This invention relates generally to improved pliers for facilitating the handling of dental prostheses and in particular to pliers for facilitating the insertion and removal of dental crowns. Heretofore, pliers-like devices designed for handling dental prostheses such as crowns and the like have generally been less than completely satisfactory for several reasons. One problem particularly troublesome to dentists is the failure of such pliers to provide sufficient sensitivity for permitting soft hand impressions formed from compounds, rubber, wax or silicone to be removed and inserted without causing damage to the impression. Similarly the lack of sensitivity in such pliers does not permit same to be used in handling easily-breakable dental crowns and/or dental bridgework. Also, such pliers for removing dental prostheses are not adjustable to different tooth sizes. Finally, such dental pliers are unable to impart a sufficient force in the direction of the long axis of the tooth for removing the crown or bridge work without the possiblity of causing damage to the prostheses or to the teeth surrounding same. Accordingly, a dental pliers capable of removing and inserting dental crowns and the like and that eliminates the above-noted problems is needed.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds