Reference plate with outriggers for dental work

Claim 2

A reference plate for assisting in obtaining dental information, comprising: a. an intra-mouth frontal bar having an arcuate surface generally configured like and positionable near the anterior portion of a person''s teeth; b. an intra-mouth flexible bearing plate coupled to the frontal bar, the bearing plate and frontal bar defining a zone for retaining mouldable plastic; and, c. a pair of outriggers coupled to the frontal bar and spaced laterally outwardly from opposing sides of the bearing plate, the outriggers being positionable external of the patient''s mouth.

Claim 3

The structure according to claim 1, wherein; the outriggers are formed by the arms of a generally U-shaped integral strip of material.

Claim 4

The structure according to claim 2, including: a removable stud connected to the frontal bar and arranged to securely clamp the integral strip between itself and frontal bar.

Claim 5

The structure according to claim 1, including: external holding means attached to the outriggers for holding the reference plate in place within the patient''s mouth.

Claim 6

The structure according to claim 4, wherein; the external holding means include a resilient band looped around both outriggers and positionable beneath the patient''s chin.

Claim 7

The structure according to claim 4, wherein the external holding means includes: a head cap positionable on the patient''s head and; a pair of resilient bands interconnecting the outriggers with opposite sides of the head cap.

Claim 8

The structure according to claim 1, wherein; the bearing plate has a pair of side walls pivotally coupled to opposing ends of the frontal bar.

Claim 9

The structure according to claim 7, including: a pair of openings extending through the frontal bar for mounting pivot pins that couple the bearing plate side walls to the frontal bar; and, an intermediate opening extending through the frontal bar, the three openings serving as retention openings to assist in holding mouldable plastic material within said zone.

Claim 10

The structure according to claim 7, including: orienting means for tilting the bearing plate relative to the frontal bar.

Claim 11

The structure according to claim 9, wherein; the orienting means includes a pair of oppositely extending locking screws, each screw of which engages both the bearing plate and frontal bar.

Claim 12

The structure according to claim 10, wherein the pair of locking screws are constituted by: a first locking screw that extends transversely through the bearing plate and into interengagement with a first threaded bore in the frontal bar; and, a second locking screw that is interengaged with a second threaded bore in the frontal bar and abuts against the bearing plate at a point more inwardly than the first locking screw, wherein, By extending the first locking screw and retracting the second locking screw the bearing plate is tilted in one direction and by retracting the first locking screw and extending the second locking screw the bearing plate is caused to tilt in the opposite direction.

Claim 13

A set of reference plates for assisting in obtaining dental information, comprising: a. an upper reference plate; b. a first intra-mouth frontal bar forming part of the upper reference plate, the bar having an arcuate surface generally configured like and positionable near the anterior portion of a patient''s upper teeth; c. A first intra-mouth flexible bearing plate coupled to the first frontal bar and having a striking plate section with a concave surface portion, the first bearing plate and first frontal bar defining a zone for mouldable plastic; d. a first pair of outriggers coupled to the first frontal bar and spaced laterally outwardly from opposing sides of the first bearing plate, the first pair of outriggers being positionable external of the patient''s mouth; e. first external holding means attached to the first outriggers for holding the upper reference plate in place within the patient''s mouth; f. a lower reference plate; g. a second intra-mouth frontal bar forming a part of the lower reference plate, the bar having an arcuate surface generally configured like and positionable near the anterior portion of a patient''s lower teeth; h. a second intra-mouth flexible bearing plate coupled to the second frontal bar and carrying a height adjustment element for engaging said concave undersurface portion to regulate the distance between the upper and lower reference plates, the second bearing plate and second frontal bar defining a zone for retaining mouldable plastic; i. a second pair of outriggers coupled to the second frontal bar and spaced laterally outwardly from opposing sides of the second bearing plate, the second pair of outriggers being positionable external of the patient''s mouth; and, j. second external holding means attached to the second pair of outriggers for holding the lower reference plate within the patient''s mouth.

Claim 14

A set of reference plates for assisting in obtaining dental information, comprising: a. an upper reference plate; b. a first intra-mouth frontal bar forming part of the upper reference plate, the bar having an arcuate surface generally configured like and positionable near the anterior portion of a patient''s upper teeth; c. A first intra-mouth flexible bearing plate coupled to the first frontal bar and having a striking plate section with a concave surface portion, the first bearing plate and first frontal bar defining a zone for mouldable plastic; d. a first pair of outriggers coupled to the first frontal bar and spaced laterally outwardly from opposing sides of the first bearing plate, the first pair of outriggers being positionable external of the patient''s mouth; e. first external holding means attached to the first outriggers for holding the upper reference plate in place within the patient''s mouth; f. a lower reference plate; g. a second intra-mouth frontal bar forming a part of the lower reference plate, the bar having an arcuate surface generally configured like and positionable near the anterior portion of a patient''s lower teeth; h. a second intra-mouth flexible bearing plate coupled to the second frontal bar and carrying a height adjustment element for engaging said concave undersurface portion to regulate the distance between the upper and lower reference plates, the second bearing plate and second frontal bar defining a zone for retaining mouldable plastic; i. a second pair of outriggers coupled to the second frontal bar and spaced laterally outwardly from opposing sides of the second bearing plate, the second pair of outriggers being positionable external of the patient''s mouth; and, j. second external holding means attached to the second pair of outriggers for holding the lower reference plate within the patient''s mouth.

Claim 15

The structure according to claim 12, wherein; the first external holding means includes a head cap positionable on the patient''s head and a pair of resilient bands interconnecting the first pair of outriggers with opposite sides of the head cap; and, the second external holding means is a resilient band looped around the second pair of outriggers and positionable beneath a patient''s chin.

Claim 16

The structure according to claim 13, including: a first removable stud connected to the first frontal bar and arranged to clamp the first pair of outriggers against the first frontal bar; and a second removable stud connected to the second frontal bar and arranged to clamp the second pair of outriggers against the second frontal bar.

Claim 17

The structure according to claim 12, wherein; each reference plate has a pair of side walls pivotally coupled to opposing ends of the associated frontal bar; and, orienting means is provided for tilting the bearing plate relative to the associated frontal bar.