US3305928A - Dental matrix band - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 28, 1967 B. F. TOFFLEMIRE 3,305,928

DENTAL MATRIX BAND Original Filed Dec. 16, 1963 ll:1- TIES: a-

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INVENTOR.

B E N JAM IN F. TOFFLEIMIRE BY W ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3,305,928 DENTAL MATRIX BAND Benjamin F. Tofllemire, Lafayette, Calif. (41301 Crest Drive, Hemet, Calif. 92343) Original applications Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 330,756, now Patent No. 3,237,307, dated Mar. 1, 1966, and Oct. 26, 1964, Ser. No. 406,371. Divided and this application Nov. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 412,817

1 Claim. (Cl. 3263) This application involves divisional subject matter of my copending applications identified as follows: (1) Serial No. 330,756, now US. Patent No. 3,237,307, issued March 1, 1966, filed December 16, 1963, entitled, Traction Instrument for a Dental Matrix Band (amended title), and (2) Serial No. 406,371, filed October 26, 1964, entitled, Traction Instrument for Dental Matrix Band, and continuation-in-part of these copending applications.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dental matrix band that may be looped and constricted around a patients tooth, the band defining a pair of arms extending from an arcuate central portion, and the terminal outer ends of the arms being provided with traction instniment-engaging abutments or stops that are made to coact with slotted heads of a traction instrument for exerting a straight pull on the arms of the band when constricting the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide abutments that will not be sheared oif when traction force is exerted thereon.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dental matrix band that is simple in construction, durable and efiicient for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of my dental matrix band;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the righthand end of the band shown in FIGURE 1, both ends of the band being identical;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of my dental matrix band;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the right hand end of the band shown in FIGURE 3, both ends of the band being identical;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are enlarged top plan views of the ends of further embodiments of my dental matrix band; and

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of a traction instrument for constricting any of the foregoing dental matrix bands around a patients tooth.

While I have shown only the preferred embodiments of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description Referring now to the dental matrix band A shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, this embodiment of the band has been divided .out of my copending application, Serial No. 330,- 756, filed December 16, 1963, entitled, Traction Instrument for a Dental Matrix Band (amended title). It has an arcuate central portion 10 and a pair of arms 11 extending from the ends of the arcuate central portion, each arm defining a terminal tip 12 at its outer end. The

band is made of a strip of pliable material and has an inner face 13 disposed to embrace the surface morphology of a pat'ents tooth B (see FIGURE 7), when the strip is looped and constricted around the tooth. Moreover, the strip has an outer face 14 extending the length of the strip.

It will be noted that a pair of traction instrument-eugaging abutments C, or stops, are provided on the terminal tips 12 of the arms 11 so extend substantially at right angles relative to the lengths of their respective arms. These abutments are defined by tubular ends 15 that surround and embrace rods 16, the tubes being fixed by any suitable means to their respective rods. These abutments project in lateral directions beyond the inner and outer faces 13 and 14, respectively, and they are reinforced so that the abutments will not be sheared off when traction force is exerted thereon.

The modified dental matrix band A shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4 have abutments C the latter having been divided out of my copending application, Serial No. 406,- 371, filed October 26, 1964, entitled, Traction Instrument for Dental Matrix Band. The band A is similar in many respects with the band A, and like reference numerals have been applied to corresponding parts. However, the tubular ends 15 that surround and embrace the rods 16 project from only one face of the strip, for instance, outer face 14. The abutments C are reinforced so as to prevent them from being sheared oif when traction force is applied thereto.

As an added feature, the band A may be pre-contoured with a preformed isthmus groove D in its tooth-embracing or inner face 13 in the same manner and purpose set forth in my United States Patent No. 3,145,472, entitled, Pro-contoured Dental Matrix Band.

In the further modification shown in FIGURE 5, the matrix band A has an abutment C defined by crimping the outer end of the strip back upon itself, with the crimped portion 17 projecting from a face of the strip, for example, the outer face 14. Of course, an abutment C will be provided on each outer terminal end 12 of the band A and will be reinforced by the crimped portion 17 so as to prevent shearing when traction force is exerted thereon.

Referring to the fragmentary showing of a modified form of a dental matrix band A shown in FIGURE 6 the abutment C is defined by a channel-shaped member being suitably secured to the outer terminal tip 12 of the strip, with this member projecting laterally beyond the inner and outer faces 13 and 14, respectively. Again, it will be understood that an abutment C will be provided on each outer terminal tip 12 of the strip, and it provides reinforcement that will prevent the abutment from being sheared 011 when traction force is exerted thereon.

The traction instrument E disclosed in FIGURE 7 is more fully illustrated in my copending application, Serial No. 406,371. It will be briefly described so as to bring out the functions of the several abutments previously mentioned. This instrument has a pair of operating handles F, each being provided with a retainer head 18 at its forward end. A hinge connection 19 secures intermediate portions of the handles together, with the hinge being located so as to spread the heads 18 apart and thus constrict the selected matrix band around the tooth B, when the rear ends of the handles are moved toward one another.

Each retainer head 18 has a slot 20 extending thereinto and dimensioned to frictionally receive the overlapped arms 11 of the looped matrix band (A, A A or A edgewise. A retainer clamp G may be lightly applied to the overlapped arms 11 and interposed between the loop 21 of the selected band and the adjacent head 18.

3 Such a clamp is shown in my United States Patent No. 3,046,659, dated July 31, 1962. The abutments on the selected band will bear against the remote head 18. Ratchet lugs 22 are formed on the handles F for locking the latter in closed position, and a spring 23 yieldingly urges the rear ends of the handles apart, and at the same time urging the heads 18 toward one another. After the clamp G is crimped on the arms 11, the traction instrumerit may be withdrawn from the patients mouth.

It will be apparent that when the abutments C or C project from both the inner face 13 and outer face 14, as in FIGURES 12 and 6, and the strip is made flat, either face may be placed next to the banded tooth B. However, when the band is pre-contoured, as in FIGURE 3, it is advisable that the abutments C or C should project from the outer face of the strip, as shown in FIGURES 34 and 5, since the inner face 13 must be placed next to the banded tooth B. In any event, the abutments will permit a straight-line pull to be exerted on the outer terminal tips 12 of the dental bands by the retainer heads 18 of the traction instrument E.

The material constituting the abutments may be spot- Welded, soldered, crimped, or otherwise secured together, so as to prevent the abutments from unravelling during the application of the traction force.

I claim: A dental matrix band comprising: (a) a strip of pliable material having an arcuate central portion and a pair of arms extending from the ends terminal tip at its outer end; (b) the strip having inner and outer faces;

(c) a pair of traction instrument-engaging abutments provided on the terminal tips of the arms to extend at substantially right angles relative to the lengths of their respective arms;

(d) the abutments projecting laterally beyond at least one face of the strip, and being reinforced so that they will not be sheared ofi when traction force is exerted thereon;

(e) the terminal tip and abutment on one arm being independent and unsecured to the terminal tip and abutment of the other arm, whereby the arms may be selectively moved into parallel contacting relation with one another or the arms freely separated relative to each other;

(i) the abutments being defined by independent tubular ends on the tips of the strip that surround and embrace separate rods, the tubes being fixed to their respective rods.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 638,973 12/1889 Mehlig 32-63 2,521,467 9/1950 Lewis 3263 2,722,746 11/1955 Brenner 3263 2,771,677 11/ 1956 Curry 32-63 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,020,102 2/ 1953 France.

of the arcuate central portion, each arm defining a RICHARD A. GAUDET Primary Examiner.

I. W. HINEY, Assistant Examiner.

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