Apparatus for verifying clearance for dental restorations

Abstract

A dental apparatus includes a center gripping portion defining a central axis, a mesial portion and a distal portion. The mesial portion includes an open-oriented constant diameter tip, the first leg projecting at an obtuse angle and the second leg projecting orthogonally from the first leg toward the central axis. The distal portion includes a closed-oriented constant diameter tip, the first leg projecting at an obtuse angle parallel to the mesial tip first leg and the second leg projecting orthogonally from the distal tip first leg and away from the central axis parallel to the mesial tip second leg.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A dental apparatus for verifying clearances between teeth, comprising a center gripping portion, an open-oriented mesial portion, and a closed-oriented distal portion,
 the center gripping portion extending from a first end to a second end and defining central axis,   the mesial portion extending from the center gripping portion first end, the mesial portion including:
 a first tapered region coupled to the center gripping portion first end and extending therefrom, and 
 a constant-diameter mesial wire tip of a selected diameter extending from the first tapered region, the mesial wire tip further comprising a first leg coupled to the tapered region and extending away from the central axis at a first obtuse angle, and a second leg extending orthogonally from the first leg and oriented toward the central axis; and, 
   the distal portion extending from the center gripping portion second end, the distal portion including:
 a second tapered region coupled to the center gripping portion second end and extending therefrom, and 
 a constant-diameter distal wire tip of the selected diameter extending from the second tapered region, the distal wire tip further comprising a first leg coupled to the tapered region and extending away from the central axis at a second obtuse angle and parallel to the mesial wire tip first leg, and a second leg extending orthogonally from the first leg and oriented toward the central axis and parallel to the mesial tip second leg. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the selected wire diameter is selected from the range of 1.0 mm (0.04 inches) to 2.5 mm (0.1 inches).   
     
     
         3 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the selected wire diameter is selected from the group of: 1.0 mm (0.04 inches), 1.5 mm (0.06 inches), 2.0 mm (0.08 inches), and 2.5 mm (0.1 inches).   
     
     
         4 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein each of the first and second tapered regions taper from a first diameter proximate their respective connections to the center gripping portion first and second ends to a second diameter equal to the selected wire diameter.   
     
     
         5 . The dental apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 wherein each of the first and second tapered regions extend approximately 30 mm (1.2 inches) from their respective connections to the respective mesial and distal wire tip first legs.   
     
     
         6 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein each of the mesial tip and distal tip first wire legs is approximately 10 mm (0.4 inches) long, and each of the mesial tip and distal tip second wire legs is approximately 5 mm (0.2 inches) long.   
     
     
         7 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the first and second obtuse angles are 115 degrees.