dental handheld instruments

Abstract

To provide an efficient and energy-saving dental handheld device.SOLUTION: A dental handheld device 100 for curing a polymer 107 using light has: a first light source 101-1 comprising a laser diode for outputting light in a first wavelength range; and a second light source 101-2 for outputting light in a second wavelength range. An intensity maximum of the first wavelength range is between 440 and 460 nm. An intensity maximum of the second wavelength range is between 400 and 420 nm.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a handheld dental device for curing polymers using light, as well as a method for curing polymers using light. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0002] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a handheld dental instrument that is highly efficient and energy-saving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0003] The above-mentioned problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Technically preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims, the description and the accompanying drawings.

[0004] According to a first aspect, the above technical problem is solved by a dental handheld device for curing polymers using light, comprising a first light source with a laser diode for emitting light in a first wavelength region; and a second light source for emitting light in a second wavelength region. The light beam of the laser diode is only slightly diverged. The combination of the laser diode and the light-emitting diode generates less heat, improving the efficiency of the dental handheld device. Both better curing on the surface and high surface quality are achieved. The dental handheld device can be manufactured with a smaller battery and less material consumption. The laser diode allows for efficient curing of fillings at larger distances, and the emitted light has less dispersion. By combining with an additional light source, the dental handheld device can generate a wide spectrum.

[0005] In a preferred embodiment of this dental handheld device, the intensity maximum of the first wavelength range is between 440 and 460 nm. This achieves the technical advantage that, for example, this wavelength range can be efficiently generated by a laser diode. This results in less heat generation and less energy consumption. In addition, linear irradiation and effective penetration depth are achieved.

[0006] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the intensity maximum of the second wavelength range is between 400 and 420 nm, which achieves technical advantages, for example, better curing of the surface and a high surface quality.

[0007] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the first light source has a higher radiation output than the second light source, thereby achieving the technical advantage that the dental handheld device can be applied to as many materials as possible, regardless of the initiator system.

[0008] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the second light source comprises a laser diode or a light emitting diode, thereby achieving the technical advantage that, for example, a highly suitable light source can be used.

[0009] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the dental handheld device is configured to operate the first and second light sources simultaneously, thereby achieving technical advantages, for example, accelerating the curing of the polymer and / or realizing improved physical properties.

[0010] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the dental handheld device comprises an optical fiber bundle, thereby achieving the technical advantage that, for example, the light of both light sources can efficiently reach the polymer to be cured.

[0011] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the laser diodes are arranged in such a way that their light is injected into the optical fibers in the bundle, thereby achieving technical advantages such as improved uniformity of the emitted light.

[0012] According to another preferred embodiment of the handheld dental device, the radiation directions of the first and second light sources extend at right angles to each other, thereby achieving the technical advantage that, for example, the light beams of both light sources can be superimposed in a simple manner.

[0013] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the dental handheld device comprises a beam coupler for superimposing the light beams of both light sources, thereby achieving the technical advantage that, for example, the light sources can be arranged at different positions without interfering with each other.

[0014] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the beam coupler comprises an edge filter, whereby technical advantages are achieved, for example, in that certain wavelength ranges of the light beam can be absorbed.

[0015] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the dental handheld device comprises a collimating lens for collimating the light from the first and / or second light source, thereby achieving the technical advantage of, for example, generating parallel light beams that can be transmitted in a simple manner.

[0016] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the dental handheld device comprises a reflector for reflecting light and / or a lens for collimating light, thereby achieving technical advantages such as a uniformly emitting exit pupil and / or good collimation of the emitted light.

[0017] According to another preferred embodiment of the dental handheld device, the reflector and the lens are formed by an integrated optical element, thereby achieving technical advantages such as a simplified structure of the dental handheld device.

[0018] According to a second aspect, the technical problem is solved by a dental method for curing a polymer using light, comprising the steps of: emitting light in a first wavelength range by a first light source having a laser diode; and emitting light in a second wavelength range by a second light source, thereby achieving the same technical advantages as the handheld dental device according to the first aspect described above.

[0019] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram of a handheld dental device. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the spectrum of generated light. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a method. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a handheld dental device. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is another schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a handheld dental device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] 1 shows a handheld dental device 100 for curing polymers with light. The handheld dental device 100 includes a first light source 101-1 having a laser diode for emitting light in a first wavelength region 103-1. The handheld dental device 100 further includes a second light source 101-2 for emitting light in a second wavelength region 103-2. The first and second light sources 101-1 and 101-2 are disposed inside the handheld dental device 100. The wavelength regions 103-1 and 103-2 are different from each other, but may also partially overlap.

[0022] The light of both light sources 101-1 and 101-2 is conducted via a light guide 105 to a polymer 107, such as a dental filling, which is hardened by light induction. To power both light sources 101-1 and 101-2, the dental handheld device 100 includes, for example, a battery. Both light sources 101-1 and 101-2 can be controlled independently of each other by suitable electronic circuitry.

[0023] The light source 101-2 may include a laser diode or a light emitting diode. The handheld dental device 100 is configured to operate the light sources 101-1 and 101-2 simultaneously. In this manner, the spectra of the light sources 101-1 and 101-2 can be overlapped and emitted together from the handheld dental device 100.

[0024] A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor device that emits light by spontaneous emission when a current flows through it in the forward direction. In the reverse direction, the light-emitting diode blocks the current. The wavelength of the emitted light depends on the semiconductor material and doping of the diode. For example, an indium gallium nitride (InGaN) light-emitting diode can be used, which emits light with a wavelength of 460 nm or 410 nm.

[0025] A laser diode is a semiconductor device that generates coherent laser radiation through stimulated emission. In laser diodes, a pn junction is formed at high current densities by heavy doping. The end faces of the device are partially reflective, thus forming an optical cavity within which a standing wave of light can be generated. The choice of semiconductor material determines the emitted wavelength. For example, a blue laser diode based on gallium nitride can be used as a laser diode. The light from a laser diode has an opening angle of, for example, 0 to 5 degrees. The highly directional radiation of a laser diode allows the intensity to be maintained even over large distances. In addition, a greater penetration depth into the polymer can be achieved.

[0026] 2 shows the spectral radiation output of the handheld dental device 100 as a function of wavelength. The spectral radiation output has two peaks. The first peak is at a wavelength of 450 nm and is produced by the first light source 101-1. The second peak is at a wavelength of 410 nm and is produced by the second light source 101-2. The peak in wavelength range 103-1 has a higher power output than the peak in the second wavelength range 103-2. The first light source 101-1 is configured to produce a higher power output light than the second light source 101-2.

[0027] 3 shows a block diagram of a dental method for curing a polymer using light. The dental method includes a step S101 of emitting light in a first wavelength region 103-1 using a first light source 101-1 comprising a laser diode. The dental method further includes a step S102 of emitting light in a second wavelength region using a second light source 101-2.

[0028] The first light source 101-1 is a laser diode that generates a main light beam for through-curing in a wavelength region around 450 nm. The second light source 101-2, which may include a laser diode or a light-emitting diode, generates light in a second wavelength region around 410 nm. The light from both light sources 101-1 and 101-2 is transmitted to the light-curable dental material by an optical system.

[0029] Laser diodes have high efficiency, thus extending the battery life of the handheld dental device 100. In addition, the light emission of the laser diode 101-2 is highly directional. The emitted light has little dispersion, allowing for the curing of fillings at greater distances.

[0030] 4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a handheld dental device 100. The handheld dental device 100 comprises a handheld portion 109. Within the handheld portion 109 is a first light source 101-1 comprising a laser diode that emits light having a wavelength of 450 nm. Also within the handheld portion is a second light source comprising a light emitting diode that emits light having a wavelength of 405 nm.

[0031] Both the light having a wavelength of 450 nm and the light having a wavelength of 405 nm are transmitted through collimating lens 113. Collimating lens 113 functions to produce light having substantially parallel emission paths from light sources 101-1 and 101-2. This collimation functions to cause the light to radiate in a specific direction.

[0032] The parallel light from both light sources 101-1 and 101-2 is then transmitted through an edge filter 111, which acts as a beam coupler for wavelength combination. The edge filter 111 allows the light beams from both light sources 101-1 and 101-2 to overlap and be guided in the same direction. The edge filter 111 has two spectral regions that are somewhat spaced apart from each other and that the edge filter transmits (passes) or absorbs (blocks). The beam coupler is formed, for example, by a disk placed at a 45° angle in the radiation paths of both light sources 101-1 and 101-2. The laser diode light beam passes through the disk in a straight line, while the light emitting diode light beam is reflected by the surface of the beam coupler. In this way, the light beams from the laser diode and the light emitting diode can be efficiently overlapped. The edge filter 111 blocks wavelengths above the wavelength emitted by the light source 101-1, for example.

[0033] A collimated (parallel) light beam 115 is emitted from the hand-held portion 109. The light beam 115 is directed to an illumination head 117. The illumination head includes a focusing lens 119, which focuses the light beam 115.

[0034] Located within the illumination head 117 is a fiber optic bundle 121. A focused light beam is incident on the fiber optic bundle 121. The fiber optic bundle 121 functions to guide the light from the hand-held portion 109 to the location where the polymer 107 is present.

[0035] In this case, the laser diode of the dental handheld device 100 emits light only inside the fiber bundle 121. As a result, the light from the laser diode is only incident on the inside of the fiber bundle 121. For this reason, the dental handheld device 100 can be equipped with, for example, a pinhole blind, which functions to allow the light from the laser diode to be incident only on the inner part of the optical fiber bundle 121 and not on the outer part of the optical fiber bundle 121. The fibers outside the bundle 121 are not illuminated by the laser diode. On the other hand, the light from the light-emitting diode is not incident only on the inner part of the optical fiber bundle 121, but rather is also incident on the outer part of the optical fiber bundle 121. As a result, higher uniformity and better radiation characteristics on the emission side can be achieved.

[0036] The light then leaves bundle 121 and enters reflector 123, for example in the form of a parabola, which ensures a uniform illumination of the exit pupil. After reflection, the light beam from illumination head 117 leaves via lens 125, which again performs collimation. Reflector 123 and lens 125 can be manufactured from a single transparent part and can for example be formed by an integral transparent optical element.

[0037] This configuration achieves high uniformity in the exit pupil, a small field angle, and good collimation. A collimator of the light beam is formed at the interface between the hand-held part 109 and the illumination head 117. Polychromatic light with high power can be emitted from the dental device 100.

[0038] 5 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of the dental handheld device 100. According to this embodiment, a focusing lens 119 is disposed inside the handheld portion 109. This causes a focused light beam from the handheld portion 109 to be emitted to the interface between the handheld portion 109 and the illumination head 117.

[0039] An optical fiber bundle 121 is also arranged in the irradiation head 117. A laser diode emits light into the fiber bundle 121. The irradiation head 117 can be made flexible and have various diameters, which allows irradiation of the polymer 107 to be carried out even in difficult-to-reach places. The irradiation head 117 can be made from an injection-molded part.

[0040] This embodiment of the dental handheld instrument 100 also achieves high uniformity in the exit pupil, a small field angle, and good collimation. A focused beam is formed at the interface between the handheld portion 109 and the illumination head 117, which can be conveniently coupled into an optical fiber 121. In addition, polychromatic light with high power can be emitted from the dental instrument 100.

[0041] All of the features described and illustrated in relation to individual embodiments of the invention can also be the subject of the invention in various combinations, whereby simultaneous advantageous results are achieved.

[0042] All method steps may be performed using apparatus suitable for performing each method step. All functions performed by the feature of interest may be method steps in this method.

[0043] The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and is not limited by the features described or shown in the description. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 100 Handheld dental equipment 101 Light source 103 wavelength range 105 Light guide 107 Polymer 109 Handle 111 Edge Filter 113 Collimating Lens 115 Ray of light 117 Irradiation Head 119 Focusing Lens 121 Optical Fiber Bundle 123 Reflector 125 lens

Claims

1. A dental handheld device (100) for curing a polymer (107), comprising a first light source (101-1) having a laser diode for emitting light in a first wavelength region (103-1) and a second light source (101-2) for emitting light in a second wavelength region (103-2), wherein a bundle of optical fibers is disposed inside the irradiation head, and the laser diode of the dental handheld device uses light that irradiates only the optical fibers located inside the bundle.

2. 2. The dental handheld instrument (100) of claim 1, wherein the intensity maximum of the first wavelength region (103-1) is located between 440 and 460 nm.

3. 3. The dental handheld device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the intensity maximum of the second wavelength region (103-2) is located between 400 and 420 nm.

4. 2. The handheld dental instrument (100) of claim 1, wherein the first light source (101-1) has a higher radiant output than the second light source (101-2).

5. 2. The handheld dental instrument (100) of claim 1, wherein the second light source (101-2) comprises a laser diode or a light emitting diode.

6. The handheld dental device (100) of claim 1, wherein the handheld dental device (100) is configured to operate the first and second light sources (101-1, 101-2) simultaneously.

7. 10. The dental handheld device (100) of claim 1, wherein the dental handheld device (100) comprises an optical fiber bundle (121).

8. 8. A handheld dental instrument (100) according to claim 7, wherein the laser diodes are arranged in such a way that their light is injected into the optical fibers in the bundle (121).

9. 2. The handheld dental instrument (100) of claim 1, wherein the radiation directions of the first and second light sources (101-1, 101-2) extend at right angles to each other.

10. 2. The dental handheld device (100) of claim 1, wherein the dental handheld device (100) comprises a beam coupler (111) for superimposing the light beams of both light sources (101-1, 101-2).

11. The dental handheld instrument (100) of claim 10, wherein the beam coupler (111) comprises an edge filter.

12. 2. The dental handheld device (100) of claim 1, wherein the dental handheld device (100) comprises a collimating lens (113) for collimating light from the first and / or second light sources (101-1, 101-2).

13. 10. The dental handheld device (100) of claim 1, wherein the dental handheld device (100) comprises a reflector (123) for reflecting light and / or a lens (125) for collimating light.

14. 14. The handheld dental instrument (100) of claim 13, wherein the reflector (123) and the lens (125) are formed by a single optical element.

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