Abstract: Instruments and associated methods for performing endodontic treatment and that demand less time and fatigue onto the dentists and patients, while presenting the following accomplishments: debride the root canals in three dimensions and performing the optimal treatment; shape the root canals to facilitate the irrigation; these instruments are resistant to breakage and pressure while operating at high speed and torque; the instruments are capable of bypassing most obstacles, broken files, hypercalcification, curved roots canals, shoulders, and residual resistant pastes; and they present an alternative to arduous and expensive surgeries like endodontic or implant surgeries. As a result, they prevent fractures and procedural errors in making false canals or perforations of the root canals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a denture base having a plurality of tooth socket compartments where one or more of the tooth socket compartments comprises a convex surface configured in step-like structure, and one or more prominences on the step-like structure. The invention further relates to a dental prosthesis including the denture base, at least one bonding agent, and a plurality of artificial teeth. Artificial teeth are bonded within tooth socket compartments such that each artificial tooth can rest upon the top of each prominence in the tooth socket compartment, maintaining a predetermined amount of bonding agent between the artificial tooth and the denture base. The denture base and dental prosthesis of the invention can better address the need for easier, more efficient and reliable set-up of artificial teeth in a denture base, and ensuring more consistent and predictable bonding of artificial teeth in a denture base.

Abstract: The present invention provides dental amalgam recycling systems, useful for recycling particles from a dental liquid effluent drawn, for example, from a suctioning device.

Abstract: A method for representing a tooth position under biting forces includes creating first surface data of a portion(s) of a maxilla tooth row and second surface data of an opposing portion(s) of a mandible tooth row, producing a digital surface model from the surface data, creating a data record which includes outer surface data of teeth lying in the portions of the maxilla tooth row and the mandible tooth row in a centric occlusion under biting forces, defining registration regions in the maxilla and mandible in the outer surface data which are not exposed to any force in the centric occlusion, registering the surface data on the outer surface data based on the registration regions, ascertaining movements of individual teeth outside of the registration regions from the outer surface data, transforming the movements ascertained into the surface data, and creating a modified digital surface model under consideration of the movements.

Abstract: There is provided a hair fastener in the form of a hair claw. The hair fastener has a first claw member, a second claw member and an elongate block. Each of the first and second claws is provided with a front portion, a rear portion and a joint portion arranged in between, the rear portions of the first and second claw members acting as a pair of handles for controlling opening or closure of the hair fastener. In one embodiment, the front region of the elongate block includes a plurality of tension cables, and a clearance is provided between the tension cables and the rear region such that the tension cables and the rear region can operate independently of each other.

Abstract: A method for representing a change in a tooth position includes creating a volume data record of an initial position of teeth in a maxilla or mandible and ascertaining teeth boundaries therefrom. A surface data record is created following a real or virtual change in the tooth position. The surface data record includes surface data of the teeth and/or parts of the volume data record of the jaw in an altered tooth position. The surface data record is referenced with the volume data record via a reference structure. The change in the tooth position in the volume data record is transformed to align teeth boundaries with the surface data of corresponding teeth from the surface data record to move tooth structures contained in the volume data record and concealed under a surface. An altered volume record with the change in the tooth position is then outputted for representation purposes.

Abstract: A 3D scanner system for detecting and/or visualizing cariogenic regions in teeth based on fluorescence emitted from said teeth, the 3D scanner system including data processing means configured for mapping a representation of fluorescence emitted from the teeth onto the corresponding portion of a digital 3D representation of the teeth to provide a combined digital 3D representation.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device having a circuit. The circuit includes at least one boost converter receiving power from an energy source, a square wave driver in series with the boost converter, an inductor in series with the square wave driver for converting a square wave to a sinusoidal wave, and a piezoelectric transducer in series with the inductor, the piezoelectric transducer connectable to a load. The device further includes a phase-locked loop coupled to the circuit to determine a resonance frequency of the piezoelectric transducer when the piezoelectric transducer is connected to the load.

Abstract: An implant-supported denture placement and alignment system may include a denture apparatus. The denture apparatus may have a denture base and a denture base positioning system. The denture base may be connectable to implants. Moreover, the denture base positioning system may position the denture base in substantially the same position as a surgical guide used to place the implants. In this manner, the denture apparatus may be positioned so that it is mountable to the implants placed according to the surgical guide following their placement in a patient's mouth. In this manner, variations in the placement of the implants arising during the process of installing the implants may be compensated by transferring the actual implant positioning to the denture apparatus when it is positioned by the denture base positioning system.

Abstract: Orthodontic appliances and systems are provided. In some embodiments, an orthodontic appliance for repositioning a patient's teeth includes a first shell section shaped to receive a first portion of the patient's teeth and a first discontinuity formed on the first shell section, and a second shell section shaped to receive a second portion of the patient's teeth and a second discontinuity formed on the second shell section. The orthodontic appliance can also include a first elastic member coupled to the first shell section, such that the first elastic member interacts with the first discontinuity to exert a first force on the first portion of the patient's teeth. The orthodontic appliance can also include a second elastic member coupled to the second shell section, such that the second elastic member interacts with the second discontinuity to exert a second force on the second portion of the patient's teeth.

Abstract: A claw type or octopus type hair clip includes a first side, a second side, a hinge pin that pivotally couples the first side to the second side, and a lock that prevents the first side and the second side from undesirably pivoting to an open arrangement. The hair clip may include features, such as tabs that may be pressed together, that release the lock to enable the hair clip to be opened and placed over an object, such as an individual's hair. When lock-releasing features are released, the lock engages, enabling the first side and second side of the hair clip to be pivotally closed while preventing the first side and second side from pivotally opening.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to adding customized cut line information to a shell that is to be formed over mold of a dental arch. In one embodiment, a processing device generates or receives a digital three-dimensional model of a mold for a dental arch of a patient. The processing device determines a cut line for a shell that is to be formed over the mold for the dental arch of the patient. The processing device then supplements the digital three-dimensional model by adding an auxiliary structure to the digital three-dimensional model, wherein the auxiliary structure comprises at least one of an elevation or a depression that extends along the cut line in the digital three-dimensional model, wherein the auxiliary structure will cause the shell formed over the mold to have an impression of the auxiliary structure that identifies the cut line.

Abstract: Aspects described herein pertain to restoring damaged portions of tooth or bone using plasma mediated deposition. In an embodiment, a biocompatible carrier gas is ionized to form a biocompatible atmospheric plasma stream. Restoration material, such as nano-scale powdered hydroxyapatite, is introduced into the plasma stream, which is then applied to a damaged portion of a bone or tooth. The restoration material is deposited on the damaged portion of the bone or tooth, thus restoring a shape and mechanical integrity of the bone or tooth.

Abstract: A cap part (1) placed on an interface (100) or on an attachment to act jointly as a scanning post. The cap part has a cavity (2) for housing at least one cylindrical portion (101) with a circular base of the interface or of the attachment. The cap part is configured by a single body having an upper portion (11) formed by a solid head (3) without holes or notches, and a lower portion (12) provided with a longitudinal blind hole forming the cavity (2). The blind hole has a retaining segment (4), the inner wall of which is partially or entirely formed by a concave, cylindrical retaining surface (40) with an elliptical or oval-shaped base for retaining by embedding an essentially cylindrical portion (101) of the interface (100) or of the attachment.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance can include a shell having a plurality of cavities shaped to receive a patient's teeth is disclosed. The orthodontic appliance may comprise an interior surface and an exterior surface, and an elastic coating covering at least a portion of one or more of the interior surface or exterior surface of the shell. A stiffness of a portion of the orthodontic appliance corresponding to the portion of the shell covered by the elastic coating can be determined by a stiffness of the elastic coating.

Abstract: An endodontic file, for manual or motor driven use by an endodontist, includes a color-coded handle, a shank, and a serrated cutting edge. The cutting edge of the endodontic file is side-cutting with pyramidal teeth and ends in a pointed tip. The endodontic file is used manually inside the root canal in an “up and down” axially aligned motion and these pyramidal teeth will provide a ripping action. A second type of endodontic file has a curved cross section and a sharpened tip. with pyramidal teeth lining the edges of curved blade section. A third type of endodontic file has a flat debriding side which tapers to a point; with a series of adjacent 3-D pyramids emerging from this surface for removing loose material or in urging already loosened material from a root canal.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides method, systems, and devices for expanding arch of teeth. A device for expanding an arch of teeth of a patient can include a removable shell formed of a first material having a number of cavities formed therein. The number of cavities are shaped to receive teeth of a patient. A device for expanding an arch of teeth of a patient can include an arch element extending from the removable shell in a lingual direction and across an arch width of the removable shell. The arch element can be formed of the first material and a second material that is a different material than the first material, can be designed to expand an arch of the teeth of the patient, and can have a width specific to a stage of a treatment plan.

Abstract: A trans-illuminative intraoral diagnostic lighting system includes a housing containing at least one LED and has a removable light diffusing positioning apparatus attached to it that facilitates proper positioning of the housing within the oral cavity of a person behind their teeth. When the LED(s) is/are activated, the oral cavity is illuminated and light passes through the teeth making their internal structures visible outside the oral cavity. A retractor may be used to retract the cheeks and lips to allow full exposure of the teeth and a camera may be employed to photograph the teeth from outside the oral cavity.

Abstract: A method of operating an intraoral scanner. The intraoral scanner includes an image capturing device and a processor. The method includes the image capturing device sequentially capturing M images along a first dental arch, the processor establishing a first arch model of the first dental arch according to the M images, the image capturing device sequentially capturing N images along a straight-line path from a first anchor to a second anchor on the first dental arch, the processor generating first coordinates of the first anchor and second coordinates of the second anchor according to the N images, and the processor calibrating the first arch model according to the first coordinates and the second coordinates. The first anchor is located at one side of a dental midline of the first dental arch. The second anchor is located at the other side of the dental midline of the first dental arch.

Abstract: The present invention includes apparatuses and methods for making a final hybrid prosthesis to be attached to one or more dental implants. One preferred method includes the step of making a temporary hybrid prosthesis and at about the same time also making a duplicate temporary hybrid prosthesis. The duplicate temporary hybrid prosthesis permits the final hybrid prosthesis to be made with fewer visits to a restorative dentist and with less dental laboratory time than is currently needed when making a final hybrid prosthesis.