Screening tool and process using the tool for a mouth cavity in dental operations

Claim 2

A screening tool for an oral cavity, comprising: a sheet of waterproof deformable, flexible material adapted to fit partially in the oral cavity; a two-way aspirating frame pressing on three sides of said sheet to retain said sheet on said oral cavity; and suction means associated with said frame and said sheet for removing liquid and solid matter from said sheet, said frame comprising a pair of spaced aspirating conduits connected to a source of suction on a dental chair and said conduits having deformable metal wires therein whereby said frame can be adjusted in shape.

Claim 3

The tool of claim 1 wherein said conduits have distal inlet ends bent toward one another.

Claim 4

The tool of claim 1 wherein: said conduits have inner ends housed in a sleeve and connected to said source of suction; and said tool has at least one mobile aspirating conduit fitting in said sleeve and connected to said source for local aspiration of said sheet.

Claim 5

The tool of claim 1, wherein said sheet is square and of a size such as not to cover the mouth of the patient.

Claim 6

The tool of claim 4, wherein said sheet is of a size such as not to overlap over the nose of a patient.

Claim 7

The tool of claim 1, wherein said sheet is air-permeable.

Claim 8

The tool of claim 1, wherein said sheet is of rubber.

Claim 9

The tool of claim 1, including conduits having distal inlet ends bent towards one another.

Claim 10

The tool of claim 8, wherein: said conduits have inner ends housed in a sleeve and connected to said source of suction; and said tool has at least one mobile aspirating conduit fitting in said sleeve and connected to said source for local aspiration of said sheet.

Claim 11

The tool according to claim 1, wherein each of said conduits have a plurality of bores connected to the hollow interior of said conduits for aspirating through said bores, and including a seal between said conduits through which said wire passes.

Claim 12

The tool of claim 10, wherein said sheet is square.

Claim 13

The tool of claim 11, wherein said sheet is of a size such as not to overlap over the nose of a patient.

Claim 14

The tool of claim 12, wherein said sheet is air-permeable.

Claim 15

The tool of claim 1, wherein said sheet is of plastic.

Claim 16

In a dental treatment process, the improvement comprising the combinative steps of: placing a flexible, elastic, waterproof sheet over the oral cavity; placing onto the waterproof sheet a deformable hollow pair of spaced aspirating conduits communicating with a plurality or bores placed therealong between the ends thereof, spaced between and proximate to the ends thereof; shaping said sheet over the dental area to be treated, adjusting the conduits with a deformable means therein by bending thereof by hand to modify the shape of the sheet relative to the dental area to be treated; boring at least one opening in said sheet at a location corresponding to said area; and aspirating dental residues through said bores; whereby liquids and solids deposited on said sheet during said treatment can be removed by one person.

Claim 17

In a dental treatment process, the improvement comprising the combinative steps of: placing a flexible, elastic, waterproof sheet over the oral cavity; placing onto the waterproof sheet a deformable hollow pair of spaced aspirating conduits communicating with a plurality or bores placed therealong between the ends thereof, spaced between and proximate to the ends thereof; shaping said sheet over the dental area to be treated, adjusting the conduits with a deformable means therein by bending thereof by hand to modify the shape of the sheet relative to the dental area to be treated; boring at least one opening in said sheet at a location corresponding to said area; and aspirating dental residues through said bores; whereby liquids and solids deposited on said sheet during said treatment can be removed by one person.

Claim 18

The improvement of claim 15, wherein said deformable means is a deformable frame provided in each of said conduits extending between the ends of each of said conduits and leaving a hollow portion between said frame and the interior of said hollow aspirating conduits.

Claim 19

The improvement of claim 15, wherein said bore is placed on at least one tooth so that said sheet is centrally held by at least one tooth and forms a cavity for collecting materials.

Claim 20

The improvement of claim 17, including centrally anchoring the sheet to the tooth.

Claim 21

A screening tool for an oral cavity, comprising: a sheet of waterproof deformable, flexible material adapted to fit partially in the oral cavity; a two-way aspirating flexible, but stiff frame pressing on three sides of said sheet for retaining said sheet on said oral cavity and stabilizing said sheet under tension; and suction means associated with said frame and said sheet for removing liquid and solid matter from said sheet, said frame comprising a pair of spaced aspirating conduits connected to a source of suction on a dental chair; and deformable metal wires in said conduits whereby said frame can be adjusted in shape for said stabilization thereof under tension.

Claim 22

A screening tool for an oral cavity, comprising: a sheet of waterproof deformable, flexible material adapted to fit partially in the oral cavity; a two-way aspirating flexible, but stiff frame pressing on three sides of said sheet for retaining said sheet on said oral cavity and stabilizing said sheet under tension; and suction means associated with said frame and said sheet for removing liquid and solid matter from said sheet, said frame comprising a pair of spaced aspirating conduits connected to a source of suction on a dental chair; and deformable metal wires in said conduits whereby said frame can be adjusted in shape for said stabilization thereof under tension.

Claim 23

The tool of claim 19, wherein said conduits each have one end inwardly bent towards said sheet for providing additional stabilization to the lower ends of said conduits, and the other end of each of said conduits are outwardly bent to form two substantially parallel portions beyond an intermediate point at which a seal is provided set together for insertion thereof into a common collector leading to a duct fitted on the dental chair's aspirator.