601 results about "Dental plaque" patented technology

Techniques and devices for treating atherosclerotic disease use controlled cryogenic cooling, often in combination with angioplasty and/or stenting. A combination cryogenic/angioplasty catheter may cool the diseased blood vessel before, during, and/or after dilation. Controlled cooling of the vessel wall reduces actual/observed hyperplasia as compared to conventional uncooled angioplasty. Similar reductions in restenosis may be provided for other primary treatments of the blood vessel, including directional arthrectomy, rotational arthrectomy, laser angioplasty, stenting, and the like. Cooling of vessel wall tissues will often be performed through plaque, and the cooling process will preferably take the thermodynamic effects of the plaque into account.

A diagnostic oral health care implement and system are provided for use during oral health care activities. The diagnostic oral health care implement has a diagnostic sensor. The diagnostic sensor provides diagnostic measurements in a plurality of formats including the biofilm thickness of dental plaque. The diagnostic oral health care system has a diagnostic oral health care implement and a first data transfer medium. The system optionally has any combination of a second data transfer medium, a network storage device, and a third data transfer medium. The system provides for the collection of diagnostic measurements and transmission of the data into a readable, usable form for the user via an oral health care implement.

Embolic protection and plaque removal apparatus and methods are provided wherein an aspiration device aspirates, filters and reperfuses blood using a closed fluid circuit having a bi-directional working lumen. The plaque removal device includes a plurality of self-expanding cutting elements that form cage that self-centers within the blood vessel to reduce the risk of trauma to the vessel lining.

A set of orthodontic appliances is releasably connected to wall portions of a bonding tray that is used in an indirect bonding procedure. A quantity of dental sealant is applied to wall portions of the tray, and is subsequently transferred to enamel surfaces of the patient s teeth when the bonding tray is placed in position over one of the patient s dental arches. The dental sealant tends to reduce the formation of plaque in regions of the patient s tooth surfaces adjacent the orthodontic appliances.

Apparatus is provided for removing plaque from a blood vessel of a subject, including a catheter shaped to define an opening that is placed in the blood vessel. A pressure source propels a fluid jet through the opening, and a pressure sensor detects a pressure in the blood vessel induced by the jet. A control unit steers the jet in response to the detected pressure. Other embodiments are also described.

A device with a functional tip containing at least one active electrode capable of creating a controlled perforation in body tissue through the application of Radio Frequency (RF) energy is described. The position of the tip of the device can be determined in response to pressure sensed at the tip and determined by a monitor. The device is useful to remove or perforate unwanted tissue in a controlled manner in any location in the body, particularly in the atrial septum for controlled transseptal puncture. In this application, the device is introduced into the right atrium, and the functional tip is then positioned against the atrial septum. Energy is applied to create the perforation and pressure is monitored to determine if the perforation was created in a desired location. Other possible applications include the removal of plaque or thrombotic occlusions from diseased vessels.

The discovery of use of stabilized chlorine dioxide at a concentration range of about 0.5% to about 0.9% (w/v) as a composition for the prevention of oral disease through bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties within a microbial environment is disclosed. The bactericidal properties of stabilized chlorine dioxide are further expanded to include kill of an increased number of anaerobic/aerobic/facultative gram-negative and gram-positive oral bacteria occurring in mixed microbial communities. The further discovery of the bacteriostatic properties of stabilized chlorine dioxide present within a microbial environment which inhibit the re-growth rate of oral bacteria after exposure resulting in significant reduction of plaque and oral malodor production is disclosed. The stabilized chlorine dioxide may be in the form of an oral wash or rinse in solution.

A computer-implemented system and method of intra-oral analysis for measuring plaque removal is disclosed. The system includes hardware for real-time image acquisition and software to store the acquired images on a patient-by-patient basis. The system implements algorithms to segment teeth of interest from surrounding gum, and uses a real-time image-based morphing procedure to automatically overlay a grid onto each segmented tooth. Pattern recognition methods are used to classify plaque from surrounding gum and enamel, while ignoring glare effects due to the reflection of camera light and ambient light from enamel regions. The system integrates these components into a single software suite with an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to do an end-to-end run of a patient record, including tooth segmentation of all teeth, grid morphing of each segmented tooth, and plaque classification of each tooth image.

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.

A plaque tack device for treating atherosclerotic occlusive disease is formed as a thin, annular band of durable, flexible material having a plurality of barbs or anchoring points on its outer periphery for preventing it from being dislodged. The plaque tack may be used with a balloon angioplasty procedure or as a de novo treatment for blood vessel blockage to reopen the vessel lumen for desired blood flow. It has a width that is small relative to its diameter, to minimize the amount of foreign structure placed in the blood vessel. One or more tacks may be applied in positions along a plaque accumulation site as needed to stabilize the site and/or hold pieces of plaque out of the way of blood flow. The barbs of the tack may be pressed into the plaque and/or blood vessel walls by balloon expansion. Related methods of deployment and delivery devices are provided for insertion of the plaque tack in a compressed state into the blood vessel and expanding it back to its annular shape for holding plaque against the blood vessel walls.

A method for treating periodontal disease in the periodontal pocket and for rendering the periodontal pocket resistant to future bacterial infection. After necrotic soft tissue and plaque is removed from the periodontal pocket by debridement, an optical fiber is inserted into the periodontal pocket. Laser emission is transmitted through the optical fiber into the periodontal pocket to substantially eradicate any remaining bacteria in the periodontal pocket and to also render the periodontal pocket resistant to subsequent bacterial infection. Optionally, the optical fiber is inserted into the periodontal pocket prior to debridement and laser radiation is transmitted through the optical fiber into the periodontal pocket and against both the soft and hard tissue. Such laser radiation not only kills bacteria in the periodontal pocket but also loosens the plaque which is typically present on the tooth and desensitizes the area surrounding the periodontal pocket.

An edible and/or chewable article of manufacture containing at least one food grade substance having adsorption affinity towards at least one dental plaque (biofilm) constituent and capable of reducing and/or removing the oral biofilm while present in the mouth. Particular articles of manufacture are chewing gums, sweets, candies, candy, and other nutritional bars, ice creams, chocolates, confectionery and bakery/pastry products, honey, dairy products and beverages, and oral hygiene products such as tooth pastes, oral gels and mouthwashes. A chewing gum having a conventional gum base and at least one food grade active substance having adsorption affinity towards at least one dental plaque (biofilm) constituent (bacteria and proteins and bacterial cell-free enzymes) and capable of reducing and/or removing the oral biofilm while present in the mouth. Active substances include polysaccharides and non-toxic salts thereof, such as alginates, chitosan, carboxymethylcellulose, agar and carrageenan, inorganic substances such as silica, hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate and proteins, particularly gelatin and lectin. The article of manufacture removes and/or for prevents or reduces dental plaque (biofilm), and controlling oral, dental and periodontal diseases.

An improved stent device has a body structure in tubular form sized to an organ lumen in which it is to be used and made of a wire mesh or cage structure of interwoven or interdigitated strut sections, and a plurality of focal elevating elements of relatively small point-like size or vector-like edge in an array over outer surfaces of the wire mesh or strut sections of the stent body structure. The focal elevating elements elevate the wire mesh or strut sections away from and minimize surface area contact with the organ lumen walls. They also reduce contact pressure in regions neighboring the focal elevating elements in order to minimize trauma due to contact or movement against the organ lumen walls. A preferred use for the stent device is in a blood vessel lumen, particularly to retain plaque dissection after balloon angioplasty.

The administration of gaseous nitric oxide as a biocidal moiety is proffered as a de novo treatment in the control and eradication of biofilms. The present invention relates to the use or methods of application of exogenous nitric oxide gas (gNO) as a stand alone biocidal agent or in cohort with any or all adjunct vehicles in the control of biofilms generated by microbial organisms, i.e., bacteria, protozoa, amoeba, fungi etc. Further, the present invention introduces the concept of utilization and methods of application of gaseous nitric oxide in control and eradication of biofilm forming microorganisms. Noteworthy areas of application are offered as examples. They include, and are not limited to, air and/or water heating/cooling distribution systems in facilities such as hospitals and laboratories, surfaces of medical devices, household surfaces, dental plaque, dental and/or medical water treatment lines, industrial pipelines, water treatment and distribution facilities and fluids sterilization. Various specialized delivery apparatus will be designed to facilitate nitric oxide gas administration to each specific unique application.

The invention relates to a dental composition and methods of use of the dental composition. More specifically, the invention relates to a dental composition for an animal wherein the composition comprises algae. The invention also relates to methods of use of the dental composition comprising algae, including methods of reduction of plaque on at least one tooth of an animal.

This invention discloses a teeth whitening candy intended to fill the gap between daily brushing and the need to augment dental hygiene between visits with dental professionals. The candy will enhance the removal of the tartar and plaque, which accumulates after meals. In addition to whitening teeth, the candy will help to dissolve tartar, calculus and stains from the various surfaces of teeth. Although the candy is intended as stand alone product, it will be also useful in maintaining/prolonging the effects of professional whitening procedures.

Strains of Lactobacillus that have been selected for their capability of reducing the number of Streptococcus mutans in the mouth of mammals through inhibiting activity in combination with good binding to the oral mucins and dental plaque, Administering the strains in a product such as food, reduces and treats dental caries. Preferred strains are Lactobacillus reuteri strain ATTC PTA-4965 or Lactobacillus reuteri strain ATTC PTA-4964.