A dental membrane placement forceps which includes a thin spatula on the tip of one arm of the forceps. The spatula has a concave inward face juxtaposed the tip on the opposing forceps arm and is oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the opposing forceps tips move inward toward one another to grip the object (i.e., the gripping plane). The concave inward face of the spatula is concave in one direction. The forceps is useful for placing flat, flexible materials such as a membrane used for regenerative osseous surgery in dentistry.

A dental membrane placement forceps which includes a thin spatula on the tip of one arm of the forceps. The spatula has a concave inward face juxtaposed the tip on the opposing forceps arm and is oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the opposing forceps tips move inward toward one another to grip the object (i.e., the gripping plane). The concave inward face of the spatula is concave in one direction. The forceps is useful for placing flat, flexible materials such as a membrane used for regenerative osseous surgery in dentistry.

Embodiments include an apparatus for use in the dental field including a cannula, the cannula including, a first hollow tubular branch, a second hollow tubular branch, a hollow tubular arcuate portion connecting the first hollow tubular branch and the second hollow tubular branch, a first hollow tubular member, a second hollow tubular member forming an elbowed portion, at least one first aperture formed on a relief feature of the first hollow tubular branch, at least one second aperture formed on the second hollow tubular member.

Embodiments include an apparatus for use in the dental field including a cannula, the cannula including, a first hollow tubular branch, a second hollow tubular branch, a hollow tubular arcuate portion connecting the first hollow tubular branch and the second hollow tubular branch, a first hollow tubular member, a second hollow tubular member forming an elbowed portion, at least one first aperture formed on a relief feature of the first hollow tubular branch, at least one second aperture formed on the second hollow tubular member.

A cannula for evacuating irrigation fluid, saliva and/or blood for use in the dental field is formed of three interconnected tubular conduits and includes two hollow tube members one of which includes a first aperture formed on a buttressed plate parallel to the first tubular member, a second aperture being located on an upper part of the distal portion of the second tubular member allowing simplified placement and removal by engaging forceps in the apertures and use of the cannula with a first branch of the cannula inserted between the teeth and the tongue of a patient and the second branch of the cannula inserted between the teeth and the cheek of the patient.

The invention could be a system and a method for attaching a dental implant surgical guide to one or more dental implants, the system comprising an abutment capable of connecting to at least one of the one or more dental implants and to an implant mount; the implant mount having an implant mount body with a first mount end that connects accepts a portion of the abutment and a second mount end that has a rim that cannot pass through the dental implant surgical guide; and a cap that is comprised of a hollow cylinder with an enclosed cap end and an open cap end, the cap being capable of engaging a dental implant surgical guide so to sandwich the rim between the cap and the dental implant surgical guide.

The present invention relates to an elastic tongue-dorsum refraction device for treating obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), clamping pliers, installation pliers, a line guide, and an implantation method. The elastic tongue-dorsum refraction device of the present invention includes a tongue dorsum connection mechanism, an elastic retractor and a tooth-side fastener. The tongue dorsum connection mechanism is disposed at the tongue dorsum portion, the tooth-side fastener is fixed to teeth or the alveolar bone or outside the maxilla and mandible lips, one end of the elastic retractor is connected to the tooth-side fastener, and the other end of the elastic retractor is connected to the tongue dorsum connection mechanism. In this way, an elastic retraction device using the tooth-side fastener as a fulcrum is formed. By pulling up the sagging tongue root forward, stenosis and obstruction of the airway at the glossopharyngeal portion are prevented, thereby providing a function of treating snoring and OSAHS. Since the elastic refractor exerts an elastic retraction force on the tongue dorsum portion, the movement of the tongue tip is not affected when the tongue root is properly pulled up, so that a clear language function and an adequate swallowing function can be maintained, and not only the airway at the glossopharyngeal portion is enlarged, but also good comfort is provided. In addition, the present invention further discloses clamping pliers, installation pliers and a line guide for use together with the elastic tongue-dorsum retraction device, and an implantation method of the elastic tongue-dorsum retraction device.

The present invention relates to an elastic tongue-dorsum refraction device for treating obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), clamping pliers, installation pliers, a line guide, and an implantation method. The elastic tongue-dorsum refraction device of the present invention includes a tongue dorsum connection mechanism, an elastic retractor and a tooth-side fastener. The tongue dorsum connection mechanism is disposed at the tongue dorsum portion, the tooth-side fastener is fixed to teeth or the alveolar bone or outside the maxilla and mandible lips, one end of the elastic retractor is connected to the tooth-side fastener, and the other end of the elastic retractor is connected to the tongue dorsum connection mechanism. In this way, an elastic retraction device using the tooth-side fastener as a fulcrum is formed. By pulling up the sagging tongue root forward, stenosis and obstruction of the airway at the glossopharyngeal portion are prevented, thereby providing a function of treating snoring and OSAHS. Since the elastic refractor exerts an elastic retraction force on the tongue dorsum portion, the movement of the tongue tip is not affected when the tongue root is properly pulled up, so that a clear language function and an adequate swallowing function can be maintained, and not only the airway at the glossopharyngeal portion is enlarged, but also good comfort is provided. In addition, the present invention further discloses clamping pliers, installation pliers and a line guide for use together with the elastic tongue-dorsum retraction device, and an implantation method of the elastic tongue-dorsum retraction device.

A dental wedge (10) having a wedge body (11) and a gripping portion (12). The wedge (10) also has a longitudinal axis (13). The body (11) extends from a first end (14) to a second end (15), with the gripping portion (12) attached to the first end (15). The body (11) is constructed of at least two longitudinally extending layers. In one embodiment there are three layers, a first longitudinally extending layer (16), and second longitudinally extending layer (17) and a third longitudinally extending layer (18). The layer (17) is located between the layers (16, 18). In one embodiment the layers (16, 18) are formed of a softer material than the layer (17). In an alternative embodiment the layers (16, 18) are formed of a harder material than the material forming the layer (17).

An apparatus provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality includes a handle, a pivot and a caliper. A pair of fiber optic lines pass through an interior of the handle, the pivot and the caliper. One of the fiber optic lines is a source line with a connector at an end of the source line and another of the fiber optic lines is a detector line with a connector at an end of the detector line. The source line is single mode in the handle and the detector line is multi mode. A system is also provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality that includes the apparatus. Additionally, a method is provided for detecting tooth pulp vitality that employs the apparatus.