639 results about "Dental floss" patented technology

An oral hygiene device including, in combination, a system for relatively effortlessly and effectively cleansing dental, inter-dental, gingival and deep-gum surfaces and crevices, and a convenient teeth bleaching system that may be selectively implemented following cleansing of the oral surfaces, wherein the present invention may be utilized in conjunction with, or in lieu of, conventional brushing and / or flossing practices.

A device and a method for delivering UVA light to the mouth in which a photocatalytic agent is distributed in the mouth and a UVA light source is located contiguously to the head of the device so that the photocatalytic agent distributed in the mouth is efficiently activated by UVA light produced by the device. The UVA light delivery device of the invention may be, inter alia, a toothbrush, a tongue scraper, an interdental toothbrush, a denture brush, a flossing device, a dental hand tool, or a wand adapted exclusively to applying UVA light to photocatalyst coated surfaces.

Devices and methods for achieving directed placement of guidewires or other flexible rails over which other catheters or other devices may be introduced to a targeted location. A guidewire directing device includes a lumen extending between a proximal end and a distal peripheral opening for directing a guidewire laterally from the device, and may have a deflecting member with a predetermined deflection angle in the lumen adjacent the peripheral opening. A snaring device is also provided that includes one or more lumens through which a snare or other grasping member is directed for releasably capturing or coupling to a guidewire. The snaring and target guidewire devices may include cooperating end effectors for releasably coupling or securing the devices together. The devices may be used for directing, snaring and / or manipulating one or more guidewires between two blood vessels connected by an interstitial channel, for example, to “floss” a guidewire through the coronary arterial and venous systems between two percutaneous entry sites and / or to bypass a lesion in a vessel using proximal and distal interstitial channels communicating with an adjacent vessel.

An apparatus and system for performing dental hygiene comprising a motorized cleaning device comprising a water intake component and an oppositely positioned water exit component; a power component operatively connected to the motorized cleaning device; a floss component attached to the water exit component; a reservoir component operatively connected to the motorized cleaning device; and an aqueduct component attached to the reservoir component, wherein the aqueduct component traverses the motorized cleaning device, wherein the aqueduct component is positioned to direct pressurized water onto the floss component, and wherein the aqueduct component comprises a first end attached to the reservoir component; and a second end that contacts the water intake component of the motorized cleaning device.

The present invention provides an orthodontic appliance including a unitary appliance body positionable about a portion of a single dental arch, where the appliance body may define a lingual portion, a labial-buccal portion, and a contoured portion therebetween. The appliance body may further define an anterior portion and a posterior portion, as well as a first wire coupled to the appliance body, with the first wire extending from the lingual portion of the appliance body to the labial-buccal portion of the appliance body. In addition, a first portion of the first wire may be embedded in the appliance body while a second portion of the first wire extends from the posterior portion of the appliance body. The appliance may further include a second wire disposed about the appliance body between the first wire and the anterior portion of the appliance body. A series of appliances may be used to shift a patient's bite to proper bite orientation.

The present invention is directed to dental compositions, including dentifrices, containing ascorbic acid for removing and inhibiting dental biofilms which form plaque and tartar, and also for treating and preventing gingivitis and periodontitis. The ascorbic acid composition can contain may additional ingredients, including an enamel-strengthening component, and be used in many different forms, including breath spray, chewing gum, dental floss, dental powder, gargle, lozenge, mouth spray, mouth wash, tooth gel, tooth liquid, tooth paste and tooth strips. Also described in a method of using a dental composition containing ascorbic acid in order to treat plaque and tartar as well as gum disorders.

An electric device which removes supragingival and sub-gingival plaque and undesirable debris from the interproximal surfaces between teeth is described. This device utilizes a combination of sonic energy and dental floss which is secured between two tines, the tines being part of a flexible fork which is removable from a powered handle which contains batteries and an electric motor. The electric motor, which is coupled to an eccentrically mounted disc on an output shaft, revolves at sonic frequencies which in turn generates sonic energy that is transmitted to the flexible fork which holds the floss. The sonic energy is synchronized and in tune with the natural resonance frequencies of the fork thereby stimulating the resonance action of oscillating vertical and / or elliptical movement of the fork which in turn imparts cleaning energy to and enhances the cleaning properties of the floss. The flexible fork may be removed from the handle and replaced with other dental cleaning tools such as a brush, a pick, and / or a tray attachment.

Monofilament dental floss / tape of polymer material including fluoride and polishing powder the dental floss / tape (1) being ribbon-shaped and having material properties that enable it to be stretched to increase its length by at least 100% and also to reduce its cross-sectional area by up to ten times, and also a method fot the use of monofilament polymer dental floss / tape (1) by preparing a suitable length of dental floss / tape (1) for cleaning the teeth , by extending it to a reduce cross section so that the area of the whole piece of floss / tape can thereafter be used to clean the teeth distally and / or mesially.

The specification describes one-piece dental implants comprising a threaded shaft, optionally a non-circular abutment and a head having a shape which is capable of accepting a keeper cap or an O-ring, or which is capable of accepting and retaining a dental wire. The implants have dimensions that permit their use in a non-surgical method of insertion into bone, and are useful in both prosthodontic and orthodontic applications. It is emphasized that this abstracts is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

This invention discloses an oral care cleaning system with a handle with an adapter at one end with a means to accept different oral hygiene instruments. The instruments are configured such that they attach to the adapter contained in the handle. The handle contains a means to vibrate, oscillate, pulsate, slowly rotate or more rapidly rotate / spin the adapter. The adapter is driven by a motor. The device has a selection of oral hygiene instruments that connect to the adapter. Each instrument is preferably dedicated to a single use but can have multiple uses. These instruments include but are no limited to, a toothbrush, flosser, gum massager, tooth pick, whitener / polisher, mirror, tongue scraper, sonic cleaner, fixed toothbrush, pick wand, and water discharge nozzle connected to a water source. These instruments can be either manually operated or motorized, and they can be permanent or single service use.

This new and improved tooth brush combination is all one would ever need, the simple design on how and why the rotating flossing head is the only moving part and its simple, to lock in to place when in use and very easy to change when needed, and its location is on the tooth brush bristle head its self, and when not in use the rotating head will simply lay flat down, locks in to place on the tong cleaning section on the back of the tooth brush head, and when brushing your teeth, you will never know that there is a rotating flossing head. And the tooth brush bristle have a special design, with a spring pulling action and little barbs along the bristles that have a natural pulling force so the food and debris are more efficiently pulled from between your teeth and gum area, and all these combinations combined are not by the handle at all, this is the most efficient and friendly germ prevention hygienic tooth brush ever.

Embodied in the flexile forms of both an endless-loop and as a linear-tape, a unique tooth flossing device for cleaning away bacteria between the teeth is set forth. Comprised of a nontoxic extrusion-molded thermo-plastic polyurethane having particular properties of excellent elasticity, almost film-like guage of thickness, and a natural random surface-texture serving to aid the flossing procedure. In use, a FLOSS-LOOP(TM) is simply held in the user's thumb-&-forefinger of both hands, so as to pre-stretch "thin" that portion to be slid vertically between the teeth. The exceptionally high stretched tensile-strength of this device enables it to endure the duress of insertion between the teeth, yet once interposed interstitially adjacent the gum-line, the release of excess tension upon the tensioned segment of the loop enables it to resume it's natural thickness-guage of approximately 0.325 mm(0.0128-inch). This novel variable-guage capability of the device, making it able to more effectively burnish away substances from the tooth and sulcus of the gum-tissue during it's thicker guage modality; then again be retensioned to approximately only 0.200 mm-guage for easy interstitial removal. Either version of the device may be coated with various agents effective in combating diseases of the teeth and gums.

The specification describes one-piece dental implants comprising a threaded shaft, optionally a non-circular abutment and a head having a shape which is capable of accepting a keeper cap or an O-ring, or which is capable of accepting and retaining a dental wire. The implants have dimensions that permit their use in a non-surgical method of insertion into bone, and are useful in both prosthodontic and orthodontic applications. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR § 1.72(b).

The present invention provides an orthodontic appliance including a unitary appliance body positionable about a portion of a single dental arch, where the appliance body may define a lingual portion, a labial-buccal portion, and a contoured portion therebetween. The appliance body may further define an anterior portion and a posterior portion, as well as a first wire coupled to the appliance body, with the first wire extending from the lingual portion of the appliance body to the labial-buccal portion of the appliance body. In addition, a first portion of the first wire may be embedded in the appliance body while a second portion of the first wire extends from the posterior portion of the appliance body. The appliance may further include a second wire disposed about the appliance body between the first wire and the anterior portion of the appliance body. A series of appliances may be used to shift a patient's bite to proper bite orientation.

An apparatus for bending orthodontic wires has means for guiding and holding a wire. In order to prevent forces resulting from compressive or stretching strain during the bending process, one of these means does not apply any longitudinal forces onto the wire by design. In another implementation, the apparatus for bending orthodontic wires has a gimbal-mounted gripper for bending the wire. Furthermore, a method is disclosed for applying two bends at the same longitudinal wire location in two different directions.

A hand-held dental flossing device has a housing with a handle that may be held with one hand. A dental floss supply is located in the housing and a winding gear is rotatably mounted to the housing. A free end of the dental floss strand from the floss supply is threaded through the housing into a floss exit arm of the housing where it passes through an exit opening to an exposed area of the flossing arm. Used dental floss returns into the housing, via a receiving opening, where it passes through an optional disinfectant supply before or as it wound onto the winding gear. The housing has an opening where the winding gear extends therefrom and is accessible to the fingers of the user's hand. The winding gear has teeth that cooperate with a stopper to form a one-way ratchet gear. A floss-tensioning button is located in the housing and has first and second ends extending from the housing. The first and second ends are accessible to the user's hand holding the handle of the flossing device. When in a first position, the tensioning button allows the floss strand to be readily advanced by winding the gear while in a second position, the floss strand is relatively taut so that winding the gear will even further tension the strand. The device may have an F-shaped cross-section, enlarged, funnel-shaped openings for the floss to exit and enter the housing, and a disinfectant supply for disinfecting used floss. The device may be reloadable with floss.

A floss pick including a body with a handle and a head having a length of floss therein. The handle defines an aperture with a toothpick member disposed therein. The toothpick member is connected to the handle by first and second bridge members. In a first instance, the bridge members are broken to detach the toothpick member. In a second instance, the bridge members are twisted to pivot the toothpick member from a non-use position to a use position where it is disposed at an angle relative to the body. The toothpick member is pivoted by engaging a terminal end thereof with an index finger of the hand in which the body is held. The angle of the toothpick member relative to the body is adjusted using the index finger to permit picking of the teeth in any region of the user's mouth without changing hands.

A vehicle and a method for oral care that includes Magnolia Bark Extract in combination with a surface active agent. The effectiveness of Magnolia Bark Extract in inhibiting biofilm formation in the oral cavity is increased by a synergistic combination of the Magnolia Bark Extract with a surface active agent in an oral cavity delivery agent, such as spray, mouthwash, toothpaste, dental cleaner, gel, dental floss, toothpick, dentifrice, and a denture cleaner.

A flossing device cleans inside a mouth and essentially uses a water jet rather like a string of dental floss, to accomplish removal of particles between teeth. The device includes a mouthpiece that fits over the teeth. Advantageously no suction pump, nor power source, is included or needed in the device, which can be attached to a standard faucet. The device receives water from a standard faucet, which water exits the device from multiple holes in the mouthpiece.

A dental floss device includes a handle having a head piece and a disposable holder for a length of dental floss. The holder includes a base portion and a pair of spaced-apart jaws extending from the base and which extend to embrace the head piece of the handle when the holder is in a correct alignment configuration with respect to the handle. The device has an interlock which ensures that the holder can be interengaged with the head piece only when the holder is correctly aligned with the head piece. The interlock includes a head interlock part provided by interlock grooves and a holder interlock part provided by corresponding interlock tongues. There are two interlock grooves and corresponding interlock tongues which slidably interengage when the holder is correctly aligned with the head piece. If the holder is turned so that it is not correctly aligned with the head piece, the interlock tongues of the holder prevent engagement of the holder with the head piece. Thus there is no risk that a user will incorrectly align and engage the dental floss holder with the head piece.

A dental floss holder includes an integral interproximal pick having a plurality of outwardly extending nubs. In one embodiment, the dental floss holder includes a handle having a first portion and a second portion. A pair of arms extend from the first portion with a strand of dental floss stretched therebetween. An interproximal pick extends from the second portion. The interproximal pick includes a plurality of nubs that extend outwardly from the pick. The handle, arms and interproximal pick may be a single, integrally molded piece.

A generally horseshoe shaped clear flexible resilient plastic wire-imbedded orthodontic appliance is made with a plastic portion with contours on the lingual side and on the labial side, wherein the contours snugly cover the patient's teeth so that the appliance remains in place. One or more flexible wires are imbedded within the lingual side of the plastic portion from the left molar area to the right molar area of the plastic portion, whereby the wires apply force on the lingual side of the patient's bite. The appliance is formed by obtaining a plaster cast of the patient's teeth and gums, removing plaster teeth from the plaster cast of the gums, reattaching the plaster teeth to the plaster cast of the gums to form a cast of proper bite alignment, attaching one or more wires to the labial surface of the aligned plaster teeth so the wires become imbedded within thermosetting plastic placed over the cast, putting the cast in a thermosetting plastic molding machine, inserting thermosetting plastic in the machine, and heating the thermosetting plastic around the cast of the proper bite alignment, so the wires are imbedded within the formed appliance after the thermosetting plastic cools. A series of appliances may be used to shift a patient's bite to proper bite orientation.

A hygienic container that stores various personal care items in a clean, hygienic, and inconspicuous manner is disclosed. The hygienic container includes an inner compartment accessible by means of a hinged door. The inner compartment has multiple drain holes from which fluids can drain as well as various means for storing personal items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, and charging bases. An opening in the back of the inner compartment allows access for electrical cords used in charging various personal items. One or more surfaces or parts thereof comprise magnets such that magnetic items and / or items that include ferrous metals can be attached thereto. The hygienic container also includes feet that lift the bottom surface off the ground, thereby enabling drainage from and air circulation through the inner compartment. A UV germicidal light turns on after the door is closed to disinfect items contained within the hygienic container.

Dental floss that includes at least one filament made of spider silk.

For carry-on and storage, a combination toothbrush container providing features for selectively venting and sealing a dentifrice dispensing toothbrush for drying bristles and for preventing hardening of toothpaste in the spout opening of the brush head. The toothbrush container consists of a hollow vent-tubing with vent holes near the top and the bottom end, as well as a top vent-cap and a bottom vent-cap. Both vent-caps have corresponding vent holes and can be twisted to open or close the vent holes of the vent-tubing for air circulation or for sealing the toothbrush in the enclosed air environment. Optionally the top vent-cap is attached with a dental floss dispenser having a scissors-like two-blade cutter assembly for automatically severing a dental floss by the closing action of the cutter lid. Besides, the vent-caps may have dual walls for enhancing the sealing function.

A manual advance floss holder which is simple and inexpensive to construct, comfortable to grasp, convenient to use in one hand and presents floss for flossing under uniform and proper tension while protecting the supply of unused floss from contamination including a body with a fork located at its distal end, a floss control mechanism within the body of the manual advance floss holder, a floss control mechanism including supply and take-up reels and means for advancing the floss therebetween under tension, and different compartments within the body for isolating spent and fresh floss.

A dental flossing device includes: (a) a handle having proximal and distal ends, (b) a flosser head extending from the distal end of the handle, the flosser head having a base, two spaced apart arms extending from the base and having distal ends, and a strand of dental floss extending between and secured to the distal ends of the arms, and (c) a hinge connecting the distal end of the handle to the flosser head, the flosser head having a first position generally co-planar with the handle, the flosser head being bendable about the hinge to a second position that is angled relative to the handle, the arms in the first position of the flosser head being spaced apart a first distance, the device including engagement elements for securing the flosser head in the second position and urging the distal ends of the arms to be spaced apart a second distance greater than the first distance to thus stretch the strand of dental floss to be more taut.

A device for the application of light treatment at a body structure is provided. The device could also be referred to as (dental) floss and be used for body structures in an oral cavity. The device distinguishes a container and a filament. The container hosts one or more light sources each capable of delivering a light beam with a unique light treatment. A user could select between the different light sources and / or parameters. The filament is a strand or fiber of a material transparent to the light beam. The filament is optically connected to a light source (or selected light source) such that the light beam could radiate through the filament at a body structure. The filament could be used in direct or not in direct contact with a body surface as long as the light treatment can be applied to the body structure.