US2563507A - wolford - Google Patents

Description

R. E. WOLFORD 2,563,507

DENTAL APPLIANCE Aug. 7, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1947 Ihmentor EB RUTH EQWOLFORD M Glkomeg Aug. 7, 1951 R. E. WOLFORD DENTAL APPLIANCE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fil ed June 20, 1947 Emcentor RUTH E. WOLFORD Cmo rneg Aug. 7, 1951 R. E. WOLFORD 2,563,507

DENTAL. APPLIANCE 7 Filed June 20, 1947 a Sheets-Sheet 5 E RUTH E.wou=on0 (Iltorncg Patented Aug. 7, 1951 UNITED STTATES PATENT OFFICE DENTAL APPLIANCE Ruth E. Wolford, Presser, Wash.

Application June 20, 1947, Serial No. 755,884

Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in a dental appliance.

One of the problems in the making ofdentures lies in getting the proper facial contour when the artificial dentures are used. One of the major difficulties lies in the fact that at present,

to my knowledge, there is no means whereby a dentist may so position the jaws of the patient as to give the natural appearance before forming the plates and then reproduce the position of the jaws later inmaking the impressions for the plates. Various measuring devices have been proposed but do not appear to have received any particular acceptance in theprofession.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a device of this character which may be placed on the face of the patient after the jaws have been spread to give the natural facial appearance and retained there until the actual impressions from which the plates are made have been taken, allowin the mouth of the patient to be opened and closed as many times as may be necessary without disturbing the original setting of the appliance.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a dental appliance of the character above referred to which serves to establish fixed measuring points for the relative position of the lower jaw in order that the lower jaw may be repeatedly closed to a definite position and likewise positioned laterally in an accurate fashion. the whole appliance being of such nature as to permi't ready access to the mouth for the insertion of whatever instrumentaliti'es the dentist may have to use.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization audits method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be understood from the description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an appliance embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the appliance illustrating the manner in which it fits the human face;

Figure 3 is a front view of the appliance;

Figure 4 is an elongated fragmentary side view of a portion of the appliance;

Figure 5 is a side view, partly in section, of the adjustable pad for lateral positioning of the appliance and its mounting;

Figure 6 is .a view in side elevation of the mouth pad which is adapted to be used for originally obtaining the proper spread of the jaws to give a natural facial expression;

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the mouth pad;

Figure 8 is a perspective view'of a short pad for partial denture work; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 8 with the pad shells closed.

Referring now to the drawings, my invention in its preferred form embodies a pair of clamping pads Ill and H preferably constructed of a resilient material with a padded inner surface and shaped to engage the cheek bones of an individual at about the level of the eyes. The surface of the pad is sufficiently great to support the appliance without exertin painful pressure on the face. The pads 10 and II are connected together by strap portions [2 and I3 that extend across the face beneath the nose. The strap portions i2 and I3 telescope with each other and are adjustable by means of the slot 1 4 and an adjusting screw IS.

The pads iii and H also have bars l6 and I1 depending therefrom. The bar I6 is secured by two branch strips I8 and H] to the pad l0. Similar branch strips 29 and 2 secure the bar IT to the pad H. The bars l8 and H are alike except for being right and left hand members, each bar branches to provide one leg 22 extending straight downward and another leg 23 extend ing downward and forwardly. A sleeve 24 telescopes with the leg 22 and may be secured thereon at any desired position by a set screw 25. A. similar sleeve 25 telescopes on the leg 23 and is secured by a set screw 21. The lower ends of both the sleeves 24 and 26 are bifurcated as indicated at 28 and 29:. A lower jaw supporttll is pivotally mounted by pins 3! in the lower bifurcated ends of the sleeves 24. The jaw support 36 is substantially U-shaped and includes a chin supporting flange 32 and a padded rim 33;

Two lateral positioning pads 34 and 35 are mounted on short standards 35 and 37 that are provided on the bar 3'8. The pads 34 and 35 carry screw threaded stems 38 and 39', the stems being threaded in the standards 36 and 3'! and rotatably mounted by means of ahead 40 and. a cap M to the backs of the pads. Knurled. finger pieces 42 are provided on the stems 38 and 39. The bar 30 is free to swing up and down but when it is raised it fits in the bifurcations 29 of the sleeves 25 which form stops to limit the upward swinging movement of the bar 30.

It is believed to be evident from the foregoing description and the drawings that thedevice just described can be fitted solidly on a human face by means of the pads I0 and I l and the nose straps, I2 and I3 and that the bar 30 can be raised and lowered to proper position with respect to the chin. It is necessary, however, to provide means for spacing the jaws apart a proper distance to get the natural facial expression. This can only be done by placing something in the mouth which can be adjusted until the proper spacing of the jaws fortheright ex 3 r pression. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the device which may be placed in the mouth for this purpose. This device comprises an upper pad 44 and a lower pad 45, the two pads being connected together by threaded stems 46, 41 and 4B. These threaded stems are threaded by right-hand threads and left-hand threads into the pads 44 and 45 and have narrow finger pieces such as 49 so that they may be turned to bring the'pads 44 and 45 into proper position with respect to each other to give the desired spread of the jaws when they are held between the jaws by the patient.

When the proper facial expression has been obtained by the use of of the device shown in Figures 6 and 7 the appliance illustrated in Figures 1 to inclusive is then placed on the patients face and adjusted firmly by means of the nose straps l2 and [3. The sleeves 24 are adjusted on the legs 22 to raise the bar 30 to the proper level. The bar 30 is then pressed up firmly against the chin of the patient with the set screws 21 loosened to allow the sleeves 26 to slide on the legs 23. When the bar 30 has been properly positioned the set screws 21 are tightened to lock the sleeves 26 in place. The pads 34 and 35 are also laterally adjusted to engage the sides of the face for lateral positioning of the lower jaw. The device shown in Figures 6 and loan then be removed from the patients mouth by letting the bar 30 swing down as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2. The actual jaw impression may be taken by inserting the impression wax or moldable material inthe mouth of the patient and raising the lower jaw by meansof the bar 30 until the bar 30 seats in the bifurcations 29 of the sleeves 26 and indicates that the jaws have been closed to their former position.

In Figures 8 and 9 a different form of padis shown for use in making partial dentures. This construction may also be applied to a full size pad like that shown in Figures 6 and 7. The pad comprises two telescoping shells 50 and 5| and a middle bar 52. The shells may be made as deep as necessary and a set of these devices may be provided for use by a dentist if desired. The shells have studs 53 and 54 secured thereon. These studs are screw threaded to receive right hand and left hand threaded stems 55 and 56 on 2 an adjusting member 51. The shells and 5| are cut out as indicated at 58 and 59 for access to the member 51. For a short pad only one of the members 51 is needed. However, on longer pads as many are used as will be necessary.

going description and the drawings that with this appliance there is no guess work in the positioning of the jaws at the time of taking the impression for the dental plates. The device does not interfere with the opening and closing of the mouth for taking the impressions and it adapts itself readily to a great variety of facial contours.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A dental applianceadapted for use in the taking of impressions for artificial dentures comprising in combination a pair of cheek engaging clamps, said clamps having narrow straplike portions projecting forwardly and inwardly and overlapped with each other to extend across the face of a patient between the clamps, a lower jaw support suspended from the clamps and swingable up and down, and adjustable stop members carried by the clamps, said stop members being spaced from the point of suspension of the support and positioned in the path of movement-of said support.

V extend across the face of a patient between the clamps, a lower jaw support suspended from the clamps and swingable up and down, and adjustable stop members carried by the clamps, said stop members being spaced from the point of suspension of the support and positioned in the path of movement of said support, said support having adjustable pads at the sides thereof movable toward and away from each other for lateral positioning of the lower jaw of the patient.

3. A dental appliance adapted for use in the taking of impressions for artificial dentures comprising in combinations a pair of check engaging clamps, means connecting said clamps curved to extend across the face of a patient between the clamps, a lower-jaw support comprising a U- shaped bar provided with a chin supporting flange at its mid-portion and having its ends pivotally suspended from the clamps and swingable up and down, and adjustable stop members carried by the clamps in the path of movement of said support.

4. A dental appliance adapted for use in the taking of impressions for artificial dentures comprising in combination a pair of check engaging clamps, meansconnecting said clamps curved to extend across the face of a patient between the clamps, a lower jaw support comprising a U- shaped bar provided with a chin supporting flange at its mid-portion and having its end pivotally suspended from the clamps and swingable up and down, adjustable stop members mounted on the clamps and positioned forwardly of the pivots of said bar and providing positive stops in the path of movement of said support, and upstanding jaw positioning members on the opposite sides of said bar for preventing lateral movement of the patients lower jaw on the support.

. 5. A dental appliance adapted for use in the taking of impressions for artificial dentures comprising in combination a pair of cheek engaging clamps, means connecting said clamps curved to extend across the face of a patient between the clamps, a lower jaw support comprising a U-shaped bar provided with a chin supporting flange at its mid-portion and having its ends pivotally suspended from the clamps and swingable up and down and adjustable stop members carried by the clamps in the path of movement of It is believed to be apparent from the foresaid support, said adjustable stop members comprising bars extending forwardly and downwardly from the clamps, and members telescoping therewith bifurcated to receive the said U-shaped bar at their lower ends and means to secure the telescoping members in fixed position on said forwardly and downwardly extending bars.

- RUTH E. WOLFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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