430 results about "Tooth enamel" patented technology

Tooth tissues include the pulp mesenchyme that forms the dentin and an epithelium that is responsible for enamel formation. Cells from these tissues were obtained from porcine third molars and were seeded onto a biodegradable scaffold composed of a polyglycolic acid—polylactic acid copolymer. Cell polymer constructs were then surgically implanted into the omentum of athymic nude rats so that the constructs would have a blood supply and these tissues were allowed to develop inside the rats. Infrequently, columnar epithelial cells were observed as a single layer on the outside of the dentin-like matrix similar to the actual arrangement of ameloblasts over dentin during early tooth development. Developing tooth tissues derived from such cell polymer constructs could eventually be surgically implanted into the gum of an edentulous recipient where the construct would receive a blood supply and develop to maturity, providing the recipient with a biological tooth replacement.

An intra-oral dental irradiation device for use in dental procedures for whitening teeth, imaging teeth, and making impressions of tooth structures of a patient. The device features one or a plurality of LED devices mounted to an arched shaped structure which project light upon or through teeth. In the whitening mode the light of the proper spectrum to activate enamel whitening material is projected. In the imaging mode light projected by the LED devices is received by a charged coupled device which communicates the image of the light passing through the teeth from the LED devices, to a computer. In making dental impressions, the device projects light in a spectrum that provides the catalyst to material that hardens when exposed to that spectrum thereby hardening dental impression material when inserted over the teeth of a patient.

A preparation (10, 11,12,13) to be fixed to a natural tooth part or tooth, in particular for the replacement of a load-bearing tooth part, is for example a filling for a drilled-out tooth (1), a crown, bridge or prosthesis to be placed on a tooth stub, or a tooth pin to be fixed in a tooth root for fastening an artificial tooth, a bridge or a prosthesis. The preparation has surface regions which consist of a material with thermoplastic properties. The preparation (10, 11, 12,13) is designed in a manner such that it has oscillation properties with such low damping losses that for a liquefaction of the material with thermoplastic properties by way of oscillations there are local stress concentrations required, and in a manner such that such stress concentrations only occur in the region of the preparation surface. The preparation is positioned on a suitably prepared natural tooth part in a manner such that the material with the thermoplastic properties is in contact or may be brought into contact with the dentin surface and/or enamel surface. The preparation is then made to mechanically oscillate and is simultaneously pressed against the natural tooth part, whereby the material with the thermoplastic properties is at least partly liquefied and brought into intimate contact with the dentin or enamel surface in a manner such that after solidification it forms a positive fit and/or material fit connection. Teeth restored with such preparations have a high stability and a long life, which in particular is attributed to the fact that the thermoplastic material, in contrast to cements used for the same purpose, shrinks less and has the ability to relieve internal stress by creeping.

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.

The invention provides methods, apparatus and kits for regenerating dental tissue in vivo that are useful for treating a variety of dental conditions, exemplified by treatment of caries. The invention uses tissue scaffold wafers, preferably made of PGA, PLLA, PDLLA or PLGA dimensioned to fit into a hole of corresponding sized drilled into the tooth of subject to expose dental pulp in vivo. In certain embodiments the tissue scaffold wafer further comprises calcium phosphate and fluoride. The tissue scaffold wafer may be secured into the hole with a hydrogel, a cement or other suitable material. Either the wafer or the hydrogel or both contain a morphogenic agent, such as a member encoded by the TGF-β supergene family, that promotes regeneration and differentiation of healthy dental tissue in vivo, which in turn leads to remineralization of dentin and enamel. The tissue scaffold may further include an antibiotic or anti-inflammatory agent.

A method for making a dental implant by obtaining images of the tooth pre-atraumatic tooth extraction and post extraction and using those images to computer generate and mill a titanium replacement implant employing CAD/CAM equipment. The implant includes a scalloped neck interface similar to the replaced tooth's scalloped cementoenamel junction, a polished neck area between a root portion and a crown portion, and the numeral for the tooth number imprinted on the implant's facial surface. Chevron retention fins are provided on the root portion for engaging the bone of the tooth socket or osteotomy when the implant is tapped into position. Retention grooves are provided on the crown portion to which a provisional crown is cemented slightly out of occlusion at the time the implant is placed. The provisional crown will be replaced with a permanent crown after osteointegration of the implant has occurred.

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 orthodontic appliance that is adapted for bonding directly to the enamel surface of a patient's tooth has structure for enhancing placement of the appliance on the tooth surface. The structure facilitates gripping the appliance by a hand instrument so that the appliance does not unduly shift or rock during a bonding procedure. In certain aspects of the invention, the placement enhancement structure comprises one or more protrusions located along sides of the appliance, and optionally some of the protrusions are located within a recess that extends along an occlusal or gingival side of the appliance.

Dental bleaching compositions, for example in the form of liquids, gels, creams, pastes and ointments, comprising a peroxide releasing compound and from 1% to 35% by weight of a potassium-containing compound such as potassium nitrate, wherein the potassium nitrate is present in a safe and effective amount to prevent tooth hypersensitivity in the patient during the bleaching process. The potassium nitrate contemplated by the invention is compatible with peroxide yielding bleaching compounds such as peroxide, carbamide peroxide, calcium peroxide, zinc peroxide, magnesium peroxide and sodium perborate. Potassium nitrate is complimentary and synergistic with the peroxide bleaching agents contemplated by the invention and enhances the release of oxygen to the tooth enamel. Also contemplated are methods of bleaching teeth comprising application of the dental bleaching compositions of the invention.

Methods and systems for detecting early stage dental caries and decays are provided. In particular, in an embodiment, laser-induced autofluorescence (AF) from multiple excitation wavelengths is obtained and analyzed. Endogenous fluorophores residing in the enamel naturally fluoresce when illuminated by wavelengths ranging from ultraviolet into the visible spectrum. The relative intensities of the AF emission changes between different excitation wavelengths when the enamel changes from healthy to demineralized. By taking a ratio of AF emission spectra integrals between different excitation wavelengths, a standard is created wherein changes in AF ratios within a tooth are quantified and serve as indicators of early stage enamel demineralization. The techniques described herein may be used in conjunction with a scanning fiber endoscope (SFE) to provide a reliable, safe and low-cost means for identifying dental caries or decays.

The invention provides a self etching adhesive dental primer composition, a method of use of the primer composition and a product formed from the primer. The dental product is formed from the primer composition which includes water, surfactant and polymerizable material in suspension in the water. The polymerizable material includes monomers which are water immiscible. Preferably the monomers have an average molecular weight less than 1000. The primer composition is used by applying the composition to unetched dental tooth enamel and the polymerizable material is polymerized to form a dental product having adhesion to the enamel of more than 13 MPa. Improved surfactants which contain at least one ethenically unsaturated polymerizable group are provided in accordance with the invention. Surfactants of the present invention copolymerize with and become an integral part of any polymerizable resin matrix in which they are incorporated. This prevents migration of the surfactant through the matrix or slow leaching-out through the interfaces, and brings advantages of biocompatibility and stability of the physical properties of the cured matrix. In addition, the surfactant becomes a permanent part of the matrix, and forms part components of the matrix.

A nonaqueous gel composition for tooth whitening, comprising: (A) tooth whitening ingredient having a relative permittivity of 17.0 to 43.0 (at 25° C.) and a vapor pressure of 0 to 7000 kPa (at 25° C.), (B) substance that is soluble in the tooth whitening ingredient and is precipitated by an aqueous solution of calcium chloride, and (C) gelling agent, which nonaqueous gel composition contains substantially none of water and peroxide. This tooth whitening component can penetrate into the enamel surface layer of teeth to thereby alter the optical properties, such as refractive index and reflectance, of the enamel so that the enamel is apparently whitened. The whitened teeth can be restored to the original tooth color in a reversible manner in the presence of water. Further the persistence of reversible whitening effect can be strikingly enhanced by the nonaqueous gel composition.

The present invention relates to a dry type tooth whitening patch comprising peroxide as a tooth whitening agent. In particular, disclosed is a dry type tooth whitening patch in which a peroxide is contained, as a teeth whitening agent, in a matrix type adhesive layer. The adhesive layer includes, as a base polymer thereof, a hydrophilic glass polymer which provides a strong adhesion to teeth while releasing the tooth whitening agent when hydrated on the enamel layers of teeth in the moist oral cavity. The dry type patch according to the present invention is convenient in use, as compared to wet type patches. Further, it exhibits a superior adhesion while being maintained in a state attached to the teeth for a lengthened period of time so as to assure an enough contact time between the whitening agent in the patch and stains on the teeth, thereby giving a sufficient whitening effect.

A composition for whitening teeth being an anhydrous mixture of a polyol carrier material, a stabilized oxidizing agent, and a surfactant, the mixture having a viscosity sufficient to adhere to moistened tooth enamel while being substantially free of water soluble thickener, said anhydrous mixture being substantially shelf stable due to the absence of water, and wherein said mixture when applied to moistened tooth enamel oxidizes organic compounds without gel blocking A method for mixing such a composition is also shown.

According to one embodiment, an apparatus for removing enamel from a person's tooth includes a blade portion and a handle portion. The blade portion includes an abrasive surface adapted to remove enamel from the tooth in response to reciprocating movement of the abrasive surface against the enamel of the tooth. The handle portion is coupled to the blade portion, has a substantially solid cross-section, and is adapted to be inserted into a corresponding opening in a driver mechanism that is adapted to drive reciprocating movement of the blade portion to provide the reciprocating movement of the abrasive surface.

A flexible strip of a polymeric material having a plurality of apertures with raised peripheral portions for use to remove plaque, debris, and stains from interproximal surfaces and contact areas of the teeth without damaging tooth enamel. The polymeric material may be formed into apertured strips by means of a laser. The flexible strips have raised edges and raised peripheral shapes extending from both sides of the strip.

A probe comprising two spaced electrodes is provided between which electrical resistance through enamel, dentine or tooth tissue is measured. The electrodes comprise inner and outer coaxial electrodes spaced by an insulating layer. The diameter of the probe is preferably 1 mm. The tip of the probe may be shaped to match the surface being measured. The signal from the probe is A to D converted for analysis. The rate of change of resistance gives a measure of the rate of change of moisture level (porosity). The porosity is related to tooth sensitivity and so the system can provide an objective measurement of tooth sensitivity.

An endodontic file (200) is provided particularly adapted for the removal of tooth structure, decayed or damaged nerve tissues or dentine material on the interior walls of a root canal or dentine and/or enamel from the external tooth wall. The endodontic instrument includes a shaft (202) having a shank portion (204) and a generally elongated working portion (206). The working portion preferably includes cutting or abrading features (232) adapted upon rotation and/or reciprocation of the instrument to cut, abrade or remove tissue from the interior walls of a root canal or dentine and/or enamel from the external tooth wall. The working portion extends from a proximal end (207) adjacent the shank portion to a distal end (208) terminating at a tip (250). The entire instrument and/or at least the working portion thereof is formed of an amorphous or essentially amorphous material having no or essentially no detectable crystalline structure and/or from a nanocrystalline material having an average crystalline grain size less than about 1 μm. The instrument may be formed by conventional grinding operations or by direct casting, forging or molding, in a manner producing an integral as-molded instrument having one or more sharp cutting edges. The instrument is inexpensive to manufacture and exhibits improved cutting-edge sharpness, wear resistance, lubriciousness and resistance to breakage.

A borate bioactive glass is described, and may be used in the form of particles in an acidic mixture to form a borate bioactive glass paste. The borate bioactive glass paste may be used for the restoration of dentin and enamel on a tooth surface by the precipitation of calcium phosphate. The borate bioactive glass may also be used as a bone grafting material.

The provision of dental restorations can be improved by generating a cold atmospheric plasma inside the mouth of the patient and then applying that cold atmospheric plasma onto a dental restoration site. The dental restoration site can be composed of either or both of dentin and enamel. Further, the provision of dental restorations can also be improved by introducing a dental adhesive onto a dental restoration site and treating it with a cold atmospheric plasma.

A tooth whitening delivery system including a single-dose applicator and a liquid, substantially anhydrous tooth whitener composition of predetermined viscosity contained in said applicator for delivery of a tooth-whitening amount of active whitening ingredient from said applicator onto teeth, with effective bioadhesion and retention thereof, and, thereupon, sufficient penetration of said ingredient through the tooth enamel providing efficacious bleaching of stained teeth, comprising, by weight,

(a) 10% to 75% of a complex which is (i) a mixture of 78 to 90% of water soluble polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) having K-values of K-12 to K-120 and (ii) 10 to 22% of H₂O₂; releasing 1 to 20% of active H₂O₂ from said complex onto a tooth surface; (b) 0 to 20% of PVP K-60 to K-90, said PVP being present in said composition at a K-value of the PVP in said complex of less than 30, and/or the amount of PVP therein is less than 20%, and (c) 30 to 90% of a substantially anhydrous solvent, said composition having a Brookfield viscosity of 75 to 300 cps, an in vitro bioadhesion/retention on hydroxyapatite (HAP) of at least 10% after 5 minutes while immersed in water, and a bleaching efficacy defined by ΔE values of at least 5 in the CIE (L*a*b*) color scale.