Abstract:
A screw driver system particularly adapted for use in placement and removal of dental implant screws is shown to comprise a forceps holder having distal pincer portions adapted to firmly engage the head of a screw driver at an optimal angle to permit improved visibility of the work area and access thereto when the system is placed in the mouth of a patient.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to dental implants and more particularly to a screw driver system for use with dental implants. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Placement and removal of healing and fixation screws for dental implants has been carried on by dental practitioners for many years and typically involves the use of the fingers of one hand to position a screw driver in the recess of a patient&#39;s mouth with the fingers of the other hand used to rotate the screwdriver. Due to the very limited space and accessibility available, particularly when the situs is in the back of the mouth cavity, the procedure is awkward and cumbersome. The problem is further exacerbated by the limitation of visibility caused by the requirement of both hands being in the work area. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a screw driver system which overcomes the above noted limitations. It is yet another object to provide a screw driver system for use with dental implants which permits improved control and visibility of the installation and removal of healing and fixation screws. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, a screw driver system made in accordance with the invention comprises a forceps holder having first and second elongated elements hingedly interconnected intermediate their ends with first and second pincers formed at the distal free end portion of one end of the elements. The pincers are movable between open, unlocked and closed locked positions with a screwdriver receivable between the pincers and firmly grasped therebetween when the pincers are in the closed, locked position so that a force can be applied along the longitudinal axis of the screwdriver from a point laterally removed therefrom. 
     According to a feature of a preferred embodiment of the invention a groove is formed in each pincer and is adapted to receive a peripheral portion of the head or attachment portion of the screw driver. The head portion of the screw driver is selected to have a diameter slightly larger than the distance between the grooves when the pincers are in the closed, locked position resulting in a strong bias gripping the head through the spring characteristic of the elongated elements. 
     According to another feature of the invention the pincers lie in a plane which intersects the plane in which the remainder of the elongated elements lie by an angle preferably between approximately 30°-45° to enable better accessibility to the work area. 
     According to yet another feature of the invention the locking mechanism comprises a finger extending from each elongated element with a set of teeth formed on each finger with the teeth adapted to intermesh upon closing of the elements. 
     A second embodiment includes pincers that are adapted to completely circumscribe a reduced diameter portion of a modified screw driver to hold the screw driver. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the forceps holder made in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 1a is a perspective view of the pincers portion of the forceps holder shown with a screw driver held by the pincers; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged broken away portion showing intermeshed teeth of the locking mechanism of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 3-5 are top, front and bottom views respectively of the screw driver shown in FIG. 1a but shown enlarged for purposes of clarity of illustration; and 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention showing a modified forceps holder and screw driver. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to the drawings, forceps screw driver holder 10 shown in FIG. 1 comprises first and second elongated elements 12, 14 hingedly connected intermediate their ends at 16 and being formed of stainless steel or other suitable material having good spring characteristics. Elements 12, 14 have conventional finger loop portions 18, 20 at a first end and crescent shaped pincer portion 22, 24 at a second end thereof. 
     Crescent shaped portions 22, 24 having their concave shaped portions facing one another are each provided with an elongated depressed area, grooves 26, 28 respectively with the entire crescent portion preferably lying in a plane at an angle of approximately 30° relative to the plane in which the remainder lies, although the angle could be between approximately 30° and 45° and still be effective. As shown in FIG. 1, the distal free ends of the pincer portions 22, 24 are shown slightly spaced from one another. 
     A locking mechanism is formed on the elongated elements adjacent the loop portion 18, 20 in the form of respective fingers 30, 32 each having a set 34, 36 respectively of outwardly extending teeth facing one another, each tooth being generally in the configuration of a right triangle in profile and so adapted that urging of the loop portions 18, 20 toward one another will cause the inclined plane portion 38 on tooth 34 closer to the free distal end of finger 30 to ride up the inclined plane portion 40 of tooth 36 closer to the free distal end of finger 32 until the outer teeth snap over the knife edge defining the outer teeth. Continued movement of the loop portions toward one another will eventually cause the entire set of teeth on the two fingers to intermesh thereby firmly locking elements 12, 14 in a fixed position. 
     Once locked, elements 12, 14 can be separated by urging one loop portion out of the plane of the other loop portion. 
     As seen in FIGS. 3-5 a screw driver 50 is shown slightly enlarged relative to holder 10 in FIG. 1a. Screw driver 50 has a body portion 52 having a head 54 rotatably mounted thereon, the head having a shank portion 56 and a flange 58 projecting outwardly from portion 56. Screw driver 50 is provided with a suitable blade portion 60 which, if desired, can be replaceable to provide different size or configuration tools, i.e., tools other than of the straight blade type. In any event, portion 60 is locked in body 52 at 62 as by epoxy or other suitable conventional locking means. 
     Grooves 26, 28 of pincers 22, 24 are adapted to receive the outer periphery of flange 58. The outer diameter of flange 58 is slightly larger than the distance between the bottom surface of the grooves 26, 28 when in the locked position so that when the locking mechanism is engaged with the flange 58 of the screw driver received in the grooves the inherent spring characteristics of the elongated elements, serve to firmly hold the screw driver by the pincers. The screw driver can be held in one hand via the forceps holder in a selected location, for example, within the interior portion of the mouth cavity, with suitable force exerted on the screw driver along the longitudinal axis of the screw driver, either upwardly or downwardly, through the forceps holder from a point removed from the longitudinal axis of the screw driver. Further, the hand grasping the screw driver can be placed out of the field of vision due to the angle between the elongated elements and the pincers. The body and blade portion of the screw driver can then conveniently be rotated by the fingers of the other hand while still being able to see the work area. It will be noted that the screw driver can extend from either side of the forceps holder to provide an acute as well as an obtuse angle for optimum flexibility for the practitioner depending upon the particular procedure being performed. 
     An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 which shows pincers 22&#39;, 24&#39; formed to essentially completely circumscribe a reduced diameter attachment portion 54&#39; of screw driver 50&#39;. In this embodiment when loops 18, 20 are separated from one another pincers 22&#39;, 24&#39; are placed around shaft portion 55 between head portion 58&#39; and body portion 52&#39; so that a vertical force can be exerted on screw driver 50&#39; through forceps holder 10&#39;, through pincers 22&#39;, 24&#39; exerted on body portion 52&#39;. 
     While there has been illustrated and described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiments of the present invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the invention. It is intended that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.