Lucknow, Nov 24 (IANS): A group of four doctors at the King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow have patented a device that will reduce the need for multiple hands for various dental processes and will save patients eyes from infection at the same time.

The patent for design of ‘Cheek retractor with adjustable suction tip and eye shield’ was applied in 2020 and has got approval by government of India in 2023.

It has an adjustable suction tip holder, an eye shield and a cheek retractor with two semi-circular ends with curved surfaces making up the cheek retractor with eye shield and adjustable suction tip holder.

The natural curve of the left and right halves of an open mouth is brushed against and gripped by the curved surface.

Prof Saumyendra V. Singh, senior faculty, department of prosthodontics and principal innovator, said that an assistant performs the cheek retraction (which is necessary to create room for the dental procedure) and saliva suction during oral surgery because a dentist cannot perform these tasks alone.

Apart from Prof Singh, Saumya Kapoor, Deeksha Arya of the department, Prof Pooran Chand the head of department, prosthodontics, worked upon the innovation.