US Patent 7140881 Protective throat screen for dentistry

This invention provides a throat screen which can be placed in a dental patient's mouth during dental procedures, comprising a central porous area, with openings sufficiently numerous and of sufficient size to permit breathing through the mouth and draining of excess saliva into the throat, but small enough to prevent the passage into the throat of any debris produced during dental procedures, or small dental objects introduced into the dental patient's mouth during such dental procedures. The throat screen further comprising a rim which biases the screen against the inside of the mouth. The throat screen is preferably fabricated of plastic so as to make it economical to be disposable.