Saliva ejector appliance

Abstract

A saliva injector appliance that includes an elongate member having a scoop with channels at its distal end. Clamps or the like hold the appliance against and to a saliva ejector such that the end of the injector is spaced a small distance rearward from the end of the scoop, and the scoop and the channels direct fluid into the injector and push tissue out of the way during a dental procedure. The elongate member has a rigid or semi-rigid construction and holds the saliva ejector at the desired position and angle as directed by a practitioner grasping the rear handle portion of the elongate member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A saliva ejector appliance, comprising:
 an elongate member having a front face, a rearward portion, and a forward end portion; and   wherein the front face is structurally configured to hold a saliva ejector along generally an entire length of the front face with a distal end of the saliva ejector being spaced a small distance rearwardly from an end of the forward end portion whereby the saliva ejector is in a held position.   
     
     
         2 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the elongate member has a scoop-shaped head member;
 the head member comprising one or more channels configured to direct fluids into the tip of the saliva ejector when in the held position and during a dental procedure; and 
 the head member comprising one or more projections configured to push tissue out of the way when the ejector is in the held position and during the dental procedure. 
 
     
     
         3 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the front face has at least one clamp in which the ejector is positioned when in the held position. 
     
     
         4 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the front face has a longitudinal groove in which the ejector is positioned when in the held position. 
     
     
         5 . The appliance of  claim 4  further comprising at least one clamp to releasably hold the ejector in the longitudinal groove. 
     
     
         6 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein a front face of the forward end portion has a scoop shape structurally configured to direct fluid to the distal end when a saliva ejector is in the held position. 
     
     
         7 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein a front face of the forward end portion has at least one channel structurally configured to direct fluid to the distal end when a saliva ejector is in the held position. 
     
     
         8 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein a front face of the forward end portion has a scoop shape structurally configured to direct fluid to the distal end when a saliva ejector is in the held position, and the scoop shape has at least one channel structurally configured to direct fluid to the distal end when a saliva ejector is in the held position. 
     
     
         9 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the elongate member has a side elevational curved shape. 
     
     
         10 . The appliance of  claim 9  wherein the elongate member has a central portion between the rearward portion and the forward end portion, and the curved shape comprises the elongate member curving in a front direction from the rearward portion towards the central portion and curving in a rearward direction from the central portion towards the forward end portion. 
     
     
         11 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the elongate member is a semi-rigid member such that a user can manually bend it to change its curvature. 
     
     
         12 . The appliance of  claim 11  wherein the elongate member comprises an internal longitudinal wire to hold the elongate member in a changed shape. 
     
     
         13 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the forward end portion comprises a front-to-back fluid through-passage. 
     
     
         14 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the forward end portion comprises a plurality of scoop-like protrusions extending at a forward and outward angle. 
     
     
         15 . A saliva ejector appliance, comprising:
 an elongate member having a front face, a rearward portion, and a forward end portion;   at least one saliva ejector clamp configured to releasably clamp a saliva ejector to the front face; and   wherein the forward end portion comprises a scoop-like protrusion.   
     
     
         16 . The appliance of  claim 15  wherein the at least one saliva ejector clamp is structurally configured to hold a saliva ejector along generally an entire length of the front face with a distal end of the saliva ejector being spaced a small distance rearwardly from an end of the forward end portion and thereby in a held position such that the scoop-like protrusion directs fluid to flow to the distal end when in the held position. 
     
     
         17 . The appliance of  claim 15  wherein the elongate member comprises a practitioner handgrip at the rearward portion. 
     
     
         18 . A saliva ejector appliance, comprising:
 a head member attachable to a saliva ejector such that the head member is in an attached position;   the head member having a scoop-like shape;   the head member comprising one or more channels configured to direct fluids into the tip of the saliva ejector when the head member is in the attached position and during a dental procedure; and   the head member comprising one or more projections configured to push tissue out of the way when the head member is in the attached position and during the dental procedure.   
     
     
         19 . The appliance of  claim 18  wherein the one or more projections comprise first, second and third projections, and the one or more channels comprise a first channel between the first and second projections and a second channel between the second and third projections.