IMPROVEMENTS IN DENTAL TOOLS
Year: 1884

page_text: We, JOHN GARDNER MOREY Dentist and LOUIS BURR STURGES Hotel Keeper
both of the City of New York in the County and State of New York in the United
States of America do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN DENTAL TOOLS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in excavating instruments
for use in dental operations whereby much valuable time is saved, and more
effective work is accomplished and it consists primarily in the use of a cone shaped
excavating or scraping instrument provided with a series of spiral ridges and
grooves gradually becoming smaller as they approach the point and terminating in
an elongated triangular reamer at the extremity of which is a non cutting round
cone shaped point, and also in other minor particulars, the whole being constructed
and adapted to operate in the manner hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying drawing Figures 1 and 2 represent enlarged perspective
views of the head of my dental tool; Figure 3, a front or end view of the same;
Figure 4, is a horizontal section on the line 3, y, Figures 1, and 2; Figure 5, a
horizontal section on the line x. x, Figures 1, and 2; Figure 6, is an enlarged view
of the flexible neck and the stock or body of my tool; and Figure 7, is a modification
of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawing A, represents the stock or body of the excavator, which
is provided at its rear end with a shank B, which may be adapted for use in any
of the ordinary hand piece attachments of dental engines, and to that end it may
be varied in construction in order to fit the same, and may be either provided with
a groove C, as shown in Figure 6, or with a lip C¹, as in Figure 7, or if desired the
cylindrical stock or body A, may also be provided with a cone shaped bearing as A¹,
in Figure 7, for a similar purpose.
An elongated neck or stem D, extending from the stock A, is (preferably) smaller
in diameter and is spring tempered so as to readily follow any deviation of the
bore or pulp canal to be scraped. At the extremity of the neck D, is placed the
head E, the scraper proper, which is of a cone shape and consists of a number of
spirally formed ridges, lips or leaves E¹, provided with sharp scraping edges,
between which are placed the spiral concave flutings or grooves E. By reason of

page_text: the peculiarly formed cone shaped head E, the spiral grooves E³, and leaves E¹,
grow gradually smaller and assume a longitudinal direction as they approach the
point H, (although they are still formed in identically the same manner and
preserve the same relation to each other) until they terminate at H, at which
point the triangular reamer extending from E, to H, is placed which reamer
terminates at H, in a non-cutting round cone shaped point. The scraping edges of
the head formed by the spiral grooves E2, and leaves E', clearly shown in Figures 1,
and 2, are adapted not only to scrape out an enlarged smooth opening in the
passage or canal to be operated upon, but also to work and force the cuttings or
particles out of the bore. For this purpose I prefer for practical use in dental
operations a scraper consisting of three leaves E¹, and three corresponding
grooves E², as shown in the drawing, but for other purposes it may be constructed
with four or more leaves and grooves, formed in a manner similar to those
described.
It will be observed that my instrument being provided with sharp scraping edges
and an elongated reamer terminating in a non cutting round cone shaped point
is not adapted to penetrate or work itself into a foreign body (unless undue force is
applied thereto which is apt to break the instrument as well as to defeat the object
for which it is used) but is applicable solely for the purpose of enlarging a passage
already existing, the point H, and reamer from H, to H', following the deviations
of the canal and the spiral leaves E³, commencing to scrape and gradually enlarge
the passage according to the pressure applied, only after the point H, has penetrated
some distance into the nerve canal. Whenever the point H, of my instrument
passes, during a dental operation, through the aperture at the end of a root, and
pricks the membrane of the patient, the operator may be warned to stop drilling in
time to prevent any danger of drilling entirely through the root into the jaw which
would be fatal to the operation and which is a constant source of danger with the
instruments heretofore used. My instrument works slowly and when the point
pricks the membrane the excavation or scraping is, on account of the elongated
reamer, at a distance from the point; thus there is no danger of boring into the
bone any deeper than the cavity already existing.
Heretofore the instruments used in dental operations such as burrs and flat and
triangular drills have either reamed out the canal, in doing which they become
clogged and have to be frequently removed for cleaning purposes, and thus several
operations are required to prepare one cavity-much valuable time being consumed
thereby or they have cut out a hole which (as the operator has no means of
knowing how deep he is drilling) is as liable as not to be cut right through the
tooth and root. Besides, the instruments named are apt to heat, clog, and if forced
to split the tooth. Whereas by my improvement the scraper penetrates steadily
into the canal, making a smooth bore which can be graduated at the will of the
operator, and also lifts up and discharges from the cavity the debris as fast as it is
made, not allowing it to accumulate and obstruct the operation of the tool thus
rendering it apparent that with the use of my scraping dental tool greater rapidity,
ease and certainty in dental operations will be gained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1-In a dental tool, the combination of a cone shaped scraper E, consisting of a
series of spiral leaves E¹, provided with sharp scraping edges, and grooves E³, which
gradually become smaller and assume a longitudinal direction as they approach
the end of the head E, and are adapted to smoothly scrape out and enlarge a canal
already existing and which terminate in an elongated reamer H¹, H, at the
extremity of which is the non cutting point H, of smooth round cone shape, adapted
to follow the deviation of the said canal, with a stock or body A, substantially as
described.
2-In a dental tool the combination of a cone shaped scraper E, consisting of a
series of spiral leaves E¹, provided with sharp scraping edges, and grooves E2, which

page_text: gradually become smaller and assume a longitudinal direction as they approach the
end of the head E, and are adapted to smoothly scrape out and enlarge a canal
already existing and which terminate in an elongated reamer H¹, H, at the
extremity of which is the non cutting point H, of smooth round cone shape adapted
to follow the deviation of the said canal, with a flexible neck or stem D, and a
stock A, substantially as set forth.
3-In a dental tool the combination of a cone shaped scraper E, consisting of
a series of spiral leaves E', provided with sharp scraping edges and grooves E²,
which gradually become smaller and assume a longitudinal direction as they
approach the end of the head E, and are adapted to smoothly scrape out and
enlarge a canal already existing, and which terminate in an elongated reamer H¹, H,
at the extremity of which is the non cutting point H, of smooth round cone shape
adapted to follow the deviation of the said canal, and of a flexible neck or stem D,
with a stock or body A, provided with a shank B, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
D
1 Doll.
T
1004
JOHN GARDNER MOREY.
LEWIS BURR STURGES.