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Endodontic files having variable helical angle flutesRelated Patent Categories: Dentistry, Apparatus, BroachEndodontic files having variable helical angle flutes description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070207438, Endodontic files having variable helical angle flutes. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
REFERENCE TO PENDING APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is not based upon any pending domestic or international patent applications. REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX [0002] This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates generally to endodontic files and more particular to root canal files or reamers used in the cleaning of material present in the root canal of human teeth and for enlarging and shaping the root canal so that it is prepared for receiving filling material. [0005] 2. Description of the Related Art [0006] A great improvement in the dental profession in the last half century has been in the field of endodontics, that is, the treatment of abscessed teeth by treatment of the tooth root canal. A relatively, but yet difficult dental procedure is that of cleaning, shaping and filling the root canal of a patient's tooth. In the performance of the root canal procedure typically a hole is first drilled in the crown or the exposed portion of the tooth. The hole drilled through the crown provided access to the interior of the tooth and specifically access to the tooth root canal or root canals. In order to treat the tooth, the canal or canals must be thoroughly cleaned of pulpal material that, in the case of an abscessed tooth, is typically infected. The technician or dental practitioner must remove this pulpal material to alleviate the infection. Next the technician or dental practitioner must clean and shape the root canal so that it can be effectively filled with a filler material, such as gutta percha. [0007] Much work has been done on the instrumentation need for effective treatment of root canals. Root canals are typically treated with endodontic files. The term "file" as used in this patent application means an elongated device insertable into a root canal and that can be manipulated either manually or by machine, to clean and shape the root canal. Thus a dental file serves two basic purposes. First it serves to remove pulpal material from the interior of the tooth. Second it serves to shape the tooth root canal so that it can be more effectively filled. Thus, in addition to the cleaning function, a typical dental file serves also as a reamer, that is, a device to enlarge and shape the canal. In this application, the term "file" is intended to mean a "reamer/file" since it functions not only to clean a root canal of pulpal material but also to shape or ream the root canal. [0008] For background information relating to endodontic files of the type that is the subject of this patent application, reference may be had to the following issued United States patents and publications: TABLE-US-00001 PATENT NUMBER INVENTOR(S) ISSUE DATE TITLE 4,443,193 Roane Apr. 17, 1984 Endodontic Instrument 4,536,159 Roane Aug. 20, 1985 Endodontic Instrument 4,934,934 Arpaio, Jr. et al. Jun. 19, 1990 Dental File/Reamer Instrument 5,380,200 Heath et al. Jan. 10, 1995 Endodontic Instrument Of Predetermined Flexibility 5,464,362 Heath et al. Nov. 7, 1995 Endodontic Instrument 5,503,554 Schoeffel Apr. 2, 1196 Endodontic Files 5,658,145 Maillefer et al. Aug. 19, 1997 Set Of Instruments For Boring Dental Radicular Canals And Method Therefor 5,676,541 Maillefer et al. Oct. 14, 1997 Set of Instruments Of Increasing Dimension For The Boring Of Radicular Dental Canals 5,692,902 Aeby Dec. 2, 1997 Set Of Instruments For The Boring Of Radicular Dental Canals 5,873,719 Calas et al. Feb. 23, 1999 Dental Reamer 5,897,316 Buchanan Apr. 27, 1999 Endodontic Treatment System 5,921,775 Buchanan Jul. 13, 1999 Endodontic Treatment System 5,975,899 Badoz et al. Nov. 2, 1999 Dental Reamer 6,012,921 Riitano Jan. 11, 2000 Endodontic Systems For The Anatomical, Sectional And Progressive Corono-Apical Preparation Of Root Canals With Three Sets Of Dedicated Instruments 6,074,209 Johnson Jun. 13, 2000 Reduced Torque Endodontic File 6,217,335 Riitano et al. Apr. 17, 2001 Endodontic Systems And Methods For The Anatomicall, Sectional And Progressive Corono-Apical Preparation Of Root Canals With Minimal Apical Intrusion 6,267,592 Mays Jul. 31, 2001 Highly Flexible Instrument For Dental Applications 6,312,261 Mays Nov. 6, 2001 Endodontic Obturator With Removable Carrier And Method Of Use Thereof 6,315,558 Farzin-Nia et al. Nov. 13, 2001 Method Of Manufacturing Superelastic Endodontic Files And Files Made Therefrom 6,390,819 Riitano May 21, 2002 Endodontic Systems And Methods For The Anatomical, Sectional And Progressive Corono-Apical Preparation Of Root Canals With Dedicated Stainless Steel Instruments And Dedicated Nickel/Titanium Instruments 6,419,488 McSpadden et al. Jul. 16, 2002 Endodontic Instrument Having A Chisel Tip 6,514,076 Bleiweiss et al. Feb. 4, 2003 Precipitation Hardenable Stainless Steel Endodontic Instruments And Methods For Manufacturing And Using The Instruments 6,520,774 Mays Feb. 18, 2003 Highly Flexible Instrument For Medical Applications 6,644,972 Mays Nov. 11, 2003 Endodontic Obturator With Removable Carrier And Method Of Use Thereof 6,746,245 Riitano et al. Jun. 8, 2004 Methods For Cleaning And Shaping Asymmetrical Root Canals In An Anatomical Fashion 2004/0121283 Mason Jun. 24, 2004 Precision Cast Dental Instrument 2003/0077553 Brock Apr. 24, 2003 Endodontic Instrument Having Notched Cutting Surfaces 2004/0058297 Danger Mar. 2, 2004 Root Canal Instrument 2004/0043357 Garman Mar. 4, 2004 Endodontic Instrument 2004/0023186 McSpadden Feb. 5, 2004 Multi-Tapered Endodontic File Re. 34,439 Heath Nov. 9, 1993 Dental Compactor Instrument BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] The invention herein relates to endodontic files having variable helical angle flutes. The file of this invention is for cleaning and/or shaping a root canal of a human tooth. The improved file is in the form of an elongated shaft having a proximal end portion, a distal end and a tapered working portion having a rotational axis, the working portion extending from the proximal portion to the distal end. The external surface of the shaft working portion has a plurality of at least two spiraled, equally spaced apart, continuous concave helical flutes. The spaced apart flutes have a concave flute surfaces. The flute surfaces have therebetween an equal number of spiraled, spaced apart, continuous flanges. Each flange has, in a plane perpendicular the rotational axis, an outer end surface forming a continuous spiral scraping/cutting edge. The scraping/cutting edge extends the length of the shaft working portion. [0010] The flutes have helical angles relative to the rotational axis. The angle of the helical flutes can vary between about 10.degree. and about 30.degree.. In preferred embodiments, the helical angle can typically vary between 10.degree. and 20.degree.. [0011] The shaft working portion is typically tapered from a larger diameter adjacent the proximal end portion to a small diameter adjacent the distal end. In some files, the helical angle varies in proportion to the cross-sectional diameter of the shaft working portion. [0012] In short, a typical endodontic file in use today has flutes with consistent helical angles, the consistency being in one case where the same helical angle exists from one end to the other of the tapered working portion or in the case where the helical angle varies in proportion to the diameter of the file. Further, the file can have an outer end surface of each flange that in one area provides a positive scraping/cutting edge and in another area a negative scraping/cutting edge. An important aspect of the invention herein is the provision wherein the helical angle of the flute is selectably varied at selected areas along the length of the file to thereby vary the characteristics of the file. [0013] Most passive files have helical angles that are constant from the tip to the top of the shaft. In the smaller sizes this presents few problems. However, in sizes above 30 or 35 hundreds of a millimeter tip diameter the surface area of the radial lands in contact with the root canal sidewall is so great the file has a tendency to self-thread or pull into the canal. By reducing the helical angle the surface area of the radial lands in contact with the root canal sidewall is reduced and slippage of the rotating file occurs reducing the feed rate of the file into the canal. [0014] In an additional embodiment, the invention is in the form of a plurality of sets of endodontic files wherein all of the files in each set have essentially the same helical angle and wherein different sets have variable diameters and/or tapers. [0015] A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] FIG. 1 is an elevational external view of a typical endodontic file. The file illustrated in this figure is for use in a hand piece by which the endodontic file is mechanically rotated and by which the file can be manipulated in the root canal of a patient. Basically, endodontic files are of two types, that is, manually manipulated and machine manipulated. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a machine manipulated file. [0017] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the endodontic file of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1. The cross-sectional view is perpendicular the longitudinal/rotational axis of the file and illustrates a geometry having essentially passive cutting/scraping action. [0018] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view as in FIG. 2 but showing an alternate embodiment of the cross-sectional of the file providing more aggressive cutting/scraping action. [0019] FIG. 4 is another alternate embodiment of the cross-sectional configuration of the endodontic file of FIG. 1 showing a cross-sectional arrangement that produces more aggressive cutting/scraping action than that of FIG. 2 or FIG. 3. Continue reading about Endodontic files having variable helical angle flutes... Full patent description for Endodontic files having variable helical angle flutes Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Endodontic files having variable helical angle flutes patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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