US3465440A - Jaw rest dentures - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 9, 1969 w, GARE|$ 3,465,440

' JAW REST DENTURES Filed March 22, 1967 Richard W. Gare is INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,465,440 JAW REST DENTURES Richard W. Gareis, 1234 W. 11th St., Port Angeles, Wash. 98362 Filed Mar. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 625,230 Int. Cl. A61c 13/00 US. Cl. 32-2 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A set of inexpensive upper and lower dentures made to standard sizes and fitted to the gums of each individual user by a self-curing plastic lining so as to form a temporary rest spacing the gums in order to relieve muscle strain on the jaws.

The present invention relates to a set of dentures adapted to be worn by the user while the regular dentures are either being repaired or soaked for overnight cleaning. Thus, the dentures constructed in accordance with the present invention are to temporarily replace the regular dentures with which the user performs all functions associated with natural teeth. The dentures of the present invention on the other hand are designed merely to space the gums by the proper amount in order to relieve any muscle strain on the jaws that would otherwise occur when the regular set of dentures are removed as well as to maintain acceptable oral appearance for the user.

In accordance with the foregoing objectives, the artificial dentures of the present invention are completely made of a relatively pliable, non-rigid plastic in various standard sizes selected by each individual user in order to accommodate different size gum structures. The dentures are made so as to be relatively inexpensive and are to be distributed along with the ingredients from which a self-curing plastic is formed so as to be placed within the dentures and form a gum contacting lining. The upper and lower dentures made in accordance with the present invention therefore present contacting rest surfaces that engage each other in order to space the gums the proper distance.

These together with other objects and advantages which will be come subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of one of the artificial dentures made in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of a set of dentures installed in the mouth of the user.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the disassembled parts that form a set of dentures in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed that upper and lower dentures generally referred to by reference numerals and 12, are adapted to be installed within the mouth of a person 14 who ordinarily wears a set of dentures. Upon removal of the regular dentures, it will be apparent that the user in maintaining the upper and lower gums 16 and 18 spaced apart, will after a certain period of time strain the mus- Patented Sept. 9, 1969 cles associated with the jaws. The dentures 10 and 12 therefore relieve the muscle strain by maintaining the gums spaced apart the requisite distance as shown in FIGURE 2. The dentures 10 and 12 unlike the regular dentures however, merely serve as a rest and cannot be used for eating purposes. Thus, the dentures 10 and 12 may be fabricated in a relatively inexpensive manner without requiring the precision and exacting method steps associated with the fabrication of regular dentures.

The dentures 10 and 12 include a gum enclosing base portion or body of the usual U-shaped configuration associated with dentures. The gum enclosing portion 20 is however made of a relatively pliable plastic which comes in various standard sizes such as small, medium and large dimensioned to accommodate the range of variation in human gum structure size. In order to fit an individual person, a gum contacting lining 22 is formed internally of the denture from a self-curing plastic that may be mixed from packaged ingredients marketed with the dentures and inserted into the dentures prior to initial use. Also, the plastic material from which the gum enclosing portion 20 of the denture is formed, may be made pink in color similar to the color of the gums.

Associated with each of the dentures 10 and 12 in one constructional embodiment of the invention, is a separate U-shaped tooth portion generally referred to by reference numeral 24 which may be bonded by any suitable cement 26 to the gum enclosing portion 20 of the denture extending peripherally between the rear edges 28 of the denture toward the forward section 30 which is often exposed through the mouth of the user. The tooth portions 24 associated with each of the dentures 10 and 12 present planar rest surfaces 32 which engage each other and are continuous as shown in FIGURE 2. These rest surfaces 32 extend between a smooth, curved inner wall surface 34 and an outer surface 36 by a varying amount so that the width of the rest surface 32 along the front section 30 of the denture is narrowest. Each of the tooth portions 24 may also be colored white and the outer surface 36 provided with teeth simulating indentations 38 in order to provide a pleasant appearance when the user is speaking.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the dentures 10 and 12 may be made very cheaply and purchased by each user with a requisite quantity of self-curing plastic ingredients necessary to form the gum contacting linings 22. The dentures may then be used for the purposes hereinbefore indicated when the regular set of dentures is removed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination a pair of artficial dentures to be temporarily worn for relieving muscle strain associated with the jaws of a person, each of said dentures being made entirely of a relatively pliable plastic having a gum enclosing portion supporting a continuous planar rest surface spaced from the gums, and a gum contacting lining bonded to the gum enclosing portion, said rest surfaces of the dentures engaging each other to space the upper and lower gums from each other.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said planar rest surface is formed by a flat arcuate contact edge of a tooth portion having an outer surface with indentations simulating teeth and a smooth, curved inner surface vari ably spaced from the outer surface to render the contact edge narrowest along an exposed section of the tooth portion.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said tooth portion is bonded to an arcuate supporting surface on the gum enclosing portion of the denture.

4. An artificial denture consisting of a non-rigid, gum enclosing body made only of a pliable plastic having a U-shaped tooth portion presenting a continuous planar rest surface thereon, and a gum contacting lining internally bonded to the gum enclosing portion, said tooth portion having curved inner and outer surfaces variably 4 spaced by said rest surface, said outer surface having tooth simulating indentations formed therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner

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