Patent ID: 9707064
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: A61C

Claim:
1. A device for verifying parallelism of abutment teeth for dental appliance insertion, comprising: a housing having a top end, a bottom end, and longitudinally-extending slot formed therethrough; first and second rods received within the longitudinally-extending slot and being longitudinally slidable therein, wherein each of said first and second rods extends laterally through the longitudinally-extending slot; first and second plates respectively suspended from central portions of said first and second rods and being longitudinally slidable through an opening formed through the bottom end of said housing, wherein each of said first and second plates has a top end and a bottom end, a laterally-extending passage being formed through the top end such that the respective central portions of said first and second rods are respectively received in the laterally-extending passages of said first and second plates; and first and second ratcheting mechanisms for respectively limiting rotational movement and rotational direction of said first and second plates with respect to the housing, whereby said housing is adapted for positioning in a patient's mouth adjacent a pair of abutment teeth such that said first and second plates may be selectively slid to contact respective ones of the pair of abutment teeth, said first and second ratcheting mechanisms providing lockable rotation of said first and second plates with respect to said housing, such that a dental practitioner may visually inspect respective contact angles between the first and second plates and the pair of abutment teeth.