WO2017029419A1 - Auxiliary device for dental procedures, method and uses of same - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an auxiliary device for dental procedures, a method and the uses of same. The device (1) is designed to be applied to a patient's peribuccal zone, or adjacent thereto, and comprises a member (10) for generating a flow of gaseous fluid that acts as a barrier between an inner area of the patient's mouth and the outside of the mouth; and a support (11) for the member (10) for generating a flow of gaseous fluid, the support keeping the member disposed in a zone close to the peribuccal zone.

Description

 DESCRIPTION

Auxiliary device for dental procedure, method and uses thereof Technical field

The present invention concerns in general the field of dental devices. In particular, the invention concerns an auxiliary device for dental procedures, a method, and uses of the auxiliary device. The aforementioned auxiliary device does not obstruct the oral opening of a patient, thus allowing a healthcare professional to work normally during the dental procedure, being able to treat any accessible space or tissue through the patient's mouth. Background of the invention

A device for dental use is known from US-B2-7300401 which is placed in the mouth of a patient during the dental procedure for retraction of the mouth and expulsion of saliva. Said device includes a front suction part, a retraction part of the right cheek, a retraction portion of the left cheek, and a suction portion. Also, the device is constructed by a single piece, rigid, of elastic and tubular material, with a cylindrical shape or other cross-sectional shape.

A device for keeping the operating field dry during a dental procedure is known from US-B2-7785105. The device includes an IT-shaped element to hold the patient's tongue during the dental procedure. In addition, it includes some lip retractors that extend in an arched way through the cheeks. In some embodiments, the device also includes a saliva ejector.

By the Chinese utility model CN-Y-201 1 15660 a device is known for opening a patient's mouth during a dental procedure equipped with lateral retractors and also includes a saliva aspiration function by means of two tubular mechanisms, for filtration / evacuation of saliva, which are positioned in the back of the patient's mouth during the procedure. With the aforementioned suction function, pollution can be reduced due to the air present in the room or due to an inhaler. From EP-B1 -1 131015 a dental intraoral lighting device is also known that allows to illuminate the interior of a patient's oral cavity during a dental procedure and thus avoid lighting problems. The device lighting includes an occlusion apparatus designed to fit the patient's teeth so that, during the dental procedure, he can rest his jaws and the device is fixed in his mouth. Also, the dental device has a retractor for the tongue and cheeks that allows to isolate and protect the tongue and tissue of the patient's cheeks during the medical procedure. The device can also incorporate fluid evacuation channels that allow the extraction of the fluids present inside the patient's oral cavity during the dental procedure.

However, at present there is no known device for dental procedure that is held in a patient's mouth or mouth during the dental procedure and that includes a barrier mechanism, between the inside and outside of the patient's mouth, through the generation of a flow of a gaseous fluid, or air curtain, providing greater protection by allowing the filtration of pathogens during the dental procedure.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an auxiliary device for dental procedure, intended to be applied in a peribucal area of a patient, or adjacent to it, that is, the space comprised by the volume of 3 cm around the entire length of the vermilion lip, commissure included. The proposed auxiliary device does not obstruct the oral opening so that a healthcare professional can work normally by treating any accessible space or tissue through the patient's mouth (such as the oral cavity, nasal cavity, larynx, pharynx, esophagus or maxillary sinuses) .

Typically, the proposed auxiliary device comprises a member generating a flow of a gaseous fluid, or air curtain, which exerts a barrier effect between an interior area of the patient's mouth and the outside of the mouth, and a support of the said member generating a flow of a gaseous fluid that keeps it disposed in an area close to said peribucal zone.

In this way, the proposed auxiliary device prevents or minimizes the passage of sprays, microdroplets, drops, or other particles, as well as pathogens (such as viruses, fungi, bacteria, prions, etc.) from inside the oral cavity to external and vice versa, thus avoiding direct cross contamination between patient-healthcare professional, and vice versa, as well as indirect contamination (that is, the one that is carried out through the environmental contamination of a dental box or work area of a healthcare professional or by the tooling, instruments, etc. in such a way that the infection of the patient or healthcare professional can originate due to a previous patient). Likewise, the proposed auxiliary device allows the healthcare professional to work normally and without obstructions in the entire oral cavity, and can be used autonomously or in conjunction with a rubber dam.

The proposed auxiliary device also prevents the exit of the patient's mouth from particles resulting from the removal of dental restorative materials potentially hazardous to health (for example dental amalgams) which is today solved using appalling methods based on a combination of suction hoods, rubber dikes and specialized masks.

Preferably, the gas flow is a laminar flow. In an exemplary embodiment, said support includes an oral expansion element comprising at least one portion that provides supports in distal areas of the mouth for cheek separation (oral expansion) during the dental procedure. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the support includes an oral expansion element comprising at least a portion that provides supports in labial areas for labial retraction during the dental procedure.

The mentioned oral expansion element can be formed by two identical or arched portions or pieces, which are coupled in distal, lateral, or alternatively, labial, lateral, areas of the patient's mouth.

Said member generating a flow of a gaseous fluid is formed by an annular development conduit (for example of a plastic or silicone material, among other materials), which can be continuous or discontinuous, which extends along the less a part of the patient's peribucal area, and comprising a plurality of holes arranged substantially in the same plane.

The annular development conduit in an exemplary embodiment is a tubular element. In this case, the tubular element includes a continuous, annular development conduit, and also includes a tubular section, in its central area that extends outwards from the patient's mouth, connectable to a suction or pressure insufflation pump. of a gaseous fluid (for example air or other neutral gas with an anti-pathogenic chemical agent), or alternatively to one or multiple suction or insufflation sockets available in a dental chair, and one or more tubular sections connectable (s) to a connector of a compressor of a dental box (for example for fluid extraction and / or creation of a pressure). Likewise, the suction or pressure insufflation pump may be associated with flow control means, and a circuit in which said chemical antipathogen agent will be provided.

Examples of embodiment of the present invention also provide according to a second aspect a method for dental procedure. The method comprises using the device of the first aspect of the invention to apply a flow of a gaseous fluid (for example a laminar flow) that exerts a barrier effect between an inner area of a patient's mouth and the outside of the mouth, wherein said flow of a gaseous fluid remains disposed in an area close to a peribucal area of said patient during said dental procedure.

Examples of embodiment of the present invention also provide a use of the device of the first aspect of the invention for protection between the patient and a healthcare professional, and vice versa, due to a biological cross-contamination by direct contagion including Flügge microdroplets or microdroplets produced by a cooling spray, or indirectly via contamination of surfaces, clothing or instruments of a dental box.

Similarly, in other embodiments of the present invention there is also a use of the device of the first aspect of the invention for a protection between the patient and the healthcare professional, and vice versa, due to chemical cross-contamination by means of a direct contact or poisoning including suspended particles of dental dust or dental reconstruction material such as resins, amalgams, composites or gases produced by incineration of gutta percha, or indirect via contamination of surfaces, clothing or instruments of a dental box.

Also, in still other exemplary embodiments, a use of the device of the first aspect of the invention is provided to prevent soaking or wetting by means of water from a dental instrument to the patient's oral cavity including materials, surfaces, tissues and instruments, or even to protect the healthcare professional from halitosis of the patient.

Brief description of the drawings

The foregoing and other features and advantages will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of some embodiments, which are merely illustrative and not limiting, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a profile view of an auxiliary device for dental procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of another auxiliary device for dental procedure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane IV-IV of Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane V-V of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a profile view of another auxiliary device for dental procedure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENT The present invention provides an auxiliary device for dental procedures, referenced as 1 in the figures, which allows the filtering of pathogens or other particles by generation, when the auxiliary device is positioned inside the interior. a patient's mouth during said dental procedure, of a flow of a gaseous fluid, for example laminar, thereby exerting a barrier effect between the inside and outside of the patient's mouth.

Said auxiliary device, in its simplest implementation, which has not been illustrated, comprises a member generating a flow of a gaseous fluid to exert said barrier effect between the inside and outside of the patient's mouth, and a support ( for example a clamp-type mechanism or a labial retractor, among others) of said generating member of a flow of a gaseous fluid, to keep it arranged in an area close to the patient's peribucal area.

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the proposed auxiliary device 1 constructed in accordance with the present invention. As can be seen, the auxiliary device 1 includes a generating member 10 of a flow of a gaseous fluid formed by an annular development conduit, in this case discontinuous, without being limiting, with a series of holes 12 arranged substantially in the same plane for evacuation of the gaseous fluid during the dental procedure and a support 1 1 comprising an oral expansion element, formed by two identical or arched portions 16A, 16B, which provide supports in distal areas of the patient's mouth for allow separation of the cheeks and lips (labial retraction) during the dental procedure. Also, the auxiliary device includes a tubular section 15 connectable to one or multiple air intake or insufflation sockets available in a dental chair (not illustrated) or, alternatively, to a suction or pressure insufflation pump of a gaseous fluid (not illustrated), for example air or, alternatively, another neutral gas with an anti-pathogenic chemical agent.

With reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, there is shown a second embodiment of the proposed auxiliary device 1. The auxiliary device 1 of this exemplary embodiment is similar to the one described above with the particularity that the generating member 10 of a flow of a gaseous fluid is formed by an annular development duct, also discontinuous, but in this case in the form of 'IT in this way allowing the oral expansion during the dental procedure to be carried out in this case only, unlike the example of embodiment of Fig. 1, by means of a labial retraction. In the same way, the tubular section 15, connectable to one or multiple air intake or insufflation sockets of a dental chair or, alternatively, to a suction or pressure insufflation pump of a gaseous fluid, is in this case located at an opposite end to the generating member 10 in the form of 'IT. Referring now to Fig. 5, there is shown a third embodiment of the proposed auxiliary device 1. In this case, said generator member 10 of a flow of a gaseous fluid preferably comprises a tubular element (for example of plastic or silicone), of continuous annular development, which includes the orifices 12 through which the flow of the gaseous fluid will exit during the dental procedure, and the support 1 1, in this case being an independent element of the generating member 10 of a flow of a gaseous fluid, also includes an oral expansion element formed by two portions 16A, 16B, also identical and arched, for example of plastic, to engage in distal areas of the patient's mouth and allow separation of the cheeks and lips during the dental procedure. In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 5, said tubular element, preferably cylindrical, without being limiting since any tubular material could be used without deviating from the scope of this invention, includes tubular section 15, connectable to one or multiple suction or air insufflation sockets available in a dental chair or, alternatively, a suction or pressure insufflation pump of a gaseous fluid, and two tubular sections 18 intended for the direct aspiration of saliva from the intraoral cavity. Alternatively, the auxiliary device according to this exemplary embodiment could include a single tubular section 18 for intraoral saliva aspiration.

Said suction or pressure insufflation pump of a gaseous fluid is preferably associated with a means of flow control, and a circuit responsible for providing said chemical anti-pathogenic agent. In other alternative embodiments of the proposed auxiliary device 1, not illustrated by simplicity of the figures, the auxiliary device 1 further includes a lighting system to illuminate the interior of the oral cavity of the patient's mouth during the dental procedure. In an exemplary embodiment, said lighting system comprises lighting elements for example of the LED type (light emitting diode) and is powered by batteries included in the proposed auxiliary device itself well external to it. Alternatively, said lighting system comprises a light waveguide such as an optical fiber.

The proposed auxiliary device can come in different sizes and accommodate different shapes and sizes of the mouth.

The scope of the present invention is defined in the appended claims.

Claims

one . Auxiliary device for dental procedure, said device (1) being intended to be applied in a peribucal area of a patient, or adjacent to it, characterized in that it comprises:  - a generating member (10) of a flow of a gaseous fluid that exerts a barrier effect between an interior area of the patient's mouth and the outside of the mouth; Y  - a support (1 1) of said generating member (10) of a flow of a gaseous fluid, which keeps it arranged in an area close to said peribucal area. 2. The device of claim 1, characterized in that said support (1 1) includes an oral expansion element comprising at least a portion that provides supports in distal areas of the patient's mouth for cheek separation during said procedure dental The device of claim 1, characterized in that said support (1 1) includes an oral expansion element comprising at least a portion that provides supports in labial areas of the patient's mouth for lip retraction during said dental procedure. 4. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the flow of a gaseous fluid is a laminar flow. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the generating member (10) of a flow of a gaseous fluid is formed by an annular, continuous or discontinuous development duct, which extends along at least a part of the patient's peribucal area, and comprises one or more holes (12) arranged substantially in the same plane. 6. The device of claim 5, characterized in that it includes a tubular section (15) which is connectable to a pressure suction or insufflation pump of a gaseous fluid selected from air or other neutral gas with an anti-chemical chemical agent. pathogen. 7. The device of claim 5, characterized in that it includes a tubular section (15) which is connectable to one or multiple suction or insufflation sockets available in a dental chair. 8. The device of claim 5, characterized in that the annular development conduit is a tubular element. 9. The device of claim 8, characterized in that the tubular element comprises a continuous annular development conduit and includes a tubular section (15), in its central area and extending outwards from the patient's mouth, connectable to one or multiple air intake or insufflation sockets available in a dental chair or, alternatively, to a pressure aspiration or insufflation pump of a gaseous fluid selected from air or other neutral gas with an anti-pathogenic chemical agent, and one or several tubular sections (18) intended for saliva aspiration from the intraoral cavity. 10. The device of any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the annular development conduit is made of a plastic or silicone material. eleven . The device of claim 2, characterized in that the oral expansion element is formed by two identical, arcuate portions or parts, which are coupled in distal, lateral areas of the patient's mouth. 12. The device of claim 3, characterized in that the oral expansion element is formed by two identical, arcuate portions or parts, which are coupled in labial, lateral areas of the patient's mouth. 13. The device of claim 6 or 9, characterized in that said suction or pressure insufflation pump is associated with flow control means, and a circuit that provides said anti-pathogenic chemical agent. 14. Method for dental procedure, characterized in that it comprises using the auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 to apply a flow of a gaseous fluid that exerts a barrier effect between an interior area of a patient's mouth and the outside the mouth, said flow of a gaseous fluid being maintained in an area close to a peribucal area of said patient. 15. Use of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, for protection between the patient and a healthcare professional, and vice versa, due to a biological cross-contamination by direct contagion including Flügge microdroplets or microdroplets produced by a spray of refrigeration, or indirect via contamination of surfaces, clothing or instruments of a dental box. 16. Use of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, for protection between the patient and a healthcare professional, and vice versa, due to chemical cross-contamination by direct contact or poisoning including suspended particles of dental or dental dust. dental reconstruction material such as resins, amalgams, composites or gases produced by incineration of gutta percha, or indirect via contamination of surfaces, clothing or instruments of a dental box. 17. Use of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, to prevent water soaking or wetting of dental instruments to the patient's oral cavity including materials, surfaces, tissues and instruments. 18. Use of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, to protect a healthcare professional from the halitosis of the patient.