US5000684A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Supra and subgingival tooth cleaning apparatus and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1989-08-10
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Granted: 1991-03-19
•
Expires: 2009-08-10
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for the supra and subgingival cleaning of teeth comprises and handle with a driving mechanism for reciprocally rotating a tapered cleaning tip about its longitudinal axis. A tuft or other scrubbing mechanism is provided on the outer circumference of the tip. The tip includes circumferentially disposed flutes which can be used to receive and dispense medication to the subgingival area. The tip is introduced into the gap between the gum and the tooth for scrubbing the outer surfaces of the tooth near and under the gum line. This effectively disrupts any bacteria plaque in these areas to clean the tooth.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald Odrich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:15
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C17/00; A61C17/16; A61C17/22; A61C17/222; A61C15/00; A61C17/221; A61C17/32; A61C17/34; A61C17/3409; A61C17/3436
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
An apparatus for the subgingival cleaning of teeth comprising: a handle; an elongated tapered non-metallic cleaning tip having an axis and mounted for reciprocal rotary motion to said handle about said axis, said tip having an outer surface including circumferentially spaced radially active scrubbing means for scrubbing subgingival surfaces of a tooth, said cleaning tip including a tapered shank, said scrubbing means comprising a tuft of fibers connected near an end of said shank; and drive means connected to said tip for reciprocally rotating said tip about its axis, said drive means rotating said tip by from one quarter to one full turn in either rotary direction.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
An apparatus for the subgingival cleaning of teeth comprising: a handle; an elongated tapered non-metallic cleaning tip having an axis and mounted for reciprocal rotary motion to said handle about said axis, said tip having an outer surface including circumferentially spaced radially active scrubbing means for scrubbing subgingival surfaces of a tooth, said cleaning tip including a tapered shank, said scrubbing means comprising a tuft of fibers connected near an end of said shank; and drive means connected to said tip for reciprocally rotating said tip about its axis, said drive means rotating said tip by from one quarter to one full turn in either rotary direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tip has a polygonal cross-section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tuft comprises a multiplicity of fibers extending at an angle from 15° to 90° with respect to said axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, including detachable connecting means between said cleaning tip and said drive means for detachable connecting said tip to said handle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
102 words
A tip for the subgingival cleaning of teeth comprising: a one piece non-metallic member having a handle engagement end, a tapered shank connected to said handle engagement end and tapering toward a small diameter insertion end, and circumferentially spaced radially active scrubbing means for scrubbing subgingival surfaces of a tooth, said scrubbing means comprising a tuft of fibers connected to said tapered shank extending at least to said insertion end, said tapered shank has a length of from 7mm to 37mm and a taper angle of from 0° to 45°, said handle engagement end having a diameter of from 1mm to 5mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
102 words
A tip for the subgingival cleaning of teeth comprising: a one piece non-metallic member having a handle engagement end, a tapered shank connected to said handle engagement end and tapering toward a small diameter insertion end, and circumferentially spaced radially active scrubbing means for scrubbing subgingival surfaces of a tooth, said scrubbing means comprising a tuft of fibers connected to said tapered shank extending at least to said insertion end, said tapered shank has a length of from 7mm to 37mm and a taper angle of from 0° to 45°, said handle engagement end having a diameter of from 1mm to 5mm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A tip according to claim 5 wherein said scrubbing means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending flutes in said tapered shank.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
A tip according to claim 6 including a ball at said insertion end.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tip according to claim 5 including a handle fixed to and formed as one part with said handle engagement end for holding said tip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A tip according to claim 8 wherein said tapered shank extends at a selected angle to said handle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A tip according to claim 5 wherein said tapered shank has a length of from 10mm to 25mm, the taper angle of said tapered shank being from 3° to 10° and said handle engagement end having a diameter of from 3mm to 5mm.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
97 words
An apparatus for the subgingival cleaning of teeth comprising: a handle; an elongated tapered non-metallic cleaning tip having an axis and mounted for reciprocal rotary motion to said handle about said axis, said tip having an outer surface including circumferentially spaced radially active scrubbing means for scrubbing subgingival surfaces of a tooth, said cleaning tip including a tapered shank, said scrubbing means comprising a tuft of fibers connected near an end of said shank, said tapered cleaning tip having a spherical end; and drive means connected to said tip for reciprocally rotating said tip about its axis.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
97 words
An apparatus for the subgingival cleaning of teeth comprising: a handle; an elongated tapered non-metallic cleaning tip having an axis and mounted for reciprocal rotary motion to said handle about said axis, said tip having an outer surface including circumferentially spaced radially active scrubbing means for scrubbing subgingival surfaces of a tooth, said cleaning tip including a tapered shank, said scrubbing means comprising a tuft of fibers connected near an end of said shank, said tapered cleaning tip having a spherical end; and drive means connected to said tip for reciprocally rotating said tip about its axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said drive means rotates said tip by less than one full turn in either direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said tapered cleaning tip is conical and includes circumferentially spaced flutes therein above the tuft.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said tip comprises a one-piece resilient plastic member. --
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the tip has a length of from 10mm to 25mm, the tip having a taper angle of between 3° and 10°, the maximum diameter of the tip being 3mm to 5mm.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus for the subgingival cleaning of teeth comprising: a handle; an elongated tapered non-metallic cleaning tip having an axis and mounted for reciprocal rotary motion to said handle about said axis, said tip having an outer surface including circumferentially spaced radially active scrubbing means for scrubbing subgingival surfaces of a tooth, said cleaning tip including a tapered shank, said scrubbing means comprising a tuft of fibers connected near an end of said shank, the tip having a length of from 10mm to 25mm, the tip having a taper angle of between 3° and 10°, the maximum diameter of the top being 3mm to 5mm; and drive means connected to said tip for reciprocally rotating said tip about its axis.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus for the subgingival cleaning of teeth comprising: a handle; an elongated tapered non-metallic cleaning tip having an axis and mounted for reciprocal rotary motion to said handle about said axis, said tip having an outer surface including circumferentially spaced radially active scrubbing means for scrubbing subgingival surfaces of a tooth, said cleaning tip including a tapered shank, said scrubbing means comprising a tuft of fibers connected near an end of said shank, the tip having a length of from 10mm to 25mm, the tip having a taper angle of between 3° and 10°, the maximum diameter of the top being 3mm to 5mm; and drive means connected to said tip for reciprocally rotating said tip about its axis.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said tip has a polygonal cross-section.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said tuft comprises a multiplicity of fibers extending at an angle from 15° to 90° with respect to said axis.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, including detachable connecting means between said cleaning tip and said drive means for detachable connecting said tip to said handle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said handle comprises a handle portion having an elongated axis and a head portion connected to said handle portion for carrying said tip, said handle portion extending at an angle of from 0° to 90° with respect to said head portion.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said angle is from 15° to 45°.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said angle is from 15° to 45°.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said handle comprises a handle portion having an elongated axis and a head portion connected to said handle portion for carrying said tip, said handle portion extending at an angle of from 0° to 90° with respect to said head portion.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
53 words
A method for the supra and subgingival cleaning of teeth, comprising: engaging the side of a tapered non-metallic cleaning tip having circumferentially spaced radially active scrubbing means, against subgingival surfaces of a tooth; and reciprocally rotating said tip about a longitudinal axis thereof by one quarter to one full turn in either direction.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
53 words
A method for the supra and subgingival cleaning of teeth, comprising: engaging the side of a tapered non-metallic cleaning tip having circumferentially spaced radially active scrubbing means, against subgingival surfaces of a tooth; and reciprocally rotating said tip about a longitudinal axis thereof by one quarter to one full turn in either direction.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 24, including a tuft at an end of said tip forming said scrubbing means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 25, including circumferentially spaced axially extending flutes on an outer surface of said tip for carrying fluid.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 26, wherein said tip has a spherical ball shaped end.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 24, wherein said tip has a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending flutes therein and including dipping the tip into fluid medicinal material before engaging said tip against the supra and subgingival surfaces of the tooth.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 24, wherein the tip has a polygonal cross-section, corners of the polygon forming the scrubbing means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-03-18 | 1994-09-17 | 1995-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-03-18 | 1998-09-17 | 1999-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-03-18 | 2002-09-17 | 2003-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |