Mirror for microscopic endodontic examination
US5269683A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 18, 1992 |
| Grant date | Dec 14, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 18, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B1/247
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A precision hand mirror for use in endodontic examinations for viewing the interior of small cavities. The mirror is suitable for use with a microscope but is not limited to such use. The materials and method of fabrication make this mirror suitable for heating in an autoclave at temperatures up to 450.degree. C. A tungsten-carbide mirror blank is polished to reduce surface roughness to less than five percent of the wavelength of visible light, thereby removing all distortion from microscopic examination at any magnification. The tightly-packed crystalline structure of the C-2 tungsten-carbide material used in the mirror is highly resistent to physical distortion and corrosion problems normally resulting from repeated autoclave heating and exposure to bodily fluids during endodontic examinations.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.