Dental hand tool having different implements for retrieving material from a cavity located in a patient's tooth

1 . A dental apparatus, comprising:

a handle, the handle having a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a handle body extending between the first and second ends;

a first dental implement extending from the first end of the handle; and

a second dental implement extending from the second end of the handle, the second dental implement being different from the first dental implement,

wherein the first dental implement includes:

a first elongated member, the first elongated member having a first end connected to the first end of the handle, a second end opposite to the first end thereof, and a body extending between the first and second ends of the first elongated member;

a spear extending from the second end of the body of the first elongated member; and

a barb connected to the body of the first elongated member, adjacent to the second end of the body of the first elongated member, and extending from the body of the first elongated member,

wherein the barb extends at an acute angle relative to the body of the first elongated member, and the barb extends at an obtuse angle relative to the spear,

wherein the second dental implement includes:

a first elongated member, the first elongated member of the second dental implement having a first end connected to the second end of the handle body, a second end opposite to the first end thereof, and a body extending between the first and second ends thereof;

a second elongated member connected to the first elongated member of the second dental implement, the second elongated member of the second dental implement having a first end connected to the second end of the first elongated member of the second dental implement, a second end opposite to the first end thereof, and a body extending between the first and second ends of the second elongated member of the second dental implement, wherein the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement becomes narrower in a direction toward the second end thereof; and

a plurality of nubs protruding from an exterior of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement in a direction away from the second end of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement,

wherein the plurality of nubs is arranged along a path that spirals on the exterior of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement between the first and second ends thereof,

wherein the plurality of nubs have a blunt exterior periphery configured to reduce abrasion on an inner sidewall of an elongated cavity while still securely engaging dental tissue or dental material to be removed from the elongated cavity,

wherein a size of individual nubs included in the plurality of nubs decreases along the path that spirals on the exterior of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement in a direction toward the second end thereof,

wherein the plurality of nubs are backward facing such that the plurality of nubs are configured to point upward toward an outlet of the elongated cavity when inserted in the elongated cavity, and

wherein the plurality of nubs are elongated metallic structures.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spear and the barb are connected to one another,

wherein a first portion of the spear is connected to a first portion of the barb, and

wherein an exterior of the first portion of the spear and an exterior of the first portion of the barb extend along a same imaginary line.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body of the first elongated member includes a plurality of curved body portions and a plurality of straight body portions extending between the first and second ends of the first elongated member.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of curved body portions and the plurality of straight body portions are alternatively arranged with one another.

5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of curved body portions and the plurality of straight body portions include:

a first straight body portion, a second curved body portion, a third straight body portion, a fourth curved body portion and a fifth straight body portion sequentially arranged along a length of the first elongated member,

wherein the first straight body portion extends between the second curved body portion and the first end of the handle, and

wherein the fifth straight body portion extends between the spear and the fourth curved body portion.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the fifth straight body portion is directly connected to the spear.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a first imaginary axis extends in a length direction of the first straight body portion, a second imaginary axis extends in a length direction of the fifth straight body portion, and an angle formed between a portion of the first imaginary axis that extends on an inside of the first implement and a portion of the second imaginary axis that extends between an intersection of the first and second axes and the spear ranges from about 90 degrees to about 135 degrees.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nubs have a triangular shape with a blunt edge or blunt corner.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nubs protrude from an exterior of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement at an acute angle relative to said exterior in the direction away from the second end of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an angle formed between the first elongated member and the second elongated member of the second dental implement ranges from about 90 degrees to about 135 degrees.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement is conical.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body of the first elongated member of the second dental implement is straight.

13 . A dental apparatus, comprising:

a handle body;

a first dental implement extending from a first portion of the handle body; and

a second dental implement extending from a second portion of the handle body, the second dental implement being different from the first dental implement,

wherein the first dental implement includes:

a first elongated member connected to the first portion of the handle body, the first elongated member having a straight portion thereof distal to the first portion of the handle body;

a spear connected to the straight portion of a body of the first elongated member; and

a barb connected to the straight portion of the body of the first elongated member;

wherein the second dental implement includes:

a first elongated member connected to the second portion of the handle body;

a second elongated member, the second elongated member of the second dental implement having a first end connected to the first elongated member of the second dental implement, a second end opposite to the first end thereof, and a body extending between the first and second ends thereof; and

a plurality of nubs protruding from the body of the second elongated member and arranged along a coiling path on an exterior of the body of the second elongated member, between the first and second ends thereof,

wherein the plurality of nubs have a blunt exterior periphery configured to reduce abrasion on an inner sidewall of an elongated cavity while still securely engaging dental tissue or dental material to be removed from the elongated cavity,

wherein a size of individual nubs included in the plurality of nubs decreases along the path that coils on the exterior of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement in a direction toward the second end thereof,

wherein the plurality of nubs are backward facing such that the plurality of nubs are configured to point upward toward an outlet of the elongated cavity when inserted in the elongated cavity, and

wherein the plurality of nubs are elongated metallic structures.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein at least one nub of the plurality of nubs has a blunt edge, and

wherein the at least one nub of the plurality of plurality of nubs protrudes from an exterior of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement at an angle that is greater than about 0 degrees to about 90 degrees relative to the exterior of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement in the direction away from the second end of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement.

15 . A method of performing a dental procedure, the method comprising:

obtaining a dental apparatus, the dental apparatus having a handle body, a first dental implement extending from a first portion of the handle body, and a second dental implement extending from a second portion of the handle body;

inserting one selected from the group consisting of the first and second dental implements in an elongated cavity, the elongated cavity extending inside of a natural or prosthetic tooth located in a mouth of a dental patient;

manipulating the handle body of the dental apparatus to cause the selected one from the group consisting of the first and second dental implements to engage with dental tissue or dental material present in the elongated cavity; and

retrieving the selected one from the group consisting of the first and second dental implements, engaged with the dental tissue or dental material, from the elongated cavity;

wherein the second dental implement includes:

a first elongated member connected to the second portion of the handle body;

a second elongated member, the second elongated member of the second dental implement having a first end connected to the first elongated member of the second dental implement, a second end opposite to the first end thereof, and a body extending between the first and second ends thereof; and

a plurality of nubs protruding from the body of the second elongated member and arranged along a coiling path on an exterior of the body of the second elongated member, between the first and second ends thereof,

wherein the inserting one selected from the group consisting of the first and second dental implements in the elongated cavity includes inserting the second elongated member of the second dental implement in the elongated cavity,

wherein the manipulating the handle body of the dental apparatus includes rotating the handle body to cause the plurality of nubs to rotate in the elongated cavity, the rotation of the plurality of nubs causing the second elongated member of the second dental implement to engage the dental tissue or dental material in the elongated cavity,

wherein the plurality of nubs have a blunt exterior periphery configured to reduce abrasion on an inner sidewall of the elongated cavity while still securely engaging dental tissue or dental material to be removed from the elongated cavity,

wherein a size of individual nubs included in the plurality of nubs decreases along the path that coils on the exterior of the body of the second elongated member of the second dental implement in a direction toward the second end thereof,

wherein the plurality of nubs are backward facing such that the plurality of nubs are configured to point upward toward an outlet of the elongated cavity when inserted in the elongated cavity, and

wherein the plurality of nubs are elongated metallic structures.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first dental implement includes:

a first elongated member connected to the first portion of the handle body, the first elongated member having a straight portion thereof distal to the first portion of the handle body;

a spear connected to the straight portion of the body of the first elongated member; and

a barb connected to the straight portion of the body of the first elongated member,

wherein the inserting one selected from the group consisting of the first and second dental implements in the elongated cavity includes inserting at least a portion of the first elongated member, the spear and the barb of the first dental implement in the elongated cavity, and

wherein the manipulating the handle body of the dental apparatus includes rotating the handle body to cause the barb to rotate in the elongated cavity, the rotation of the barb causing the barb to engage the dental tissue or dental material in the elongated cavity.