DENTAL DRILL

Abstract

The invention relates to a dental handpiece capable of preventing the deterioration of the surgical field visibility. An anti-reflective coating (100) is formed on the upper and side surfaces of the head (241) of the cap (24) near the root canal that the operator notices, and further on the outer surface of the second cylindrical part (12). Thus, the light reflection of the dental instrument fitted with the anti-reflective coating (100) is suppressed and the deterioration of the surgical field visibility can be avoided. In addition, the visibility of stains such as protein adhering to the cap (24) and the second cylindrical part (12) is improved and their cleaning is facilitated.

Description

Dental Handpiece

[0001] The present invention relates to a dental handpiece for driving dental pieces such as distally mounted files and / or reamers to treat root canals in teeth.

[0002] In root canal treatment, such as scraping away the root wall of a patient's decayed tooth, removing pus and / or filling material stuck at the end of the root, and / or extracting nerves, dental files and / or reamers are generally used. For example, gutta-percha (root canal filling material) is generally removed using a file.

[0003] However, the light from the dental lighting instrument may be reflected by the surface of the dental handpiece used to drive the dental piece, reducing the visibility of the treatment field and potentially increasing the practitioner's workload.

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a dental handpiece that can prevent a decrease in visibility of the treatment field.

[0005] The present invention provides a dental handpiece having a support mechanism that supports a dental piece in a vibratory manner, wherein an anti-reflection layer is formed on the surface of at least one of the exposed surface members that make up the support mechanism, at least partially suppressing light reflection.

[0006] In the dental handpiece having the above configuration, the anti-reflection layer is preferably formed of a carbon coating layer, a ceramic coating layer, blast processing marks, or a combination thereof.

[0007] In the dental handpiece having the above configuration, it is preferable that the support mechanism is composed of a vibration cylinder that houses the dental piece protruding from one end side through a through hole, a cover member that closes the other end side of the vibration cylinder, and a support cylinder into which the vibration cylinder is inserted so that it can be displaced in the axial direction, and that the anti-reflection layer is formed on the surface of the cover member.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a structural explanatory diagram of a dental handpiece according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a structural explanatory diagram of a main part of the dental handpiece of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a structural explanatory diagram of a cover member of the dental handpiece of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a structural explanatory diagram of a dental handpiece according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] (First Embodiment) (Configuration) A dental handpiece 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, is configured to drive a dental file 40 (or reamer). The dental handpiece 10 includes a first tubular member 11, a second tubular member 12 (support tube), and a vibrating tube 20. The first tubular member 11 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The second tubular member 12 is also formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and the vibrating tube 20 is connected at its side wall to the distal end of the first tubular member 11 such that the central axis of the second tubular member 12 forms a certain angle (for example, within an angle range of 90° to 120°) with or intersects with the central axis of the first tubular member 11. A vibrating cylinder 20 is inserted into the internal space of the second cylindrical member 12 in a position approximately coaxial with the second cylindrical member 12 and capable of vibrating in a direction parallel to the central axis of the second cylindrical member 12 (the up and down direction in Figures 1 and 2).

[0010] The first cylindrical member 11, the second cylindrical member 12, and the vibration cylinder 20 are made of metal such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel. The first cylindrical member 11 and the second cylindrical member 12 are integrally made of the same metal. The vibration cylinder 20 may be made of the same metal as the first cylindrical member 11 and the second cylindrical member 12, or may be made of a different metal.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1 , a substantially cylindrical rotating member 110 is disposed in the internal space of the first cylindrical member 11 with its central axis extending parallel or approximately parallel to the longitudinal direction of the first cylindrical member 11. The tip of the rotating member 110 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a relatively large diameter. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a cam pin 111 is provided at the tip, eccentric to the central axis of the rotating member 110 and protruding in a direction parallel to the central axis. A pin mounting hole extending parallel to the central axis may be formed at the tip of the rotating member 110, and the cam pin 111 may be detachably mounted in the pin mounting hole. The rotating member 110 is connected to the rotating shaft of an electric motor of a chair unit and is configured to rotate about the central axis. A switch for controlling the operation of the electric motor on and off may be, for example, a foot switch (not shown).

[0012] 1, the internal space of the first cylindrical member 11 and the internal space of the second cylindrical member 12 are in communication with each other through a communication hole 121 formed in the side wall of the second cylindrical member 12. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a guide groove 122 is formed on the inside of the side wall of the second cylindrical member 12 at an azimuthal angle position (e.g., on the opposite side) from the communication hole 121 with respect to the central axis of the second cylindrical member 12 as the reference, and is recessed and extends parallel to the central axis.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a cam hole 21 (cam recess) that is locally recessed in the radial direction is formed on the outer side of the side wall of the vibration cylinder 20. A guide pin 22 is provided on the outer side of the side wall of the vibration cylinder 20, protruding radially from an azimuth angle position different from the cam hole 21 (e.g., the opposite side) with respect to the central axis of the vibration cylinder 20. A cam pin 111 of a rotating member 110 is fitted into the cam hole 21 of the vibration cylinder 20. The cam hole 21 is formed wider than the cam pin 111 in the circumferential direction so that play is generated between the cam pin 111 and the cam hole 21 in the circumferential direction of the vibration cylinder 20 (and in the axial direction, if necessary). The guide pin 22 of the vibration cylinder 20 is fitted into a guide groove 122 of the second cylindrical member 12. The guide groove 122 is formed wider than the guide pin 22 in the circumferential direction so that there is play between the guide pin 22 and the guide groove 122 in the circumferential direction of the vibration cylinder 20 (which may be smaller than the play between the cam pin 111 and the cam hole 21).

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the internal space of the vibrating cylinder 20 is connected to the outside space at one end through a mounting opening 201, and at the other end through a through-hole 202 with a smaller diameter than the mounting opening 201. One end of the internal space of the vibrating cylinder 20 is closed by attaching a cover member 24 to the mounting opening 201. As shown in FIG. 2 , the cover member 24 is composed of a substantially disc-shaped head 241 and a substantially cylindrical mounting portion 242 that protrudes from one end of the head 241. A female thread is formed on the inside of the side wall of the mounting opening 201 of the vibrating cylinder 20, and a male thread that screws into the female thread is formed on the side of the mounting portion 242 of the cover member 24. The female thread of the vibrating cylinder 20 and / or the male thread of the cover member 24 may be omitted, and the mounting portion 242 of the cover member 24 may be fitted to the vibrating cylinder 20 by being pressed against the inside of the side wall of the vibrating cylinder 20. The cover member 24 is made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy or stainless steel.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 3 , in a longitudinal cross section of the cover member 24, an anti-reflection layer 100 is formed over the entire top surface (the end surface opposite the mounting portion 242) of the head portion 241 and the entire periphery of the side surface. The anti-reflection layer 100 is composed of a carbon coating layer, a ceramic coating layer, blasting marks, or a combination thereof, or an anti-reflection film, an anti-reflection coating agent, or the like. The carbon coating layer may be composed of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin film or a graphite thin film. The ceramic coating layer may be composed of a ceramic spray film made from, for example, Al2O3 (alumina), YO3 (yttria), or TiO2 (titania), or a combination of these ceramics and zirconia. The blasting marks are formed by colliding blast particles (e.g., particles with an average particle size of 10 to 100 μm) that are harder than the base material (metal) of the cover member 24 or the coating layer formed on the surface of the base material with the base material or the coating layer at high speed.

[0016] Similarly, an anti-reflection layer 100 is formed on the entire outer surface of the second cylindrical member 12. The anti-reflection layer 100 may be formed on the entire outer surface of the first cylindrical member 11, or in an area that is closer to the patient during treatment (for example, the upper half of Figure 1).

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the file 40 includes a needle base 41 and a needle portion 42. The needle portion 42 is fixed to the generally cylindrical needle base 41 so as to protrude axially from one end of the needle base 41. The needle portion 42 is formed so as to gradually decrease in diameter from the base end to the tip end. The file 40 is attached to the vibration cylinder 20 with the needle base 41 housed in the internal space of the vibration cylinder 20 and the needle portion 42 partially protruding from the through-hole 202. One end of the needle base 41 abuts against the stepped portion of the through-hole 202, and the other end abuts against the end of the mounting portion 242 of the cover member 24, thereby fixing the needle base 41 and, ultimately, the file 40 to the vibration cylinder 20. The needle portion 42 may be flexible or bendable.

[0018] In this embodiment, the second cylindrical member 12, the vibration cylinder 20, and the cover member 24 constitute a support mechanism that supports the file 40 (dental piece) so that it can vibrate.

[0019] (Function) When the rotating member 110 is driven to rotate, a vibration force acts on the vibrating cylinder 20 in the central axial direction through the cam pin 111, and the guide pin 22 is guided along the guide groove 122 of the second cylindrical member 12, causing the vibrating cylinder 20 to vibrate in the axial direction relative to the second cylindrical member 12. In addition, the needle 42 protruding from the through-hole 202 of the vibrating cylinder 20 vibrates, allowing the practitioner to apply the vibrating needle 42 to the target area of ​​the patient's tooth to perform root canal treatment, etc.

[0020] (Second Embodiment) (Configuration) A dental handpiece 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 4, has a configuration substantially similar to that of the dental handpiece 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Common components are designated by common reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4 , instead of the cam hole (see reference numeral 21 in FIG. 1 ) of the first embodiment, a substantially annular cam groove 211 (cam recess) extending circumferentially around the entire circumference is formed on the outer side of the side wall of the vibrating cylinder 20. The cam pin 111 of the rotating member 110 is fitted into the cam groove 211 of the vibrating cylinder 20. The cam groove 211 may be formed on the outer side of the side wall of the vibrating cylinder 20 in a circular shape that extends circumferentially over a portion (e.g., 0° to 350°) of the azimuth angle range of 0° to 360° based on the central axis of the vibrating cylinder 20 and is interrupted at one location. Unlike the first embodiment, the guide groove (see reference numeral 122 in FIG. 1 ) on the inner side wall of the second cylindrical member 12 and the guide pin (see reference numeral 22 in FIG. 1 ) on the outer side wall of the vibrating cylinder 20 are omitted.

[0022] (Function) When the rotating member 110 is driven to rotate, a vibration force acts on the vibrating cylinder 20 in the central axial direction through the cam pin 111, and the guide pin 22 is guided along the guide groove 122 of the second cylindrical member 12, causing the vibrating cylinder 20 to vibrate in the axial direction relative to the second cylindrical member 12. Furthermore, the vibrating cylinder 20 rotates circumferentially relative to the cam pin 111 along the cam groove 211. As a result, the needle portion 42 protruding from the through hole 202 of the vibrating cylinder 20 rotates about the axial direction while vibrating in the axial direction, allowing the practitioner to apply the needle portion 42 to the target area of ​​the patient's tooth to perform root canal treatment, etc.

[0023] The bendable needle 42 allows the needle 42 to be inserted into root canals, which vary in shape depending on the patient and the tooth, facilitating root canal treatment. Even if there is resistance to the reciprocating motion of the file 40 or if the file 40 is about to bite into the root canal, this can be avoided, and the needle 42 is less likely to twist and / or bend, allowing for smooth reciprocating motion. Effects of the present invention

[0024] An anti-reflection layer 100 is formed on the top and side surfaces of the head 241 of the cover member 24, which is close to the root canal of the tooth that the practitioner is focusing on, as well as on the outer surface of the second cylindrical member 12 (see FIG. 3). This suppresses reflection of light from the dental lighting device to which the anti-reflection layer 100 is applied, preventing a decrease in visibility of the treatment field. In addition, the visibility of dirt such as protein adhering to the cover member 24 and the second cylindrical member 12 is improved, making it easier to clean.

[0025] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10: Dental handpiece 11: First cylindrical member 12: Second cylindrical member (support cylinder) 20: Vibration cylinder 21: Cam hole (cam recess) 22: Guide pin 24: Cover member 40: File (dental piece) 41: Needle base 42: Needle portion 100: Anti-reflection layer 110: Rotating member 111: Cam pin (cam protrusion) 121: Communicating hole 122: Guide groove 201: Mounting port 202: Through hole 211: Cam groove 241: Head portion 242: Mounting portion.

Claims

1. A dental handpiece having a support mechanism that supports a dental piece in a vibratory manner, wherein an anti-reflection layer that at least partially suppresses light reflection is formed on the surface of at least one exposed surface of a member that constitutes the support mechanism.

2. A dental handpiece according to claim 1, wherein the anti-reflection layer is composed of a carbon coating layer, a ceramic coating layer, blast processing marks, or a combination thereof.

3. A dental handpiece according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support mechanism is made up of a vibrating cylinder that houses the dental piece protruding from one end through a through-hole, a cover member that closes the other end of the vibrating cylinder, and a support cylinder into which the vibrating cylinder is inserted so as to be displaceable in the axial direction, and the anti-reflection layer is formed on the surface of the cover member.

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