Aseptic dental valves and instruments

Abstract

Aseptic dental valves and instruments and accoutrements therefor comprise a handle extension (20--FIG. 2) and a flange guard (22) to be added within the path of a saliva ejector (FIG. 1) for preventing a dental professional's (DP's) hand from touching and contaminating the hose (14) or the hose valve (24), thereby to prevent microorganisms on the hand from contaminating these latter components where they might be picked up by the hand later and cross-contaminate subsequent patients. The handle extension and flange guard are useable on saliva ejectors (FIG. 3), surgical suction tips (FIG. 4), drills (FIGS. 12-12C), and air-water valves (FIGS. 14-15). The surgical tip can be formed of a series of sections of decreasing diameters in a stepped-down formation (FIG. 4A) to enable it to retain its shape when bent (FIG. 4B). The hose valve (FIGS. 5 and 5A) comprises a housing (24B) with a pivotable obturator (24C) which closes off the valve when it is bent to one side, thereby enabling the hose valve to be operated with one hand so as to avoid the need for the DP to touch the hose. The handle extension may have a valve (FIG. 6) with a screen (18E) therein to catch particles to prevent them from being sucked further down the instrument or into the hose. The hose valve may have a foot (24Q--FIG. 8A) to enable it to catch on the instrument holder (24R--FIG. 8) so that the instrument can be pulled off with one hand. The hose valve may have a spring-operated ball obturator (50B--FIGS. 10-10B) which automatically closes the valve or opens it when the handle extension is removed or inserted. The flange guard can have various shapes (FIGS. 16, 16B) and can be replaced by tactile circumferential elements or protrusions (FIGS. 16A, 16C-E). In lieu of a tactile element, an audible warning can be provided by means of electronic contacts (314--FIG. 17) connected to an alarm circuit (320, 322). An automatic hose valve may be implemented by providing a ring of contacts at the end of a vacuum tube so that upon insertion into the mouth, the contacts are bridged electrically by saliva, whereupon a control circuit operates a vacuum valve, whereby the DP does not have to manually touch any valve.