A dental care device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dental care device comprising a cheek retractor 99 that has a plurality of indication loci 10. The indication loci are adapted to accept removable indicators 1, 2, 3 and may be provided as holes in a front face (21, Fig 1) of the cheek retractor, in two opposed arcs separated by spaces (20, Fig 1) corresponding to the mouth corners in use. The indicators may comprise different shaped front sections and / or may be different colours. The indicators may be used to identify gaps between teeth and provide an indication of the size of interdental brush (300, Fig 8) required for cleaning the corresponding space. A plurality of colour coded interdental brushes may be provided alongside the dental care device.

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dental care device, in particular a device for aiding in dental care; more particularly a device for aiding in selection of correct dental tools for flossing according to teeth gap. Background In many societies it has become increasingly common to recognise the importance of flossing in proper dental care. However for many people it can be difficult to floss as the gaps between their teeth may be problematic. As a result there are many different styles and sizes of tools for flossing. However it may be difficult to know which to use and where. Prior Art US 2018 0 228 359 (MEYER et al) discloses a cheek retractor, comprising: a first lip holder including first imaging markers, wherein each imaging marker of the first imaging markers is located a predefined distance from the remaining first imaging markers; a second lip holder including second imaging markers, wherein each imaging marker of the second imaging markers is located a predefined distance from the remaining second imaging markers; and a bridge connecting the first lip holder and the second lip holder; wherein: the first lip holder and the second lip holder are configured to hold a cheek away from a mouth of a user to expose teeth of the user; and the first imaging markers and the second imaging markers are a predetermined size and are configured to determine the scale of the teeth of the user. KR 101 924 578 (CHOE et al) discloses a device to accurately acquire an image of the interior of the mouth of a subject for precise placement of an implant, the present invention provides a dental retractor, which comprises: a pulling base part inserted between the outer side of the gum of the subject and the inner surface of lips and extended into an arch type profile corresponding to the outer side part of the gum of the subject in order for the overall outer surface of the gum of the subject to be exposed as soft tissues inside the oral cavity are pulled outwardly and constrained; and a grip part extending radially outwardly from a connection region spaced to either side of both ends about a central part of the pulling base part. US 6 988 893 (HAYWOOD) discloses a dental appliance that facilitates the retraction of a patient's cheek when the user installs the appliance in the patient's mouth and pulls the appliance outward, the dental appliance comprising: a plurality of support members longitudinally extending between working and non-working ends; a plurality of connection members extending between, substantially perpendicular to and coupled with the support members; whereby the user of the dental appliance grasps a portion of one of the plurality of support or connection members to direct the insertion of the working end portions of the dental appliance into the mouth of the patient in order to facilitate retraction of the cheek of the patient. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a dental care device comprising a cheek retractor and a plurality of indication loci, the loci arranged to accept removable indicators. In some embodiments of the device the cheek retractor comprises a resiliently deformable material, so as to comfortably be accommodated in a user’s mouth. In some embodiments of the device the cheek retractor is formed in injection moulded silicone for example, being sterile, robust and easy to clean. In some embodiments of the device the cheek retractor comprises a front face, and an orthogonally extending wall, which wall may be envisaged to extend into the mouth where the front face covers the lips. In some embodiments of the device the front face provides a continuous curvature into the wall, and the wall may comprise a return lip. In some embodiments of the device the loci comprises holes in the front face, into which holes the indicators are placed in use. In some embodiments of the device the cheek retractor is circular or ovaloid and / or capable of being made into this shape in use. In some embodiments of the device the loci are provided in two opposed arcs, for example so as to correspond when in the mouth to the upper and lower teeth. There may be a space between the arcs to aid in proper alignment when placed in the mouth In some embodiments of the device therefore the arcs are separated by blank spaces corresponding to a mouth corners in use. In some embodiments of the device the indicators comprise a front section and a rear section, joined by an indented middle portion, such that the indicators may be held in the loci by the middle portion. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a plurality of indicators which comprise a plurality of different shaped front sections or colours. In this way a dental professional may be enabled to make more detailed indication in use, so as to for example designate a problem area or similar. It may be envisaged that some indicators may comprise a writeable surface. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus comprising a device substantially as described herein and a plurality of indicators. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided such a device and a plurality of interdental brushes, which may be colour coded. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus comprising a travel case. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which: Brief Description of Figures Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the device shown with all loci filled with indicators; Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment of the device and indicators shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a reverse exploded isometric view of the embodiment of the device and indicators shown in Figure 1; Figures 5 show isometric views of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; Figures 6 show isometric views of the embodiments of the indicators shown in Figure 1; Figure 7 shows a isometric views of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1with the loci partially filled with indicators; and Figure 8 shows the embodiment o the device as shown in Figure 1, in a storage and transport case, with dental tools. Detailed Description of Figures With reference to the figures there is shown an embodiment of a dental care device 199 generally comprising a cheek retractor 99 with a plurality of indication loci 10, the loci arranged to accept removable indicators 1,2,3. In particular reference to the pictured embodiment the embodiment comprises an retractor that is an annular ring of inelastic plastic or resiliently deformable material such as silicone or polyethylene. The ring has a substantially flat front face 21, which in use may be envisaged to be coplanar, covering and surrounding the lips. In this way the front face may be envisaged to provide a guide to positions of the teeth, when the cheeks are retracted. In this way the device may be used to mark the teeth in situ, such that a user may subsequently recognise the teeth, or more particularly gaps between the teeth, and associated dental tool. In particular it may be envisaged that the device is ovaloid or circular as pictured, so as to replicate the shape of a mouth, such that it may be easy to reflect the mouth shape with the cheek retractor, both in use and after use, when used as a guide for the teeth or gaps or tools. This front face has a plurality of perforations 10 in it to provide the loci for the indicators in use, which pass through the ring entirely from one surface of the front face to the opposed surface in an axis that may be envisaged to be towards the throat in use. The ring further provides the cheek retractor, whereby the front face of the ring curves to continue into an orthogonally extending wall 22, which wall is used to hold the cheeks out or lips out of the way. The wall terminates in a returned lip 23. The curvature ensures that the device is comfortable in use, whereby the mouth of the wearer is stretched out of the way and grips around the lip 23 to the underside of the curvature between the wall 22 and the front face 21. The front face 21 extends from the curvature into a wide flat band, such that the loci are easy to see and not prone to displacement in use. The loci 10 are arranged into a top arc and a bottom arc, wherein the top arc is arranged in use to correspond to the upper teeth and the bottom arc in use is arranged to correspond to the lower teeth. Between the two arcs, there are blank spaces 20, which may help to align the device in use, whereby the blank spaces may be envisaged to be lined up with the sides of the mouth. The loci 10 are tightly spaced apart, in continuous curved rows following the wall, and comprise circular holes. The indicators 1,2,3 in the pictured embodiment comprise inserts for placement into the holes. Each indicator comprises a front section, and a rear section. Such sections are wider than the loci holes 10, so as to cover the hole visibly. These sections are joined by an indented middle portion 11,12,13. The middle portion is close to or smaller in diameter than the hole 10. It may be envisaged that the middle portion may be resiliently deformable so as to decrease in size when the indicator is placed into the hole. Iln this way it may be envisaged that the indicators may be inserted into the holes for example by squeezing, and left there to provide an indication in relation to a particular location on the mouth. i । i The device is thereby provided with a plurality of different indicators, which have a plurality of different geometric shapes on the front section, namely with circular, triangular and shield shapes, and which are formed in a plurality of different colours of material. In this way different indicators may be used to indicate different requirements for teeth or gaps between teeth. । In this way the device 199 may be part of an apparatus comprising a travel and storage case 1000, which includes a plurality corresponding coded dental tools 300 relating to gaps between teeth. The case has hinged covers 77 over ttie tools and the device, i providing hygienic conditions. I I I The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated i that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing । from the scope of protection as defined by the claims. I I I

Claims

1. A dental care device comprising a cheek retractor and a plurality of indication loci, the loci arranged to accept removable indicators.

2. A dental care device according to claim 1 wherein the cheek retractor comprises a resiliently deformable material.

3. A dental care device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the cheek retractor is formed in injection moulded silicone.

4. A dental care device according to any preceding claim wherein the cheek retractor comprises a front face, and an orthogonally extending wall.

5. A dental care device according to claim 4 wherein the front face provides a continuous curvature into the wall.

6. A dental care device according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the loci comprises holes in the front face.

7. A dental care device according to any preceding claim wherein the cheek retractor is circular or ovaloid.

8. A dental care device according to any preceding claim wherein the loci are provided in two opposed arcs.

9. A dental care device according to claim 8 wherein the arcs are separated by blank spaces corresponding to a mouth corners in use.

10. A dental care device according to any preceding claim wherein the indicators comprise a front section and a rear section, joined by an indented middle portion.

11. A dental care device according to any preceding claim comprising a plurality of indicators which comprise a plurality of different shaped front sections.

12. A dental care device according to any preceding claim comprising a plurality of indicators which comprise a plurality of different colours.

13. Apparatus comprising a device according to any of the preceding claims and a plurality of indicators.

14. Apparatus comprising a device according to preceding claims 1 to 12 and a 5 plurality of interdental brushes.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the interdental brushes are colour coded.10 16. Apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 15 comprising a travel case.

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