Intraoral device

a technology of intraoral devices and mouthpieces, which is applied in the field of dental appliances, can solve the problems of difficult illumination of the interior of the mouth of a dental patient during dental examination and/or operation, limited amount of light entering the oral cavity using this type of lighting, and limited light directed only on a limited area in the mouth

a technology of intraoral devices and mouthpieces, which is applied in the field of dental appliances, can solve the problems of difficult illumination of the interior of the mouth of a dental patient during dental examination and/or operation, limited amount of light entering the oral cavity using this type of lighting, and limited light directed only on a limited area in the mouth

US20010008752A1Inactive Publication Date: 2001-07-19INNERLITE
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  • Intraoral device
  • Intraoral device
  • Intraoral device

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0027] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of an intraoral illumination device, indicated generally by the reference numeral 20, will now be described. The intraoral illumination device 20 generally includes a tongue and cheek retractor 22, a dispersion piece 24, and a bite block or piece 26. The tongue and cheek retractor 22 is a disposable piece, and the dispersion piece 24 and bite piece are sterilizable for reuse. The dispersion piece 24 is coupled to a light carrier such as a fiber optic bundle 28 and extraoral light source 30 for illuminating the dispersion piece 24. A fluid evacuation tube 32 is in communication with the bite block 26 and a fluid evacuation system 34 of the device 20 for evacuating fluids from a patient's mouth 36.

[0028] The intraoral illumination device 20 will now be described generally in use. The patient opens his or her mouth 36 and a health care provider inserts the device 20 into an intraoral cavity 38 of the patient's mouth 36 betw...

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Abstract

The present invention involves an intraoral illumination device and method for illuminating the interior cavity of a patient's mouth during a medical procedure. The illumination device includes a bite block adapted to be engaged by a patient's teeth for resting the patient's jaw during the medical procedure and fixing the bite block within the patient's mouth. An arcuate light dispersion piece is connected to the bite block so that, in use, the light dispersion piece is orientated in a rear, central part of the oral cavity of the patient's mouth so that dispersed light can be transmitted outward from the rear, central part of the oral cavity. A tongue and cheek retractor is adapted to retract and protect the patient's tongue and adjacent cheek tissue during the medical procedure. Multiple fluid evacuation channels are carried by the device and are adapted to communicate with the interior cavity of the patient's mouth for removing fluids from the oral cavity during the medical procedure.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001] The invention relates, in general, to dental appliances, and, in particular, to dental appliances for illuminating the mouth of a dental patient for examination and / or operative purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002] Illuminating the interior of a dental patient's mouth during dental examination and / or operation is difficult because the patient's mouth must be illuminated through a narrow opening, i.e., the patient's mouth, and the dentist must work in close proximity to the mouth, often blocking the light source. Proper illumination is essential for dental examination and / or operation.[0003] The oral cavity is typically illuminated by a focused light source mounted approximately two to three feet above a dental chair that the patient rests on. The light source is configured to direct light onto and into the patient's mouth. The amount of light entering the oral cavity using this type of lighting is somewhat limited due to the fact that the light sou...

Claims

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Application Information

Patent Timeline
19 Jul 2001
Publication
US20010008752A1
IPC
A61C1/08; A61B1/06; A61B1/24; A61C17/00; A61C17/06; A61C17/08; A61C17/10; A61C19/00
CPC
A61B1/24; A61C17/043; A61B1/00103; A61B1/0615; A61B1/07; A61C17/08
Inventors
HIRSCH, JAMES A.; HIRSCH, THOMAS R.