Improvements in Artificial Teeth.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Artificial Teeth.
I, JOHN JAMES MARCHANT, Doctor of Dental Surgery, of Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, South America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the construction and fixing of artificial teeth in such a
way as to render plates or other fittings to the gum unnecessary. For this purpose,
I make the artificial tooth hollow and open at its bottom which, by means of models,
I carefully fit in the usual way to the gum where the tooth is to be seated. Through
the side of the tooth there is a small hole fitted with a valve opening outwards.
When the tooth is placed on the gum, the patient, by suction, forms a partial
vacuum within the tooth which causes it to adhere firmly to the gum. When there
are several teeth to be fixed side by side, a small rod is passed through them
binding them together, and if there be already metal or other fixing of som
adjacent tooth, the rod is attached to that fixing. The rod may be tubular having
at its end the valve, and having a small lateral hole opening into the cavity of
each of the teeth through which it passes, separate valves for these teeth being thus
dispensed with.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1896
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECI
TION
Improvements in Artificial Teeth.
1, JOHN JAMES MARCHANT, Doctor of. Dental Surgery, of Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, South America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the construction and fixing of artificial teeth in such a
way as to render plates or other fittings to the gums in many cases unnecessary,
although such fittings may be employed in combination with teeth according to my
invention.
I shall describe my invention referring to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a plan of a cluster of teeth according to my invention:
Fig. 2 is an inner side elevation of the cluster.
Fig. 3 is an outer side elevation of the cluster.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the cluster.
Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:
Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of an end tooth or molar, shewing the gum in cross
santion

page_text: Figs. 8 and 9 are views of the rod employed to hold the teeth in clusters: and
Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are respectively a front view, a section and a back view of
the valve with which each tooth is fitted.
Each tooth O has an internal cavity O' and downwardly extending cheeks g shaped
to fit the gum G. A valve vis inserted in a hole v¹ in the side of each tooth.
To secure the teeth in place, the air is exhausted from the teeth after they have
been placed on the gum and the valve v closes, the tooth being thus held firmly
against the gum by atmospheric pressure.
To secure a cluster of teeth, the teeth are provided with holes in line through
which is passed a rod B having a head P at the inner end and the opposite end
secured to the end tooth. The teeth being exhausted of air, are held and steadied
in position by the bars B.
The valves may be of the form shewn consisting of a sleeve 1, through which
moves a stem 2 having a conical head 3 seated in one end of the sleeve 1, and a stop
pin 4 to prevent the valve from being withdrawn.
The teeth might be united in clusters by a suitablo cement or by an artificial gum,
and in some cases the valve may be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An artificial tooth having a cavity and a lateral hole through which air may
be exhausted so as to hold the tooth in position by atmospheric pressure substantially
as described.
2. A clustor of artificial teeth such as are above referred to having holes in line
through which is passed a steadying rod substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of March 1897
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.