An implant post cleaner

Abstract

A dental implant post cleaner 10 comprises a hollow cylindrical body 12 from which an array of bristles (20,fig.1) project radially inwardly, a handle 22 to which the body is mounted and rotatable relative to about a longitudinal axis of the body, a drive assembly 26 for effecting rotary motion of the body, and a guard member 36 located about an open end of the cylindrical body. The drive assembly may be manually operable. The guard member may be arranged to remain stationary whilst the body rotates, but be configured to be moveable between an extended and retracted position. When the guard member is in an extended position, the lower bristles of the body are prevented from contacting the gingiva. A method of manufacturing the body comprises threading the fibres that form the bristles through openings in an annular body, and securing the fibres in place.

Description

Field of the invention The invention relates to a dental implant post cleaner, preferably a post cleaner that is manually operated, and to a method of manufacturing the implant post cleaner. Background of the invention Dental implant sites on the gingiva can be extremely sensitive and prone to injury by inappropriate use of tooth brushes. Electric toothbrushes generally operate at high speed and do not provide the degree of speed, placement or access control to the user which is necessary to reliably avoid injury or discomfort to the gingiva at dental implant sites. Conventional (existing) manual or electric toothbrushes do not surround an implant abutment but must be successively moved so as to contact and brush all aspects of the abutment including any indentation or socket on the free end of the abutment taking care not to miss any part thereof. Conventional electric and manual toothbrushes including single tuft manual toothbrushes are difficult to place and hold on implant abutments. There is therefore a need for an improved means by which to clean a dental implant which is simple yet effectively to use. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dental implant post cleaner which addresses the above noted problems. It is a further object of the invention to provide an implant post cleaner that can be automatically and securely self-positioning and retaining on the abutment in one step without the requirement for any special effort by the user. Summary of the invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an implant post cleaner comprising a hollow cylindrical body having an open first end; an array of bristles projecting radially inwardly from at least a sidewall of the body; a handle to which the body is mounted and rotatable relative to the handle about a longitudinal axis of the body; a drive assembly for effecting rotary motion of the body; and a guard member located about an open end of the cylindrical body. Preferably, the guard is displaceable longitudinally relative to the body between a position extending beyond the first end and a position retracted from the first end. Preferably, the guard is fixed relative to the handle so as not to be rotatable with the body. Preferably, the guard comprises a sleeve circumscribing the body. Preferably, the sleeve comprises an open lower end from which the body can project and a closed upper end. Preferably, the cylindrical body has a closed second end from which at least some of the bristles project. Preferably, at least some of the bristles project beyond the open first end of the body. Preferably, the drive assembly is operable to effect reciprocating rotary motion of the body. Preferably, the drive assembly is manually operable. Preferably, the drive assembly comprises a belt captured between a first wheel mounted to the handle and accessible from an exterior of the handle, and a second wheel mounted coaxially of an in driving engagement with the body. Preferably, the first wheel is accessible from a pair of opposed faces of the handle. Preferably, the second wheel is enclosed within the handle. Preferably, the belt comprises a toothed belt and the first and second wheels each comprise a cooperating drive surface. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing an implant post cleaner comprising the steps of providing a first annular body section comprising a cylindrical sidewall having an upper rim extending from which are a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings in the sidewall; drawing a first section of an elongate hank of fibres across the upper rim through an opposed pair of the openings; rotating the first body section relative to the hank of fibres; drawing a further section of the elongate hank of fibres across the upper rim and through another opposed pair of the opening; and securing the sections of the hank of fibres in the openings. Preferably, the hank of fibres are adhered in the openings by means of one or more of an adhesive, welding and interference fit. Preferably, the method comprises separating each section of the hank of fibres which extend across a cylindrical enclosure defined by the sidewall into two radially extending portions Preferably, the method comprises securing a second annular body section to the rim of the first annular body section to capture the sections of the hank of fibres therebetween such as to define an annular body with an array of radially inwardly projecting bristles. Preferably, the method comprises forming the hank of fibres by arranging a plurality of single fibres in a generally collinearly extending bundle of fibres. Preferably, the method comprises winding the hank of fibres onto a spool; and drawing the hank of fibres off the spool and into engagement with the openings in the first annular body section. Preferably, the method comprises the step of trimming any fibres projecting from an outer surface of the cylindrical sidewall. Brief description of the drawings The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a sectioned side elevation of an implant post cleaner body with a guard in a retracted position; Figure 2 illustrates the implant post cleaner body as shown in Figure 1 but with the guard in an extended position; Figure 3 illustrates a schematic representation of an implant post cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention and which includes the body shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 illustrates a first step in a method of manufacturing an implant post cleaner according to the present invention; Figure 5 illustrates a second step in the method; Figure 6 illustrates a third step in the method; Figure 7 illustrates a fourth step in the method; and Figure 8 illustrates a fifth step in the method. Detailed description of the drawings Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings there is illustrated an implant post cleaner, generally indicated as 10, for use in the simplified yet efficient and effective cleaning of a dental implant post (not shown) and optionally the surrounding gum line from which the post P projects. The implant post cleaner 10 is shown fully in Figure 3, while Figures 1 and 2 show a body or head 12 of the post cleaner 10 which implements the cleaning action in use and as described hereinafter in detail. The post cleaner body or head 12 comprises a cylindrical sidewall 14 having an open first or lower end 16 and a closed or upper end 18, the head 12 preferably being formed from a suitable polymer. Projecting substantially radially inwardly from the sidewall 14 are an array of bristles 20, some of which preferably project downwardly from the upper closed end 18. The cylindrical sidewall has a diameter large enough to be placed longitudinally downward over a dental implant post (not shown) such that the bristles 20 will contact and press against the implant post in order to clean same when rotated relative thereto as hereinafter described. The bristles 20 may be comprised of any suitable material, and appropriately dimensioned both in length and thickness, to provide the requisite cleaning characteristics, and again are preferably comprised of a polymer or mixture therefore, for example nylon. In the preferred embodiment illustrated a lower portion of the bristles 20 project below the open end 16 of the body 12 and thus in use can contact and therefore clean the gum line surrounding the base of the dental implant post (not shown), and area that is prone to the build-up of foreign material. In addition, the interface between many implant posts (not shown) and the underlying anchor fixture in the jaw comprises a concave indentation which can again be the site of increased contamination, and these lower bristles 20 can thus be utilised to effective clean this space. The bristles 20 projecting downwardly from the closed end 18 can be used to clean any indentation in the top of the implant post. In order to effect cleaning with the head 12 the post cleaner 10 comprises a handle 22 to which the head 12 is mounted, and relative to which the head 12 is capable of undergoing rotary motion about a longitudinal axis of the head 12. The head 12 may for example be arranged to undergo limited reciprocating motion. This motion, with the head 12 located over a dental implant post, will implement the efficient and effective cleaning of the entire circumferential surface of the implant post and optionally a region around the base of the implant post. The handle 22 may be an independent operated assembly or may be adapted, as illustrated, to be secured to an existing electric toothbrush T in order to provide a more robust support for the handle 22 to facilitate improved handling. The handle 22 comprises a substantially hollow housing 24 to which the head 12 is mounted at a distal end thereof, the housing 24 containing a drive assembly 26 operable to effect the above 5 mentioned rotary motion of the head 12. While the skilled person will understand that the drive assembly 26 may be implemented in a number of different mechanical arrangements, in the embodiment illustrated the drive assembly 26 comprises a first wheel 28 and a second wheel 30 between and around which extends a closed belt 32. The belt 32 is preferably a toothed belt 32 with the first and second wheels 28, 30 have co-operating drive surfaces to mesh with the toothed belt 32. The first wheel is mounted at a proximal end of the handle 22 and is preferably located substantially internally of the housing 24 but projects therethrough such as to be partially accessible from a pair of opposed faces of the handle 22. In this way a user can contact the outer surface of the first wheel 28 with a thumb or other finger in order to effect the manual rotation thereof. The second wheel 30 is preferably entirely enclosed within the housing 24 but is mounted coaxially with the head 12 through the housing 24, thereby capturing the head 12 on the housing 24. In addition, rotation of the second wheel 30 will affect the simultaneous rotation of the head 12 and as a result a user may use the first wheel 28 to effect the manual rotation of the head 12 in order to clean a dental implant post. The head 12 may therefore be continuously rotated or may be reciprocated as required. At the point within the housing 24 at which the opposed sides of the belt 32 pass closest to one another a dividing wall or tab (not shown) may be located between the two sides of the belt 32 in order to avoid potential contact and fouling. In the case of reciprocating motion the post cleaner 10 may be provided with a return spring 34 located within the housing 24 and operable to return the second wheel 30 and therefore head 12 to a reference position on releasing the belt 32. The accessibility of the first wheel 28 on both sides of the handle 22 facilitates the use of the post cleaner 10 by left or right handed users and for the post cleaner 10 to be used on both the upper and lower jaw. It will be appreciated that various alternative interfaces may be provided between the first wheel 28 and the belt 32 and also between the belt 32 and the fingers or thumb of the user. For example the belt 32 could be attached to a slider mounted for reciprocating linear motion on the exterior of the housing 24, preferably at a position at which a user’s thumb or finger will naturally rest when operating the post cleaner 10. A finer control of the movement of the head 12 may be achieved by holding the drive belt 32 stationary while at the same time pivoting the handle 22 around the dental implant post by moving the distal end of the handle 22 from side to side in a gentle exploration of sensitivity while the head 12 is in an initial position on the abutment. Thus on sites of extra sensitivity manual control of placement and degree of movement of the head 12 by the user provides immediate sensitivity feedback and the immediate opportunity to adjust either or both placement and degree of movement accordingly. The position of the head 12 on the dental implant post may easily be varied by the user as may be required to apply greater or lesser pressure and cleaning effect on any give aspect of the implant post. The head 12 may be provided with a guard in the form of a sleeve 36 circumscribing the head 12 and which is arranged to remain stationary when the head 12 undergoes rotation, but which is adapted to be displaced longitudinally relative to the head 12. In particular the sleeve 36 may be displaced between a retracted position illustrated in Figure 1 in which the open end 16 of the head 12 sits longitudinally outwardly of a lower end 36 of the sleeve 36, and an extended position as illustrated in Figure 2 in which the open end 16 is recessed inwardly of the lower end 38. The guard 36 may therefore be extended such as to limit the depth to which the head 12 may be located over the implant post, and in particular can be utilised to prevent the lower most bristles 20 from contacting the gingiva, for example in the case of an injured or sensitive area surrounding the dental implant post. As the sleeve 36 does not undergo rotation the lower end 38 will not irritate the gingiva when in contact therewith. The post cleaner 10 therefore provides safer, more effective, complete, faster and more comfortable cleaning generally and particularly on implant posts than existing implant or conventional manual or electric tooth brushes. When manually operated the post cleaner 10 provides an environmentally friendly solution without motor circuits or battery, and allows limitless control and sensitivity feedback to user. Referring now to Figures 4 to 8 there is illustrated a method of manufacturing the head 12 of the post cleaner 10. The method involves forming the head 12 from a first section 12a which comprises a hollow cylindrical part shorter in height or length than the final head 12, for example half the length of the head 12. The overall height of the complete head 12 may for example be 20mm and thus the first section 12a may for example be 5mm, 10mm or 15mm in height. In an upper rim 50 of the first section 12a a number of openings 52 are formed, whether during manufacture of the first section 12a or as a subsequent step. For example the first section 12a may be moulded from a polymer with the openings 52 moulded integrally therewith. The openings 52 may be relative shallow, for example extending a distance of 1-5mm into the sidewall of the first section 12a. The openings 52 are circumferentially spaced from one another and are preferably provided as diametrically opposed pairs. In the embodiment illustrated four of the openings 52 are provided and arranged as two diametrically opposed pairs. The method involves creating an array of the bristles 20 on the first section 12a, and in order to produce the bristles 20 an array of single fibre strands (not shown) are gathered together in parallel form a continuous hank of fibres 54 which will be used to form tufts of the bristles 20 with the appropriate physical characteristics. The hank of fibres 54 is then wound onto a spool 56 from which discrete lengths of the hank of fibres 54 may be withdrawn as hereinafter described. The first section 12a is located adjacent the spool 56 on a suitable support (not shown) by which the first section 12a can be rotated about a longitudinal axis thereof. Referring to Figure 4 the hank of fibres 54 is then captured by a suitable pick and place type gripping member 58 which is used to draw the hank of fibres 54 across the face of the first section 12a such that the hank of fibres 54 7 passes through two of the opposed openings 52 and beyond. Referring to Figures 5 to 7 the free end of the hank of fibres 54 is held in place by the gripping member 58 while the first section 12a is rotated, preferably by less than 180 degrees, and in this case by 90 degrees. This rotation will draw a further length of the hank of fibres 54 off the spool 56. Once rotated through 90 degrees the gripping member 58 is then used to draw the free end of the hank of fibres 54 across the face of the first section 12a through the remaining two opposed openings 52. At this stage the two perpendicular sections of the hank of fibres 54 are suitably secured in the openings 52, for example by means of an adhesive or by welding or other suitable means. For example the openings 52 could be dimensioned for an interference fit with the hank of fibres 54. An upper or second section (not shown) similar to the first section 12a is secured in place to the rim 50 of the first section 12a in order to securing capture the hank of fibres 54 in the openings. This upper section (not shown) is again adhered in place by any suitable means, whether adhesive, welding or otherwise. The method then involves cutting or otherwise separating each diametrically extending section of the hank of fibres 54 into two sections by removing a centre portion of each section of the hank of fibres such that each then defines a pair of opposed tufts of the bristles 20. The fibres remaining on the exterior of the head 12 are then also removed by suitable trimming to leave the completed head 12. For example a static blade may be located immediately adjacent the outer surface while the head is rotated in order to trim the fibres. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An implant post cleaner comprising a hollow cylindrical body having an open first end; an array of bristles projecting radially inwardly from at least a sidewall of the body; a handle to which the body is mounted and rotatable relative to the handle about a longitudinal axis of the body; a drive assembly for effecting rotary motion of the body; and a guard member located about an open end of the cylindrical body.

2. The implant post cleaner of claiml in which the guard is displaceable longitudinally relative to the body between a position extending beyond the first end and a position retracted from the first end.

3. The implant post cleaner of claim 1 or 2 in which the guard is fixed relative to the handle so as not to be rotatable with the body.

4. The implant post cleaner of claim 1 or 2 in which the guard comprises a sleeve circumscribing the body.

5. The implant post cleaner of claim 4 in which the sleeve comprises an open lower end from which the body can project and a closed upper end.

6. The implant post cleaner of claim 1 in which the cylindrical body has a closed second end from which at least some of the bristles project.

7. The implant post cleaner of any preceding claim in which at least some of the bristles project beyond the open first end of the body.

8. The implant post cleaner of any preceding claim in which the drive assembly is operable to effect reciprocating rotary motion of the body.

9. The implant post cleaner of any preceding claim in which the drive assembly is manually operable.

10. The implant post cleaner of any preceding claim in which the drive assembly comprises a belt captured between a first wheel mounted to the handle and accessible from an exterior of the handle, and a second wheel mounted coaxially of an in driving engagement with the body.

11. The implant post cleaner of claim 10 in which the first wheel is accessible from a pair of opposed faces of the handle.

12. The implant post cleaner of claim 10 or 11 in which the second wheel is enclosed within the handle.

13. The implant post cleaner of any of claims 10 to 12 in which the belt comprises a toothed belt and the first and second wheels each comprise a cooperating drive surface.

14. A method of manufacturing an implant post cleaner comprising the steps of providing a first annular body section comprising a cylindrical sidewall having an upper rim extending from which are a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings in the sidewall; drawing a first section of an elongate hank of fibres across the upper rim through an opposed pair of the openings; rotating the first body section relative to the hank of fibres; drawing a further section of the elongate hank of fibres across the upper rim and through another opposed pair of the opening; and securing the sections of the hank of fibres in the openings.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the hank of fibres are adhered in the openings by means of one or more of an adhesive, welding and interference fit.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15 comprising separating each section of the hank of fibres which extend across a cylindrical enclosure defined by the sidewall into two radially extending portions17. The method of any of claims 14 to 16 comprising securing a second annular body section to the rim of the first annular body section to capture the sections of the hank of fibres therebetween and define an annular body with an array of radially inwardly projecting bristles.

18. The method of any of claims 14 to 17 comprising forming the hank of fibres by arranging a plurality of single fibres in a generally collinearly extending bundle of fibres.

19. The method of any of claims 14 to 18 comprising winding the hank of fibres onto a spool; and drawing the hank of fibres off the spool and into engagement with the openings in the first annular body section.

20. The method of any of claims 14 to 19 comprising the step of trimming any fibres projecting from an outer surface of the cylindrical sidewall.

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