Dental Trauma Kit

Abstract

A compact, portable, self-contained dental trauma kit for on-site treatment and repair of dental avulsion, luxation and, subluxation in remote, non-dental and other emergent settings consists of a dental splinting material (the BAND-AID), dental resins (the glue), and a dental curing light (the glue hardener). This is everything necessary for the user to stabilize the traumatically involved teeth according to proper dental protocol in remote locations, without the need for any additional materials or other accessories. The use of the kit allows the patient to be treated rapidly, in less than thirty minutes, which drastically increases the survival rate of re-implanted or repositioned tooth or teeth.

Claims

1. A compact, portable, self-contained dental trauma kit for immediate, on-site treatment and repair of dental avulsion, dental luxation, and dental subluxation, said kit comprising: a dental splinting material for placement directly on avulsed, luxated, or subluxated teeth for stabilizing said teeth; a dental resin to be applied to the splinting material for attaching the splinting material to the teeth; and a dental curing light for polymerizing the dental resin on the splinting material, wherein the dental curing light comprises an elongated body enclosing an interior space, the body having a removable end cap, and wherein the dental resin and dental splinting material are located in the interior space of the dental curing light body, such that the dental curing light with the dental resin and dental splinting material therein comprises the self-contained dental trauma kit; whereby the dental splinting material, the dental resin, and the dental curing light are specifically utilized on-site to immediately treat and stabilize the teeth without any additional materials, equipment, or accessories.

2.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. The dental trauma kit as in claim 1 wherein the dental curing light comprises electric battery means located within the interior space for powering the dental curing light.

6. (canceled)

7. The dental trauma kit as in claim 1 wherein said dental splinting material is composed of glass, plastic, metal, or other material adapted to be used with composite resins.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIGS. 1-3 show one embodiment of the components and of the packaging of the components of the dental trauma kit of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the components and of the packaging of the components of the dental trauma kit of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 5 is an example of the results of use of the dental trauma kit of the present invention on traumatized teeth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] FIG. 1 shows the components of the present invention and how they may be packaged as a self-contained, compact, portable dental trauma kit 1. Kit 1 comprises curing light 2 containing electric battery 4, the electric circuitry of which is known in the art and is not a subject of this invention. Dental resin 6 in resin container 8 is held in place in relation to curing light 2 by bracket 10. Dental splinting material 12 is stored in splinting material holder 14, which, for example, may be secured to base member 16 via end cap 18. See FIG. 1. Dental splinting material 12 can be composed of glass, plastic, metal, or other material adapted to be used with resins. Cover 20 is configured to encircle curing light 2, resin container 8, splinting material holder 14, and base member 16. See FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0017] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the dental trauma kit, in which curing light 22 comprises an elongated, main body 23 having an interior space in which is housed battery 24, dental resin 6 in resin container 8, and splinting material 12. Removeable end cap 30 is configured to be threadably attached to main body 23. As referenced previously, the electric circuitry of dental curing light 22 is known in the art and is not a subject of the invention. In this embodiment, dental curing light 22 with dental resin container 8 and dental splinting material 12 comprises a self-contained dental trauma kit.

[0018] The embodiments disclosed in FIGS. 1-3 and in FIG. 4 illustrate the components of the present invention, packaged together in a unique manner. However, the packaging of these components as a self-contained kit is not to be considered restricted to what is disclosed herein, as it is contemplated that other packaging configurations can be utilized.

[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the results of properly utilizing the components of the dental trauma kit of the present invention. Following an accident, tooth segments 42 and 44 of cracked and luxated tooth 40 have immediately been positioned together. Crack 43 separates the tooth segments. Splinting material 12, with dental resin 6 having been applied, is laid over tooth 40, straighten and depicted as tooth 41, as well as over adjacent teeth 46, 48, and 50. Curing light 2 has been used to polymerize and harden resin 6 onto splinting material 12. This serves to stabilize tooth 41 and its adjacent teeth. Splinting material 12 will be allowed to remain over the four teeth until tooth segments 42 and 44 are permanently merged and the straighten position of tooth 41 is permanent, thus resulting in a solid tooth, properly set in place.

[0020] Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.