Transbuccal plate holding cannula

1. An apparatus for holding a bone plate comprising:

a tubular member comprising:

a cylindrical body having a front end and a rear end;

a tip opening in said front end;

a rear opening in said rear end;

a passageway in said body extending from said tip opening to said rear opening;

at least two longitudinal slots disposed at said front end of said cylindrical body and around a circumference of said front end of said cylindrical body and extending axially rearward from said front end, at least a portion of said slots extending through said cylindrical body such that said slots form an opening to said passageway;

a flange disposed around said rear opening;

an inner sleeve being slideably disposed inside said passageway of said tubular member, said inner sleeve comprising:

a front end;

a back end; and

a flange disposed around said back end;

at least two substantially longitudinal fingers extending from said front end of said inner sleeve, said fingers being aligned with said longitudinal slots in said front end of said tubular member;

whereby said fingers extend axially forward and radially outward as said inner sleeve slides forward in said tubular member, and wherein said fingers retract axially rearward and radially inward as said inner sleeve slides backward in said tubular member; and

tips being formed at a distal end of said fingers and bent radially inward.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said tips engage said outer periphery of said bone plate against said front end of said tubular member as said fingers retract.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a spring being disposed around said inner sleeve, between said flange of said tubular member and said flange of said inner sleeve.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said slots further comprise ramps, wherein said ramps slope radially outward in a longitudinal direction from said back end toward said front end.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said tubular member further comprises recesses located at said front end of said cylindrical body and on an outer surface of said cylindrical body such that said tips engage said recesses when said fingers are in a retracted position.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said front end of said tubular member further comprises a chamfered edge around an outer surface of said tip opening.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a rod, said rod comprising:

a body having a front end and a back end;

a tapered tip on said front end; and

a flange disposed around said back end;

wherein said rod is slideably inserted into a passageway extending through said inner sleeve such that said flange on said back end of said rod rests on said flange on said back end of said inner sleeve.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a handle, said handle comprising an annular opening, wherein said tubular member is inserted through said annular opening and secured to said handle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a ratchet mechanism for actuating the forward, sliding movement of said inner sleeve relative to said tubular member.

10. An apparatus for holding a bone plate comprising:

(a) a tubular member comprising:

a body having a front end and a rear end;

a tip opening in said front end;

a rear opening in said rear end;

a passageway in said body extending from said tip opening to said rear opening;

at least two longitudinal slots disposed at said front end of said body and around a periphery of said front end of said body and extending longitudinally rearward from said front end, at least a portion of said slots extending through said body such that said slots form an opening to said passageway; and

a flange disposed around said rear opening; and

(b) an inner sleeve being slideably disposed inside said passageway of said tubular member, said inner sleeve comprising:

a front end;

a back end;

a flange disposed around said back end;

at least two substantially longitudinal fingers extending from said front end of said inner sleeve, said fingers being aligned with said longitudinal slots in said front end of said tubular member; and

finger tips being formed at a distal end of said fingers and bent radially inward;

whereby said fingers extend longitudinally forward and radially outward as said inner sleeve slides forward in said tubular member, and wherein said fingers retract longitudinally rearward and radially inward as said inner sleeve slides backward in said tubular member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said finger tips engage said outer periphery of said bone plate against said front end of said tubular member as said fingers retract.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a spring being disposed around said inner sleeve, between said flange of said tubular member and said flange of said inner sleeve.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said slots further comprise ramps, wherein said ramps slope radially outward in a longitudinal direction from said back end toward said front end.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said tubular member further comprises recesses on an outer surface at said front end of said body such that said tips engage said recesses when said fingers are in a retracted position.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said front end of said tubular member further comprises a chamfered edge around an outer surface of said tip opening.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said inner sleeve has an inner passageway, and the apparatus further comprises a rod, said rod comprising:

a body having a front end and a back end;

a tapered tip on said front end; and

a flange disposed around said back end;

wherein said rod is slideably inserted into said sleeve passageway such that said flange on said back end of said rod rests on said flange on said back end of said inner sleeve.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a handle, said handle comprising an annular opening, wherein said tubular member is inserted through said annular opening and secured to said handle.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a ratchet mechanism for actuating the forward, sliding movement of said inner sleeve relative to said tubular member.

19. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said finger tips are biased open.

20. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said finger tips are biased closed.