Ways to whiten teeth

Abstract

A method for whitening teeth, the method reducing the amount of time a whitening composition is in contact with the teeth. Specifically, by pre-treating the whitening composition with light before contacting the teeth with the whitening composition, the amount of time the whitening composition needs to be in contact with the teeth can be reduced. In one aspect, the method can include: dispensing a tooth whitening composition from a reservoir device into a channel of a mouth tray; activating an electromagnetic radiation source to emit light onto the tooth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray for a first period of time to pre-treat the tooth whitening composition; and inserting the mouth tray into the oral cavity of the user so that the user's teeth are in contact with the tooth whitening composition in the channel for a second period of time to whiten the teeth.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Many people are not happy with the color of their teeth. There is a range of teeth whitening products on the market, including toothpastes, gels, trays, strips and professional treatments. The color of human teeth comes from the combined color of enamel and dentin. Enamel is the translucent material that covers human teeth and thins over time. Due to this thinning and the accumulation of stains, the natural color of teeth becomes more yellow over time. These stains can come from many sources, such as medications, diet and lifestyle choices. There are two different types of tooth stains, exogenous stains and endogenous stains. Exogenous stains are usually removed by the mechanical action of the abrasive system in the toothpaste combined with the brushing action of the toothbrush. Endogenous stains can be treated with bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide that can penetrate the enamel surface. The ability of the bleaching agent to penetrate the tooth surface depends on many factors, including the size and concentration of the bleaching agent molecules and the contact time with the surface. Longer contact times between the bleaching agent and the teeth are undesirable because: (1) it takes up too much of the user's time; and (2) there is a perception that longer contact times may lead to greater sensitivity. Therefore, there is a need for a tooth whitening method that reduces the amount of time that the bleaching agent is in contact with the teeth. Summary of the invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a method for whitening teeth that reduces the amount of time a whitening composition is in contact with the teeth without reducing the whitening results. Specifically, it has been found that by pre-treating the whitening composition with light before contacting the teeth with the whitening composition, the amount of time the whitening composition needs to be in contact with the teeth to achieve the same or better whitening effect can be reduced.

[0003] In one aspect, the present invention can be a method of whitening teeth, the method comprising: dispensing a tooth whitening composition from a reservoir device into a channel of a mouth tray; prior to placing the mouth tray in the mouth of a user, activating an electromagnetic radiation (i.e., illumination) source to emit light onto the tooth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray for a first period of time to pre-treat the tooth whitening composition; after expiration of the first period of time, inserting the mouth tray into the mouth of the user such that the user's teeth are in contact with the tooth whitening composition in the channel for a second period of time to whiten the teeth; and after expiration of the second period of time, removing the mouth tray from the mouth of the user and deactivating the electromagnetic radiation source.

[0004] In another aspect, the present invention can be a method of whitening teeth, the method comprising: dispensing a tooth whitening composition into a channel of a mouth tray; emitting light onto the tooth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray for a first time period; after expiration of the first time period, inserting the mouth tray into the mouth of a user so that the user's teeth are in contact with the tooth whitening composition in the channel for a second time period; and wherein the sum of the first time period and the second time period is equal to a total treatment time, and wherein the first time period is at least 20% of the total treatment time.

[0005] In yet another aspect, the present invention can be a method of whitening teeth, the method comprising: dispensing a tooth whitening composition into a channel of a mouth tray; emitting light onto the tooth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray for a non-contact treatment time; and inserting the mouth tray into a user's mouth so that the user's teeth are in contact with the tooth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray for a contact treatment time; and wherein the ratio of the contact treatment time to the non-contact treatment time is approximately 1:1.

[0006] In another aspect, the present invention can be a method of whitening teeth, the method comprising: a pretreatment step, the pretreatment step comprising emitting light onto a tooth whitening composition in a channel of a mouth tray for a first time period; a treatment step, the treatment step comprising inserting the mouth tray into a user's mouth so that the user's teeth are in contact with the tooth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray, for a second time period during which the light continues to be emitted onto the tooth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray; wherein the sum of the first time period and the second time period is equal to the treatment duration; and wherein the treatment duration is equal to the standard treatment time of a standard whitening method including the treatment step and omitting the pretreatment step.

[0007] In still another aspect, the present invention may be an oral treatment device, comprising: a mouth tray, the mouth tray comprising a tooth receiving channel for receiving the user's teeth during a teeth whitening procedure and an electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation into the tooth receiving channel; a power supply; a processor; a timer device, the timer device being operably coupled to the processor; a first indicator, the first indicator being operably coupled to the processor; a second indicator, the second indicator being operably coupled to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to: start the timer device when the electromagnetic radiation source is activated; activate the first indicator when a first time period expires to instruct the user to insert the mouth tray into the oral cavity; and activate the second indicator when a second time period expires to instruct the user to remove the mouth tray from the oral cavity.

[0008] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter.It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mouth tray and a reservoir device prior to dispensing a tooth whitening composition from the reservoir device into a mouth tray;

[0011] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a teeth whitening composition being dispensed from a reservoir device into a passageway of a mouth tray;

[0012] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a teeth whitening composition pre-treated with light prior to placing the oral tray in the oral cavity of a user;

[0013] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an oral tray at least partially inserted into the oral cavity of a user so that the user's teeth are in contact with a tooth whitening composition;

[0014] Figure 5 is a flow chart describing the steps of a method for whitening teeth according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Fig. 6A is a table with the first experimental data;

[0016] Figure 6B is a graphical representation of the first experimental data;

[0017] Fig. 7A is a table having second experimental data; and

[0018] Figure 7B is a graphical representation of the second experimental data. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The following description of the preferred embodiment is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

[0020] The description of the exemplary embodiment according to the principle of the present invention is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which will be considered as part of the entire written description. In the description of the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is intended only for convenience of description, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. Relative terms such as "lower", "upper", "horizontal", "vertical", "above", "below", "upward", "downward", "top" and "bottom" and their derivatives (e.g., "horizontally", "downwardly", "upwardly", etc.) should be understood as referring to the orientation shown in the accompanying drawings described later or under discussion. These relative terms are only for the convenience of description, and do not require the device to be constructed or operated in a specific orientation unless explicitly specified. Terms such as "attachment", "attachment", "connection", "coupling", "interconnection" and similar terms refer to the relationship in which the structures are fixed or attached to each other directly or indirectly through an intermediate structure, and the two can be removably or rigidly attached or related, unless otherwise explicitly described. In addition, the features and beneficial effects of the present invention are shown with reference to the illustrated embodiments. Therefore, the present invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the present invention should be defined by the claims appended hereto.

[0021] The present invention relates to a method for whitening teeth. In a typical tray-based whitening system and method, a tooth whitening composition is dispensed into a tray, and the tray is then placed inside the user's oral cavity, where the user's teeth are in contact with the tooth whitening composition in the tray. In some systems, a light can then be activated to accelerate the whitening process. The tray is kept in the user's oral cavity for a predetermined period of time, for example, about ten minutes, and the tray is then removed from the mouth. Over a period of days or weeks, the user repeats this treatment as many times as necessary to achieve the desired whitening effect. The present invention relates to a method that reduces the amount of time that the tooth whitening composition is in contact with the teeth during each treatment, while still achieving the same whitening result.

[0022] First reference Figure 1, showing a teeth whitening system 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The teeth whitening system 1000 generally includes a mouth tray 100 and a reservoir device 200.

[0023] The reservoir device 200 can be any device configured to hold a certain amount of the tooth whitening composition before dispensing it into the mouth tray 100 or dispensing it in a manner such that the tooth whitening composition can contact the user's teeth for whitening. Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment, the reservoir device 200 is a squeezable tubular device having a main body portion 201 and a nozzle portion 202. The user can squeeze the main body portion 201 of the reservoir device 200 to dispense the tooth whitening composition contained therein through the nozzle portion 202. However, the present invention is not limited to the reservoir device 200 being an squeezable tubular device. In other embodiments, the reservoir device 200 can be any container having an internal cavity that can accommodate the tooth whitening composition. For example, the reservoir device 200 can be a cylindrical, polygonal or similarly shaped container with a removable lid, so that when the lid is removed, the user can use a spoon, a spatula, a cotton swab or other device to take out some of the tooth whitening composition from it to apply to the teeth (directly or indirectly through the mouth tray 100 or a similar device). In still other embodiments, the reservoir device 200 may be Figure 1 The tubular device shown in the present invention is not extrudable, but may include a lifting dispensing mechanism therein. Therefore, the tubular device can be formed of a rigid material so that it is not extrudable, but may include an actuator mechanism for activating the lifting dispensing mechanism. In still other embodiments, the teeth whitening composition may be provided on a strip, and the strip may be attached or adhered to a mouth tray to "dispense" the teeth whitening composition onto the mouth tray. Therefore, the strip may be considered a reservoir device. It should be understood that various arrangements are possible for the reservoir device, and the present invention is not limited by its structure shown in the drawings unless the structure is specifically claimed to be protected.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, the oral tray 100 generally includes an intraoral mouthpiece (hereinafter referred to as the "mouthpiece") 110 and a handle 150. The mouthpiece 110 includes a concave front surface 111 and a convex rear surface 112, from which electromagnetic radiation, more specifically light, is emitted onto the teeth whitening composition and / or the user's teeth during use. The handle 150 extends from the convex rear surface 112. Therefore, the handle 150 extends from the mouthpiece 110 in a direction generally opposite to the direction in which the electromagnetic radiation / light is emitted from the mouthpiece 110. The handle 150 includes a housing 151 that houses the control circuit 170 of the oral tray (see Figure 4 ). During use, the mouthpiece 110 is inserted into the user's mouth / oral cavity and the housing 150 remains outside the user's mouth / oral cavity.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the handle 150 includes an actuator 152 (i.e., a power button) for activating the control circuit 170 for operation of the mouth tray 100. Specifically, actuation of the actuator 152 will power the mouth tray 100 so that power is transferred from the power source to the electromagnetic radiation source so that the electromagnetic radiation source can emit electromagnetic radiation to the teeth of the user as described herein. The mouth tray 100 can automatically power off after a predetermined period of time, and / or the mouth tray 100 can power off when the actuator 152 is actuated for the second time. In an exemplary embodiment, the actuator 152 is a depressible button, but the present invention is not limited thereto and other types of actuators can be used. Specifically, the actuator 152 can be any type of device that, when actuated, powers on and / or powers off one or more of the electronic components stored in the housing 151. For example, the actuator 152 can be a sliding switch, a touch pad, a knob, a capacitive sensor, or any other component that, when actuated, causes the mouth tray 100 to function as described herein. The actuator 152 may be operably coupled to a processor such that when the actuator 152 is pressed or otherwise actuated, the processor initiates operation of the port tray 100 (ie, energizes the electromagnetic radiation or illumination source), as described in greater detail below.

[0026] The mouthpiece 110 generally includes a bottom plate 113, an outer side wall 114 extending from the bottom plate 113, and an inner side wall 115 extending from the bottom plate 113. The inner side wall 114 and the outer side wall 115 are spaced apart from each other, thereby defining a channel 120 therebetween. In an exemplary embodiment, both the inner side wall 114 and the outer side wall 115 extend upward and downward from the bottom plate 113, thereby defining an upper channel 120 for receiving the upper teeth of a user and a lower channel ( 120 ) for simultaneously receiving the lower teeth of a user. Figure 1 and 4 120). However, the present invention is not limited thereto in all embodiments, and the inner sidewall 114 and the outer sidewall 115 may instead extend from the bottom plate 113 in only one direction to define a single channel (i.e., channel 120) for receiving the upper teeth or the lower teeth of the user, but not simultaneously. Thus, the mouthpiece 110 is a tray-shaped structure that is configured to receive the upper teeth of the user or the lower teeth of the user, or both. In some embodiments, the inner sidewall 115 may be omitted. In addition, the bottom plate 113 may be used for the purpose of acting as a bite guard, so that the user may bite the bottom plate 113 during use to hold the mouthpiece 110 in a proper position within the oral cavity.

[0027] Also refer to Figure 1 and 4, the mouthpiece 110 includes an electromagnetic radiation source (also referred to herein as an illumination source) 130 positioned along the outer side wall 114. In an exemplary embodiment, the electromagnetic radiation source 130 is embedded within the outer side wall 114 so that it is not directly exposed to the user's saliva when the mouthpiece 110 is positioned within the user's oral cavity. Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment, the electromagnetic radiation source 130 is not exposed along the concave front surface 111 of the mouthpiece 110. This may be done to protect the electromagnetic radiation source 130 from damage. However, the present invention is not limited to this in all embodiments, and in other embodiments, the electromagnetic radiation source 130 may be positioned on, exposed on, or form a part of the concave front surface 111 of the mouthpiece 110.

[0028] The electromagnetic radiation source 130 can take any of a variety of different configurations. In an exemplary embodiment, the electromagnetic radiation source 130 includes a lamp having a flexible sheet body 131 that can be bent to fit / match the contour of the outer side wall 114 of the mouthpiece 110. The flexible sheet body 131 includes a front surface 132 and a rear surface 133. A plurality of light emitters 134 can be embedded in the flexible sheet body 131 or otherwise positioned on the flexible sheet body. The light emitters 134 can be printed onto the flexible sheet body 131 or attached to the flexible sheet body 131 in any other desired manner. In one embodiment, the wavelength of light emitted by the plurality of light emitters 134 is in the range of 375nm to 520nm. In another embodiment, the wavelength of light emitted by the plurality of light emitters 134 is in the range of 400nm to 430nm. In another embodiment, the wavelength of light emitted by the plurality of light emitters 134 is in the range of 400 nm to 420 nm, and in still another embodiment, the wavelength is in the range of 405 nm to 415 nm. In one other embodiment, the wavelength is about 410 nm. The wavelength of light emitted by the light emitters 134 is generally known to be effective in whitening teeth.

[0029] The plurality of light emitters 134 are as follows Figure 1 Depicted schematically. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , it appears as if the plurality of light emitters 134 are exposed on the front surface 111. However, as mentioned above, this is not necessary in the present case. Instead, the plurality of light emitters 134 may be embedded in the outer side wall 114, but the light emitted therefrom may pass through the outer side wall 114. Figure 1 The locations and positioning of the plurality of light emitters 134 in FIG. 1 are for ease of reference and understanding, but are not intended to limit the present invention in all embodiments.

[0030] As described above, the light emitter 134 can be printed onto the flexible sheet body 131. For example, a printed LED can be formed by depositing a micro-LED chip, which is ideal for optimized efficacy, through a conductive ink formulation that can be printed into any shape to best conform to the tooth and jaw structure. Specifically, in some embodiments, gallium nitride can be used to form the LED, which can then be mixed with a resin and a binder to form an ink, and a standard screen printer can be used to deposit the resulting ink onto a desired surface. The conductive ink can include a conductive material, such as by infusing graphite or other conductive materials into the ink.

[0031] Although printed LEDs are described herein, in some embodiments, the plurality of light emitters 134 may be any type of light source, specifically a solid-state light source, which may include LEDs, OLEDs, HBLEDs, electroluminescent elements, etc. In some other embodiments, the plurality of light emitters 134 may be printed inorganic LEDs, conventional micro-LEDs surface-mounted to a flexible substrate / circuit, organic LEDs (OLEDs), or electroluminescent elements. In still other embodiments, the plurality of light emitters 134 may be any of the LEDs mentioned herein mounted to a rigid substrate rather than a flexible substrate. However, in other embodiments, the light emitted by the mouthpiece 110 may be generated using other light sources embedded in the outer wall 114 and / or transmitted to the light emitting surface of the mouthpiece 110 using light ducting or other suitable techniques. However, in some preferred embodiments, the mouth tray 100 includes an electromagnetic radiation source / illumination source 130.

[0032] Still refer to Figure 1 and 4 , the mouth tray 100 also includes a power source 155 positioned within the housing 150. In some embodiments, the control circuit 170 may include the actuator 152, the power source 155, and the electromagnetic radiation source 130. In some embodiments, the control circuit 170 may also include a controller, a memory device, etc., as briefly mentioned below. The power source 155 may include one or more batteries or any other device configured to power other electronic devices of the mouth tray 100.

[0033] The power source 155 is operably coupled to the electromagnetic radiation source 130 such that upon activation (e.g., by pressing the actuator button 152), power is supplied from the power source 155 to the electromagnetic radiation source 130. The mouth tray 100 may also include additional circuitry and electronic components, such as a processor or controller, operably coupled to the power source 155 and the electromagnetic radiation source 130. The processor or controller may include a memory or be operably coupled to a memory device storing processing instructions. For example, in some embodiments, the electromagnetic radiation source 130 may be configured to be powered off after being powered on for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 minutes). Thus, the processor may store such instructions and may be configured to power off the electromagnetic radiation source 130 after the predetermined period of time has expired.

[0034] Additional details of the mouth tray 100 that may, but is not required to, be used in accordance with the invention described herein may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 10,369,375, filed Dec. 22, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Of course, the present invention, which is primarily directed to a method of whitening teeth as described herein, is not limited to the mouth tray 100 shown and described herein, and any type of mouth tray commonly used for teeth whitening may be used, whether or not the mouth tray contains an electromagnetic radiation source, or whether electromagnetic radiation / light from an electromagnetic radiation source / illumination source separate from the mouth tray 100 may be emitted onto the composition placed in the channel 120.

[0035] Combination Figure 5 Refer to Figure 2-4 , a method for whitening teeth according to an exemplary embodiment will be described. Figure 2 and 5, the first step in the teeth whitening method is the dispensing step 301. In the dispensing step 301, the teeth whitening composition 250 is dispensed from the reservoir device 200 into the channel 120 of the mouthpiece 110 of the mouth tray 100. In the exemplary embodiment, the teeth whitening composition 250 is dispensed directly onto the concave front surface 111 of the mouthpiece 110, which is the front surface of the outer side wall 114 from which the electromagnetic radiation / light is emitted. The reason for this is that since the electromagnetic radiation / light is emitted from the front surface 111 of the mouthpiece 110, by placing the teeth whitening composition 250 on the same surface, it is ensured that the electromagnetic radiation / light is emitted onto the teeth whitening composition 250 for its activation. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the teeth whitening composition 250 may be dispensed to any location on the mouth tray 100, and more specifically, into the channel 120 of the mouthpiece 110 of the mouth tray 100. Thus, for example, the teeth whitening composition 250 may alternatively or additionally be dispensed onto the floor 113 of the channel 120. It is important that the teeth whitening composition 250 be dispensed into the channel 120 (or otherwise dispensed onto the mouthpiece 110 of the oral tray 100) at a location that will ensure that the teeth whitening composition 250 is in contact with the user's teeth during teeth whitening. The teeth whitening composition 250 should also be positioned at a location that ensures that light or electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electromagnetic radiation source 130 is emitted onto the teeth whitening composition 250.

[0036] The tooth whitening composition 250 can be any composition known for whitening teeth. In one embodiment, the active ingredient in the tooth whitening composition 250 is hydrogen peroxide. In some embodiments, the tooth whitening composition 250 can include hydrogen peroxide at a concentration greater than 0.1%. In other embodiments, the tooth whitening composition 250 can include hydrogen peroxide at a concentration greater than 1%, or between 1% and 9% in some embodiments. In still other embodiments, the tooth whitening composition 250 can include hydrogen peroxide at a concentration between 1% and 12%. In yet other embodiments, the tooth whitening composition 250 can include hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of approximately 9%. As used herein, the term approximately includes a concentration within the range of a provided percentage ± a provided percentage multiplied by 0.05. Therefore, for a concentration of 9%, 9*.05 equals 0.45, so approximately 9% will include a range of 8.55% to 9.45%.

[0037] Also refer to Figure 3 and 5, the next step in the method is a pre-treatment step 302. In the pre-treatment step 302 according to an exemplary embodiment, the user activates the actuator 152, which causes the electromagnetic radiation source or illumination source 130 to emit electromagnetic radiation / light onto the teeth whitening composition 250 positioned within the channel 120 of the mouthpiece 110 (or otherwise positioned on the mouth tray 100). The pre-treatment step 302 occurs before the mouthpiece 110 is inserted into the oral cavity / mouth of the user. Therefore, electromagnetic radiation or light is emitted from the electromagnetic radiation source / illumination source 130 onto the teeth whitening composition 250 before the teeth are placed in contact with the teeth whitening composition 250. The pre-treatment step 302 can activate the teeth whitening composition 250 so that once the teeth whitening composition 250 is in contact with the user's teeth, the whitening process is accelerated. By pre-treating the tooth whitening composition 250 with electromagnetic radiation / light prior to contacting the tooth whitening composition 250 with the user's teeth, the amount of time the tooth whitening composition 250 needs to be in contact with the teeth to achieve the desired whitening can be reduced, as further described below.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the mouth tray 100 includes an electromagnetic radiation source / illumination source 130. Thus, the user activates the actuator 152 on the mouth tray 100, which causes the electromagnetic radiation source / illumination source 130 to emit electromagnetic radiation or light. However, the present invention is not limited to requiring the mouth tray 100 to include an electromagnetic radiation source 130 in all embodiments. In some embodiments, a separate electromagnetic radiation source or illumination source can be carried, activated, and held near the mouth tray 100 in a manner such that the electromagnetic radiation or light emitted therefrom during this pre-treatment step 302 is emitted onto the teeth whitening composition 250 in the mouth tray 100.

[0039] Regardless of the specific manner in which it is implemented, the pre-treatment step 302 includes emitting light (or electromagnetic radiation) onto the teeth whitening composition 250 located in the mouth tray 100 before the mouthpiece 110 of the mouth tray 100 is placed in the oral cavity. This pre-treatment step 302 is performed during a first time period before the mouth tray 100 (or its mouthpiece 110) is inserted into the oral cavity of the user. In some embodiments, the first time period may be referred to herein as a non-contact treatment time. Additional details about the first time period will be provided below.

[0040] refer to Figure 4 and 5, the next step in the method of whitening teeth is the treatment step 303. After the first time period associated with the pre-treatment step 302 expires, the mouthpiece 110 of the mouth tray 100 is inserted into the oral cavity or mouth of the user. Specifically, the mouth tray 110 is inserted into the oral cavity of the user so that the user's teeth 10 are in contact with the teeth whitening composition 250 in the mouth tray 110. In an exemplary embodiment, this is achieved by placing the user's teeth in the channel 120 of the mouthpiece 110 of the mouth tray 100. However, the present invention is not limited to the structure of the mouth tray 100 in all embodiments, so other techniques for placing the user's teeth in contact with the teeth whitening composition 250 can be used for the treatment step 303. During the treatment step 303, the electromagnetic radiation source / illumination source 230 remains powered on so that electromagnetic radiation / light continues to be emitted onto the teeth whitening composition 250 in the mouth tray 100. The mouth tray 100 is maintained in this manner inside the user's oral cavity for a second time period. In some embodiments, the second time period may be referred to herein as the contact treatment time.

[0041] After the second time period expires, the whitening process is completed and the end process step 304 is performed, whereby the mouth tray 100 is removed from the user's mouth. In some embodiments as described herein, after the second time period expires, the mouth tray 100 will automatically power off the electromagnetic radiation source / illumination source 230 (i.e., deactivate the electromagnetic radiation source). In other embodiments, the user may have to press the actuator 152 a second time to power off the electromagnetic radiation source / illumination source 230 after the second time period expires.

[0042] In the method described herein, the sum of the first time period associated with the pre-treatment step 302 and the second time period associated with the treatment step 303 is equal to the total treatment time. Therefore, once the electromagnetic radiation source 230 is activated, so that electromagnetic radiation (e.g., light) is emitted to the tooth whitening composition 250, the timer associated with the total treatment time is started. In some embodiments, the first time period is at least 20% of the total treatment time. In other embodiments, the first time period is at least 30% of the total treatment time. In still other embodiments, the first time period is at least 40% of the total treatment time. In other embodiments, the first time period is at least 50% of the total treatment time. In other embodiments, the first time period is between 40% and 60% of the total treatment time. Therefore, if the total treatment time is ten minutes (in a preferred embodiment), the first time period can be two minutes and the second time period can be eight minutes, or the first time period can be three minutes and the second time period can be seven minutes, or the first time period can be four minutes and the second time period can be six minutes, or the first time period can be five minutes and the second time period can also be five minutes. In some embodiments, the first time period is at least two minutes, and in other embodiments, the first time period is at least four minutes.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the total treatment time is ten minutes and the first time period is at least two minutes. In another preferred embodiment, the total treatment time is ten minutes and the first time period is at least three minutes. In another preferred embodiment, the total treatment time is ten minutes and the first time period is at least four minutes. In another preferred embodiment, the total treatment time is ten minutes and the first time period is at least five minutes. In yet another preferred embodiment, the total treatment time is ten minutes and each of the first time period and the second time period is approximately five minutes.

[0044] In other embodiments, the various lengths of the first time period and the second time period can be ratios that do not take into account a specific amount of time. For example, in a specific embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the first time period to the second time period can be about 1:1. Therefore, if the total processing time is fifteen minutes, both the first time period and the second time period are about seven and a half minutes. If the total processing time is ten minutes, both the first time period and the second time period are about five minutes. In other embodiments, the ratio of the first time period to the second time period can be in the range of 0.6:1 and 1.5:1. In still other embodiments, the ratio of the first time period to the second time period can be in the range of 0.8:1 and 1.2:1, and in yet other embodiments, the ratio of the first time period to the second time period can be in the range of 0.9:1 and 1.1:1.

[0045] As can be appreciated, the only time that the tooth whitening composition contacts with the teeth is the second time period. In some conventional / standard treatments, there is no pre-treatment (that is, before the tooth whitening composition is contacted with the teeth, light is not emitted onto the tooth whitening composition), and once the tooth whitening composition is placed inside the tray, the tray is positioned in the oral cavity of the user and the illumination source is activated. Therefore, the tooth whitening composition contacts with the user's teeth, and the entire treatment time during which the continuous light is activated. In such conventional / standard treatments, the tray is usually retained in the oral cavity, and wherein the tooth whitening composition contacts with the user's teeth for about ten minutes. According to the method described herein, the pre-treatment step 302 and the treatment step 303 of the combination can last for about ten minutes. Therefore, using the inventive method comprising pre-treatment step 302, compared with conventional or standard treatments, the contact time between the tooth whitening composition and the teeth can be reduced.

[0046] In some aspects, the present invention may be directed to an oral treatment device, such as a mouth tray 100, configured to perform the above method. Such an oral treatment device may include a timer device, a first indicator, a second indicator, and a processor operably coupled together. In some embodiments, the timer device and the processor may be positioned within the handle 150. The first indicator and the second indicator may be positioned in the handle 150 or in the mouthpiece. The processor is configured to: start the timer device when the electromagnetic radiation source is activated, activate the first indicator to indicate to the user to insert the mouth tray into the oral cavity when the first time period expires; and activate the second indicator to indicate to the user to remove the mouth tray from the oral cavity when the second time period expires.

[0047] The first indicator and the second indicator may be a light, a sound, a vibration, etc. For example, the first indicator may be a first colored light, and the second indicator may be a second colored light different from the first colored light. Alternatively, the first indicator may be a light that flashes once, and the second indicator may be a light that flashes twice. The first indicator may be a light, and the second indicator may be a sound or a vibration, or vice versa. Thus, various arrangements may be within the scope of the invention described herein.

[0048] Several experiments were performed to test the whitening effect achieved using the method described herein and the whitening effect achieved using a standard / conventional method that omits the pre-treatment step as described herein. The first experiment was completed using a tooth whitening composition having a hydrogen peroxide concentration of 9%, and the results of the first experiment are shown in Fig. 6A Table and Figure 6BThe test results show that the 9% hydrogen peroxide tooth whitening composition with a pre-treatment step resulted in the same or better whitening despite having only half the contact time with the tooth surface compared to the standard / conventional method that did not include the pre-treatment step. Although the results were better without the pre-treatment after a single treatment (Treatment #1), every other treatment with the pre-treatment step showed very similar or better results compared to not using the pre-treatment step. The experimental results show that similar or better whitening results can be achieved with less contact time between the teeth and the tooth whitening composition by the method described herein.

[0049] In the experiment, the in vitro whitening efficacy of a tooth whitening composition including hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 9% was tested by a bleaching study in a mouth tray 100. The detailed section of the in vitro testing procedure and results is described below and shown in Fig. 6A and 6B .

[0050] Artificially dyed bovine enamel samples were brushed with a 1:1 silica toothpaste:artificial saliva slurry for fifteen minutes. Teeth were thoroughly rinsed and CieLab measurements (L*a*b) were recorded with a handheld spectrophotometer. CieLab measurements express color as three values: L*: brightness from black (0) to white (100), a*: brightness from green (-) to red (+), and b*: brightness from blue (-) to yellow (+). CieLab is designed to make the same number of numerical changes in these values ​​correspond to roughly the same visual perception changes. Bovine enamel with L values ​​between 58 and 64 was used for research.

[0051] Six bovine enamel samples were assigned to each test group. Their baseline L*a*b values ​​were recorded and balanced between groups to ensure statistical equivalence.

[0052] Two different detection methods are compared. Using the first method, a tooth whitening composition (i.e., whitening gel) is dispensed into a mouth tray 100, a bovine enamel sample (i.e., tooth) is placed in the tray in contact with the tooth whitening composition, and the unit is then turned on so that light is emitted from the illumination source of the mouth tray 100. The tooth is placed as close to the illumination source (e.g., LED) as possible. The tooth is contacted with the tooth whitening composition, and the light is maintained for a treatment time of ten minutes. At the end of the treatment time (ten minutes for this first detection method, in which the tooth is in contact with the tooth whitening composition and the light is activated for the entire ten minutes), the bovine sample is removed from the tray and thoroughly rinsed to remove all of the tooth whitening composition from the surface of the enamel. The L*a*b measurement results are recorded. The process is repeated ten times. This first method is a conventional / standard method because it does not include a pretreatment step. The results of this first method are Fig. 6AThe first row of the table is shown and depicted in the chart as a line with triangles.

[0053] Using a second method, the same tooth whitening composition (9% hydrogen peroxide concentration) is dispensed into a mouth tray 100, and the LED is turned on before the bovine enamel sample (i.e., tooth) is contacted with the tooth whitening composition (i.e., pretreatment step 302). After five minutes of emitting light into the tooth whitening composition in the mouth tray 100, the bovine enamel sample is placed in the mouth tray 100 so that it is in contact with the tooth whitening composition and positioned as close to the illumination source (e.g., LED) as possible. After another five minutes have passed while the bovine enamel sample is in contact with the tooth whitening composition and the illumination source is powered on, the bovine sample is removed from the tray and thoroughly rinsed to remove all of the tooth whitening composition from the surface of the enamel. The L*a*b measurement results are recorded. The process is repeated ten times. This second method is the method of the present invention described herein, and for example in Figure 5 , as it includes the preprocessing step 302. The results of this second method are shown in Fig. 6A The first method and the second method both involve a total treatment time of ten minutes. In the first method, the teeth are contacted with the tooth whitening composition for the entire ten-minute treatment, and in the second method, the teeth are contacted with the tooth whitening composition for five of the ten minutes.

[0054] The recorded L*a*b values ​​are used to calculate the whitening index W*. W* combines the L, a and b values ​​to describe how close the measured color is to true white. It is calculated according to the following equation.

[0055] W*=(a2+b2+(L*-100)2)1 / 2

[0056] like Fig. 6A The data in the table provided and Figure 6B The graph provided reports the change in W* value after treatment (ΔW*). Larger ΔW* = whiter color.

[0057] Surprisingly, the pretreatment step of the second method comprising exposing the tooth whitening composition to 410 nm light prior to placing the teeth in contact with the tooth whitening composition resulted in similar or increased whitening efficacy provided compared to the first method that did not comprise the pretreatment step. This was unexpected because the contact time of the tooth whitening composition with the teeth was reduced from ten minutes to five minutes. This reduction limits the theoretical amount of peroxide that can penetrate the tooth surface. Therefore, it was expected that the whitening efficacy provided would be reduced, but this was not the case. Therefore, it has been determined that the pretreatment step allows for a reduction in the contact time between the tooth whitening composition and the teeth while achieving similar, if not better, whitening results.

[0058] Reference now Fig. 7A and 7B , the same experiment described above was repeated, with the only difference being that the tooth whitening composition contained hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 0.1%. In this second experiment, when the tooth whitening composition was "activated" with the pretreatment step described herein, and then applied to the teeth for a reduced period of time (five minutes instead of ten minutes), the whitening efficacy was reduced. Thus, the same effect of being able to reduce the contact time between the tooth whitening composition and the teeth while maintaining a similar or better whitening effect was not achieved with the 0.1% hydrogen peroxide tooth whitening composition.

[0059] The range used throughout the text is used as a shorthand way of expressing each value within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the endpoint of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. If a definition in the present disclosure conflicts with a definition in the cited reference, the present disclosure shall prevail.

[0060] Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific examples (including currently preferred modes for carrying out the invention), it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that there are many variations and permutations of the above-described systems and techniques. It will be appreciated that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the present invention should be broadly interpreted as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for whitening teeth for non-therapeutic purposes, the method comprising: dispensing a tooth whitening composition from the reservoir device into the passageway of the mouth tray; prior to placing the mouth tray in the oral cavity of a user, activating an electromagnetic radiation source to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the teeth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray for a first period of time to pre-treat the teeth whitening composition; After expiration of the first time period, inserting the oral tray into the oral cavity of the user such that the user's teeth are in contact with the teeth whitening composition in the passageway for a second time period to whiten the teeth; After expiration of the second time period, removing the mouth tray from the oral cavity of the user and deactivating the electromagnetic radiation source; as well as Wherein a sum of the first time period and the second time period equals a total treatment time, and wherein the first time period is at least 20% of the total treatment time. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first time period is between 40% and 60% of the total processing time.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the total treatment time is ten minutes.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the first period of time is at least two minutes. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first period of time is at least four minutes.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the port tray comprises the electromagnetic radiation source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mouth tray comprises a floor, an inner sidewall, and an outer sidewall that together define the channel, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation source comprises a plurality of lighting elements positioned along the outer sidewall of the mouth tray.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the tooth whitening composition comprises hydrogen peroxide.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide in the tooth whitening composition is 9%.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide in the tooth whitening composition is greater than 0.1%.

11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the wavelength of light emitted from the electromagnetic radiation source is between 400 nm and 420 nm.

12. An oral treatment device configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the oral treatment device comprises: Timer device; First indicator; A second indicator; as well as A processor configured to: starting said timer means upon activation of said electromagnetic radiation source; activating the first indicator upon expiration of the first time period to instruct the user to insert the oral tray into the oral cavity; and The second indicator is activated upon expiration of the second time period to instruct the user to remove the mouth tray from the oral cavity.

13. A method for whitening teeth for non-therapeutic purposes, the method comprising: dispensing a teeth whitening composition onto a mouth tray; emitting light onto the teeth whitening composition on the mouth tray for a first period of time; After expiration of the first time period, inserting the oral tray into the oral cavity of a user such that the user's teeth are in contact with the teeth whitening composition on the oral tray for a second time period; and Wherein a sum of the first time period and the second time period equals a total treatment time, and wherein the first time period is at least 20% of the total treatment time. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first time period is at least 30% of the total processing time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first time period is at least 40% of the total processing time.

16. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the tooth whitening composition comprises hydrogen peroxide at a concentration greater than 1%.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the tooth whitening composition comprises hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 9%.

18. The method of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the light is emitted onto the teeth whitening composition on the mouth tray during the second period of time that the teeth are in contact with the teeth whitening composition on the mouth tray.

19. The method of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the light is emitted onto the teeth whitening composition on the mouth tray for the entirety of the total treatment time.

20. The method of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the mouth tray comprises an illumination source, and wherein the illumination source is configured to emit the light onto the teeth whitening composition on the mouth tray, and wherein the wavelength of the light emitted from the illumination source is between 400 nm and 420 nm.

21. The method of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the tooth is not contacted with the tooth whitening composition during the first period of time.

22. A method for whitening teeth for non-therapeutic purposes, the method comprising: dispensing a teeth whitening composition onto a mouth tray; emitting light onto the teeth whitening composition on the mouth tray for a non-contact treatment time; as well as inserting the oral tray into the oral cavity of a user so that the teeth of the user are in contact with the teeth whitening composition on the oral tray for a contact treatment time; wherein the ratio of the non-contact treatment time to the contact treatment time is 1:1; and The sum of the non-contact treatment time and the contact treatment time is equal to a total treatment time, and the total treatment time is at least ten minutes.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the tooth whitening composition comprises hydrogen peroxide at a concentration between 1% and 12%.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the tooth whitening composition comprises hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 9%.

25. The method of any one of claims 22 to 24, further comprising emitting the light onto the tooth whitening composition during the contact treatment time that the tooth is in contact with the tooth whitening composition.

26. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the contact treatment time and the non-contact treatment time are five minutes.

27. The method of any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the sum of the contact treatment time and the non-contact treatment time equals a total treatment time, and wherein the light is emitted onto the tooth whitening composition throughout the total treatment time.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the mouth tray comprises an illumination source that emits the light onto the tooth whitening composition, and wherein the wavelength of the light emitted from the illumination source is between 400 nm and 420 nm.

29. A method for whitening teeth for non-therapeutic purposes, the method comprising: a pre-treatment step comprising emitting light onto the teeth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray for a first period of time; a treating step comprising inserting the mouth tray into the mouth of a user so that the user's teeth are in contact with the teeth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray for a second period of time while the light continues to be emitted onto the teeth whitening composition in the channel of the mouth tray; wherein the sum of the first time period and the second time period is equal to the processing duration; and wherein the treatment duration is equal to the standard treatment time of a standard whitening method including the treatment step and omitting the pretreatment step; Wherein the first time period is equal to 20% of the treatment duration, and the treatment duration is at least ten minutes.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the mouth tray comprises an illumination source that emits the light onto the tooth whitening composition, and wherein the wavelength of the light emitted from the illumination source is between 400 nm and 420 nm.

31. An oral treatment device, comprising: a mouth tray comprising a tooth-receiving channel for receiving teeth of a user during a teeth whitening procedure and an electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation into the tooth-receiving channel; power supply; a processor operably coupled to the power source; a timer device operably coupled to the processor; a first indicator operably coupled to the processor; a second indicator operably coupled to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to: starting said timer means upon activation of said electromagnetic radiation source; activating the first indicator upon expiration of a first time period to instruct the user to insert the oral tray into the oral cavity; and activating the second indicator upon expiration of a second time period to instruct the user to remove the mouth tray from the oral cavity; wherein a sum of the first time period and the second time period equals a total treatment time, and wherein the first time period is at least 20% of the total treatment time.

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