Did You Know...
...that while attempting to develop a super strong glue, 3M employee Spencer Silver accidentally developed a glue that was so weak it would barely hold two pieces of paper together? However, his colleague Art Fry needed the glue. Fry sang with his church choir and marked the pages of his hymnal with small scraps of paper that often fell out. He used Silver's glue to hold the papers in place. Today we call this invention Post-it Notes.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8118041 | Plastic tooth cleaner The Plastic Tooth Cleaner is a hand-held plastic device that allows a person to remove food particles from spaces between their teeth more conveniently than existing flossing techniques. It is a three inch long device, with a helical shaped body and a straight, unif... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8061371 | Multi-ribbed dental tape The present invention includes monofilament dental tapes for removing plaque and/or food debris from interdental spaces of a mammal, which dental tapes have a core body with an aspect ratio of greater than about 5:1 and a first cleaning surface and a second cleaning... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8061372 | Orthodontic flossing implement An orthodontic flossing implement for facilitating positioning and manipulating of a portion of a length of dental floss into the interdental space between adjacent teeth and proximate to and beneath an orthodontic wire which defines an arch extending between adjace... | 11/22/2011 |
| 7806125 | Inter dental tooth cleaner and delivery device An inter dental device which is a tooth cleaner and gum massager which cleans the area between anterior and posterior teeth, comprising a handle and a stem and flanges and a tip which is grooved or twisted in a spiral pattern, and the flanges extending from a centra... | 10/05/2010 |
| 7669607 | Interdental space cleaner An interdental cleaning device that is easy to handle, especially for kids and handicapped people, including a frame supporting four zones for removing food and plaque between the teeth. Each zone having a particular thickness combined with cleaning substance and cl... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7392810 | Dental flossing cartridge system and driver attachments A new dental flossing system comprising; a.) Multiple compact floss dispensing cartridges having quick attachment means to a driver to advance floss contained within said floss dispensing cartridge, b.) A packaging container for multiple said compact floss dispensin... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7331788 | Clamping cord with polymeric wedge component, and method of affixation The present invention relates to the affixation of dental dams and Class III matrixes utilized in conservative dentistry and oral surgery. In particular, the present invention relates to a device and method for retaining and stabilizing a dental dam or Class III mat... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7293987 | Adjustable bite ramps for deep bite correction and kits incorporating bite ramps An adjustable bite ramp includes a tooth-attachment element and ramp element. The tooth-attachment element is sized and configured for bonding to the lingual surface of a person's tooth, while the ramp element is hingedly or bendably adjustable relative to the tooth... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7264005 | Toothpick device A toothpick device in the form of an elongated, hollow member having a readily deformable central portion and readily deformable spaced end portions formed by two attached, convexly curved, flexible walls having an elastic memory. ... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7264001 | Guidewire exit tool A guidewire exit tool includes a pin that is insertable into a guidewire channel of a rapid exchange-type catheter. The pin has at least one tapered end that urges a guidewire out of a slit in guidewire channel. In one embodiment the exit tool has an oval handle tha... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7234939 | Dental instruments having a handle formed by two-shot molding A dental instrument having a two-shot molded handle and methods for making the same. The dental instrument includes a dental instrument shank of metal with a handle formed near the proximal end of the shank. The handle includes a first polymer formed over a portion ... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7226289 | Method for overmolding polymers over dental tools A method for overmolding a plurality of polymers having different properties onto a dental instrument. The method involves providing a dental instrument substrate made of metal, overmolding a first polymer onto a portion of the dental instrument substrate, and then ... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7189143 | Machine for superfinishing by honing A honing machine for super finishing workpieces, e.g. by honing using a tool spindle (7), can be rotatably driven and can receive a tool. A motor rotates the tool spindle, the tool spindle (12) being arranged on a carriage (12), which can be dis... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7163532 | Surgical instrument with near-axial geometry A surgical instrument with near-axial geometry includes a linearly elongated handle portion having a handle axis defined along its length. The handle portion is joined to a linearly elongated working portion by an offset portion. The working portion includes a worki... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7156109 | Smoking cessation oral hygiene device The present invention relates to an improved combination tooth pick/dental floss appliance, with the addition of, a food and or medicament pad. The tasks carried out by the invention are beyond basic flossing to include the delivery system of an attached medicament ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7044671 | Applicator for cleaning teeth A disposable teeth cleaning applicator device. An elongated tubular shaft member has an applicator tip member at one end and a toothpick device at the other end. A liquid dental material is positioned inside the tubular shaft member and, once released, is squeezed o... | 05/16/2006 |
| 6962582 | Surgical instrument with near-axial geometry A surgical instrument with near-axial geometry includes a linearly elongated handle portion having a handle axis defined along its length. The handle portion is joined to a linearly elongated working portion by an offset portion. The working portion includes a worki... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6955539 | Characterization of motion of dual motor oral hygiene device An oral hygiene device is disclosed having at least two motors to simultaneously vibrate and impart motion upon the head portion of the oral hygiene device, most beneficially at the tip. A first motor is positioned in the handle portion of the device to impart a fir... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6910883 | Orthodontic bracket cleaner The present invention is a powered instrument for removing excess bonding material from the surfaces of orthodontic brackets while they are attached to a patient's teeth. The instrument is particularly effective in removing bonding material from the inner surfaces o... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6902399 | Cleaning instrument for a tooth root canal The cleaning instrument (10) comprises a head portion (10) and, adjacent thereto, a cleaning portion (14) having a shank (20), which is provided with bristles (22) on its external surface. In order that especially the tooth root ca... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6767209 | Interdental brush and production method therefor Relates to an interdental cleaning tool provided on the peripheral surface of a shaft member 1 with one or a plurality of projections 2, the projections being pinnulate elements or cirrate elements, and shaft member 1 and projections 2 be... | 07/27/2004 |
| 6701939 | Dental device for cleaning between teeth A dental device (10) broadly comprises a center section (12) flanked by a first picking section (14) and a second picking section (16). The first picking section (14) and the second picking section (16) are relatively flat and may include a roughened surf... | 03/09/2004 |
| 6640815 | Consumer usable popcorn kernel and/or husk removing dental instrument A dental instrument including a plastic handle with a generally planar pick at at least one of its ends, with the pick being of a plastic or emery board composition of given shape and angulation, with a rasped surface about edge portions of the pick so as... | 11/04/2003 |
| 6536448 | Hemostat coated dental floss and hemostat coated dental tape The present invention provides a dental device that comprises a hemostatic agent and a method of making and using a dental device comprising a hemostatic agent.... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6497237 | Dental flossing system A dental flossing system for allowing an individual to floss their teeth with only one hand and without positioning their fingers within their mouth during flossing. The dental flossing system includes a body having a pair of arms and a rear portion conta... | 12/24/2002 |
| 6490747 | Electric toothbrush attachment A electric toothbrush attachment consisting of a miswaak element. The attachment is positioned to rotate at ninety degrees from the rotation of the arm. This motion results in a circular movement of the brush element against the surfaces of the teeth. The... | 12/10/2002 |
| 6371133 | Variable-guage tooth-flossing loops Embodied in the flexile forms of both an endless-loop and as a linear-tape, a unique tooth flossing device for cleaning away bacteria between the teeth is set forth. Comprised of a nontoxic extrusion-molded thermo-plastic polyurethane having particular pr... | 04/16/2002 |
| 6340027 | Extensible polishing mono-filament dental floss Monofilament dental floss/tape of polymer material including fluoride and polishing powder the dental floss/tape (1) being ribbon-shaped and having material properties that enable it to be stretched to increase its length by at least 100% and also to redu... | 01/22/2002 |
| 6308718 | Cocktail pick and canopy A cocktail pick and canopy for dressing up beverages and provide a toothpick for a meal. The cocktail pick and canopy includes a pick member having a tapered bottom end and a bulbous top end for being removably disposed in a beverage glass; and also inclu... | 10/30/2001 |
| 6250313 | Teeth-cleansing means A teeth cleaning device including an elongated length of dental floss which has brush formations at spaced intervals therealong with a greater cross section than that of the floss. The brush formation is retained on the dental floss by heating the brush f... | 06/26/2001 |
| 6230718 | Toothpick convenient for carrying and improved in picking The present invention is related to a toothpick convenient for carrying and improved in picking, and is especially directed to a toothpick and a flat receiving sheet for packing. The toothpick is comprised of a picking portion and a shank. Wherein, the pi... | 05/15/2001 |
| 6220258 | Extruded plastic toothpick and method A packet of toothpicks has a one-piece plastic sheet, folded onto itself to provide two layers of plastic toothpicks, each of which toothpicks has a handle portion and a cleaning portion. The cleaning portion is embossed to form a surface that will abrade... | 04/24/2001 |
| 6213132 | Flat toothpick and kit The flat plastic toothpick comprises a thin sheet of plastic material having a somewhat tear-drop shape including a generally oval-shaped base section for gripping the toothpick and a generally curved or hook-shaped end section for being inserted into the... | 04/10/2001 |
| 6161555 | Crystal gels useful as dental floss with improved high tear, high tensile, and resistance to high stress rupture properties A novel dental floss and gum massager made in the form of a strand, a tape or a sheet of polymeric material, said sheet having selectively positioned multiple sized holes for inserting though and holding by the fingers of the hands. The floss provides sub... | 12/19/2000 |
| 6158444 | Interdental cleaner and manufacturing process In order to ensure a good cleaning of the interdental spaces, an interdental cleaner comprises an elongated, rod-like carrier of a first plastics material, which is covered in partial areas of its surface by at least one insert or support made from a seco... | 12/12/2000 |
| 6125858 | Writing instrument dental device attachment A writing instrument dental device attachment for mounting to an end of a writing instrument to permit a user to perform oral hygiene activities therewith. The writing instrument dental device attachment includes a tubular attachment sleeve with an open p... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6102050 | Remedial dental floss The present invention relates to a remedial dental floss comprising a dental floss and titanium dioxide particles of 6.0 microns or less. Depending upon the structure, formulation, and final effects desired a binder may also be used to attach, adhere or o... | 08/15/2000 |
| 6085761 | Toothpick brush The invention relates to a toothpick brush comprising a brush body 11 provided with a point projecting portion 11 insertable in spaces between teeth, a gripping portion 12 formed so as to be easily held, and a connection part 13 for connecting the aboveme... | 07/11/2000 |
| 6044848 | Toothpick assembly A toothpick assembly includes a rectangular plastic envelope having a rectangular bottom, a rectangular upper top panel, a rectangular lower top panel, a rectangular left panel formed with a slit, and a rectangular right panel formed with a tongue configu... | 04/04/2000 |
| 6039054 | Dental floss Dental flosses are provided that include a foam. Preferred flosses include a foam outer layer and a reinforcing core and may be formed as a multicomponent coextruded filament.... | 03/21/2000 |
