US3205576A

US3205576A - Oral dispensing bands

Info

Publication number: US3205576A
Application number: US105360A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wallshein Melvin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-04-25
Filing date: 1961-04-25
Publication date: 1965-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-14

Description

Sept. 14, 1965 WALLSHEIN ORAL DISPENSING BANDS Filed April 25, 1961 FIG.6

FIG]

00 0 0 OO 00 O00 OOO 000 INVENTOR, MELVIN WALLSHEIN,

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,205,576 ORAL DISPENSING BANDS Melvin Wallshein, 8645 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Apr. 25, 1961, Ser. No. 105,360 8 Claims. (Cl. 32-14) The present invention relates to orthodontic fittings and more particularly to a resilient member which may be an elastic band used in stretched condition toeffect teeth alignment. Such band may be connected, for instance, at one end to a hook on a bracket supporting an upper arch wire in a patients mouth and at its other end to a hook on a bracket supporting a lower arch wire. This is usually referred to as an intermaxillary elastic installation. Other adaptations are intramaxillary and intramandibular, all well known in orthodontic procedures.

The principal object of this invention is to have said elastic member serve as the dispenser to the saliva in the mouth, of a soluble substance which may have anesthetic, medicinal, soothing or taste value as would be offered by anti-caries, stannous fluorides, benzocaine, sweeteners, scents and the like.

Another object thereof is to provide novel and improved elastic member constructions whose expansion and contraction caused by the working of the jaws or by tongue movements will produce a dispensing result of increased and then decreased exposure to saliva action, of the preparation of said member caries.

A further object thereof is to provide novel and improved elastic member constructions to cache and hold bits of chewing gum, nuts and the like, which will indicate to the dentist that the patient did chew things which were forbidden during orthodontic treatment.

Another object of this invention is to provide elastic members of the character described, which are reasonable in cost and eflicient in carrying out the purposes for which they are designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

Upon the installation of the orthodontic appliance of the type set forth and for some time thereafter, the patient experiences a sensitiveness in the mouth which should be stilled. The application of any of the various reagents for this purpose is offered by the present invention in the elastic member itself.

The gist of this invention is based on my discovery that if the elastic is impregnated, coated or otherwise made to carry a supply of medicinal or other preparations as herein mentioned and taught, such substances will be more exposed to assimilation by the saliva in the mouth and thus applied to the gums and teeth in the orthodontic uses set forth, upon the expansion of the resilient element than when said element is contracted. More surface area of the resilient member is exposed during expansion thereof than when contracted and hence more substance carried thereby is subjected to saliva action when spread out by the expansion of the elastic member. The expansion and contraction, respectively, offer successively an increased solution action followed by a lag in the dispensing of the carried substance, and thus makes the preparation effective over an extended period of time. I also suggest other agents to increase the desired retardation in solution effect, to be added to said preparations where compatible, as for instance gum tragacanth or a combination of lactose in alcohol.

For the practice of this invention, said preparations may be incorporated in the elastic by impregnation of the rubber mass during its manufacture, by dipping or coating or by making deposits thereon of powdered masses in gum tragacanth as a vehicle, for instance, for sodium or am- 3,205,576 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 monium saccharin, cinnamon, aspirin or of scented or flavored granules.

I have also provided various constructions for the elastic member which may be in the form of a band, filament or narrow tape and which offer caches for the deposit or retention of the preparation chosen.

For further explanation of this invention, I will now refer to the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification, in which drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the upper and lower teeth in a mouth, each set having a bracket supported arch wire thereabout respectively. A tensed rubber band is spanned between a hook on a bracket on a forward upper tooth and another hook on a bracket on a rear lower tooth; such installation being well known in orthodontia. The elastic element serves in this invention, as a dispenser to the saliva in the mouth, of a preparation of the categories mentioned.

FIG. 2 is a perspective fragmentary view showing an elastic element of modified construction.

FIGS. 3, 5 and 7 are fragmentary perspective views of other forms of elastic structure taught herein, for use in this orthodontic procedure as intramandibular, intramaxillary or intermaxillary elastics. These views show the several elastics in contracted condition.

FIGS. 4, 6 and 8 are similar views showing the elastics of FIGS. 3, 5 and 7 respectively, in expanded condition.

FIG. 9 is a top plan fragmentary view of perforated elastic band material which is another embodiment.

In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates an arch wire about the upper teeth 16in a mouth, supported by brackets which are tooth-borne as at 17 and 18, while the numeral 19 denotes an arch wire about the lower teeth 20, supported by similarly mounted brackets as at 21 and 22.

A hook 23 is provided on the bracket 17 and another hook 24 is provided on the bracket 22. These hooks are spanned by a rubber band 25, which is in some stressed condition when the mouth is closed. This manner of installation is a well known orthodontic practice.

The resilient element 25 which is of course capable of expansion and contraction, is made to carry a supply of saliva-soluble preparation of the nature previously discussed or some granular form which can be carried along with the saliva to the teeth and gums. Many rubbers are rough in their surfaces as shown at 26 or may be molded to be so. This roughness acts to intercept granular content in any preparation applied by dipping or brushing. Or the element may be molded with shallow sockets as 27 to act as caches for such material. Another manner is shown at 28 where the resilient member 29 has a layer of sponge or foam rubber 30. Or the rubber member may have transverse slits 31 as caches which open into channels 31' when the element is expanded and keep enlarging as expansion continues, but close again as in FIG. 5, upon contraction or become nearly closed because the band is under some stress even when the mouth is closed in order to perform its aligning function. It is evident that the elastic element of whichever construction it may be, will expand and contract during mouth movements which occur during talking and chewing.

When the elastic element 32 stretches, the shallow sockets 27 will expand to present larger surface areas as at 27 and thus spread out their content. Upon contraction, the condition will again be as in FIG. 3 and the content is sort of gathered in. When the elastic element 33 expands, the crevices caused by the roughness 26 will expand as indicated at 26' and thus cause a spreading of the preparation carried thereon. Upon contraction, the preparation content will be sort of gathered.

We may note that when the elastic element carries a preparation as herein taught, the expansions and contractions of said element will effect a sort of pump-like action therein to sort of ooze out substance to the elastics surface upon expansions and to minimize such action upon contractions.

'Another embodiment of this invention is to have the elastic porous as is indicated by the perforated elastic of FIG. 9 as one form therefor to increase absorption and retention of any desired preparation. In fact on the elastic member 29, an elastic absorbent layer 30 is shown in the embodiment indicated generally by the numeral 28, which layer may be of sponge rubber. 7

With all of these constructions including the one where the elastic element is impregnated, I take advantage of getting more of the preparation exposed to saliva action during expansions, to cause a spreading of the preparation. During contractions, there will be a lag in such action because of the lesser surface area then exposed and the resulting confining of the preparation on the elastic element. This attains a prolongation of the supply of the medicinal or other preparation initially applied to the said element.

When the preparation is applied unto the elastic element either by impregnation, dipping, brushing. or the like, the preparation may be defined as a coating thereon and such notation is used in the appended claims to include all such conditions. In applying the preparation, it is advisable that it be done while the elastic is held stretched to get a bigger supply thereon and especially so when the preparation contains a gum content so that in subsequent expansions and contractions, the dried gum can follow them by its own expansions and contractions.

The caches offered by the shallow sockets 27, the closingrchannels 31, the perforations 34 and the cellular structure 30 would catch and retain certain food particles as of chewing gum, nuts and the like and upon examination of the patients mouth, the dentist may discover the presence of such foreign matter which are usually of things forbidden the patient during orthodontic treat ment. The patients misgivings can thus be discovered and brought to his attention.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein shall be deemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In an orthodontic system consisting of two tooth bands, hooks secured one on each of said bands, and an elongated elastic element mounted on and spanning said hooks, the improvement being a salvia-soluble preparation carried by said elastic element, said element being porous and accommodating said preparation.

2. In an orthodontic system consisting of two tooth bands, hooks secured one on each of said bands, and an elongated elastic element mounted on and spanning said hooks, the improvement being a salvia-soluble preparation impregnated in said elastic element.

3. In an orthodontic system consisting of two tooth bands, hooks secured one on each of said bands, and an elongated elastic element mounted on and spanning said hooks, the improvement being that a surface of said band has coating-carrying depressions therein, and a salivasoluble preparation in said depressions.

4. An orthodontic system. as defined in claim 3, wherein said depressions are slits.

5. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 3, wherein said depressions are shallow sockets.

6. The orthodontic system as defined in claim 3, wherein said surface of said elastic element is roughened whereby said depressions are provided.

7. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 3, wherein said surface of said elastic element is porous at least in part.

8. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 3, wherein said elastic element is perforated whereby said depressions are provided.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Safiir 32-5 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. MORGAN, Examiner.

Claims

1. IN AN ORTHODONITIC SYSTEM CONSISTING OF TWO TOOTH BANDS, HOOKS SECURED ONE ON EACH OF SAID BANDS, AND AN ELONGATED ELASTIC ELEMENT MOUNTED ON AND SPANNING SAID HOOKS, THE IMPROVEMENT BEING A SALVIA-SOLUBLE PREPARATION CARRIED BY SAID ELASTIC ELEMENT, SAID ELEMENT BEING POROUS AND ACCOMMODATING PREPARATION.