A laser-induced plasma cavitation-activated root canal irrigation device

Abstract

The disclosed embodiment provides a laser-induced plasma cavitation-activated root canal flushing device, wherein the root canal flushing device comprises: a working main body, a light guide and a working hand, wherein a laser generating module is provided in the working main body, and the light guide connects the laser generating module and the working hand; the laser generating module is used to generate a laser beam; the light guide is used to transmit the laser beam generated by the laser generating module to the working hand; the working hand is used to focus the received laser beam into the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, utilize the laser energy to generate a photo-breakdown effect in the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, and induce plasma cavitation to activate the flushing fluid in the root canal, so as to flush the root canal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to, but is not limited to, the technical field of electronic medical devices, and in particular to a root canal irrigation device activated by laser-induced plasma cavitation. Background Art

[0002] Pulp and periapical diseases are common and frequently occurring diseases in dental clinics. Currently, the need to preserve natural teeth is mainly achieved through root canal treatment and crown restoration. Root canal treatment includes pulpectomy, root canal dredging and preparation, root canal irrigation and disinfection, root canal filling and other steps. The key to successful root canal treatment is to effectively control the infection in the root canal system during the operation and prevent it from being infected again. Root canal irrigation is an important part of infection control in root canal treatment. The entire root canal system can be rinsed with root canal irrigation fluid to remove soft and hard tissue debris, infectious bacterial biofilms and smear layers produced during the preparation process. In the root canal irrigation equipment in the related art, the irrigation fluid does not sufficiently rinse the root canal, resulting in insufficient root canal irrigation and disinfection effects, and the operation of the operating instruments in the equipment is not flexible and convenient enough. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide at least one laser-induced plasma cavitation-activated root canal flushing device, which can flush the root canal more fully to improve the effect of root canal flushing and disinfection, reduce the probability of infection during root canal treatment, and thus improve the success rate of root canal treatment. In addition, during the root canal flushing process, the working position of the working tool is not restricted, thereby improving the flexibility and convenience of operation and reducing the difficulty of operating the instrument in a complex and narrow oral space.

[0004] The technical solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure is implemented as follows:

[0005] The present disclosure provides a laser-induced plasma cavitation-activated root canal irrigation device, comprising:

[0006] A working host, a light guide and a working tool, wherein the working host is provided with a laser generating module, and the light guide connects the laser generating module and the working tool; wherein:

[0007] The laser generating module is used to generate a laser beam;

[0008] The light guide is used to transmit the laser beam generated by the laser generating module to the working tool;

[0009] The working tool is used to focus the received laser beam into the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity, use the laser energy to generate a photobreakdown effect in the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity, and induce plasma cavitation to activate the irrigation fluid in the root canal, so as to rinse the root canal.

[0010] In some embodiments, the laser beam generated by the laser generating module passes through the light guide and the working tool to form a focal point in the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity, and the power density of the focal point is greater than the density threshold, which is the breakdown threshold of the irrigation fluid.

[0011] In some embodiments, the laser generating module includes a nanosecond laser, a picosecond laser, and / or a femtosecond laser.

[0012] In some embodiments, the working tool is used to focus the received laser beam into the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity using a target focusing method; the target focusing method includes one of the following: contact with the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, and no contact with the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity.

[0013] In some embodiments, the working tool includes an optical focusing component; the optical focusing component is used to focus the received laser beam into the flushing fluid in the dental pulp cavity in a non-contact manner.

[0014] In some embodiments, the root canal flushing device further comprises a laser aiming component; the laser aiming component is configured to output visible light coaxial with the laser beam, so as to aim the focal point of the laser beam using the visible light.

[0015] In some embodiments, the working tool has a fiber optic head; the fiber optic head is used to focus the received laser beam on the laser output end of the fiber optic head by contacting the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity to form a focal point in the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity.

[0016] In some embodiments, the root canal flushing device further includes a control component; the control component is communicatively connected to a control connection port on the working host, and is used to control the laser generating module to generate a laser beam through the control connection port.

[0017] In some embodiments, the control member includes a control pedal; the control pedal is used to control the laser generating module to generate a laser beam through the control connection port when the control pedal is in the first pedaling gear.

[0018] In some embodiments, the root canal flushing device also includes a laser aiming device; the control pedal is also used to control the laser aiming device to output visible light coaxial with the laser beam through the control connection port when in the second pedaling gear, so as to use the visible light to aim at the focal point of the laser beam.

[0019] In some embodiments, the working host is further provided with a pumping device and a liquid storage tank; the pumping device is used to transport the flushing liquid in the liquid storage tank into the pulp cavity during the process of the working tool flushing the root canal using the photolysis effect.

[0020] The laser-induced plasma cavitation-activated root canal flushing device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a working main body, a light guide and a working hand. The working main body is provided with a laser generating module, and the light guide connects the laser generating module and the working hand; wherein the laser generating module is used to generate a laser beam; the light guide is used to transmit the laser beam generated by the laser generating module to the working hand; the working hand is used to focus the received laser beam into the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, use the laser energy to generate a photo-breakdown effect in the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, and induce plasma cavitation to activate the flushing fluid in the root canal, so as to flush the root canal. On the one hand, the root canal irrigation device activates the irrigation fluid in the root canal by inducing plasma cavitation through the use of the photobreakdown effect, which can enhance the oscillation effect of the irrigation fluid in the root canal, thereby enabling the root canal to be more fully rinsed, thereby improving the effect of root canal irrigation and disinfection, reducing the probability of infection during root canal treatment, and thus improving the success rate of root canal treatment; on the other hand, since the laser beam is focused on the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity during root canal irrigation, a high-power density energy convergence area is formed at the focal point in the irrigation fluid to instantly breakdown the irrigation fluid, and the laser energy used to generate the photobreakdown effect is usually high and the energy is not completely absorbed by the liquid, and can penetrate the surface layer of the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity. The power density reached at the focus can cause the photobreakdown effect. Therefore, during the root canal irrigation process, the working hand does not need to be inserted into the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity, and the laser energy can reach the focal point in the irrigation fluid. Therefore, the working position of the working hand is not restricted during the root canal irrigation operation, thereby improving the flexibility and convenience of the operation and reducing the difficulty of operating the instrument in the complex and narrow oral space.

[0021] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and explanatory, and are not intended to limit the technical solutions of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings herein are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. These drawings illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the specification, are used to explain the technical solutions of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of a root canal irrigation device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 1 ;

[0024] Figure 2A schematic diagram of a working hand tool provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure focusing a laser beam into an irrigating fluid in a dental pulp cavity;

[0025] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a working hand tool provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure focusing a laser beam into a dental pulp cavity to generate plasma and then form cavitation bubbles;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the expansion and quenching of cavitation bubbles formed by focusing a laser beam into a dental pulp cavity using a working hand provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of a root canal irrigation device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 2 ;

[0028] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a working tool provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a working tool provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 2 ;

[0030] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of a root canal irrigation device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 3 ;

[0031] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of a root canal irrigation device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 4 ;

[0032] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of a root canal irrigation device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 5 ;

[0033] Figure 11 A schematic block diagram of the composition structure of a root canal flushing device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the present disclosure are further elaborated in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The described embodiments should not be regarded as limiting the present disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0035] In the following description, reference is made to “some embodiments”, which describes a subset of all possible embodiments, but it will be understood that “some embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0036] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present disclosure. The terms "first / second / third" involved are merely used to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of the objects. It is understandable that "first / second / third" can be interchanged with a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing the present disclosure only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0038] The terms "disposed" and "connected" herein should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, removable connections, or integral connections. They can be detachable or electrically connected. They can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediary, or they can be internally connected between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this disclosure.

[0039] In addition, the technical features involved in different embodiments of the present disclosure described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0040] The disclosed embodiments provide a laser-induced plasma cavitation-activated root canal flushing device, which can more fully flush the root canal to improve the effect of root canal flushing and disinfection, reduce the probability of infection during root canal treatment, and thus improve the success rate of root canal treatment. In addition, during the root canal flushing process, the working position of the working tool is not restricted, thereby improving the flexibility and convenience of operation and reducing the difficulty of operating the instrument in a complex and narrow oral space. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of a root canal irrigation device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 1 .like Figure 1 As shown, the root canal irrigation device 100 includes:

[0041] The working host 110, the light guide 120 and the working hand 130, the working host 110 is provided with a laser generating module (not shown in the figure), and the light guide 120 connects the laser generating module and the working hand 130; wherein:

[0042] The laser generating module is used to generate a laser beam;

[0043] The light guide 120 is used to transmit the laser beam generated by the laser generating module to the working tool 130;

[0044] The working handpiece 130 is used to focus the received laser beam into the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity, use the laser energy to generate a photoinduced breakdown effect (LAB) in the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity, and induce plasma cavitation to activate the irrigation fluid in the root canal to irrigate the root canal.

[0045] Here, the working host 110 is provided with a laser generating module, wherein the laser generating module can generate any suitable laser that can produce a photo-breakdown effect in the flushing fluid in the dental pulp cavity.

[0046] It is understood that the laser-induced plasma cavitation-activated root canal irrigation device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure refers to a root canal irrigation device that uses laser-induced plasma cavitation to activate the irrigation fluid. The root canal irrigation device can utilize the photobreakdown effect to form a laser-induced cavitation effect in the irrigation fluid within the pulp cavity to activate the irrigation fluid. Laser-induced cavitation refers to the ionization and breakdown of the irrigation fluid when the power density of the laser exceeds the breakdown threshold of the irrigation fluid, generating plasma within the irrigation fluid. The plasma cavity rapidly expands outward, generates and radiates irrigation waves within the irrigation fluid, and forms cavitation bubbles. The moment the cavitation bubbles expand, they generate high-pressure shock oscillations in the irrigating liquid. At the same time, at the moment the cavitation bubbles quench, a negative pressure is instantly generated in the irrigating liquid, reaching the saturated vapor pressure of the irrigating liquid at room temperature, thereby inducing the generation of a large number of small cavitation bubbles in the irrigating liquid. The high temperature and high pressure at the moment the cavitation bubbles quench will also generate plasma again, further causing the cavitation bubbles to expand and quench again. This repeated oscillation can produce an activation effect on the irrigating liquid through the expansion, oscillation, and quenching of the cavitation bubbles. Compared with the root canal activation irrigating technology in the related art, in which the physical state of the irrigating liquid changes from liquid to gas during the activation process, the root canal irrigating device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure utilizes the photoinduced breakdown effect. During the activation process of the irrigating liquid, the physical state of the irrigating liquid changes from liquid to plasma. The irrigating waves and cavitation bubbles formed by the plasma can exert a better oscillation and activation effect on the irrigating liquid, thereby causing the irrigating liquid to produce a stronger mechanical motion effect of flushing.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, the working tool 130 can focus the laser beam into the rinsing fluid 21 in the pulp cavity 20, forming a high power density energy convergence zone 22 at the focus point. The rinsing fluid in the energy convergence zone 22 is ionized and broken down under the action of the laser energy, generating plasma. Figure 3 As shown, after the plasma is generated, a plasma cavity is formed in the flushing liquid. The plasma cavity expands outward rapidly, and generates and radiates flushing waves in the flushing liquid 21, and forms cavitation bubbles 23. The expansion of the cavitation bubbles 23 instantly generates high-pressure shock oscillations in the flushing liquid. Figure 4 As shown, when the cavitation bubbles 23 expand and quench, a negative pressure is instantly generated in the flushing liquid 21, reaching the saturated vapor pressure of the flushing liquid at room temperature, thereby inducing the generation of a large number of small cavitation bubbles 24 in the flushing liquid. In this way, an activation effect can be produced on the flushing liquid.

[0048] In some embodiments, the working host 110 may also be provided with at least one of a power control module, a working parameter adjustment panel, a cooling device, a liquid pumping device, and a liquid storage tank. The power control module may be used to control the input voltage of the laser generating module to adjust the pulse width, power, and / or wavelength of the laser beam output by the laser generating module. The working parameter adjustment panel may be used to set the root canal flushing program, the single pulse energy and / or frequency of the laser beam output by the laser generating module, etc. The cooling device may be used to cool down each module in the working host. The liquid storage tank is used to store the flushing liquid, and the liquid pumping device is used to transport the flushing liquid in the liquid storage tank to the dental pulp cavity during the root canal flushing process.

[0049] The irrigating fluid can be any suitable root canal irrigating fluid determined clinically based on the actual conditions of the dental pulp cavity to be irrigated, and the presently disclosed embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the irrigating fluid may include, but is not limited to, at least one of distilled water, physiological saline, hydrogen peroxide, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution, sodium hypochlorite solution, and chlorhexidine solution. The irrigating fluid can disinfect or chelate the root canal through physical flushing and chemical action, thereby achieving the effect of cleaning and disinfecting the entire root canal system.

[0050] The light guide 120 may be any suitable component capable of transmitting light beams, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the light guide 120 may include but is not limited to at least one of a light guide optical fiber, a light guide articulated arm, and the like.

[0051] In some embodiments, as Figure 1As shown, the light guide 120 includes a light guide articulated arm having a built-in optical reflection transmission system. The light guide articulated arm can transmit laser light from the laser generating module in the working host 110 to the working hand 130 through the built-in optical reflection transmission system. The light guide articulated arm can have multiple joints, for example, the number of joints of the light guide articulated arm can be 2, 3, 5, 8, or 10.

[0052] In some embodiments, as Figure 5 As shown, the light guide 120 includes a light guide fiber 122 . The laser beam output by the laser generating module in the working host 110 can enter the light guide fiber 122 through a coupling mirror and be transmitted into the working handpiece 130 through the light guide fiber 122 .

[0053] The working handpiece 130 can be any suitable instrument that is convenient for handheld operation and is capable of focusing the laser beam received from the light guide 120 into the irrigating fluid in the dental pulp cavity. An operator (e.g., a doctor) can hold the working handpiece 130 and focus the laser beam into the irrigating fluid in the dental pulp cavity to perform root canal irrigation on a patient's tooth. For example, the working handpiece can be a pen-shaped handle.

[0054] It should be noted that the embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit the transmission direction of the laser in the working handpiece 130. During implementation, those skilled in the art can design a suitable transmission direction for the transmission of the laser in the working handpiece 130 according to actual conditions to facilitate the operation of medical staff during the root canal flushing process.

[0055] The laser-induced plasma cavitation-activated root canal flushing device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a working main body, a light guide and a working hand. The working main body is provided with a laser generating module, and the light guide connects the laser generating module and the working hand; wherein the laser generating module is used to generate a laser beam; the light guide is used to transmit the laser beam generated by the laser generating module to the working hand; the working hand is used to focus the received laser beam into the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, use the laser energy to generate a photo-breakdown effect in the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, and induce plasma cavitation to activate the flushing fluid in the root canal, so as to flush the root canal. On the one hand, the root canal irrigation device activates the irrigation fluid in the root canal by inducing plasma cavitation through the use of the photobreakdown effect, which can enhance the oscillation effect of the irrigation fluid in the root canal, thereby enabling the root canal to be more fully rinsed, thereby improving the effect of root canal irrigation and disinfection, reducing the probability of infection during root canal treatment, and thus improving the success rate of root canal treatment; on the other hand, since the laser beam is focused on the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity during root canal irrigation, a high-power density energy convergence area is formed at the focal point in the irrigation fluid to instantly breakdown the irrigation fluid, and the laser energy used to generate the photobreakdown effect is usually high and the energy is not completely absorbed by the liquid, and can penetrate the surface layer of the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity. The power density reached at the focus can cause the photobreakdown effect. Therefore, during the root canal irrigation process, the working hand does not need to be inserted into the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity, and the laser energy can reach the focal point in the irrigation fluid. Therefore, the working position of the working hand is not restricted during the root canal irrigation operation, thereby improving the flexibility and convenience of the operation and reducing the difficulty of operating the instrument in the complex and narrow oral space.

[0056] In some embodiments, the laser beam generated by the laser generating module passes through the light guide 120 and the working tool 130 to form a focal point in the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity. The power density of the focal point is greater than the density threshold, which is the breakdown threshold of the irrigation fluid.

[0057] Here, the breakdown threshold of the flushing liquid may be determined according to the flushing liquid actually used, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to this.

[0058] For example, the breakdown threshold can be 、 ,or wait.

[0059] During implementation, the operating wavelength range, pulse width range, and single pulse energy of the laser generated by the laser generating module can be determined based on practical circumstances, as long as the power density at the focal point of the laser beam output by the working handpiece 130 exceeds the breakdown threshold of the flushing fluid. This is not a limitation in the presently disclosed embodiments. For example, the laser generating module can generate ultraviolet lasers, visible lasers, and / or infrared lasers, as long as the generated laser can ensure that the power density at the focal point of the laser beam output by the working handpiece exceeds the breakdown threshold of the flushing fluid.

[0060] In some embodiments, the laser pulse width generated by the laser generating module can be less than 10 nanoseconds (ns). This pulsed laser, through beam expansion and collimation followed by focusing or direct beam focusing, forms a high-power density energy concentration zone at the focal point, which can instantly penetrate the liquid, generating luminous plasma. Subsequently, under the action of high temperature and high pressure, vaporization cavitation is instantly generated in the liquid.

[0061] In some embodiments, the laser generated by the laser generating module may have an operating wavelength of 1064 nm, a pulse width ranging from 6 ns to 8 ns, and a single pulse energy ranging from 100 mJ to 300 mJ.

[0062] In some embodiments, the laser generating module may include a nanosecond laser, a picosecond laser, and / or a femtosecond laser.

[0063] It is understood that the operating pulse width or operating pulse width range of a nanosecond laser is on the order of nanoseconds, the operating pulse width or operating pulse width range of a picosecond laser is on the order of picoseconds (ps), and the operating pulse width or operating pulse width range of a femtosecond laser is on the order of femtoseconds (fs).

[0064] For example, the operating pulse width range of a nanosecond laser can be 1ns to 100ns, and the single pulse energy is greater than 1mJ; the operating pulse width range of a picosecond laser can be 1ps to 200ps, and the single pulse energy is greater than 1 microjoule (uJ); the operating pulse width range of a femtosecond laser can be 1fs to 100fs, and the single pulse energy is greater than 1 nanojoule (nJ).

[0065] In the above embodiment, the laser generating module may include a nanosecond laser, a picosecond laser, and / or a femtosecond laser. In this way, the lasers that can be used in the laser generating module have a wide range of selectivity, thereby improving the wide application of the root canal flushing device.

[0066] In some embodiments, the working handpiece 130 is used to focus the received laser beam into the irrigation fluid in the dental pulp cavity using a target focusing method.

[0067] The target focusing manner may include one of the following: contact with the irrigating fluid in the dental pulp chamber, and no contact with the irrigating fluid in the dental pulp chamber.

[0068] Here, the working tool 130 can be used to focus the received laser beam into the rinsing liquid in the dental pulp cavity in a manner of contacting the rinsing liquid in the dental pulp cavity or in a manner of not contacting the rinsing liquid in the dental pulp cavity.

[0069] Contact with the irrigating fluid in the dental pulp cavity refers to contact between at least a portion of the working handpiece 130 and the irrigating fluid in the dental pulp cavity during the root canal irrigation process. For example, the operator may extend the laser output end of the working handpiece 130 into the irrigating fluid in the dental pulp cavity, so that the working handpiece 130 focuses the received laser beam into the irrigating fluid in the dental pulp cavity through the laser output end.

[0070] No contact with the irrigation liquid in the dental pulp cavity means that the working handpiece 130 is located outside the irrigation liquid in the dental pulp cavity during the root canal irrigation process. The working handpiece 130 can focus the received laser beam into the irrigation liquid in the dental pulp cavity in a manner that is not in contact with the irrigation liquid in the dental pulp cavity, that is, the working handpiece 130 can complete focusing in the irrigation liquid in the dental pulp cavity by far-field focusing of the laser beam. For example, the operator can place the working handpiece 130 outside the irrigation liquid in the dental pulp cavity, and the working handpiece 130 can focus the received laser beam into the irrigation liquid in the dental pulp cavity in a manner that is not in contact with the irrigation liquid in the dental pulp cavity.

[0071] In the above embodiment, during root canal irrigation, the received laser beam can be focused into the irrigating fluid in the pulp cavity, either in contact with the irrigating fluid in the pulp cavity or without contact with the irrigating fluid in the pulp cavity. This allows the operator to insert the working handpiece into the irrigating fluid in the pulp cavity or not, thereby improving operational flexibility and convenience and reducing the difficulty of instrument operation in the complex and confined oral cavity.

[0072] In some embodiments, as Figure 6 As shown, the working tool 130 includes an optical focusing component 131; the optical focusing component 131 is used to focus the received laser beam into the flushing liquid in the pulp cavity in a non-contact manner.

[0073] The optical focusing component 131 may include any suitable component capable of focusing the laser, for example, the optical focusing component 131 may include a focusing mirror.

[0074] It can be understood that during the root canal flushing process, the operator can hold the working hand 130, place the working hand 130 at a suitable distance from the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, and focus the laser beam into the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity in a non-contact manner to achieve root canal flushing through the laser-induced photobreakdown effect.

[0075] In some embodiments, the working tool 130 may further include an optical beam expansion and collimation component, which is used to expand and collimate the received laser beam, and transmit the expanded and collimated laser beam to the optical focusing component 131, and the optical focusing component 131 focuses the expanded and collimated laser beam into the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity.

[0076] In the above-described embodiments, the working handpiece utilizes an optical focusing component to focus the received laser beam, or utilizes an optical beam expansion and collimation component and an optical focusing component to sequentially expand, collimate, and focus the received laser beam. This allows for simple and accurate focusing of the received laser beam into the irrigating fluid in the dental pulp cavity without contact with the irrigating fluid, thereby improving operational flexibility and convenience. Furthermore, since the working handpiece does not need to be inserted into the irrigating fluid in the dental pulp cavity during root canal irrigation, safety risks associated with instrument breakage or dislodgement of the working handpiece are reduced.

[0077] In some embodiments, the root canal flushing device 100 further includes a laser aiming component; the laser aiming component is configured to output visible light coaxial with the laser beam, so as to aim the focal point of the laser beam using the visible light.

[0078] Here, the laser aiming component can be set in the working host 110, or in the light guide 120, or in the working tool 130, and the embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0079] For example, the laser aiming member may be disposed inside the laser generating module in the working host 110. For another example, when the light guide 120 is a light guide joint arm, the laser aiming member may be disposed at a joint position of the light guide joint arm.

[0080] Visible light may include, but is not limited to, at least one of red light, green light, blue light, and the like.

[0081] It can be understood that the visible light output by the laser aiming device is coaxial with the laser beam, and the visible light can reach the focal point of the laser beam along the optical transmission path of the laser beam. In this way, before the working hand 130 outputs the laser beam, the focal point of the laser beam can be aimed at by using the visible light, so that when the working hand 130 adopts a non-contact method with the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, the laser beam can be focused on the appropriate position in the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, thereby improving the flushing effect and reducing the patient's pain caused by the inappropriate position of the laser beam focus point.

[0082] In some embodiments, as Figure 7 As shown, the working tool 130 has an optical fiber head 132; the optical fiber head 132 is used to focus the received laser beam on the laser output end 132a of the optical fiber head 132 by contacting the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity to form a focusing point in the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity.

[0083] Here, during the root canal flushing process, the operator can hold the working tool 130 and place the optical fiber head 132 of the working tool 130 at a suitable position in the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, so that the laser output end of the optical fiber head 132 is located in the flushing fluid, thereby contacting the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity and focusing the laser beam in the flushing fluid to achieve root canal flushing through the laser-induced photobreakdown effect.

[0084] In some embodiments, as Figure 8 As shown, the root canal irrigation device 100 further includes a control component 140. The control component 140 is in communication with a control connection port (not shown) on the working host 110 and is used to control the laser generating module to generate a laser beam through the control connection port.

[0085] Here, the control member 140 may include but is not limited to at least one of a control foot pedal, a control button, and a control switch light.

[0086] The control component 140 and the control connection port on the working host 110 can communicate with each other in any suitable manner, which is not limited here. In some embodiments, the control connection port may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a wireless communication module and a wired communication module. For example, the wireless communication module may include, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth communication module, a wireless local area network communication module, a 4th Generation Communication (4G) module, or a 5th Generation Communication (5G) module, etc. The wired communication module may include, but is not limited to, an Ethernet communication interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), a Micro SD card slot, an OTG (On-The-Go) connection port for exchanging data between different devices, etc.

[0087] The control element 140 may be implemented by a logic circuit, or by at least one of a single chip microcomputer, an embedded processor chip, a digital signal processor (DSP) chip, or a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0088] In some embodiments, as Figure 9 As shown, the control member 140 includes a control pedal 141; the control pedal 141 is used to control the laser generating module to generate a laser beam through the control connection port when in the first pedaling gear.

[0089] Here, the control pedal 141 may have at least one pedaling gear.

[0090] For example, after setting the root canal flushing program and placing the working tools in a suitable position, the operator can control the laser generating module to generate a laser beam by stepping on the control pedal to the first stepping gear, thereby starting to flush the root canal.

[0091] In some embodiments, the root canal flushing device 100 also includes a laser aiming device; the control pedal 141 is also used to control the laser aiming device to output visible light coaxial with the laser beam through the control connection port when in the second pedaling gear, so as to use visible light to aim at the focal point of the laser beam.

[0092] Here, the control pedal 141 may have at least two pedaling gears. The second pedaling gear is different from the first pedaling gear.

[0093] After setting up the root canal flushing program, the operator can control the laser aiming device to output visible light coaxial with the laser beam by pressing the control pedal to the second pedal position, and adjust the position and / or angle of the working tool according to the visible light to aim the focal point of the laser beam at the appropriate position in the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity; then, the operator can press the control pedal to the first pedal position to control the laser generating module to generate a laser beam, thereby starting to flush the root canal.

[0094] In some embodiments, the operator can step on the control pedal to the first pedal position, and the control pedal can control the laser generating module to generate a laser beam, and at the same time can control the laser aiming component to output visible light coaxial with the laser beam. In this way, when the laser generating module is working, the visible light can be kept bright throughout the whole process, so that during the root canal flushing process, the operator can be better guided in real time to operate the working tool according to the visible light to focus the laser beam at a precise position, thereby improving the operation accuracy.

[0095] The first and second pedaling gears can be set by those skilled in the art according to actual conditions, and are not limited in the present disclosure. For example, the first pedaling gear can be the gear corresponding to fully pressing the pedal of the control pedal, and the second pedaling gear can be the gear corresponding to half-pressing the pedal of the control pedal.

[0096] In this way, by controlling the two pedal positions of the foot pedal, the laser aiming component is controlled to output visible light coaxial with the laser beam, and the laser generating module is controlled to generate a laser beam. This can improve the convenience of aiming operation of the laser beam focus point and flushing operation during the root canal flushing process, and facilitate clinical operation.

[0097] In some embodiments, the working host 110 is further provided with a pumping device and a liquid storage tank; the pumping device is used to transport the flushing liquid in the liquid storage tank to the pulp cavity during the process of flushing the root canal by the working hand tool using the photobreakdown effect.

[0098] In some embodiments, there may be multiple liquid reservoirs, each containing the same or different types of irrigating fluid. The pumping device is configured to deliver irrigating fluid from each reservoir to the dental pulp cavity according to a preset root canal irrigating procedure while the working handpiece is irrigating the root canal using the photoelectrolysis effect.

[0099] In some embodiments, the pumping device may include a pump-driven positive pressure liquid supply system.

[0100] The following describes the laser-induced plasma cavitation activated root canal irrigation device provided by the present disclosure in conjunction with actual application scenarios. It is understandable that the root canal irrigation process also has a certain disinfection effect on the root canal, and thus the root canal irrigation device can also be used as a root canal irrigation and disinfection device.

[0101] The present disclosure discloses a laser-induced plasma cavitation activated root canal irrigation device. Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the root canal irrigation device 100 is composed of a working main body 110, a light-guiding articulated arm 121, a working handpiece 130, and a control foot pedal 141. The working main body 110 is equipped with a laser generating module 111, a power control module 112, a working parameter adjustment panel 113, a cooling device 114, a pump-driven positive pressure liquid supply system 115, and a liquid storage tank 116. The light-guiding articulated arm 121 is equipped with an optical reflection transmission system and a coaxial visible light and red light aiming system. The working handpiece 130 is equipped with an optical beam expansion and collimation component and an optical focusing component. The laser is generated in the laser generating module 111 in the working main body 110, and the laser is transmitted from the laser generating module 111 to the working handpiece 130 through the light-guiding articulated arm 121, and finally transmitted to the irrigation liquid in the pulp cavity of the surgical area through the working handpiece 130. The control foot pedal 141 includes a laser operating mode lock button, a liquid spray switch button, and a foot pedal. The foot pedal has a half-step down position (corresponding to the second step down position in the aforementioned embodiment) and a full-step down position (corresponding to the first step down position in the aforementioned embodiment). The half-step down position is used to activate the visible light for aiming, and the full-step down position is used to activate the laser into the operating mode for laser activation and irrigation. Before the device is operated, root canal irrigation fluid is injected into the root canal, the working handpiece 130 is placed outside the pulp cavity of the affected tooth, and the laser beam is focused on the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity through visible light aiming, and the laser is activated for irradiation. Simultaneously, the positive pressure pump pushes the liquid supply system 115 to continuously spray irrigation fluid into the pulp cavity. The laser focus point is located in the irrigation fluid in the pulp cavity, generating a photo-induced breakdown effect in the irrigation fluid and forming a plasma. The plasma generates shock waves and cavitation bubble oscillations, which activate the liquid to flush and clean the root canal, thereby enhancing the infection control effect of the root canal system during dental treatment. The root canal irrigation device can improve the irrigation and disinfection effects on the root canals of affected teeth during root canal treatment, and play an important auxiliary role in improving infection control during root canal treatment.

[0102] The root canal flushing device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure uses a short-pulse laser of the nanosecond order, so that its power density exceeds the breakdown threshold of the flushing fluid, producing a photo-induced breakdown effect on the flushing fluid. By forming plasma and cavitation bubbles in the liquid, the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity and the root canal is effectively activated, thereby exerting the root canal flushing and disinfection effect, helping to improve the infection control effect during root canal treatment, and can effectively clean the root canal system in three dimensions, thereby improving the long-term efficacy of root canal treatment. The root canal is cleaned and disinfected by the root canal flushing device, and the instrument does not enter below the root canal opening. It can also produce an effect in the pulp cavity without contacting the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity, effectively flushing, cleaning and disinfecting the entire root canal system, effectively reducing the risk of instrument separation in the root canal.

[0103] In some embodiments, the working host 110 adjusts the laser output parameters through the working parameter adjustment panel 113 and controls the electronic control system of the device through the power control module. The laser generating module 111 is used to generate and output a laser beam, and then transmit it through the light-guiding articulated arm 121 connected to the working host 110. The cooling device 114 is used to cool the laser generating module 111 through a water cooling cycle. The pump-pushing positive pressure liquid supply system 115 is used to transfer the root canal flushing liquid (such as distilled water, physiological saline, sodium hypochlorite solution, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution, and / or chlorhexidine solution, etc., root canal flushing and disinfection solutions) in the liquid storage tank 116 through the liquid transmission system to the working hand tool through the positive pressure pumping action.

[0104] In some embodiments, the operating parameter adjustment panel 113 on the working host 110 includes a laser emergency stop button, a standby key, a ready key, a parameter adjustment display window and buttons, an indicator light switch button, a water volume adjustment button, and a liquid tank program setting button. The laser emergency stop button is used to stop the operation of the laser generating module 111 in an emergency; the parameter adjustment display window and buttons are used to adjust the laser energy output parameters (such as single pulse energy, frequency, etc.); the indicator light switch button is used to turn on and off the visible light red indicator light coaxial with the laser beam; the water volume adjustment button is used to adjust the fluid flow output by the pump-driven positive pressure liquid supply system 115; the liquid tank program setting button is used to set the working liquid tank 116; the standby key is used to confirm the completion of parameter adjustment; and the ready key is used for final confirmation before laser light emission.

[0105] In some embodiments, the fluid reservoir 116 in the main machine 110 includes four independent fluid reservoirs, each constructed of stainless steel. These four independent reservoirs are, in order, a cleaning tank, solution tank 1, solution tank 2, and solution tank 3. The cleaning tank stores distilled water for flushing and cleaning the transmission lines of the pump-driven positive pressure fluid supply system 115. Solution tanks 1, 2, and 3 are used to store root canal irrigants. For example, solution tanks 1, 2, and 3 can each store three different root canal irrigants.

[0106] The following describes the operation method of the laser-induced plasma cavitation activated root canal irrigation device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure. The root canal irrigation device can be operated by an operator such as a doctor. The operation method includes the following steps S301 to S311:

[0107] In step S301, according to conventional root canal treatment procedures, local anesthesia of the affected tooth, isolation of the surgical area (e.g., rubber dam), pulpectomy, root canal location and dredging, and root canal preparation are completed. After root canal preparation is complete, laser activation irrigation can begin. Before laser activation irrigation, a syringe is used to flush the needle and fill the pulp chamber and root canal with root canal irrigation solution. The injected irrigation solution can be the same as the first irrigation solution in the root canal irrigation procedure, such as sodium hypochlorite solution.

[0108] Step S302: Connect the working hand tool to the light guide joint arm and connect the water transmission pipe. Put the working hand tool outer tube outside the working hand tool. The working hand tool outer tube needs to be sterilized at high temperature and high pressure before use.

[0109] Step S303: Connect the control pedal to the control pedal connection port (corresponding to the control connection port in the aforementioned embodiment) on the working host through the control pedal connection line.

[0110] In step S304, unscrew the liquid reservoir caps above the liquid reservoirs, add distilled water to the cleaning tank, add sodium hypochlorite solution to solution tank 1, add normal saline to solution tank 2, and add 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution to solution tank 3. After liquid infusion is complete, securely close the liquid reservoir caps.

[0111] Step S305: Turn on the power switch on the working host, set the root canal flushing program on the working parameter adjustment panel, and set the liquid flow rate pushed by the positive pressure pump.

[0112] For example, the root canal irrigation procedure can be laser-activated irrigation with sodium hypochlorite solution for 30 seconds (positive pressure pump push in reservoir 1), laser-activated irrigation with normal saline for 30 seconds (positive pressure pump push in reservoir 2), laser-activated irrigation with 17% EDTA solution for 30 seconds (positive pressure pump push in reservoir 3), and laser-activated irrigation with normal saline for 30 seconds (positive pressure pump push in reservoir 2). The entire root canal irrigation process takes a total of 120 seconds.

[0113] Step S306 , starting the pump-pushing positive pressure liquid supply system, and pumping the solution in the liquid storage tank 1 to the liquid spraying port of the working tool until the liquid at the liquid spraying port is sprayed out.

[0114] Step S307: Set the single pulse energy and frequency of the laser output on the working parameter adjustment panel. After setting, press the standby button and then press the ready button. Then the laser activation and flushing process can begin.

[0115] In step S308, the operator (e.g., a dentist) holds the handpiece and places the front end of the handpiece over the pulp access opening of the tooth to be cleaned and disinfected in the patient's mouth. The operator then half-presses the control pedal to emit a visible red indicator light, which confirms that the laser is focused in the center of the pulp cavity of the affected tooth. The operator then fully presses the foot pedal to activate the laser. The laser focuses within the fluid in the pulp cavity, generating a photoinduced breakdown effect and plasma. This plasma generates shock waves and cavitation bubble oscillations, activating and oscillating the fluid within the pulp cavity and root canal, achieving the laser-activated root canal irrigation and disinfection effect. After the 30-second flushing cycle is complete, the flushing process ends.

[0116] In step S309, after the positive pressure pump of the flushing liquid tank 2 pushes out the flushing liquid, the second flushing cycle begins, and the 1-4 flushing cycles are completed at one time. The effective root canal laser activation flushing time is accumulated to 120 seconds.

[0117] Step S310: After completing all laser-activated irrigation procedures, proceed to subsequent root canal treatment steps (such as root canal drying, sealing with medicament, or filling). At this point, press the cleaning button on the control panel. The distilled water in the cleaning tank is pumped out by the positive-pressure liquid supply system to clean the liquid delivery pipes. The cleaning process stops after 30 seconds. The positive-pressure liquid supply system then delivers compressed air to the liquid delivery pipes to dry them. The system then stops drying after 30 seconds.

[0118] Step S311: Remove the outer sleeve of the work tool and send it to high temperature and high pressure disinfection. Remove the work tool and wipe it with 75% alcohol for disinfection. Drain the liquid in the liquid storage tank and rinse it with distilled water, then dry it and reinstall it.

[0119] The laser-induced plasma cavitation-activated root canal irrigation device provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can perform laser activation irrigation on the pulp cavity and root canal system of the affected tooth during root canal treatment. During the laser activation irrigation process, the instrument box device does not enter the root canal system below the root canal opening, but is only located above the root canal opening in the pulp cavity, thereby effectively avoiding the risk of breakage caused by the instrument entering the root canal. In addition, the root canal irrigation device utilizes the nanosecond pulse width output by the laser generation module and the high-energy-density laser focus point formed by the optical focusing system to produce a photo-induced breakdown effect in the liquid, generate plasma in the root canal irrigation liquid in the pulp cavity, and then generate shock waves and cavitation bubble oscillations, which effectively activate the liquid in the pulp cavity and root canal, thereby being able to perform good irrigation and disinfection on the pulp cavity and root canal system of the affected tooth during root canal treatment.

[0120] It should be understood that “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” mentioned throughout the specification means that specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. It should be understood that in the various embodiments of the present disclosure, the size of the serial numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The serial numbers of the embodiments of the present disclosure are for description only and do not represent the advantages and disadvantages of the embodiments.

[0121] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus comprising the element.

[0122] In the several embodiments provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed devices can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the units is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as: multiple units or components can be combined, or can be integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling, direct coupling, or communication connection between the components shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection of the devices or units can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0123] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units; they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units; some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the scheme of this embodiment.

[0124] In addition, all functional units in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may be separately used as a unit, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit; the above-mentioned integrated units may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional units.

[0125] The above is only an embodiment of the present disclosure, but the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure, and they should all be covered by the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A laser-induced plasma cavitation activated root canal irrigation device, characterized in that: include: A working host, a light guide and a working tool, wherein the working host is provided with a laser generating module, and the light guide connects the laser generating module and the working tool; wherein: The laser generating module is used to generate a laser beam; the pulse width range of the laser generated by the laser generating module is less than 10 nanoseconds; The light guide is used to transmit the laser beam generated by the laser generating module to the working tool; The working hand tool is used to focus the received laser beam into the flushing liquid in the pulp cavity, form a focal point in the flushing liquid in the pulp cavity, use laser energy to generate a photo-induced breakdown effect in the flushing liquid in the pulp cavity, and induce plasma cavitation to activate the flushing liquid in the root canal, so as to flush the root canal; wherein, the plasma is formed by the flushing liquid at the focal point being converted from a liquid state to a plasma state; and the power density of the focal point is greater than the breakdown threshold of the flushing liquid; Wherein, the working hand tool comprises an optical focusing component; The optical focusing component is used to focus the received laser beam into the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity in a non-contact manner; the optical focusing component includes a focusing mirror, and the non-contact manner with the flushing fluid in the pulp cavity includes a far-field focusing manner of the laser beam.

2. The root canal flushing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser generating module includes a nanosecond laser, a picosecond laser, and / or a femtosecond laser.

3. The root canal flushing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The root canal flushing device also includes a laser aiming member; The laser aiming component is used to output visible light coaxial with the laser beam, so as to aim at the focal point of the laser beam using the visible light.

4. The root canal irrigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The root canal irrigation device also includes a control member; The control component is communicatively connected with the control connection port on the working host, and is used for controlling the laser generating module to generate a laser beam through the control connection port.

5. The root canal flushing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control member includes a control pedal; The control pedal is used to control the laser generating module to generate a laser beam through the control connection port when the control pedal is in the first pedaling gear position.

6. The root canal flushing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The root canal flushing device also includes a laser aiming member; The control pedal is also used to control the laser aiming device to output visible light coaxial with the laser beam through the control connection port when in the second pedaling gear position, so as to aim at the focal point of the laser beam using the visible light.

7. The root canal irrigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The working main machine is also provided with a liquid pump device and a liquid storage tank; The pumping device is used to transport the flushing liquid in the liquid storage tank to the dental pulp cavity when the working tool flushes the root canal using the photolysis effect.

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