Doctors at King George’s Medical University have obtained a patent for their innovative dental technology, eliminating the requirement for an assistant during surgery and safeguarding the patient’s eyes from harmful aerosols produced during dental procedures.

Retraction of cheek (needed to make space for the dental procedure) and suction of saliva cannot be done by a dentist alone while performing a dental surgery/treatment in the mouth. Hence an assistant does it. The innovation was made to solve this issue and do away with the need of an assistant.

“The cheek retractor designed by our team holds the suction tube, so both things (retraction of the cheek and suction of saliva) are done without need of human assistant. The tool we have designed is held by elasticity of cheek and lip,” said Prof Saumyendra V Singh, senior faculty, department of prosthodontics and principal investigator in the innovation.

The model also saves the eyes of the patient from dangerous aerosols. “When we work inside the mouth, aerosol is created that can be harmful for the eyes of the patient. Eye shield attached to the retractor helps save the eyes of the patient so we have finally three uses from a single device,” said Prof Singh.

Absence of a man (assistant) makes more space for the dentist to move, giving better scope for the surgery. The patent has been received on the title “A cheek retractor with adjustable suction tip holder and eye shield,”

Apart from Prof Saumyendra V Singh , Dr Deeksha Arya of the department, Prof Pooran Chand, HoD, prosthodontics and Dr Saumya Kapoor worked on the innovation.

A cheek retractor with adjustable suction tip holder and eye shield comprises cheek retractor, adjustable suction tip holder and protective eye/face shield wherein the cheek retractor has two semi-circular ends, each having a curved surface. The curved surface rests against and grips the natural curve of the left and right halves of an open mouth.