Patent ID: 8726917

Claim:
A dental cleaning article comprising a substantially circular band of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene having (a) a distensible first state with a first inner diameter that is capable of being distended at room temperature, and (b) a second stretched state having a second inner diameter that is at least two times greater than said first inner diameter, said second stretched state being substantially dimensionally non-recoverable; wherein in said first state said band requires a lower force for distension such that a matrix tensile stress to distend said band is at least approximately 5 MPa and less than 10 MPa and in said second state a higher resistance to strain is exhibited where greater force is required to distend the band providing a tactile limit or stop to alert the user to stop distending the band before breaking occurs, said limit or stop being defined by an inflection point in a stress-strain curve of the article, at which the matrix tensile stress increases quickly; and wherein said inflection point occurs when the matrix tensile stress is approximately 15 MPa.