Patent Publication Number: US-2020281684-A1

Title: Dental bite block

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates generally to dental appliances and, more particularly, to a mouth prop or bite block which is adapted to keep a patient&#39;s mouth open during a dental examination or procedure, is comfortable for the patient, and is uniquely shaped or otherwise provided with aesthetic attributes indicative of a juvenile motif intended to relax younger, juvenile patients in a manner which makes the dental examination or treatment experience less stressful while providing bite protection during the same. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As is well known in the dental arts, dental mouth props, or bite blocks, are devices which are inserted into the patient&#39;s mouth between the upper and lower teeth to keep the mouth opened in a relatively fixed position. This allows access to the interior of the mouth for dental procedures and various aspects of dental treatment. Bite blocks also provide for more efficiency and ease of performance by the dental professional as they provide the dental professional with some measure of control over the size of the opening of the mouth. Bite blocks further typically provide some measure of comfort to the patient as they can relax the muscles in the jaw as they rest their teeth on the block. This is particularly beneficial in longer duration dental procedures. 
     With particular regard to young children, dental examinations or treatments administered by a dental professional, or even simple inspections of the mouth, teeth or gums by a parent or caregiver, are known to often present unique challenges. In greater detail, there is a tendency for young children, as a reflexive response to the stress or fear arising from the examination, treatment or inspection, to bite down on any object put into their mouth. As will be recognized, if that object happens to be the finger of a dental professional, parent or caregiver, injury can certainly occur as an unintended result. Though this risk of injury may be mitigated by the initial advancement of a conventional bite block into the child&#39;s mouth, the size and shape of currently know bite blocks will typically do little if anything to curb the child&#39;s anxiety or potential discomfort which, as indicated above, often gives rise to the bite response in the first place. 
     The present disclosure addresses this deficiency in currently known bite blocks by providing a bite block which is sized/dimensioned so as to be particularly suited for use with a young child based on the typical size and shape parameters of the interior of a young child&#39;s mouth, is adapted to keep the child&#39;s mouth open during a dental examination or procedure, is comfortable for the child, and is uniquely shaped or otherwise provided with aesthetic attributes indicative of a juvenile motif intended to relax the child to make the dental examination or treatment experience less stressful while providing bite protection during the same. These, as well as other features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be described in more detail below. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward a bite block generally comprising a firm, hollow tube, the inner diameter of which is adapted to accommodate the finger (e.g., the index finger) of a dental professional (e.g., dentist, hygienist), healthcare worker, parent or caregiver. In one implementation, one of the opposed ends of the bite block is closed, with the opposite, remaining end being open as needed to accommodate the advancement of the finger into the interior of the bite block. 
     While the bite block is essentially a hollow, tubular structure, it is provided with exterior surface characterizations or aesthetic features/attributes which are indicative of a juvenile motif, examples of which include an animal, character, or other design. Despite being formed to have this unique external appearance, the bite block is still provided in a shape and with corresponding dimensions such that it is particularly suited for advancement into, and accommodation within, the interior of a young child&#39;s mouth in a manner which minimizes discomfort to the child. In this regard, the external shape and dimensions of the bite block are selected to correspond to typical size and shape ranges for the interior of a young child&#39;s mouth, thus avoiding any excessive contact or interference with the cheek, tongue or roof of the mouth of the child. 
     The bite block is intended to be inserted into the child&#39;s or patient&#39;s mouth in between the occlusal surfaces of the child&#39;s or patient&#39;s teeth, creating a barrier that protects the observer&#39;s fingers and tools when inspection must be completed inside the mouth. Along these lines, it is contemplated that the main tubular body of the bite block will be formed to include at least one elongate set of ridges or serrations adapted to grip the child&#39;s teeth, thus assisting in maintaining the bite block in its operative position within the mouth. The bite block also serves the purpose of holding the mouth open for observation. By creating a sturdy structure into which a finger can be inserted, one may use the finger bite block to prevent biting accidents while observing inside the mouths of children or intellectually disabled individuals. To provide desired levels of rigidity, it is further contemplated that the bite block may be molded from a biocompatible rubber material having a Shore hardness in the 50-60 range. 
     The presently contemplated embodiments will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an exemplary bite block constructed in accordance with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the bite block shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear elevational view of the bite block taken along line  3 - 3  shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the bite block shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are front perspective views of exemplary bite blocks constructed in accordance with the present disclosure provided in shapes as alternative to that shown in  FIGS. 1-4 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a side view depicting an exemplary manner of operatively positioning a bite block constructed in accordance with the present disclosure into a patient&#39;s mouth. 
     
    
    
     Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and the detailed description to indicate the same elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure only, and are not for purposes of limiting the same,  FIGS. 1-4  depict an exemplary bite block  10  constructed in accordance with such disclosure. The bite block  10  is essentially a hollow, tubular structure comprising an elongate, tubular main body portion  12 . The main body portion  12  defines an interior chamber  14 . The interior chamber  14  is accessible via an open first end  16  of the main body portion  12  which is defined by a distal rim  18  thereof. A second end  20  of the main body portion  12 , which is disposed in opposed relation to the first end  16 , is closed (or at least partially closed) as a result of the integral formation of the head portion  22  of the bite block  10  thereon. As will be discussed in more detail below, in the bite block  10 , it is contemplated that at least the head portion  22  will be formed or molded to have aesthetic attributes indicative of a juvenile motif, e.g., an animal, character, or other design. 
     As is most easily seen in  FIG. 4 , the interior chamber  14 , while having a generally circular cross-sectional configuration, is not of a uniform inner diameter, but rather has a tapered configuration. In greater detail, the interior chamber  14  is partially defined by an inner surface  24  of the main body portion  12 . The inner surface  24  extends from the rim  18  at the open first end  16 , to the head portion  22  at the closed second end  20 . When viewed from the perspective shown in  FIG. 3 , the inner surface  24  defines opposed top and bottom sections which each have a somewhat flat or planar profile, and are connected to each other via an opposed pair of side sections which each have an arcuate or curved profile. Additionally, as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the inner surface  24  tapers slightly inward as it transitions from the first end  16  to the second end  20 . Thus, as viewed from the perspectives shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the effective height (as measured between the top and bottom sections of the inner surface  24 ) and width (as measured between the opposed side sections of the inner surface  24 ) of the interior chamber  14  are greater at the first end  16  in comparison to the height and width of the interior chamber  14  at the second end  20 . In a preferred implementation, the maximum height of the interior chamber  14  at the rim  18  is about 0.06 inches, the maximum width of the interior chamber  14  at the rim  18  is about 0.7 inches, the minimum height of interior chamber  14  at the head portion  22  is about 0.6 inches, and the minimum width of interior chamber  14  at the head portion  22  is about 0.7 inches. In addition, a preferred length L 1  of the main body portion  12 , and hence the interior chamber  14  from the rim  18  to the head portion  22 , is about 1.8 inches. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the main body portion  12  may be alternatively formed in manner wherein the interior chamber  14  has a truer circular cross-sectional configuration, with the preferred tapering of the inner surface  24  resulting in the maximum inner diameter of the inner surface  24  at the rim  18  exceeding the minimum inner diameter of the inner surface  24  at the head portion  22 . 
     As will also be discussed in more detail below, the bite block  10  is used by initially advancing a finger (typically an index finger) of a dental professional, parent or caregiver into the interior chamber  14  via the open first end  16 . This advancement is typically limited by the abutment of the fingertip against the head portion  22  enclosing or partially enclosing the second end  20  of the main body portion  12 . Along these lines, the tapered profile of the inner surface  24  assists in facilitating a firm frictional engagement of the bite block  10  to the finger once the same is advanced to the head portion  22 . This engagement is also optimized by the maximum and minimum height and width dimensions of the inner surface  24  and the length L 1  of the interior chamber  14 , as set forth with particularity above. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the inner surface  24  need not necessarily be formed to have the tapered profile described above. Rather, the bite block  10  may be formed such that the inner surface  24  partially defining the interior chamber  14  has a generally uniform cross-sectional profile or diameter along the length thereof from the first end  16  to the second end  20  of the main body portion  12 . 
     In addition to defining the inner surface  24  described above, the main body portion  12  of the bite block  12  defines an outer surface  26 . When viewed from the perspective shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the outer surface  26 , like the inner surface  24 , defines opposed top and bottom sections which each have a somewhat flat or planar profile, and are connected to each other via an opposed pair of side sections which each have an arcuate or curved profile. While the bottom section of the outer surface  26  is generally smooth, in the bite block  10 , it is contemplated that the top section of the outer surface  26  will be formed to include an elongate row of ridges or serrations  28  thereon. As seen in  FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 , these serrations  28  extend in a generally linear row from the head portion  22  of the bite block  10  to a location slightly inward from the rim  18  defined by the main body portion  12 , though they could potentially extend all the way to the rim  18 . As will also be discussed in more detail below, in relation to  FIG. 7 , these serrations  28  are adapted to maintain the bite block  10  in firm engagement to the occlusal surfaces of a patient&#39;s or child&#39;s teeth when the bite block  10  is operatively positioned within the patient&#39;s or child&#39;s mouth. Though the bite block  10  is preferably formed to include only the single row of serrations  28  on the top section of the outer surface  26 , those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a second identically configured row of serrations  28  may optionally be provided on the planar bottom section of the outer surface  26  in opposed relation to those on the top section without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is further contemplated that the serrations  28  may be eliminated in their entirety from the main body portion  12  of the bite block  10 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 1-3 , the outer surface  26  of the main body portion  12  is further preferably formed to have aesthetic attributes indicative of the juvenile motif as imparted by the shape of the head portion  22 , the aesthetic features formed on the outer surface  26  thus being complimentary to those of the head portion  22 . In the exemplary version of the bite block  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the juvenile motif is one of an “alligator,” the head portion  22  being shaped in the form of a cartoon-like alligator head, with complimentary features such as the back feet and tail of the alligator being formed on prescribed regions or areas of the outer surface  26  of the main body portion  12 . Along these lines,  FIGS. 5 and 6  depict alternative versions  10   a  and  10   b  of the bite block  10  which are identical to the bite block  10  in all respects, except for a variation in the juvenile motif as defined by the shape of the head portion  22  and the aesthetic features formed on prescribed areas of the outer surface  26  of the main body portion  12 . In greater detail, the exemplary bite block  10   a  shown in  FIG. 5  imparts the aesthetic attributes of a cartoon-like cat, while the exemplary bite block  10   b  shown in  FIG. 6  imparts the aesthetic attributes of a cartoon-like pig. However, as indicated above, the aesthetic attributes of the bite blocks  10 ,  10   a,    10   b  are exemplary only, it being contemplated that a bite block constructed in accordance with the present disclosure may assume any one of a multiplicity of different juvenile or other motifs, including animals, characters, or other designs. 
     As viewed from the perspective shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , irrespective of its aesthetic attributes, it is further contemplated that the length L 2  of the bite block  10  from the rim  18  to the outer-most point of the head portion  22  (which is the tip of the alligator&#39;s nose in the exemplary bite block  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-4 ) will be about 2.3 inches, with the height H 1  of the main body portion  12  (taken between the bottom section of the outer surface  26  and the distal tips of the serrations  28 ) being about 0.8 inches, the width W 1  of the main body portion  12  (taken between the opposed side sections of the outer surface  26 ) being about 0.9 inches, and the height H 2  of the head portion  22  (taken between the top-most and bottom-most points thereof) being in the range of from about 0.8 to 1.0 inches. Importantly, as indicated above, forming the bite block  10  with these dimensions makes it particularly suited for advancement into, and accommodation within, the interior of a young child&#39;s mouth in a manner which minimizes discomfort to the child, the external shape and dimensions of the bite block  10  being selected to correspond to typical size and shape ranges for the interior of a young child&#39;s mouth, thus avoiding any excessive contact or interference with the cheek, tongue or roof of the mouth of the child. Also, to provide desired levels of rigidity and protection to the wearer, it is further contemplated that the bite block  10  may be molded from a biocompatible rubber material having a Shore hardness in the 50-60 range. However, it will be recognized that these dimensions may be altered or otherwise increased as may be needed to make the bite block  10  more optimally suited for use in the mouth of an older child or even an intellectually challenged adult. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7  and as described above, the bite block  10  is intended to be inserted into the child&#39;s or patient&#39;s mouth  30  in between the occlusal surfaces  32  of the child&#39;s or patient&#39;s teeth  34 , creating a barrier that protects the observer&#39;s fingers and tools when inspection must be completed inside the mouth  30 . As previously explained, the serrations  28  formed on the main body portion  12  of the bite block  10  are adapted to grip the teeth  34 , thus assisting in maintaining the bite block  10  in its operative position within the mouth  30 . The bite block  10  also serves the purpose of holding the mouth  30  open for observation. By creating a sturdy structure into which a finger can be inserted, the bite block  10  helps to prevent biting accidents while observing inside the mouth  30  of a child or intellectually disabled individual. In addition to being comfortable for the child, the unique shape/aesthetic attributes of the bite block  10  indicative of a juvenile motif are intended to relax the child to make the dental examination or treatment experience less stressful while providing bite protection during the same, the bite block  10  thus being helpful in curbing the child&#39;s anxiety or potential discomfort which often gives rise to the bite response in the first place. The fabrication of the bite block  10  from the biocompatible rubber material described above not only protects the wearer&#39;s finger therein, but also prevents any damage to the teeth  34 . 
     This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the present bite block. The scope of the present disclosure is not limited by these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations, whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the specification, such as variations in structure, dimension, type of material and manufacturing process may be implemented by one of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.