US3482315A - Traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band - Google Patents

Description

9, 1969 B; F. TOFFLEMIRE 3,

TRACTION INSTRUMENT FOR CLOSED-LOOP DENTAL MATRIX BAND Filed April 14, 1969 ==l iuim I7 A ar a-11m In INVENTOR.

.BE NJAMIN F'- TOIF'F'LEMIRE AT TORNEY United States Patent O 3,482,315 TRACTION INSTRUMENT FOR CLOSED-LOOP DENTAL MATRIX BAND Benjamin F. Totilemire, 41301 Crest Drive, Hemet, Calif. 92343 Filed Apr. 14, 1969, Ser. No. 815,988 Int. Cl. A61c /12 US. Cl. 3263 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A traction instrument for a closed-loop dental matrix band having a transverse bar arranged to be positioned outside of a patients mouth, with a pair of band-actuating arms extending forwardly from the bar and adapted for insertion into the mouth so as to occupy a relatively small space, the arms being pivotally secured to outer portions of the bar. Slotted beaks are provided at the forward ends of the arms for supporting a closedloop matrix band, and a sliding wedge is used for spreading the beaks so as to constrict the loop of the band around a patients tooth, the wedge being made to be advanced and retracted by an operating knob and threaded spindle from a position outside of the mouth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In my United States Patent No. 3,237,307, dated Mar. 1, 1966, for Traction Instrument for a Dental Matrix Band, there is disclosed two pairs of toggle links arranged to provide a substantially diamond shaped frame and an operating spindle for constricting a looped dental matrix band around a patients tooth. However, this frame arrangement must be inserted into the mouth of the patient, which may present discomfort to the patient and is not readily operated by the dentist. Moreover, the wide-arch ing frame of this earlier instrument took up too much operating space within the patients mouth.

SUMMARY As the cardinal object of this invention, it is proposed to provide a traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band having a pair of swingable band-actuating arms adapted for insertion into a patients mouth, these arms having slotted beaks for supporting the band, the beaks being movable into contact with one another so as to occupy very little space in the mouth. These beaks may be spread apart by operating means disposed outside of the patients mouth and consequently not objectionable, and the spreading of the beaks will effect constricting of the band around the patients tooth.

Moreover, great leverage with very little effort on the part of the dentist is required, giving a controlled, gradual and self-locking pull on the matrix band. This is accomplished by a sliding wedge having opposite cam edges bearing against confronting surfaces of the arms, the wedge being advanced and retracted by a threaded spindle and operating knob located exteriorly of the mouth of the patient.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

3,482,315 Patented Dec. 9, 1969 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of my traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band, with the beaks thereof being shown in substantially contacting relation with one another.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating the beaks as being spread apart and constricting the matrix band around a patients tooth.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of one of the band-actuating arms as seen from its inner surface.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along the plane 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of one of the arms provided with a cutter to shear off the band ends after the band is tightened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown a traction instrument indicated generally at A which is adapted for supporting and constricting a closed-loop dental matrix band B around a patients tooth C, as disclosed in FIG. 3. The details of the matrix band are fully shown in my copending application, Ser. No. 778,092, filed in the United States Patent Ofiice on Nov. 22, 1968.

Briefly stated, the matrix band B defines overlapped end portions 10, with a loop 11 adapted to encircle the tooth 'C, and a combined keeper and traction block 12 is used to secure the outer terminal ends of the band together, and a pin or the like 13 extends through the traction block to reinforce attachment of the latter to the band ends and prevent the block from being sheared off when force is applied thereagainst during constricting of the loop 11 about the axial contour of the tooth.

In its structural details, the traction instrument A has a transverse bar 14 arranged to be positioned outside of a patients mouth, and a pair of band-actuating arms 15, extend forwardly from the bar and are adapted for insertion into the mouth, the rear ends of the arms being pivotally secured by journal pins 16 to outer portions of the bar 14.

The arms 15 have beaks 17 at their forward ends which are swingable toward and away from one another when corresponding movements are imparted to the arms. The beaks 17 define slots 18 into which the overlapped end portions 10 of the looped matrix band B may be inserted, with the band loop 11 projecting from one of the beaks for encircling the tooth C, and the other beak being adapted to have the combined keeper and traction block 12 butted thereagainst, whereby the loop will be constricted around the tooth when the beaks are spread apart.

Prior to constricting the loop 11, a band retainingclamp D may be placed over the overlapped band end portions 11 between the proximal beak 17 and the loop of the band. This clamp is more fully shown in my United States Patent No. 3,046,659, dated July 31, 1962. After the band has been properly constricted, the clamp D may be pressed so that it will be firmly anchored to the band ends, and then the traction instrument may be removed and the prepared cavity 19 in the tooth C may be filled to restore the tooth.

It will be noted that a longitudinally-extending spindle 20 is threaded through the bar 14 for turning in either direction by a large knurled operating knob 21, which is disposed outside of the patients mouth and freely accessible to the dentist.

A sliding wedge E has the spindle 20 rotatably anchored thereto by a set screw 22 that enters an annular groove 23 formed in the forward end of the spindle (see FIG. This wedge is disposed between the arms 15 and defines opposite cam edges 24 bearing against confronting surfaces 25 of the arms 15. These cam edges are designed to spread the beaks 17 when the wedge E is advanced and to permit the beaks to move toward one another when the wedge is retracted. In fact, the beaks are removable into contact with each other upon retracting the wedge.

As clearly shown in FIG. 1, the transverse bar 14 and the arms 15 define a triangular configuration when the beaks 17 are moved into contact with one another, with the apex of the triangle defining a relative small angle between the beaks. Resilient means F are provided for urging the beaks toward one another when the wedge E is retracted, and this is the loading position for inserting the matrix band B into the slots 18.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen that the confronting surfaces 25 of the arms 15 are fashioned with longitudinally-extending cam grooves 26 into which the opposite cam edges 24 of the wedge E extend and are guided, with these grooves holding the wedge against rotation when the spindle 20 is turned, whereby the wedge is restricted to rectilineal movements.

The opposite cam edges 24 of the wedge E substantially taper to a point 27 at their forward ends to thus facilitate the initial spreading of the beaks 17 when the wedge is advanced. Moreover, these opposite cam edges define outwardly-bulged segments 28 arranged to spread the beaks 17 further apart when the wedge continues to advance. The wedge has an initial slower caming action and a subsequently faster camming action, the latter being due to the outwardly-bulged segments 28.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the confronting surfaces 25 of the arms 15 in back of the grooves 26 are provided with concave notches 29 into which the outwardly-bulged segments 28 may be accommodated when the wedge E is retracted and the beaks 17 are brought together.

The resilient means F previously mentioned is provided by a channel-shaped leaf spring defining a web 30 and a pair of side flanges 31, the web 30 being disposed in back of the transverse bar 14 and having an opening 32 for passage of the spindle 20 therethrough, the flanges 31 projecting forwardly of the pivots or pins 16 and yieldingly urge the arms 15 toward one another at their beak ends. Each side flange 31 is provided with an inturned finger 33 fitting into a notch 34 in the outer surface of the adjacent arm 15.

The transverse bar has a U-shaped bracket 35 fixed thereto and projecting rearwardly therefrom to provide support for the rear part of the spindle 20 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 3).

The quadrant arch of the teeth is indicated at G in FIG. 3 from which it will be clear that the bar 14 and operating knob 21 are disposed outside of the patients mouth.

Each of the arms 15 may be provided with a cutter H to shear off the band ends adjacent to the clamp D after the band has been tightened. Each cutter H has a cutting slot 36 registerable with a slot 18 in the beak 17, the cutter being jonrnalled by pin 37 to the beak on the outer surface of the latter. The handle 38 may be raised to effect the shearing action.

I claim 1. In a traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band:

(a) a transverse bar arranged to be positioned outside of a patients mouth;

(b) a pair of band-actuating arms extending forwardly from the bar and adapted for insertion into the mouth, the rear ends of the arms being pivotally secured to outer portions of the bar;

(c) the arms having beaks at the forward ends which are swingable toward and away from one another when corresponding movements are imparted to the arms;

(d) the beaks defining slots into which overlapped end portions of a looped matrix band may be inserted, with the band loop projecting from one of the beaks for encircling a tooth, and the other beak being adapted to have a combined keeper and traction block secured .to the band ends butted thereagainst, whereby the loop will be constricted around the tooth when the beaks are spread apart;

(e) a longitudinally-extending spindle threaded through the bar for turning in either direction;

(f) a sliding wedge having the spindle rotatably anchored thereto and being disposed between the arms, the wedge defining opposite cam edges bearing against confronting surfaces of the arms, and the cam edges being designed to spread the beaks when the wedge is advanced and to permit the beaks to move toward one another when the wedge is retracted.

2. The traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band, as set forth in claim 1;

(g) and in which the beaks are movable into contact with one another when the wedge is retracted.

3. The traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band, as set forth in claim 2;

(h) and in which the transverse bar and the arms define a triangular configuration when the beaks are moved into contact with one another, with the apex of the triangle defining a relative small angel between the beaks.

4. The traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band, as set forth in claim 1;

(g) and in which resilient means are provided for urging the beaks toward one another when the wedge is retracted.

5. The traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band, as set forth in claim 1;

' (g) and in which the confronting surfaces of the arms are fashioned with longitudinally-extending cam grooves into which the opposite cam edges of the wedge extend and are guided, with the grooves holding the wedge against rotation when the spindle is turned, whereby the wedge is restricted to rectilineal movements.

6. The traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band, as set forth in claim 5;

(h) and in which the opposite cam edges of the wedge substantially taper to a point at the forward ends thereof to thus facilitate initial spreading of the beaks when the wedge is advanced.

7. The traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band, as set forth in claim 6;

(i) and in which the opposite cam edges of the wedge define outwardly-bulged segments arranged to spread the beaks further apart when the wedge continues to advance.

8. The traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band, as set forth in claim 7;

(j) and in which the confronting surfaces of the arms in back of the grooves are provided with concave notches into which the outwardly-bulged segments may be accommodated when the wedge is retracted and the beaks are brought together.

9. The traction instrument for closed-loop dental matrix band, as set forth in claim 1;

(g) and in which a channel-shaped leaf spring is provided and defining a web and a pair of side flanges, the web being disposed in back of the transverse bar and having an opening for passage of the spindle therethrough, the flanges projecting forwardly of the pivots between the bar and the arms and yieldingly urging the latter to swing toward one another at their beak ends.

10. The traction instrument for a closed-loop dental matrix band, as set forth in claim 9;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT PESHOCK,

Tofllemire 32-63 Thurman 3263 Tofflemire 32-63 Primary Examiner

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