US2569844A - Dental instrument construction - Google Patents

Description

951 A. BEIRYLIINER f 2,569,844

DENTAL INSTRUMENT CONSTRUCTION Filed July 28, 1948 INVENTOR QBRQHHM .BERILINER ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1951 DENTAL INSTRUMENT CONSTRUCTION Abraham Berliner, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Gollobin Dental 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application July 28, 1948, Serial No. 41,032

6 Claims.

This invention relates to dental instrument constructions, and more particularly is directed to self limiting epithelial scalpels for use in cutting or slicing definite thickness of gum tissue and removing epithelial attachment in periodontal surgical treatments.

Among the objects of the invention is to improve dental instrument constructions of the character described which shall be simple in construction, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which shall not require extraordinary digital skill or adequate instrumentation, which shall provid improved means for the general practitioner to give said surgical periodontal treatment equal to specialists, which shall eliminate lacerations and shredding of the soft gum tissues of the region under treatment, which shall be shaped and constructed to preclude possible complete incision of the soft Wall of a pocket under treatment which shall be self limiting in cutting or slicing predetermined thickness of tissue and permit removal of epithelial attachment at the apical area of a pocket expeditiously with great ease and under maximum control to provide an environment most conducive to functional repair, and which shall be eflicient and practical to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. The

invention accordingly consists of features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of the application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which is shown one possible illustrative embodiment of this invention.

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a guru region showing tooth, undergoing periodontal treatment with a portion of a scalpel constructed. to embody the invention in effective position for slicing a predetermined thickness of the gum tissue of a pocket.

Fig. 2 is a cross section view taken on lines 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a complete instrument constructed to embody the invention, portions of which are shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from line 44 in Fig. 3, showing a front side of the cutting blade and guards therefor.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the blade and guards of the instrument shown in Fi 4.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detailed cross sectional views taken on lines 6-6 and l1, respectively, in Fig.

4, and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing in detail the blade and guard end of the improved instrument shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7.

It has been found in that branch of the practice of dentistry, known as periodontology, that one of the primary local aggravating factors conducive to periodontal disease is the accumulation of subgingival debris and deposits of foreign mat-- ter on and around the neck of the crown and roots of teeth. Such accumulation manifests its presence by degeneration of the normal epithelial tissue and the formation of a pathological periodontal pocket which generally require surgical treatment.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2 tooth structure T represents one example of a typical tooth formation shown undergoing periodontal treatment, having an exposed cap top portion or crown C, a neck portion N extending about the tooth T just below the crown C in the region of the gum or gingival line L-L, and a root R of tooth T which extends, down from said neck portion N in through the gum or gingiva G to terminate in apex A at the lower end of the tooth T. In an aggravated case there may be found a pathological periodontal pocket P formed in the subgingival region along the tooth root surface R.

As seen from the drawing, 20 denotes a dental instrument constructed to embody the invention for use in removing by cutting a definite thickness of degenerated epithelial tissue found lining said pocket P and removing the epithelial attachment at the apical area of pocket P to provide an environment most conducive to functional repair and return the surrounding tissues into a healthy normal state free from pockets P.

Said instrument or scalpel 20 may be made in the conventional manner as a single steel structure, or as here shown, may comprise an elongated handle 2| made of any suitable material, such as plastic, monel metal, stainless steel, brass or steel, polished or chrome plated, having an end holder Zia, the exterior surface Zlb of which may be knurled and provided, with grooves to serve as a frictional, nonslip finger gripping means. Said holder 2| a may have an axial tapered bore 2| 0 into which is fitted to conform and firmly seat tapered end 22a of a tool 22 having a business end portion 22b for said instrument 2!).

Said tool end portion 221) may be made of a suitable material such as tempered steel, polished or plated, having a knife blade 23 terininati ng an intermediate shank portion 220 which extends from said tapered end 22a, said blade 23 serving as a slicing, cutting and piercing means for readily removing a predetermined thickness of sliced tissue S from soft walls of pockets P and removal of the epithelial attachment of the apical area E of pocket P in the manner hereinafter 'describedi'.

Knife blade 23 may be-of the double edge type? made with elongated substantial fiat or relatively slightly convex front and convex rear sides, 23a; and 23b, respectively, that is,.having. peripheral. cutting edges 23c formed with a con'cavedor arcuate shaped leading or tip. end 23d. Said blade; 23 may be formed to have a.slightitap.er'sfrom shank portion 220 longitudinall inthe direction of the tip end edge 23d. The latter may be made. by grinding a shallow concaved section 2316 on front side 23a so that the cutting edge at the leading end 23d may be made extremely sharp, asshowniin'F-igs. iand 5.

Shank. portion 220* from which blade 23.- ex-- tends, may be so constructed and arranged to: givea-degree of rigidity for transferring the fingerpressure; exerted on handle surface 21b,- to the blade .23. Said finger--pressuretransmitted torthe blade23 thus permits theblade 2-3 to .be depressed into the tissue forming softwall Sof pocket. P' for initiating the cutting and slicing thereoflso that, manipulation of. instrument 2!] can take place through feeling and requires. a

minimum-digital skill.

231i integrallyformed therewith. Saidguards 23f each may'beelongated and have an end 23g interconnectedthrough an offset 2th, to extend from. said blade inner portion 23c. and having blunt. free end 23yv terminating short of blade leading end 23d.

Saidguardmeansfij, as seen. from Figs. Land 5., lie. in. a plane substantially parallel to and spacedfrom longitudinal aXis of blade23, facing saidlfront side 23a,,said guards 23f, being a thin flattenedstructure formed with smoothly rounded edges.- and positioned to extend. abovev the spaced. knife cutting edges 230 a distance corresponding tdthe-desired thickness of thesliceof tissue, wall S1201 be removed- The width of each guard 23] when. formed in a pair may be sufficiently ex. tendedlaterally outward andinward With respect to the length of knife edges 230 to shield the latter, and are thusshaped and positioned. with respect to. the blade. cutting edges 23c that only. a. definite thickness? of degenerated epithelial tissue forming lining of. the pathological periodontal pooketficambe removed during instrumentation and precluding the. possibility of complete inci-- sion.of thesoft. wallof pocket P through its en-- tire thickness and. otherwise eliminating laceration and shredding of soft tissue, as is clear. from Eigszland 2..

.Blade; leading" end. ZSe shaped with concave section. 23k onthefront side. 23anconforms with. the curvature of. theroot surface Roi tooth T,,

' and hasa keen sharp edge for piercing. or severing.

andremoving the epithelial attachment. at the apicalarea E thereby leaving a fresh corium that yields. a clean blood clot, the. organization of. which ismandatory for repair of pocketP under treatment. r

'. Instrument. 20. may. be made with; offset; hank.

;. blade leading end, said guard memberseachrbeportion 220 shaped to accommodate and facilitate reachin pockets P that may be present about differently shaped teeth crowns and roots that are being given periodontal treatments. Two instru ments 2!] with different offset shank portions 22 will generally be found sufiicient for use on'usual treatments of this kind.

I Inxpracticing the invention, with a suitably off= set-instrumentillll constructed as described above, let it be assumed that tooth T, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is to be given periodontal treatment, said tooth T having. a slight ingival recession forming'pocket P; If acalculus mass is present and adheres tothe. toothroot R such mass is first removed-'byplaningto leave the tooth root surface R. clean and. smooth, using instruments in the" manner described. in my copending application Ser: No. 41,031, now Patent No. 2,552,134 granted May. 85.1951, filed herewith. V

Instrument 20 is then' inserted into pocket P until-the leadingend.23d. bears against and. cuts the-epithelial; area E. in the apical of pocket B... By pressing the convex side 23b of. the. blade 2? against the degenerated. epithelial. tissue. found; lining the. pathological. periodontal pocketP and manipulatin the instrument 20 laterally,.a selflimiting slice-Scan. be'cut away by blade, edges 23c-and removed. without otherwise lacerating or shredding.- the remaining soft tissue, and. preclude. allpossibility of complete incision of the soft wall of. the pocket through its entire thickness. Thelcutting and removing of'the epithelial attachment in the. apical area and the degenerated. epithelial tissue leaves. a. fresh corium. and yieldsaclean blood clot which. adheres to the scaled. and planederoot surface R, thereby providing. anenvironment most conducive to functional repair of .the treated pocket P.

Ithas been found"v in practice that-for general useblade 23; may be from. 9 to 10 mm. in length and the self-limiting of the thickness of epithelial. tissue removed should. be that which passes between. the. guardmeans 23'), the blade 23 when. spaced. from 0.5 to 0.7 mm., therefrom, and the guard means.2'3f extending from 1.0 to 1.5 mm. short ofthe. extreme end 23d of'the blade23.

Theguardmeans 23], whenprovided as a spaced pair. ofmembers describedabove instead of being asingle structure permits, ready cleaning and gives. an. unobstructed view of theoperatingfield.

It.is. thusv seen, therefore, that there isprovided. an. improved dental. instrument in which. the; objects. of the invention are achieved. and' whicharewell adapted to meet. all conditions of 1 technical and practical use.

Asvarious possible embodiments may be made inthe. above. invention for use for different punposes and as various changes mightbe. madein. the embodiment. setforth, it is. understood that all. theabove matters here. set forth are shown in.

theaccompanying drawing are to be interrupted;

as.illustrative. andnot in a limiting sense;

Havingthusdescribed my invention,.I claim as jacentthe handle, said. guard members being. offset in parallel alignment withrespect to-ope! positely positioned cutting edge portions of said blade. and terminating in free; ends short ofsaid.

ing uniformly spaced from the adjacent portion of the cutting edge to provide self-limiting means for predetermining thickness of slices of tissue to be cut on effective manipulation of the instrument, said blade having a convex surface on a side thereof opposite said guard members.

2. A dental instrument having a handle, an elongated relatively flat blade extending from said handle formed with a cutting edge along the entire periphery thereof including a leading end, and spaced apart guard members integrally formed with a portion of said blade adjacent the handle, said guard members being offset in parallel alignment with respect to oppositely positioned cutting edge portions of said blade and terminating in free ends short of said blade leading end, said guard members each being uniformly spaced from the adjacent portion of the cutting edge to provide self-limiting means for predetermining thickness of slices of tissue to be cut on effective manipulation of the instrument, said blade having a convex surface on a side thereof opposite said guard members and a concaved section at the leading end beyond said guard members.

3. A dental scalpel blade having spaced cutting edges joined for continuation along the periphery of the blade by an intermediate leading end cutting edge, and guard means projecting from the blade at the portion thereof terminating said cutting edges, said guard means extending in spaced relation from said cutting edges and havin a free end reaching short of said leading end cutting edges for controlling the thickness of tissues to be sliced on effective manipulation of the blade, said blade having a convex side opposite that facing said guard means.

4. A dental scalpel blade having spaced cutting edges joined for continuation along the periphery of the blade by an intermediate leading end cutting edge, and guard means projecting from the blade at the portion thereof terminating said cutting edges, said guard means extending in spaced relation from said cutting edges and having a free end reaching short of said leading end cutting edges for controlling the thickness of tissues to be sliced on effective manipulation of the blade, said blade leading end having a concaved region beyond the uard means and a convex side opposite that facing said guard means, said blade being tapered in thickness in a direction toward said leading end cutting edge.

5. A dental scalpel blade having spaced cut ting edges joined for continuation along the periphery of the blade by an intermediate leading end cutting edge, and guard means projecting from the blade at the portion thereof terminating said cutting edges, said guard means extending in spaced relation from said cutting edges and having a free end reaching short of said leading end cutting edges for controlling the thickness of tissues to be sliced on effective manipulation of the blade, said blade havin a convex side opposite that facing said guard means, and being tapered in thickness in a direction toward said leading end cutting edge,

the latter having an arcuate shaped contour.

6. A dental scalpel blade having spaced cutting edges joined for continuation along the periphery of the blade by an intermediate leading end cutting edge, and guard means projecting from the blade at the portion thereof terminating said cutting edges, said guard means extending in spaced relation from said cutting edges and having a free end reaching short of said leading end cutting edges for controlling the thickness of tissues to be sliced on effective manipulation of the blade, said blade havin a convex side opposite that facing said guard means, said guard means being integrally formed with the blade and oifset as parallelly spaced apart portions with each of said portions extending laterally beyond said spaced cutting edges to shield the latter, the leading end cutting edge being made with an arcuate shaped contour.

ABRAHAM BERLINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,354,139 Shaw Sept. 28, 1920 1,899,489 Wickbergh Feb. 28, 1933 2,211,952 Kelly Aug. 20, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 266,613 Great Britain Aug. 26, 1926 OTHER REFERENCES Hu-Friedy: Immunity Steel; Catalog (recd Nov. 13, 1929), page 78, item on right side of page, and page 40, item 3.

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