Improvements in Artificial Dentures.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1891-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1841
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Artificial Dentures.
1, WILLIAM HENRY MARSHALL, of Post Office Box 5, Oxford in the County
of Lafayette, State of Mississippi, United States of America, Surgeon Dentist, 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:-
Heretofore in securing artificial dentures within the mouth it has been common
to make use of chambered or suctioned plates which cannot well be applied for
securing lower dentures and which necessitate the covering of the lingual surface
with plates and are otherwise objectionable, the plates have been provided with
spring clasps for gripping the natural teeth which clasps by their movement upon
the teeth wear and tend to loosen the same, while they fail to securely maintain
the plates in place; bridges or frames are fastened to roots or stumps, an attach-
ment which generally necessitates connections with two or more stumps upon each
jaw or the remaining natural teeth are capped or provided with "crowns" for
receiving rings or bands connected with bridges, which attachment is objectionable
as the pressure upon the teeth is a source of constant irritation which renders this
mode of attachment exceedingly undesirable and temporary as it destroys the abut-
ments eventually.
To obviate the objections to the above described method of attachment I make
use of the means hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a lower denture, as applied and secured in accordance
with my improvements.
Figure 2 is a part sectional elevation on the line 2-2 Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an enlarged part section on the line 3-3 Figure 1.
Figure is a perspective view showing the jaw with a single capped tooth adapted
to receive the denture.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the denture detached.
Figure 6 is a view illustrating the position of two capped teeth of an upper
jaw with the denture in section thereon.
In carrying out my improved method of attachment it is necessary that there
shall be at least one natural tooth or good root in each jaw and this tooth or
root prepare in an ordinary manner, and apply thereto a crown 1, of gold or
other suitable material, which has a masticating surface or end r, is oval or other
shape in cross-section but preferably is not round so as thereby to prevent the
denture from turning thereon as a pivot. This crown is preferably of uniform
diameter that is with parallel sides and neatly fitted thereto is a band 2, of metal
which when passed onto the crown will hug the same closely so that there is no
play laterally and this band I secure to a plate 3, which is adapted to fit accurately
the alveolar ridge without extending to any considerable extent over the lingual
surface which plate 3, supports the artificial teeth of suitable number and
character in their proper positions in relation to each other and to the cap or
crown, 1.
The plate 3, may be of metal, rubber or other material and the band or bands 2,
may be secured thereto in any suitable manner, as shown being embedded in or
permanently attached to the body of rubber 4, which constitutes the plate of the
denture.
While the band or bands 2, may pass well up and secure a wide and close bearing
upon the crown or crowns it is important that said bands shall not bear upon the
gum at the neck of the crown or natural tooth and preferably the plate 3, is cut

page_text: away so that the gum at said point shall be practically free from pressure. It will
therefore be seen that when the improved denture is within the mouth tlie bearing
will be upon the alveolar ridge over an extended surface so that there will be no
tendency in masticating to wrench the natural tooth or teeth or to bring any side
strains or pressure thereon and no pressure upon the gums at the necks of such
teeth, and that in fact the attaching device described serves to retain the denture
upon its natural bearing which supports all the strains. As the crowns have
parallel sides the bands can slide thereon to an extent necessary to permit the slight
play of the denture under pressure afforded by the compression of the gum under
the plate without there being any strains for pressure upon the tooth crowns or
natural teeth. By thus permitting the natural give or spring of the plates and the
gums in mastication independently of the securing natural teeth and relieving the
latter of the pressure which in ordinary attachments tends to force the roots into
the sockets I avoid that irritation. which so often results in inflammation and the
loss of the natural securing teeth.
Where two or more natural teeth are crowned and used for securing the plate it
is desirable that the sides of said. crown piece shall be as nearly as practicable.
parallel with each other except that in some instances as in the case of upper teeth
where it is preferable that they shall diverge slightly upon opposite sides while the
bands are filled or shaped so as to spread slightly toward their roller ends to thereby
undercut or dovetail to a very slight extent the crowned teeth being sprung towards
each other slightly to receive the denture as it is put in place and then springing
out slightly to hold it in position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be
understood that without limiting myself to the precise form of crown and band
shown, I declare that what I claim is :--
1. The combination with a natural tooth or good root having a cap or crown of
a denture having a band adapted to fit closely to the sides of said cap or crown and
provided with a plate constituting the sole bearing of the denture under pressure,
substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with one or more natural teeth having crowns with parallel
sides, of an artificial denture having a plate for bearing upon the gum and provided
with a band arranged to slide upon said crown in a position above the gum, substan-
tially as set forth.
3. The combination with the natural tooth having a crown with parallel sides, of
an artificial denture having a plate fitted to the gum, except at the neck of the
crown and supporting a band fitting closely but sliding upon the crown beyond the
neck of the same, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with a natural tooth having a crown with parallel sides and
elongated in cross section of a denture having a plate fitted to the gum and provided
with bands adapted to fit closely to the said crown beyond the neck of the same sub-
stantially as set forth.
5. The combination with two or more natural teeth provided with a crown and
having diverging faces, of a denture provided with a band adapted to each crown
and to engage with said diverging faces and with a plate having its bearing upon
the gum, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 27th dor of Tune 1901
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.