Dental Instrument

Abstract

A dental instrument having a first member with an axial passage engageable with a removable second member. Rotationally engageable dental tools engageable at a first end of the first member, are fixed in a radial position around their axle by the distal end of the second member engaged within the axial passage. The dental instrument allows for the tools to be from a kit featuring a plurality of different tools, each of which is engageable to the axle, and rotatably adjustable for holding in a fixed position by the second member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to dental instruments. More particularly, the invention relates to a dental instrument having a handle employable with any one of a plurality of engageable tools or instrument heads. The handle has a distal end which is formed to operatively engage the heads which are rotationally positionable by the user, to a customized configuration of the assembled device yielding a head-positioning for employment during the dental task at hand. The handle, so configured, can engage any of the plurality of instrument heads which are adapted to perform particular dental procedures. The kit of heads also can include a sharpener for the heads.[0003]2. Prior Art[0004]Dentists and dental professionals employ a wide range of instruments when providing dental treatment to patients. Many instruments are handheld and thus require precise positioning and movement skills of a dental professional to manipulate corr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enables secure, force-resistant engagement of instrument heads at customizable angles, reducing storage needs and costs, while ensuring safety by preventing accidental disengagement during procedures.

Problems solved by technology

However, as a result, many dental professionals must maintain a large quantity of instruments, and because of multiple daily patients, and sterilization requirements, most dental offices will typically stock a multiple of each type instrument.

As such, a large amount of space is needed to store and clean these instruments which can be quite difficult in small offices or locations with little room accommodating the storage and sterilization requirements.

Further, the need to maintain a large quantity of such instruments, many in duplication or multiple copies, is a constant and significant cost to dental practices.

This requires sharpening apparatuses which are conventionally bulky, as they must be configured to accommodate the instrument handle and head portion.

Again accommodating for such sharpening, requires a significant amount of office space, which may not be available for all users.

Even if such space is available, commercial rental rates to procure such space which will not accommodate paying clients is significant.

This can result in further expense for duplication and replacement of such tools to accommodate individual user desire.

Firstly, as noted, such instruments frequently require a large amount of force be communicated to accomplish their task.

As a consequence, many such handles with engageable heads to function as tools, will buckle or move in their engagement under such force.

Such motions with the tool end of the handle engaged in work, frequently causes a conventional threaded engagement, to unscrew and disengage, or to move a small or large amount, which is not only frustrating to the dental professional, but can be dangerous to the patient.

Absent such caution, such dental instruments even in the hand of skilled professionals can potentially cause serious injury to the patient or to the user.

Frequently, instruments taught by prior art fail to provide adequate force-resistant engagement and assurance to the user they will not move or dismount during use.

However, this and similar devices suffer from the downfalls of conventional threaded removable engagement, and frictional engagement means, to engage the tool itself to the distal end of the handle, and thus are fraught with potential problems noted above.

Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.

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