate 3 being approximately 120 degrees. The rod is parallel or substantially in line with the lower face of the block or member 2 and the upper face of the member 2 is near to a perpendicular position with respect to the plate 3. The rod, block and plate are preferably in one piece.

The plate 3 has a channel 4 in its rear face extending from bottom to top, and seating an adjustable U-shaped retaining clip 5. The plate 3 serves as a back rest for the film 6, which stands with its lower edge in a straight transverse groove 7 between the block 2 and plate 3, and is held at its upper edge by hooks 8 on the clip. The sides 9 of the channel are undercut and States Patent overlap the arms of the clip, and the arms are sprung outward to a slight extent to cause the clip to fit the channel snugly so that accidental displacement of the clip from the plate is prevented. But the clip can slide in the channel and can be moved by hand for adjustment when a film is put into the holder and pushed down till the hooks 8 engage securely with the upper edge of the film 6.

When the fih'n is mounted in the holder and secured by the clip, the plate 3 and film 6 are placed into the mouth of the patient into position behind the tooth to be photographed. The rod 1 is joined to the block 2 at the end 10 which is relatively thick, the upper face 11 of the block and the lower face 12 converging towards the groove 7. Each face has small protuberances l3 thereon in transverse rows; and when the film has reached the desired position, the patient is asked to clamp the block 2 between his teeth 14 to keep it motionless during the exposure. The protuberances 13 prevent the block 2 from slipping. The cone of the X-ray apparatus is indicated at 15 and the direction of the X-ray by the broken line 16.

In practice the instrument can be used to take X-ray pictures of teeth in the upper jaw with the plate 3 extending upward, or in the lower jaw with the plate 3 turned down and under the tongue. In either case the operator disposes the instrument so that the plate 3 is substantially parallel to the tooth. Then the lower side of the cone is held parallel to the rod 1, which is perpendicular to the groove 7 and to the lower edge of the film 6 therein. The inclination of the plate and the configuration of the cone are such that the axis 16 of the cone, which is also the direction of the X-rays emitted from its smaller forward end, is now about perpendicular to the film 6. Thus the picture can be taken to the best advantage and will clearly reveal the condition of the tooth and jaw bone near it.

The cone can easily be maintained with its lower part substantially parallel with the rod 1 during exposure and the true position of the cone relative to the rod is readily ascertained by the eye of the operator without further assistance. This method of proceeding is much superior to the method set forth in my prior patent No. 2,245,945 granted June 10, 1941, which describes a holder that supports a film at an angle to the teeth and requires the cone to be so disposed that the direction of the X-rays is perpendicular to the bisector of said angle. Such a position is too dhfficult to reach with any degree of accuracy and many defective pictures result. The holder of this invention makes the operation of the X-ray apparatus easier and simpler and virtually every exposure will give a picture that is all that can be desired.

As disclosed in my aforesaid prior patent, the backrest plate 3 can be connected to the block 2 so as to be laterally adjustable if desired. The bottom of the block 2 is preferably parallel to the rod 1, and the top inclined, and the groove 4 has a stop 17 in it adjacent the outer end of the plate 3 to prevent detachment and loss of the clip 5. The main difference between the device of this application and that of my above-mentioned patent is that in this case the cone of the X-ray apparatus is parallel at the lower side to the guide rod 1, and can be easily adjusted to this position by the operator, and so held during exposure; while in the device of my above-mentioned patent the axis of the cone of the X-ray apparatus must be visualized and that line adjusted by the eye so as to be in the right position relative to the directing rod. This is difficult to do and errors occur, and poor images often result.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

1. A dental instrument comprising a bite block to be held in the mouth between the teeth, a back-rest plate for an X-ray fllm affixed to one end of said block, a straight rod affixed to the opposite end, and making an obtuse angle with said plate, the instrument having a straight transverse groove at the junction of the block and the plate, the rod being perpendicular to the groove, and a clip adjustably attached to the plate, said block having protuberances on its opposite faces, said clip being U-shaped, the rear face of said plate having a channel with undercut edges to seat the clip adjustably therein, the clip having hooks at its separated ends to retain the film in place on the block.

2. A dental instrument comprising a bite block to be held in the mouth between the teeth, a back rest plate for an X-ray film afiixed to one end of said block, a straight rod afilxed to the opposite end, and making an obtuse angle with said plate, the instrument having a straight transverse groove at the junction of the block and the plate, the rod being perpendicular to the groove, and a clip adjustably attached to the plate, said block having protuberances on its opposite faces, the bottom of the block being substantially parallel to the rod and the top inclined to said rod, said clip being U-shaped, the rear face of said plate having a channel with undercut edges to seat the clip adjustably therein, the clip having hooks at its separated ends to retain the film in place on the block.

3. A dental instrument for taking pictures of teeth in the human mouth, comprising a back-rest plate for supporting an X-ray film, means carried by the plate for holding the film thereon, a wedge-shaped member aflixed to the lower part of said plate to be gripped be- 4 tween the upper and lower teeth to keep the plate and film behind a tooth and substantially parallel thereto, the member being connected along its thinner end to said plate, said member having a lower surface inclined to said plate at an angle of approximately 120 degrees and an upper face approximately perpendicular to said plate, and a straight guide rod throughout its length fixed to the outer thicker end of said member and extending away from said plate and substantially parallel to said lower surface of said member and therefore at the same angle of approximately 120 degrees to said plate, so that the cone of an X-ray apparatus can be maintained with its side adjacent said rod and parallel thereto, and its smaller forward end pointed directly at the middle of said film on the plate to produce a clear image of said tooth.

4. The dental instrument as defined in claim 3, with said member having smaller protuberances in transverse rows on both faces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,405,217 Houser Jan. 31, 1922 1,445,169 Ralph Feb. 13, 1923 1,906,223 Buck May 2, 1933 2,010,281 Van Valkenburg Aug. 6, 1935 2,075,491 Wilson Mar. 30, 1937 2,082,793 De Weal June 8, 1937 2,090,933 Bolin Aug. 24, 1937 2,245,395 Goldberg June 10, 1941 2,392,109 Vlock Jan. 1, 1946 2,476,776 Smathers July 19, 1949