Abstract:
A sinus membrane lifting instrument comprising a longitudinally extending handle portion, an angled neck extending longitudinally from the handle portion and a disc-shaped tip extending from the angled neck, the angled neck including means for sensing tension in a sinus membrane as it is being lifted by the instrument from its bony support floor.

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/895,811, filed Aug. 28, 2007, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 60/882,940, filed Dec. 31, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference. The present application also relates to the subject matter of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11,895,823, filed Aug. 28, 2007, entitled “Internal Sinus Manipulation (ISM) Procedure For Facilitating Sinus Floor Augmentation In Dental Procedures”, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,662,188 issued Feb. 16, 2010, which is also incorporated herein by this reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    As stated in the above-identified U.S. Pat. No. 7,662,188, during the described procedure and following the formation of an upward channel in the bone leading to the sinus floor of a patient, there is a simultaneous and controlled lifting and lateral separation of an exposed portion of the sinus membrane from the sinus floor to form an open pocket between the sinus floor and the sinus membrane. Such sinus pocket formation is accomplished using a sinus lifting tool or instrument. The present invention is directed to a preferred form of that instrument. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    Basically, the sinus lifting instrument of the present invention comprises a disk-shaped tip and an angled neck extending longitudinally from a handle portion of the instrument. The disk-shaped tip is designed to release the sinus membrane from the bony wall of sinus floor. The angled neck is designed to aid in the proper positioning of the working tip. An inflection portion of the angled neck extending from the working tip allows a clinician to feel the tension of the sinus membrane and to determine the amount of initial lateral and vertical membrane reflection. 
         [0004]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3  of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,662,188 by solid, dashed and broken line outlines of the instrument, in the formation of the sinus pocket, the instrument is simultaneously raised and turned back and forth on a vertically extending axis with the tip simultaneously lifting and laterally separating the membrane from the sinus floor to form and enlarge the pocket. This procedure of simultaneous membrane lateral release and elevation is continued until a planned amount of sinus extension is achieved and the small open pocket is defined. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred sinus lifting instrument including a central axially elongated handle portion having angled necks and disc-shaped tips extending from opposite ends of the handle portion. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the upper end portion of the instrument as illustrated in  FIG. 1  showing the upper angled neck and disc-shaped tip thereof. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the lower end portion of the instrument as illustrated in  FIG. 1  showing the lower angled neck and disc-shaped tip thereof. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a further enlarged fragmentary side view of the upper disc-shaped tip portion shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0009]    As depicted in  FIG. 1 , the sinus lifting instrument  10  of the present invention comprises an elongated central handle portion  12  extending longitudinally on a longitudinal axis  14  of the instrument. Connected to and extending longitudinally from an upper end  15  of the central handle portion  12  is an upper frusto-conical connecting portion  16  extending longitudinally on the axis  14  and supporting at its upper end  17  an upper angled neck  18  including an inflection portion  19 . An upper end  20  of the inflection portion  19  supports an upper disc-shaped tip  21 . Connected to and extending longitudinally from a lower end  22  of the central handle portion  12  is a lower frusto-conical connecting portion  23  extending longitudinally on the axis  14  and supporting at its lower end  24  a lower angled neck  25  including an inflection portion  26 . A lower end  28  of the inflection portion  26  supports a lower disc-shaped tip  30 . 
         [0010]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the upper connecting portion  16  extends upward longitudinally along the instrument axis  14  and at its upper end  17  connects to and supports the angled neck  18 . From its connection to the portion  16 , the angled neck  18  extends upwardly along an axis  32  that forms an obtuse angle with the axis  14 . As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the axis  32  preferably forms an obtuse angle of about 120 degrees with the axis  14 . As also shown in  FIG. 2 , the inflection portion  19  of the angled neck  18  also extends longitudinally upwardly along an axis  34  that forms an obtuse angle of preferably about 120 degrees with the axis  32 . Thus constructed, the upper end  20  of the inflection portion  19  supports the disc-shaped tip  21 . 
         [0011]    As illustrated most clearly in  FIG. 4 , a lower surface  35  of the disc-shaped tip  21  extends rearward from the inflection portion  19  along an axis  36  that forms an obtuse angle of preferably about 110 degrees with the axis  34  of the inflection portion. As depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the lower surface  35  of the disc-shaped tip  21  is flat and substantially circular in the plane of the lower surface while an upper surface  38  of the tip  21  is upwardly curved, having a smooth substantially concave shape (when viewed from the bottom) and a diameter of about 1.8 millimeters. 
         [0012]    Also, as illustrated most clearly in  FIG. 4 , the inflection portion  19  of the angled neck  18  carries a series of evenly spaced marks  40  for indicating to the instrument user the distance that the instrument  10  has penetrated a sinus pocket in lifting and laterally separating the sinus membrane from the sinus floor during formation of the sinus pocket using the instrument  10 . In that regard, as the upper end of the instrument  10  shown in  FIG. 1  penetrates an upper end of the bone channel leading to the sinus membrane, the curved upper surface  38  of the disc-shaped tip  21  engages and in combination with the angled neck  18  and its inflection portion  19  gently lifts the sinus membrane from the sinus floor of the patient. With lateral movement of the instrument  10  within the sinus pocket, the disc-shaped tip gently lifts more of the sinus membrane from the sinus floor to laterally enlarge the sinus pocket. With further upward movement of the instrument  10  within the sinus pocket, the curved upper surface  38  of the disc-shaped tip  21  further lifts the sinus membrane to enlarge the sinus pocket to its desired size and shape. 
         [0013]    When the instrument  10  shown in  FIG. 1  is inverted, the curved surface of the lower disc-shaped tip  30  in combination with the angled neck  25  and its inflection portion  26  provide the same functional features in gently lifting and laterally separating the sinus membrane from the sinus floor to form and enlarge a sinus pocket to a desired size and shape. In that regard, and with specific reference to  FIG. 3 , the shape and dimensions of the lower portion of the instrument  10  shown in  FIG. 3  follow those shown and described relative to  FIG. 2 . Specifically, the lower connecting portion  23  extends downward and longitudinally along the instrument axis  14  and at its lower end  24  connects to and supports the angled neck  25 . From its connection to the portion  23 , the angled neck  25  extends downwardly long an axis  42  that forms an obtuse angle with the axis  14 . As depicted in  FIG. 3 , the axis  42  preferably forms an obtuse angle of about 120 degrees with the axis  14 . As also shown in  FIG. 3 , the inflection portion  26  of the angled neck  25  also extends longitudinally downward along an axis  44  that forms an obtuse angle of preferably about 120 degrees with the axis  42 . Thus constructed, the lower end  28  of the inflection portion  26  supports the disc-shaped tip  30 . 
         [0014]    As illustrated most clearly in  FIG. 4  and as described with respect to the upper portion of the instrument  10 , when the instrument is inverted a lower surface of the disc-shaped tip  30  will extend rearward from the inflection portion  26  along an axis that forms an obtuse angle of preferably about 110 degrees with the axis  44  of the inflection portion  26 . As depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a lower surface  46  of the disc-shaped tip  30  is flat and substantially circular in the plane of the lower surface while an upper surface of the tip  30  is upwardly curved, having a smooth substantially concave shape (when viewed from the bottom) and a diameter of about 1.8 millimeters. 
         [0015]    While a particular preferred embodiment of the sinus membrane lifting instrument has been illustrated and described above, it is appreciated that changes and modifications may be made in the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of present invention is to be limited only by the terms of the following claims.