CN101317787A - Prophylactic system for dental appliances and method of use thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A prophylactic system (100) for a dental handpiece (101) of a selected shape and having an outlet (112) for supplying a fluid to an operating field. The housing (102) is shaped substantially similar to the handpiece (101), is configured to enclose the dental handpiece (101), and includes an aperture (118) configured to communicate with an operating area. The S-shaped valve (600) includes a path (605) connecting fluid from an outlet (118) of the handpiece (101) to an aperture (118) of the housing.

Description

Prophylaxis system for dental appliance and method of use thereof

This application is a divisional application of the application filed by the applicant Eric V. Wade with the application date of February 4, 2002, and the title of the invention is "Prevention System for Dental Appliance and Method of Use thereof".

technical field

The present invention relates generally to a dental appliance and, more particularly, to a prophylactic system for a dental appliance and methods of use thereof.

Background technique

Healthcare professions have come under greater scrutiny in recent years due to the increased potential for doctor-to-patient, patient-to-physician, and patient-to-patient transmission of infectious diseases. This is especially true in dental offices, where dental appliances come into direct contact with potentially harmful fluids or bloodborne pathogens found in the oral cavity, such as hepatitis B and HIV. As the number of cases of hepatitis B and HIV infection predictably increases, dentists will treat more patients, known or unknown, with these infections. Consequently, the likelihood of accidental transmission of these dangerous infectious diseases increases accordingly.

A particular route of pathogenic infection in the dental office is through high and low velocity air driven dental handle pieces. These devices come into direct contact with a patient's mouth during use and often collect blood, debris particles, and other microbial and particulate matter, which are sources of bloodborne pathogen transmission, including transmission of hepatitis B and HIV. Due to the potential transmission of pathogens through dental handpieces, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued detailed guidance for the handling and disinfection of these instruments after each patient use. Among other things, proper sanitization of handpieces involves autoclaving the utensils for a thirty minute period at about 15 psi and 121 degrees Celsius (cold sanitization using sanitizer solutions is often not very effective). This requirement, while necessary, increases the time due to the time required to autoclave and cool the appliance, significantly reducing the number of patients that a dentist can effectively treat during a normal working day. (The cost of dental handpieces ranges from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, making it difficult to economically maintain large numbers of such instruments to handle increased patient volume). Furthermore, repeated autoclaving reduces the useful life of the appliance itself.

Another issue related to high speed dental handpieces is the noise level faced by the dentist. Typical high speed dental handpieces generate noise in the frequency range of 2000 to 3500 Hz, with an amplitude of typically 80 decibels at about 2000 Hz. Considering the average number of hours a week that dentists are exposed to the noise of dental appliances, dental practitioners can potentially experience some type of hearing disturbance over many years.

In summary, there is a need for a method and device that provides a practical means of preventing direct contact between dental handpieces and potentially harmful fluids or bloodborne pathogens found in the oral cavity. Furthermore, it would be highly advantageous if such devices and methods could also reduce the noise levels faced by dental practitioners when using such handpieces.

Contents of the invention

A preventive system for a dental handpiece having a selected shape and having an outlet for providing fluid to an operating field is disclosed. A shell substantially similar in shape to that of the handpiece is provided for enclosing the dental handpiece. The shell includes pores in communication with the operating region. The S-shaped valve includes a path to route fluid from the outlet of the handpiece to the aperture of the housing.

The principles of the present invention are also embodied in a dental system comprising a handpiece, an inner shell and an outer shell. The handpiece includes a burr and air and water outlets for performing dental procedures in the oral procedure area. The inner shell has a shape that substantially conforms to the shape of the handpiece and surrounds the handpiece. The inner housing has a first aperture to receive the drill and a second aperture to pass air and water from the air and water outlets of the handpiece. The outer shell has substantially the same shape as the inner shell and surrounds the inner shell. The housing also includes a first aperture to receive the drill and a second aperture to allow air and water from the air and water outlets of the handpiece to the operating area.

A method of protecting a dental handpiece from exposure to potential hazards during a dental procedure is also disclosed. One such method includes the step of surrounding the handpiece with an inner shell having a shape substantially conforming to the shape of the handpiece. The inner housing includes a first aperture for receiving a drill coupled to the handpiece, and a second aperture for passage of fluid provided by an outlet on the handpiece. The method also includes the step of surrounding the inner shell with an outer shell having a first aperture for receiving the drill and a second aperture for outputting fluid from the second aperture of the inner shell to the dental operating area.

Additionally, a drill assembly for use with a dental handpiece is disclosed. The assembly includes a dental drill and a splash guard coupled to the dental drill having means to expel liquid and debris from the handpiece during rotation of the drill.

In summary, the principles of the present invention provide a practical means of preventing direct contact of dental handpieces with potentially harmful fluids or bloodborne pathogens during dental procedures. Furthermore, the dual shell system greatly reduces the noise level faced by the dental practitioner during the procedure.

Description of drawings

In order to understand the present invention and its advantages more completely, now describe the present invention in conjunction with accompanying drawing, in the accompanying drawing:

1A-C show a series of perspective views of the interior of a dental handpiece-shell system in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 details the adapter, which is connected to conventional dental water and air sources;

Figure 3 is a schematic view of a housing according to the principles of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a view showing a dental handpiece/inner housing assembly housed by an outer housing according to any embodiment;

Figure 5 provides a closed view of the dental handpiece/inner housing assembly housed by the outer housing;

6A and 6B are front and rear perspective views of a protection valve adapted to allow air, water and light to pass from respective outlets of the handpiece to outlets of the inner housing;

7A-7C are perspective views of a drill-splash guard assembly, the drill separated from the assembly, and the splash guard separated from the assembly; and

8 is an exploded view of an in-line air and water filter suitable for use with the dental handpiece shown in FIG. adapters for hardware connections.

Detailed ways

The principles of the present invention will be best understood by referring to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 , in which like reference numerals refer to like parts.

1A-1C illustrate a series of perspective views of the interior of a dental handpiece-shell system 100 in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The main components shown in these figures include a high velocity air powered dental handpiece 101 and a first or inner housing 102 consisting of first and second interlocking halves 130a and 130b. The two halves 103 of the inner shell 102 are mirror images and are generally sized and shaped to accommodate and surround the handpiece 101 . The main parts of handpiece 101 are body 104 , handle 105 , neck 106 and head 107 . Neck 106 is disposed on body 104 at an angle such that head 107 is disposed on body 104 and handle 105 at an opposite angle.

Head 107 encloses an air-driven turbine for driving a replaceable dental drill, which is mounted through bore 108 . A drill changing mechanism 109 is provided, which can be accessed through the rear of the head 107 . The drill can also be used through a socket-like outlet for receiving a drill changing tool for loosening and tightening the drill.

Located at the head 107 and immediately below the drill receiving hole 108 is a supply air delivery tube and outlet 111 and a fiber optic light 112 . Tubing located within handpiece 101 carries approximately 5-60 psi of water and compressed air from adapter 113 to outlets 110 and 111, respectively.

An adapter 113 for connection to a conventional water and air source is shown in FIG. 1C and its details are shown in more detail in FIG. 2 . The adapter 113 includes an aperture or receptacle 114 for introducing water, an aperture or receptacle 115 for receiving air, and a lamp housing 116 for delivering light from the fiber optic light source to the head 107 .

Preferably, the two halves 103 of the inner shell 102 are made of plastic with a thickness ranging from 0.01mm to 100mm. Preferably, the absorbent strip 44 is glued or otherwise secured along the outer edges of the halves 103 . So, when the corresponding edges of the two halves abut together, a first (inner) seal is provided which prevents the inflow or outflow of hazardous fluids and particles. Furthermore, the absorbent strip 117 may be pre- and post-treated with a variety of substances, including antiviral, antibacterial, antibiological, or disinfectant substances, to further strengthen the barrier against the spread of hazardous substances. When the halves 103a and 103b are fitted together to form the inner housing 102, an aperture 118 is defined that allows light from the light source 112 and water from the water outlet 111 to reach the dental operating area. Specifically, aperture 118 acts as a one-way flow valve to prevent hazardous fluids and debris from entering the cavity of inner housing 102 . In particular, the discharge aperture 118 is wide enough to allow the entry of air and water at the pressure of the air compressor, but narrow enough to resist the inflow of fluids and other substances, the surface tension of the fluids, and the capillary action of the reduced size. .

Apertures 119 are provided at the connector end of the inner shell 102 and are combined with similar apertures through the outer shell to allow the compressed air used to drive the air turbine in the head 107 to diffuse. A soft insert 119 of rubber or similar material may be added to dampen vibration and noise.

FIG. 2 is an alternate embodiment of housing 102 . In this case, the two halves 201 of the housing 102 are formed rotated by 90 degrees with respect to the half 103 of the embodiment in FIGS. 1A and 1B .

Figure 2 also illustrates yet another very important feature according to the principles of the invention. In particular, a circumferential or conical drilled outlet housing 202 is provided through a half 201 b of the inner housing 102 . The tapered drill outlet is adapted to receive a drill tool while helping to prevent leakage of hazardous materials and fluids into the inner housing 102 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the two halves of the inner housing 102 are held together by a friction locking outer housing comprising a series of mutually corresponding male locking lugs 121 and female apertures 122 . Each male locking block 121 includes a raised land or notch that snaps onto the side wall of the corresponding aperture 122 . Preferably, the locking block 121 is integrally formed with the corresponding half part 103b or 201b of the inner shell 102, and may have a thickness of 0.01 mm to 10 mm and a width of 0.01 mm to 50 mm. The sidewalls of aperture 122 may be shaped and angled to improve interlocking capability with lock block 121 .

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a housing 300 in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Like the inner shell 102, the outer shell 300 is preferably made of injection molded and/or thermoformed plastic, although other materials such as rubber may be used. FIG. 3 shows an open-structure outer shell 300 prepared to house the assembly of handpiece 101 and inner shell 102 . Like the inner shell, the outer shell 300 includes two symmetrical halves 301a and 301b. A hinge mechanism 310 , such as a thin layer of plastic integrally formed with the two halves of the housing 300 , allows the body halves 301 to rotate relative to each other to close the housing 300 . The housing 300 is held in the closed position by use of a frictional locking mechanism comprising male locking blocks 302 and female apertures 303 on opposite edges of the respective halves 301 . As described above with respect to the inner housing 102 , the male locking blocks 302 include raised lands or notches that interlock the side walls of the aperture 303 . The shape or angle of the sidewall of the hole 303 can also be set to improve the locking ability of the locking block 302 .

A plurality of treated anti-biological, anti-viral or disinfectant treated bands 304 and 305 are provided along the length of each half-body 301a and 301b. The belt 304 is preferably made of compressed cotton, but other similar absorbent materials could be used. They can be treated, for example, with commercially available compounds such as amoxicillin. In the illustrated embodiment, the strap 304 is angled and the strap 305 is curved so that the inner housing/dental handpiece assembly 100 can fit snugly into the cavity of the outer housing 300 . In addition to providing a barrier against the inflow and outflow of hazardous fluids and debris, the straps 304 and 305 provide a series of mechanical absorbers and cushioners that help reduce the noise experienced by the dental practitioner and patient.

Aperture or hole 306 is formed around the dental drill extending from handpiece 101 . An additional aperture 307 is formed directly below aperture 306 to allow air and/or light from source tubes 110-111 to reach the operating region. In addition, an aperture 308 is formed at the receiving end of the housing 300 to vent compressed air from the air turbine driving the drill.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a dental handpiece/inner housing assembly according to one of embodiments 100 or 200 , wherein the assembly is housed by an outer housing 300 . In Figure 4, the two halves of housing 300 have not yet been merged and locked together to fully form the housing of the assembly. The merged view is shown in FIG. 5 .

6A and 6B are front and rear views, respectively, of a preferred protection valve 600 connecting the water outlet 110, air outlet 112, and light source 112 of the handpiece 101 with the aperture 118 of the inner housing 102. FIGS. The valve includes a body 601 enclosing tubing and fiber optics for conveying air, water and light received from the handpiece interface 603 to the inner housing interface 602 .

The body 601 is formed from a rigid or semi-rigid material such as metal, plastic or rubber, which allows the body 601 to maintain a "rearward S-shape" shape. This shape can advantageously limit biological contamination and debris generated during back wash and spraying of the surgical field. Specifically, the contaminants and debris are generally confined in an area 604 above the point where the slope of the S-shaped bend reverses.

The closed waterway 605 is shown in dashed lines in Figure 6A. In region 604, the waterway widens laterally and thins vertically. This feature adds additional protection against contaminants entering the handpiece outlets, which are particularly prone to retaining contaminants. Similar shapes can also be used as air paths, which are not shown in the figure for clarity and simplicity.

A mesh or filter 606 is provided at the inner shell interface 606 . Filter 606 may, for example, be made of absorbent material such as compressed cotton with an anti-biofouling agent such as amoxicillin. A housing 609 is added, which is used when air or water is not being delivered from the handpiece. Preferably, the shell 609 is rotatable relative to the body 601 between closed and open positions and is spring loaded so that when compressed air or water is not flowing towards the inner shell aperture 118, the shell automatically returns to the closed position (closing the inner shell interface).

Apertures 608 a , 609 a and 610 a are aligned and communicate with air outlet 112 , water outlet 110 and fiber optic filament 112 of handpiece 101 , and corresponding apertures 608 b , 609 b and 620 b are aligned and communicate with aperture 118 through inner housing 102 . A series of apertures 611 may optionally be formed in the sides of the valve body 601 to expel accumulated contaminants and debris in the air and/or water path under the pressure of the air and water flow itself.

Preferably, the valve 600 is connected to the inner housing 102 and the handpiece 101 by a frictional locking mechanism comprising at least one male locking projection located on one of the mating elements and at least one located between the other element of the mating pair. Corresponding recessed holes on the A single friction locking mechanism 612 as shown in FIG. 6B can be used, wherein a single protrusion or hole is formed on each side of the corresponding interface 602/603, or a double friction locking mechanism 613 can be used, which uses Both protrusions and holes on each side of the .

Fig. 7A is a drill-splash guard assembly 700 embodying the principles of the present invention. Assembly 700 may be used alone with handpiece 101 or in combination with inner shell 102 and outer shell 300 . Assembly 700 includes drill 701 and spatter guard 702 . In addition to the assembly view provided in FIG. 7A , a side view of the drill 701 is shown in FIG. 7B and a front view of the splash guard 702 is shown in FIG. 7C .

The spatter guard 702 is secured to the drill 701 by snapping the edge of the inner aperture 703 of the spatter guard 702 into the V-shaped notch 704 of the drill 701 . In a fixed configuration, the splash guard 702 rotates around the drill 701 . The splash guard includes a plurality of fins 705 on the inner surface, which act like fan blades. The fins 705 force air, liquid and solid debris away from the handpiece 101 . In this manner, accumulation of debris around the drill end of handpiece 101 may be minimized.

8A is an exploded view of a linear air and water filter 800 disposed inside the handpiece 101 or as part of an adapter that connects the handpiece 101 to a practitioner's conventional compressed air and water sources. Figure 8 shows the configuration of the filter 800 disposed within the adapter 801 at the end of the air/water hose (not shown) and the adapter 802 used to connect the filter 800 to the hand piece 101 . The adapter 801 cooperates with the adapter 802 through a friction locking mechanism, and the locking mechanism includes a male plug 803 on the adapter 801 and a concave hole 804 on the adapter 802 .

In the illustrated embodiment of filter 800 , there is one water path 805 and one air path 806 . In alternative embodiments, there may be multiple air and/or water paths, and the principles of the invention apply as well. The water is filtered through absorbent material 807, which may be a strip of compressed cotton or silk with an anti-biological and anti-viral agent such as amoxicillin. Preferably, the material 807 may be a wire type or mesh material with holes 808 which may be rectangular, circular or oval. Air passes through absorbent material 809 such as pre-formed cotton, which has pores that are smaller or significantly smaller than the silk material of the waterway, which is more suitable for filtering air.

While the invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, these descriptions are not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Therefore, the claims of the present invention should be considered to cover all modifications and embodiments falling within the true scope of the present invention.

Claims (2)

CLAIMS 1. A dental system having a dental handpiece and a drill assembly for use with the dental handpiece, wherein the drill assembly comprises: dental drills; and a splash guard connected to the dental drill, the splash guard comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, an inner edge defining an aperture, and a plurality of fins extending from the inner surface toward the inner edge , the inner edge engages with the dental drill. 2. The dental system of claim 1, wherein the spatter guard is attached to the dental drill by snapping the inner edge into a V-shaped notch formed on the drill.

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