Torsional ultrasonic vibrators

Claim 1

For use in the treatment of teeth, a torsional ultrasonic vibrator comprising a shaft having a central axis, a blade fixed to said shaft and extending at least in part laterally therefrom, said blade being small enough to be situated in the mouth of an individual to be treated and large enough to extend along a plurality of teeth in the mouth of the individual to be treated, said shaft having opposed end regions and said blade being fixed to said shaft at one of said end regions thereof, said blade being flat and having a thickness which is substantially less than the diameter of said shaft, and said blade having a relatively narrow end region where said blade has a minimum width, said narrow end region of said blade being situated next to said shaft, and said blade having a configuration according to which said blade has a width substantially greater than the width of said narrow end region thereof at a location situated outwardly. away from said shaft, so that said shaft can be situated at the exterior of the mouth of an individual to be treated directly next to the mouth while the narrow end region of said blade is situated directly next to said shaft at the entrance into the mouth of the individual to be treated and a portion of the blade which is wider than said narrow end region thereof is situated in the mouth for directing treatment to a plurality of teeth in the mouth, and vibrator means operatively connected with said shaft at the other of the opposed end regions thereof which is distant from said one end region to which said blade is fixed for angularly oscillating said shaft and said blade therewith about said axis at an ultrasonic frequency.