498 results about "Dental treatments" patented technology

A scanning system that acquires three-dimensional images as an incremental series of fitted three-dimensional data sets is improved by testing for successful incremental fits in real time and providing a variety of visual user cues and process modifications depending upon the relationship of newly acquired data to previously acquired data. The system may be used to aid in error-free completion of three-dimensional scans. The methods and systems described herein may also usefully be employed to scan complex surfaces including occluded or obstructed surfaces by maintaining a continuous three-dimensional scan across separated subsections of the surface. In one useful dentistry application, a full three-dimensional surface scan may be obtained for two dental arches in occlusion.

The image processing system is applied to dentistry, for example, and performs photography of the teeth of a patient while causing a plurality of illumination light LEDs of different wavelengths to emit light by means of a photography device when producing a crown repair or denture of the patient, whereby image data are acquired. The image data are transmitted to a dental filing system constituting a processing device where color reproduction data are determined through computation. In addition, color reproduction data are transmitted to the dental technician's office via a public switched network. Therefore, a repair material compound ratio calculation database is searched and the compound data for a material that matches the hue of the patient's teeth are found, whereby a crown repair or denture or the like that very closely matches the color of the patient's teeth is produced.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for liquefying target tissue within a body and aspirating the same while leaving non-target tissue intact. A biocompatible fluid is heated and contacted with target tissue so that the target tissue is melted while non-target tissue remains intact. As the target tissue is being melted it is also aspirated from the body.

Disposable dental mouthpiece-strip which has been pre-impregnated with dental substance which can either be placed in the mouth by the user or inserted in the mouth by a dentist for oral treatments, such as teeth whitening treatments, fluoride treatments, or medical treatments, such as the application of anasthetic or antimicrobal / antiseptic treatments. The mouthpiece-strip is made with a foldable structure such as a thin strip of wax with a section of porous material (sponge) that holds the treatment dental product (liquid or gel). The mouthpiece-strip is disposable; the amount of time it is worn is determined by the type of dental treatment. The mouthpiece-strip may be adjusted in size by cutting it with scissors. The wax used for the mouthpiece is non-toxic and allows for a perfect adjustment in the mouth by contouring to the teeth during adjustment by the user. To enhance the fit in the mouth, the inner surface of the mouthpiece-strip may contain a thin layer of non-toxic sticky adhesive. The porous (sponge) strip attached to the wax strip is an inert, nontoxic material which is easy to process and inexpensive. It is attached to the wax strip with a non-toxic adhesive.

Systems and methods for using a liquid jet apparatus for dental treatments are disclosed. In one implementation, the liquid jet apparatus may include a handpiece configured to deliver a high velocity liquid jet to a desired location in the mouth of a patient. The handpiece may include a positioning member having a channel through or along which the jet can propagate. The positioning member may have a distal end portion configured to be at least partially disposed in a pulp cavity, canal space, or opening in the tooth under treatment. During operation, the jet may impact an impingement surface of the distal end portion of the positioning member and be deflected as a spray through one or more openings in the distal end portion. The liquid jet apparatus may be used for root canal treatments.

Computer-implemented methods to plan, display and evaluate orthodontic treatment plans. A plurality of teeth in a representation on a computer display may be moved simultaneously in accordance with a mathematically defined pattern. Software tools available to generate the treatment path may include adjusting the smile teeth, moving teeth along a curve fit to points in the mandible, individually moving a tooth, cross sectioning to check for interference and simulations of occlusal points, highlighting teeth that have moved from their original position, making notations on the teeth, and generating and saving animation sequences of before and after treatment tooth positions.

Methods and apparatus for visualizing and manipulating three-dimensional digital dental models and related methods and apparatus for dental treatments are disclosed. In one aspect, a method for visualizing and manipulating a three-dimensional digital dental model may comprise viewing the three-dimensional digital dental model and using hand gestures to instruct a computer to manipulate one or more teeth in the digital dental model. In other aspects, a dental treatment method may comprise viewing a three-dimensional digital model, using hand gestures, a conventional keyboard, and / or a conventional mouse to instruct a computer to manipulate one or more teeth in the digital model to generate a three-dimensional digital model of a modified arrangement of the subject's teeth, and fabricating one or more dental aligners configured to reposition the subject's teeth into the modified arrangement. Viewing may comprise stereoscopically viewing a digital dental model.

The present invention provides a motion analysis system for manufacturing of dental orthotics and prosthetics using computer aided means. The process includes measuring the relative function of one anatomical structure to another based on optical data and in some cases enhanced with other sensor data. The components of hard and soft tissue are used in analysis and where the data can be compared in a time series such that a computer generated occlusal surface from which either a treatment orthosis or prosthesis could be manufactured to aid with dental treatment.

Use of computer technology for image-assisted risk assessment / evaluation of proposed dental treatments is described, in particular a method and apparatus for determining the impact of a proposed dental modification on the temporomandibular joint(s), e.g. to obtain information relating to that impact. Use of a virtual articulator is described to determine the impact of a proposed dental modification on the temporomandibular joint(s). This dental modification includes, but is not limited to, the replacement of one or more teeth by artificial teeth, the replacement of one or more parts of a tooth by a prosthetic reconstruction such as a dental crown or veneer, the rearrangement of one or more existing teeth (orthodontic treatment), the distraction of one or both jaws in order to reposition the teeth (orthognatic treatment) and / or modifications of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth.

A hand-held self-powered combination dental tool is capable of performing multiple concurrent functions including suction, retraction, and intra-oral lighting so that dental treatment can be carried out easily under good lighting. (A suction connection is required). Another lighting mode (blue to ultraviolet) also allows inspection of the oral cavity for lesions such as hyperplasia or neoplasia using local changes in tissue fluorescence as an indicator. Internal batteries are rechargeable. Measurements of tissue fluorescence can be made and reported using internal detection and digital measurement.

A diagnostic / treatment instrument such as a handpiece equipped with a dental treatment tool, etc. is provided with a light radiating unit that can distinctively detect a dental lesion, to facilitate the treatment of the lesion. A light source for emitting light that can distinctively detect the lesion is mounted near the head of the handpiece to which a diagnostic / treatment tool can be attached. The light emitted from the light source illuminates an area forward of the diagnostic / treatment tool. Alternatively, the light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting devices which are arranged around the periphery of the forward end of the handpiece head in such a manner as to encircle the diagnostic / treatment tool, and radiates light to illuminate the area forward of the diagnostic / treatment tool. When an oral cavity is illuminated with the light, a clinician can observe reflected fluorescent light by using a filtering function that passes the fluorescent light, and thus the clinician can perform the treatment while checking the lesion.

A method, system, device and an artificial tooth is disclosed for simulating both pain and anesthesia in a model of jaws. The tooth is equipped with sensors and connected to a data processing unit, memory unit and audiovisual display unit. The system is for teaching and practicing in the field of dentistry according to which removing artificial tooth or artificial bone substances by a dental drill, generates signals of pseudo pain with different intensities. Signals are fed to the data processing unit which simulates perception of the simulated pain and accordingly to said audio-visual display unit which simulates reaction to the different intensities of generated pseudo pain signals by playing different sounds which are stored in said memory unit. Furthermore, the system is able to simulate anesthesia by generating block signals as a result of applying different anesthetic techniques by means of a dental syringe connected to the system.

Apparatus, kits and methods for providing accelerated treatment of a patient's teeth. The apparatus, kits and methods involve the use of a dental impression tray that includes a patient dentition impression formed from a dental impression material such as an alginate. The impression tray advantageously includes heating means for heating and maintaining the formed patient dentition impression at a temperature greater than about 105° F. The heated dental trays may be used to accelerate the activity of dental bleaching agents (e.g., peroxides), desensitizing agents (e.g., potassium nitrate), remineralizing agents (e.g., fluoride salts), and the like. A dental office procedure for treating teeth involves the basic steps of: (1) coating a specially-prepared patient dentition impression with a dental composition such as a bleaching, desensitizing or remineralizing composition; (2) placing the coated patient dentition impression into the patient's mouth; (3) heating the patient dentition impression and dental composition to a temperature of at least about 105° F.; and (4) retaining the patient dentition impression in position for period of time in a range of about 1 minute to about 60 minutes. The procedure can be adapted to microwave heating, electrical resistance heating, or hot fluid heating of the patient dentition impression.

A computer-controlled dental treatment system, includes: a dental chair for receiving a patient to be treated; a robotic arm carrying a dental tool holder for holding a dental tool to be used in rendering a selected dental treatment, and for manipulating the dental tool with respect to the patient's head during the dental treatment; and a control system programmable to control the robotic arm to manipulate the dental tool in accordance with the selected dental treatment to be rendered to the patient.

Method for planning and performing dental treatments comprising: an acquisition phase of a set of data relating to the position, to the conformation and to the dimension of at least one site inside the oral cavity of a patient who has to undergo a dental treatment and relating to the conformation of at least one portion of the patient's face; a design phase of a virtual prototype of at least one dental prosthesis that can be fitted at the site during the treatment, starting from the set of data and by means of a software program implemented on a computer; a determination phase, by means of the software program and starting from the set of data and from the virtual prototype of the dental prosthesis, of at least one virtual model suitable for visually reproducing the portion of the face following the fitting of the dental prosthesis; a preparation phase of the site by means of a dental instrument, with the assistance of the software and starting from the virtual prototype of the dental prosthesis and from the virtual model, before the installation and the manufacture of said dental prosthesis.

The invention relates to a dental implant, comprising an implant part, an abutment part and a central positioning bolt, which is characterized in that a peripheral cylindrical spiral body of the implant part is divided into three sections of an implant shoulder part, an implant main body part and an implant cone part, a self-tapping slot is formed on the cone part, an inner hole which can be inserted in the abutment part to form the inner intubation sleeve type connection is formed therein; the inner hole is divided into the upper section of a conical part, the middle section of an implant inner hole deep part and the lower section of an implant inner thread with the diameter less than that of the middle section; the abutment part is a rotary body which is sequentially reverse conical, positive curved, positive conical and cylindrical from top to bottom at the periphery, the abutment part can be a solid body and can also be the rotating body with a through hole which can be equipped with the central positioning bolt at the center, and the periphery thereof is a circular table which is sequentially reverse conical, positive curved, positive conical and cylindrical. The dental implant of the invention has rapid implantation, great strength, tight positioning and early retention, which can prevent the rotation, transfer the scattered bite force and scatter the stress function of the central bolt.

Dental retainer devices are provided. The dental retainer devices can be customized based on patient specific dental anatomy and dental treatment plans. Methods of making the dental retainer devices are also provided. The methods can included additive manufacturing. Methods are also provided for customization of a dental retainer device based on the patient specific anatomy. The methods for customization can include providing a dentist with different options for anterior teeth coverage, posterior teeth coverage, and palatal configurations for the dental retainer devices.

The invention relates to an ultrasound dental treatment appliance comprising a surgical handpiece (220) fitted with a transducer connected to an ultrasound generator (230), the handpiece being designed to receive ultrasound tips (210) that are mechanically coupled to the transducer and that operate in different ultrasound wave power and amplitude ranges. The dental treatment appliance includes means (224, 225), e.g. optical means, for automatically detecting the utilization power and amplitude range of the tip (210) mounted on the handpiece, and processor means for automatically setting the ultrasound generator to the detected power and amplitude range.

A powder blast tool for mixing a powder with a pressurised gas, having at least one powder reservoir, with supply lines for the pressurised gas, and a discharge line, which is connected to a discharge nozzle, at which a powder-gas mixture and optionally pressurised water are discharged, wherein the powder blast tool can preferably be connected to plural powder reservoirs simultaneously and exchangeably, wherein at least one receiving region with at least one mixture terminal and at least one gas terminal is disposed on the powder blast tool and wherein the powder reservoir has a coupling region for exchangeable connection of the powder reservoir to the powder blast tool. Also disclosed are a suitable powder reservoir and an insert for such powder reservoirs and a corresponding method of dental treatment.

A hand-held microwave system for intra-oral dentistry utilizes microwave energy to cure polymer materials intra-orally so as to produce dental composites having improved physical characteristics, and also utilizes microwave energy to detect the presence of and to preferentially heat caries or cavities, thereby disinfecting and therapeutically treating the caries in a potentially non-invasive manner. The intra-oral polymerization process can be accomplished with less overall energy and with composite-matrices that maximally absorb the microwave energy so as to reduce heating of adjacent tissue. The antenna of a hand-held version of the intra-oral microwave system is also advantageously designed to detect the presence of and to preferentially heat caries or cavities, thereby disinfecting and therapeutically treating the caries in a potentially non-invasive manner. A method and product by process for the system are also disclosed.

Computer-implemented methods to plan, display and evaluate orthodontic treatment plans. A plurality of teeth in a representation on a computer display may be moved simultaneously in accordance with a mathematically defined pattern. Software tools available to generate the treatment path may include adjusting the smile teeth, moving teeth along a curve fit to points in the mandible, individually moving a tooth, cross sectioning to check for interference and simulations of occlusal points, highlighting teeth that have moved from their original position, making notations on the teeth, and generating and saving animation sequences of before and after treatment tooth positions.

A diagnostic / treatment instrument such as a handpiece equipped with a dental treatment tool, etc. is provided with a light radiating unit that can distinctively detect a dental lesion, to facilitate the treatment of the lesion. A light source for emitting light that can distinctively detect the lesion is mounted near the head of the handpiece to which a diagnostic / treatment tool can be attached. The light emitted from the light source illuminates an area forward of the diagnostic / treatment tool. Alternatively, the light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting devices which are arranged around the periphery of the forward end of the handpiece head in such a manner as to encircle the diagnostic / treatment tool, and radiates light to illuminate the area forward of the diagnostic / treatment tool. When an oral cavity is illuminated with the light, a clinician can observe reflected fluorescent light by using a filtering function that passes the fluorescent light, and thus the clinician can perform the treatment while checking the lesion.

Dental bleaching compositions include a dental bleaching agent, a generally linear high molecular weight (i.e., greater than about 500,000) polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and / or polyethylene oxide (PEO) tissue adhesion agent included in amount that imparts a high level of adhesiveness, a rheology-modifying agent such as fumed silica or fumed alumina that reduces or eliminates stringiness otherwise caused by the high molecular weight PVP and / or PEO, and a solvent or carrier. Dental bleaching compositions may include carboxypolymethylene instead of or in addition to PVP and / or PEO, wherein the fumed silica or fumed alumina increases long-term rheological stability even in the presence of a high concentration of dental bleaching agent. Dental treatment devices including a barrier layer and a quantity of the dental bleaching composition positioned adjacent to the barrier layer.

A non-custom, dental tray device includes a moisture-resistant barrier layer having a labial-buccal wall, a lingual wall, and a bottom wall. The dental tray device includes at least one of the following structural features to enhance the fit of the device; (1) the bottom wall includes an abrupt reduction of width at a location corresponding to where the first bicuspid meets the canine; (2) a bottom wall in the posterior region having a width that is equal to or less than the width of the bottom wall in the anterior region, with no lingual wall in the posterior region; or (3) a transition portion between the bottom wall and either the labial-buccal wall or the lingual wall has a larger radius of curvature as compared to a radius of curvature at a transition portion between the bottom wall the other of the labial-buccal wall and the lingual wall.

In the holder set for digital sensors for dentistry, the holders for each kind of radiograph such as periapical radiographs of front teeth (anterior teeth) and lateral teeth (posterior teeth), on one hand, and bitewing radiographs, on the other hand, can be used for all sensor formats, the sensors being seized in the respective holders in a self-centered manner by two arms independently of their format.

The present invention is a formable dental treatment tray utilizing poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) and a gelatinous active. Blending of the active is accomplished by mixing the Poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) with an active ingredient, such as a peroxide like hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide, sodium perborate, or sodium percarbonate, usually also with water or an appropriate organic solvent. Peroxide concentrations in these new gels can reach a 30% concentration of hydrogen peroxide while maintaining a shelf life of six months at room temperature without developing peroxide decomposition. The gels are applied to an appropriate backing and dried to a gelatinous state. In use, the active is hydrated and regains adhesiveness. Then the tray is pressed and formed around a user's dental arch to form the customizable tray. Multiple active ingredients may be used, with or without peroxide, for accomplishing desired treatment regimens.

A cheek and lip retractor for dentistry comprises respective cheek portions and lip portions for the upper and lower lips. In one embodiment, the lip portions each comprise a lip shield and mucosa pads that are separate and spaced apart from the lip shield. The lip shield includes a first side edge that is disposed within a patient's mouth, and a second side edge that is disposed outside the patient's mouth, when the retractor is used to separate the lips of the patient. The cheek portions and lip portions are connected to each other by flexible connecting elements, and the connecting elements are disposed between the lip shields and the mucosa pads. In another embodiment, the cheek portions of the retractor include first side edges disposed within a patient's mouth, and second side edges disposed outside the patient's mouth during use to separate the lips of the patient.