WO2012135287A2

WO2012135287A2 - Disguised buccal infiltration syringe and method of use

Info

Publication number: WO2012135287A2
Application number: PCT/US2012/030852
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kevin R. GREENWAY
Original assignee: Greenway Kevin R
Priority date: 2011-03-28
Filing date: 2012-03-28
Publication date: 2012-10-04
Also published as: WO2012135287A3

Abstract

The present invention discloses a buccal syringe and methods of using the syringe. The syringe is disguised as a mouth swab so that during use, the patient will not resist its use.

Description

DISGUISED BUCCAL INFILTRATION SYRINGE AND METHOD OF USE

This application claims priority of US provisional application number 61/468,101 filed on March 28, 201 1 and is included herein in its entirety by reference.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[001] The present invention relates to syringes and methods of their use in dental anesthetic delivery. Specifically, the present invention relates to syringes for buccal infiltration which is disguised to not look like a syringe.

Description of Related Art

[002] The pain from any source is something most people avoid, if not fear, in day- to-day lives. Nowhere does it seem more intimidating than at the dentist's office. Dentistry is one of the most stressful professions due to the pain inflicted by dentists on their patients and dental pain caused by the dentist is the greatest reason individuals, especially children, avoid treatment and miss appointments. [003] There have been great strides in the area of pain management, especially for dental pain, and local dental anesthesia has progressed greatly. The typical process for dental anesthesia begins with the application of a topical anesthetic, such as benzocaine in the form of a paste, gel, or liquid which is applied to the mucosa of the gums with a cotton swab. After the surface of the gums are anesthetized, an injectable anesthetic such as lidocaine is frequently utilized into the gums with the "sting" of the needle dulled or absent because of the topical anesthetics effect at the site of injection having been applied prior to the injection.

[004] A number of other approaches and products have been used to anesthetize dental patients prior to the beginning of work; however, the most effective methods still involve injection into the gums of some form of anesthetic. However, children and those with a morbid fear of needles have problems with use of needles in the mouth, even where a topically applied anesthetic removes all perceivable pain at the injection site. In spite of the decades that a reasonable approach to dental pain has been available, it is still out of reach for many children and adults due mainly to fear.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[005] The present invention relates to a syringe and method for injecting anesthetic into the buccal tissue of a patient who is fearful of or does not want to be injected with a syringe needle. The syringe is camouflaged or otherwise decorate to appear to be a cotton swab wherein the needle is not readily visible prior to injection such that the patient is not aware they are about to be injected with anesthetic till it is already accomplished. [006] Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention there is a buccal infiltration syringe designed for injecting a patient's buccal tissue with an anesthetic removed from a medicine vial comprising:

a) a housing having a needle end and a plunger end connected by a hollow body for containing the anesthetic;

b) a plunger assembly having a plunger positioned at the plunger end in the hollow body;

c) a syringe needle assembly positioned at the needle end of the hollow body, the needle in fluid communication with the hollow body wherein depressing the plunger delivers the contents of the hollow body to and out of the needle; and

d) a flexible polymeric foam positioned at the needle end surrounding the needle end which is longer than the needle when the foam is relaxed which compresses when pressed against the patient's buccal tissue sufficiently to allow the needle to be exposed sufficiently to penetrate the tissue and inject the contents of the hollow body.

[007] In another embodiment of the present invention there is a method of injecting an anesthetic into the buccal tissue of a dental patient comprising:

a) selecting a dental syringe filled with a dental anesthetic wherein the needle of the syringe is hidden by a polymeric foam collar having the appearance of a cotton swab;

b) pretending the syringe is a cotton swab or not telling the patient the syringe is not a cotton swab; and

c) injecting the anesthetic into the patient's buccal tissue. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[008] Fig. 1 is a side view of the present invention with the foam swab in the relaxed position.

[009] Fig. 2 is a side view of the present invention with the foam in the compressed state removing anesthetic from a vial as the foam would be compressed during an injection.

[010] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the needle end of the body of the syringe showing inside the foam body in a relaxed state where the needle is hiding therein.

[011] Fig. 4 is a side view of the syringe of the present invention being utilized to inject anesthetic into the buccal tissue of a patient.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[012] While this invention is susceptible to embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure of such

embodiments is to be considered as an example of the principles and not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described. In the description below, like reference numerals are used to describe the same, similar or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings. This detailed description defines the meaning of the terms used herein and specifically describes

embodiments in order for those skilled in the art to practice the invention.

[013] The terms "a" or "an", as used herein, are defined as one or as more than one. The term "plurality", as used herein, is defined as two or as more than two. The term "another", as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms "including" and/or "having", as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term "coupled", as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically.

[014] Reference throughout this document to "one embodiment", "certain

embodiments", and "an embodiment" or similar terms means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of such phrases or in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments without limitation.

[015] The term "or" as used herein is to be interpreted as an inclusive or meaning any one or any combination. Therefore, "A, B or C" means any of the following: "A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B and C". An exception to this definition will occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps or acts are in some way inherently mutually exclusive.

[016] The drawings featured in the figures are for the purpose of illustrating certain convenient embodiments of the present invention, and are not to be considered as limitation thereto. Term "means" preceding a present participle of an operation indicates a desired function for which there is one or more embodiments, i.e., one or more methods, devices, or apparatuses for achieving the desired function and that one skilled in the art could select from these or their equivalent in view of the disclosure herein and use of the term "means" is not intended to be limiting.

[017] As used herein a "buccal infiltration syringe" refers to a syringe having a long housing and a needle designed for injection of medicament into the buccal tissue surrounding the tooth area for the purpose of doing dental work. The particular syringe is designed to remove medicament, such as an injectable local anesthetic such as lidocaine, from a bottle of medicament but could be adapted for use with ampules. This is in order to keep the device thin and to maintain the appearance of the syringe as a dental swab rather than a syringe.

[018] The syringe is designed to inject an anesthetic of the Dentist's choice including such anesthetics such as lidocaine, carbocaine, marcaine, and the like. The syringe can be filled in the normal way, that is holding the vial of medicament upside down and the syringe with the needle upward, inserting the needle in the vial and puling downward on the plunger creating a vacuum in the hollow portion of the syringe drawing the medicament inside the hollow body for injection into the patient.

[019] The syringe, as designed herein, can be designed for single use only

(disposable) with disposable, not heat sterilizable components, or can in other embodiments be designed to be reusable. The syringe has a housing comprising a needle end and a plunger end connected by a hollow body for containing the anesthetic. The housing can be decorated or designed to have the appearance of a cotton swab, such as appearing in color or design to be a wooden or plastic stick or other application device for holding a cotton swab ball. [020] As used herein a "plunger assembly" refers to the conventional plunger assembly utilized in syringes comprising the gasket end of a plunger body inserted into the hollow body via the plunger end opening of the hallow body. The pusher end can have a standardized engager end for engaging the plunger by the dentist and injecting medicament. In one embodiment, the engager end is disguised as the stick end of a cotton swab to further disguise the entire syringe as a cotton swab. A cotton swab is generally a stick with a cotton ball at the end designed for applying medicament directly to the surface of the buccal tissue of the patient.

[021] As used herein a "syringe needle assembly" refers to a hollow syringe needle designed for buccal injection which is attached to the needle end of the body of the syringe in such a way that it functions as a buccal syringe. This attachment is well within the skill in the art. The needle chosen can be from about a half an inch to over two inches in length but a shorter needle length will be able to be hidden by the faux cotton swab easier. In one embodiment, the needle has a length from about 3mm to about 7mm.

[022] As used herein the "flexible polymeric foam" refers to a foam that is designed as a faux cotton swab which surrounds and hides the needle portion of the syringe. Polymeric foam can be any polymeric foam material that is safe to use with a syringe, is sufficiently flexible to be used as described herein, can be fashioned to appear to be some form of cotton swab material, and can surround the needle.

Examples of polymeric foam materials include, but are not limited to, polyurethane and the like. The faux cotton swab is positioned at the needle end of the hollow body, surrounds the needle, and is longer than the needle when in a relaxed (non- compressed) state. When compressed by pressing against the patient's buccal tissue or the bottle of anesthetic, the faux cotton swab will compress sufficiently to allow the needle to be exposed to penetrate the patient's tissue and inject the contents of the hollow body (anesthetic) into the patient's buccal tissue and whichever location is desired by the Dentist.

[023] The invention is approached with the patient as if the device were a real cotton swab on the end of a stick inserted in the mouth under the guise of swabbing the gums (buccal tissue) and then, if the tissue has been pre-numbed, the injection can take place without the patient knowing they are receiving a shot of any kind. In one embodiment of the present invention the foam is capable of carrying and applying a topical anesthetic so it actually performs the function of a cotton swab anesthetic applicator, and as such, the two steps of topical anesthetic application and tissue injection of local anesthetic can be accomplished with the same device.

[024] In the method of the present invention, the Dentist would select the device of the present invention having the appearance of a dental swab wherein the needle of the syringe is hidden by a polymeric foam collar having the appearance of a cotton swab. Next, pretending the syringe is a cotton swab or in the alternative not telling the patient it is not a cotton swab, places the needle end in the patient's mouth and injects the anesthetic into the unsuspecting patient's buccal tissue.

[025] Now referring to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a side view of a syringe of the present invention. In this view, a dental syringe disguised as a dental cotton swab 10 consists of several parts. The syringe 10 consists of the plunger assembly consisting of the plunger shaft 6 and plunger gasket 5 which is placed in hollow body 4 of the syringe. The hollow body 4 comprises a plunger end 1 1 and a syringe end 12, and during use contains anesthetic in the hollow portion 13. As can be seen, the plunger assembly is inserted into the plunger end 1 1 of the hollow body 4 of the syringe. At the needle end 12 of the syringe hollow body 4 is the needle assembly consisting of hollow syringe needle 2 attached in fluid communication to the hollow body needle end 12 via conduit connector 3. In this view we can see a side view of flexible polymeric foam 1 which is tear drop shaped in this embodiment and designed to have the appearance of a cotton ball for a swab. In this view the foam 1 is in a relaxed non-compressed state and completely hides needle 2 which is shown but not visible in the actual device as it is hidden behind the foam 1 The hole 14 in the distal end of the foam 1 allows the needle 2 to be utilized to remove anesthetic from a vial or to inject a patient.

[026] Fig. 2 is a side view of the syringe 10 withdrawing anesthetic from vial 7. In this view foam 1 is in a compressed state having been pressed up against vial 7 such that needle 2 is inserted in vial 7. In this view the needle is exposed to view through hole 14. While this view depicts removal of anesthetic into hollow area 13, the reverse use of the syringe allows the Dentist to press the syringe against the buccal tissue compressing the foam 1 against tissue for injection of the anesthetic.

[027] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the foam 1 and needle 2 looking down hole 14 in a manner that one could see needle 2. One can also see that the foam 1 completely surrounds the needle 2 and in this relaxed state, the foam completely hides needle 2 from view.

[028] Fig. 4 depicts the injection of an anesthetic into the buccal tissue 20 of a patient. In this view the syringe 10 is placed on the upper buccal tissue right above tooth 21 . In this view the needle 2 is in the buccal tissue 20 for injection with the foam 1 in the compressed state pressed up against the buccal tissue 20 to expose needle 2 for the injection. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make modifications resulting in other embodiments employing principles of the present invention without departing from its spirit or characteristics, particularly upon considering the foregoing teachings.

[029] Accordingly, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description or drawings. Consequently, while the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, modifications of structure, sequence, materials and the like apparent to those skilled in the art still fall within the scope of the invention as claimed by the applicant.

[030] Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make modifications resulting in other embodiments employing principles of the present invention without departing from its spirit or characteristics, particularly upon considering the foregoing teachings. Accordingly, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description or drawings. Consequently, while the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, modifications of structure, sequence, materials and the like apparent to those skilled in the art still fall within the scope of the invention as claimed by the applicant.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1 . A buccal infiltration syringe designed for injecting a patient's buccal tissue with an anesthetic removed from a medicine vial comprising:

a) a housing having a needle end and a plunger end connected by a

hollow body for containing the anesthetic;

2. The syringe according to claim 1 wherein the syringe is designed to be a one use syringe.

3. The syringe according to claim 1 wherein the polymeric foam is designed to have the appearance of a cotton swab.

4. The syringe according to claim 1 wherein the foam is a polyurethane foam.

5. The syringe according to claim 1 wherein the body and plunger are designed to have the appearance of a stick end of a cotton swab applicator.

6. The syringe according to claim 1 wherein the foam acts as an applicator of a topical anesthetic.

7. A method of injecting an anesthetic into the buccal tissue of a dental patient comprising:

c) injecting the anesthetic into the patient's buccal tissue.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the foam collar contains a topical anesthetic and is used to apply the anesthetic to the surface of the patient's buccal tissue.