Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080213720 | ENDODONTIC INSTRUMENTS MANUFACTURED USING CHEMICAL MILLING - A method of manufacturing endodontic files involves a chemical milling process to yield endodontic files having a desired taper and/or degree of sharpness. The process involves the steps of (a) forming helical cutting edges in the cutting portion of the metallic rod; and (b) chemically milling the cutting portion of the rod so as to sharpen and/or taper the cutting portion. The rod may be formed of any desirable metallic material, for example stainless steel or a nickel-titanium alloy. The cutting edges may be formed by torsioning, cutting, grinding, machining, laser micromachining, or grit blasting. | 09-04-2008 |
20080285302 | DENTAL CURING LIGHT HAVING A SHORT WAVELENGTH LED AND A FLUORESCING LENS FOR CONVERTING SHORT WAVELENGTH LIGHT TO CURING WAVELENGTHS AND RELATED METHOD - A dental curing light includes a body, one or more LEDs configured to emit a first spectrum of light having a relatively short first peak wavelength (e.g., UV) disposed on the body, and a fluorescing lens that converts at least a portion of the first spectrum of light into a second spectrum of light having a second peak wavelength that is longer than the first peak wavelength. The second spectrum of light is selected so as to match the curing spectrum of a desired light-curable dental composition. In a preferred embodiment, the body comprises an elongate wand having a proximal end and distal end. The LEDs may be disposed at or near the distal end of the elongate wand. | 11-20-2008 |
20080317817 | METHODS OF MANUFACTURING A DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR PROMOTING BONE GROWTH - A method for manufacturing a delivery system that includes a bone growth promoting material encapsulated within a water-absorbing, water-gelatinizable covering used to promote bone growth in order to repair a bone defect and/or strengthen a weakened bone region. The delivery system may be shaped and sized in order to fit within a bleeding wound (e.g., one that is formed in the gingiva when a tooth is extracted). The covering may be formed of a gelatinizable-gauze (e.g., oxidized cellulose) that forms a gel-like material when moistened with water. The delivery system may be stored in a moisture resistant package prior to use. | 12-25-2008 |
20090007431 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DENTAL INSTRUMENTS FROM SUPER-ELASTIC ALLOYS - Dental instruments and appliances are manufactured from a superelastic alloy, which includes atoms from the group IV | 01-08-2009 |
20090024082 | Time-Indicating Syringe Mixing Devices And Related Methods For Storing and Dispensing Two-Part Dental Compositions - Time-indicating syringe mixing systems for mixing, storing, and dispensing a two-part dental composition that becomes less stable upon mixing including a first plunger comprising an elongate stem and a plug at a distal end of the elongate stem, a hollow first chamber configured to contain a first component, a hollow second chamber configured to contain a second component, and means for indicating a recorded date when a first component initially contained within the hollow first chamber is mixed with a second component initially contained within the hollow second chamber. The inventive syringe mixing systems may be configured as syringe-in-syringe systems and/or syringe-to-syringe systems. | 01-22-2009 |
20090234288 | DENTAL INTRALIGAMENTARY INJECTION NEEDLES AND RELATED METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - Injection needle devices for administering a local anesthetic into tough, dense ligamentary tissue surrounding a tooth. The injection needle is a two-part needle that includes a proximal needle portion formed of metal, ceramic or rigid plastic and a distal needle portion formed of ceramic or hardened metal. The distal penetrating needle portion has an exposed length not more than about 8 mm, and an maximum outside diameter of about 25 gauge. At the transition between the proximal needle portion and the distal needle portion there can be an abrupt stop surface for limiting penetration through tissue. Alternatively, the proximal needle portion can have a tapered surface that permits penetration of the tapered surface into tissue. The injection needle device is designed to minimize pain and prevent buckling of the distal needle portion. | 09-17-2009 |
20090305188 | CHEMICALLY PRE-IMPREGNATED SILK RETRACTION CORDS HAVING INCREASED STRENGTH - A degradation resistant gingival retraction cord comprising or consisting essentially of silk is formed from two or more strands that are braided, twisted or woven. The degradation resistant retraction cord comprises at least about 50% silk, 80% silk, 90% silk, 95% silk, or essentially all silk. They are able to maintain at least about 70%, 80% or 90% of this tensile strength for a time period of at least about 7 days, 30 days, 60 days, or 90 days. The silk retraction cords have the look, feel and desirable utility of a thin, flexible, and resilient natural fiber cord, while also resisting degradation when pre-impregnated with a corrosive agent. Such cords combine the degradation resistance of a man-made fiber, while also having greater liquid absorbance, lightness, flexibility and resilience like a natural fiber cord. | 12-10-2009 |
20090321037 | MOLD ASSEMBLY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MOLDING METAL ARTICLES - Apparatus assemblies and methods for melting and injection molding an article from a meltable metal that is sensitive to heating by radio frequency (RF) induction. An exemplary apparatus includes a mold including a cavity having a shape of an article to be molded, a delivery chute including a channel for delivering a solid metal billet from a proximal end of the delivery chute to a distal end which is adjacent to the mold, and an RF induction heating coil that surrounds the cavity of the mold and the distal end of the delivery chute. Advantageously, the portion of the mold defining the cavity and at least the distal end of the delivery chute (i.e., those portions surrounded by the RF coil) are formed of materials that are substantially insensitive to heating by RF induction so that the metal billet is melted and molded at approximately the same time. | 12-31-2009 |
20100028273 | METHODS AND KITS FOR CLEANING AND REMINERALIZING TEETH - Methods and associated kits for use in selectively conditioning and remineralizing teeth. An exemplary method comprises the steps of applying a conditioning composition to one or more of a person's teeth, and applying a remineralizing composition to the person's teeth. The conditioning composition includes a conditioning agent, and the remineralizing composition includes a remineralizing agent comprising calcium ions and/or fluoride ions. The conditioning composition may be applied prior to or after application of the remineralizing composition. In one embodiment, both the conditioning composition and the remineralizing composition include different remineralizing ions (e.g., one including calcium, one including fluoride). | 02-04-2010 |
20100028829 | CHEMICALLY ACTIVATED DENTAL BLEACHING TRAYS - Dental treatment trays and strips used to deliver a dental bleaching composition to a person's teeth are formed from a moisture resistant barrier material and include a bleaching agent destabilizer disposed on an inner treatment surface of the barrier layer that is positioned against the person's teeth during use. The bleaching agent destabilizer may be compounded with the moisture resistant material or otherwise disposed relative to the barrier layer so that at least some destabilizer is positioned on the inner treatment surface of the tray or strip so as to contact the dental bleaching composition during use. | 02-04-2010 |
20100055639 | DENTAL TREATMENT TRAYS COMPRISING SILICONE OR OTHER ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL - Non-customized dental treatment trays used to provide a desired treatment are formed from elastomeric silicone or silicone-like material. They may be injection molded from a two-part liquid silicone composition or a silicone-like TPE material (e.g., preferably SEBS and/or VERSAflex thermoplastic elastomer). The dental treatment trays possess high adaptability, flexibility, softness, and elastic elongation while also exhibiting resiliency in order to readily conform to the ridges, depressions and contours of a person's teeth during use. The trays possess a greater ability to adhere to a person's teeth compared to non-elastomeric thermoplastic materials. Due to their high adaptability and conformability, the non-customized dental trays behave like a semi-custom dental tray when placed over conformed to a person's teeth, particularly when used in combination with a sticky, viscous treatment composition. | 03-04-2010 |
20100221678 | Method for Indicating Shelf-Life After Mixing Pre-Dosed, Pre-Packaged Two-Part Dental Compositions - A pre-dosed, pre-packaged mixing system and associated method for mixing, storing, and dispensing a two-part dental composition that becomes less stable upon mixing. The mixing system includes a pre-dosed, pre-packaged quantity of a first component contained within a first chamber, and a pre-dosed, pre-packaged quantity of a second component contained within a second chamber. The chambers are separated by separation means so as to separate the two-components prior to mixing. Once mixed, the practitioner is able to record a mixing and/or expiration date on at least a portion of the mixing system so as to indicate a shelf-life of the less stable mixed dental composition. | 09-02-2010 |
20100226998 | ANTI-VIRAL AND ANTI-MICROBIAL DENTAL OPERATIVE MATERIAL AND METHODS - An anti-microbial and/or anti-viral composition for use in disinfecting an oral tissue during a dental procedure includes at least one dental operative material that is allowed to contact the oral tissue for a period of time between about 2 seconds and about 1 month and an effective amount of an anti-viral and/or anti-bacterial agent included in or mixed with the dental operative material so as to impart an anti-bacterial and/or anti-viral effect at or near a site of administration in oral tissue. The anti-viral and/or anti-bacterial agent at least partially at least partially contributes to a two-log (or three-log, four-log, or five-log) reduction in viral and/or bacterial activity at or near a site of administration. The compositions protect a dental practitioner and/or other patient from being infected by a communicable disease carried by a treated patient. | 09-09-2010 |
20110171606 | DENTAL TREATMENT DEVICES - Dental treatment trays or strips include a moisture-resistant barrier layer that is flexible so as to conform to a plurality of differently-sized and shaped dental arches during use. The moisture-resistant barrier layer comprised of wax, paraffin wax and/or polyolefin. The dental treatment device also includes a substantially solid dental treatment composition adapted so as to be initially substantially dry to the touch and so as to become sticky and adhesive to dental tissue when moistened. The substantially solid dental treatment composition includes at least one adhesive agent and at least one active agent, such as a dental bleaching agent. | 07-14-2011 |
20110311938 | NON-CUSTOM DENTAL TREATMENT TRAYS HAVING IMPROVED ANATOMICAL FEATURES - 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. | 12-22-2011 |
20120021396 | SYSTEM AND RELATED METHOD FOR INSTRUCTING PRACTITIONERS RELATIVE TO APPROPRIATE MAGNITUDE OF APPLIED PRESSURE FOR DENTAL PROCEDURES - System and method for teaching a dental practitioner an appropriate pressure to apply during a dental procedure. The system includes a dental tool for use in a dental procedure and a substrate including a coating of a removable scratch-off material. The scratch-off material is adhered to the substrate so as to have an adherence strength that is specifically configured so that the scratch-off material coating is removable from the substrate by manipulating the dental tool against the scratch-off material coating upon application of a minimum threshold pressure that is substantially equal to that to be applied during a selected actual dental procedure. In this manner, an inexperienced practitioner is able to learn the appropriate magnitude of pressure to be applied during a procedure (e.g., application and burnishing of a hemostatic composition into bleeding soft tissue) in a non-threatening environment without having to actually work on a live, bleeding patient. | 01-26-2012 |
20120064481 | COMPOSITE DELIVERY SYSTEM - A syringe delivery system for dispensing a highly viscous material through a syringe delivery opening includes a syringe barrel having a delivery opening, a plunger stem including a threaded shaft that threadably engages a proximal end of the syringe barrel for selectively dispensing a viscous material through the delivery opening, and a sheath. The sheath is rigidly attached with the plunger stem so that the plunger stem and sheath rotate together in unison relative to the syringe barrel. The sheath and syringe barrel may enclose the plunger stem. In order to dispense a viscous material, the syringe barrel is rotated relative to the sheath, causing the syringe barrel to be progressively received within the sheath and simultaneously forcing the plunger stem further into the syringe barrel so as to dispense a viscous material from the delivery opening. | 03-15-2012 |
20130130194 | NON-CUSTOM DENTAL TREATMENT TRAYS HAVING IMPROVED ANATOMICAL FEATURES - 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. | 05-23-2013 |
20140294742 | ANTI-PLAQUE DENTAL COMPOSITIONS - Anti-plaque dental treatment compositions are useful in treating and/or preventing formation of dental plaque and biofilm. The anti-plaque compositions are configured for daily application to a patient's teeth in order to inhibit dental plaque formation and generally include a peroxide-based anti-bacterial compound, xylitol in an amount so as to provide a bacteriostatic effect, and an aqueous gel carrier comprised of water and at least one thickening agent into which the anti-bacterial compound and xylitol are dispersed. | 10-02-2014 |
20140295377 | DENTAL TREATMENT DEVICES COMPRISING SILICONE-LIKE ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL - Non-customized dental treatment trays used to provide a desired treatment are formed from elastomeric silicone or silicone-like material. They may be molded from a two-part liquid silicone composition or a silicone-like TPE material (e.g., preferably SEBS and/or VERSAflex thermoplastic elastomer). The dental treatment trays possess high adaptability, flexibility, softness, and elastic elongation while also exhibiting resiliency in order to readily conform to the ridges, depressions and contours of a person's teeth during use. The trays possess a greater ability to adhere to a person's teeth compared to non-elastomeric thermoplastic materials. Due to their high adaptability and conformability, the non-customized dental trays behave like a semi-custom dental tray when placed over conformed to a person's teeth, particularly when used in combination with a sticky, viscous treatment composition. | 10-02-2014 |