Combination illuminator and lip and cheek expander

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The aforementioned problems are solved by the present invention wherein a combination illuminator and lip and cheek expander is provided including an illumination means located at the periphery of the oral cavity on lip expanders engaging the corners of the patient's mouth.
Neither the expander, nor the illumination means mounted thereon, penetrates any further than the immediate lip region so that the interior of the oral cavity immediately adjacent the lip periphery and inwardly thereof is properly illuminated without the device interfering with the movement of instruments within the cavity.
Further, while illuminating the oral cavity, the present device engages the opposite corners of the mouth to expand both the lips and cheeks and thus assist in holding the patient's mouth in an open position.
The present device not only does not interfere with the insertion of other instruments into the patient's mouth, but actually enlarges the opening through which instruments must be inserted.
More particularly, the present device comprises a lip expander including a pair of lip engaging members to engage opposite corners of a mouth to spread the lips and cheeks and hold the mouth in an open position.
At least one of the lip engaging members includes inwardly facing fiber optic light transmitting means having light outlet means located in the plane of the lips at the periphery of the mouth.
A light inlet means is connected to the light outlet means and adapted to be connected to a light source to convey light from the source to the light outlet means and into the patient's mouth.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the written specification and the appended drawings.