Patents Examined by Nicholas Lucchesi
  • Patent number: 10314671
    Abstract: An apparatus for endodontic treatment, used for cleaning and/or abrading a root canal using at least one angled fluid jet. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a nozzle that is shaped to create one or more angled fluid jets, for example including an internal cone and an external cone. In some embodiments, the flow of fluid advances along a root canal wall for removal of soft tissue such as nerve tissue, pulp tissue, and/or debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Fluidfile Ltd.
    Inventors: Amnon Lifshitz, Yehuda Darshan
  • Patent number: 10299890
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dental wedge and system comprising a dental wedge and a tool. The dental wedge includes a spherical gripping portion at an end, which provides surfaces extending generally transverse relative to a longitudinal axis of the dental wedge. A tool is configured to engaged with the spherical gripping portion so that a user may manipulate the tool in order to manipulate the dental wedge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Erskine Products Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Craig Mathew Erskine-Smith
  • Patent number: 10271931
    Abstract: Dental systems and methods related to impressionless dental modeling. A dental modeling system includes a dental model base and a mounting plate. The dental model base includes a plate support surface and a plurality of pin receiving apertures formed in the support surface. The mounting plate includes a plate portion positioned on the plate support surface and a plurality of pins extending into the pin receiving apertures to provide removable attachment of the mounting plate to the dental model base. The plate portion includes a model support surface configured to support a model of a person's teeth. The model may be formed directly on the model support surface using an impressionless technique. The model may be formed separately using an impressionless technique and then bonded to the model support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Inventor: Ronald E. Huffman
  • Patent number: 10251727
    Abstract: A method and system for producing a dental implant surgical guide is disclosed. A patient-specific virtual model is generated using image data specific to a patient and virtual dental implants. The virtual model aligns the image data with the virtual dental implants using modeling software. A virtual mold is generated from the virtual model, and a physical mold is generated from the virtual mold. The physical mold is covered with a thermoplastic sheet via a thermoforming process. Excess thermoplastic material is trimmed off after the thermoforming process to produce a thermoformed piece. Metal tubes corresponding to each the virtual dental implants are placed onto the physical mold denoting the position, trajectory, and depth of the one or more virtual dental implants. A dental implant surgical guide that contains the thermoformed piece with the one or more tubes is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: ANATOMAGE INC.
    Inventors: Woncheol Choi, Jia Leung Mar
  • Patent number: 10238296
    Abstract: Disclosed is a 3D scanner system for detecting and/or visualizing cariogenic regions in teeth based on fluorescence emitted from the teeth, said 3D scanner system including a data processor 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: 3SHAPE A/S
    Inventors: Mike Van Der Poel, Karl-Josef Hollenbeck
  • Patent number: 10231810
    Abstract: A dental irradiation device comprises a first light emitting unit for emitting blue light adapted for light hardening of a dental material. The device further comprises a second light emitting unit and an image sensing unit which are adapted for cooperation with each other for simultaneous illumination and image capturing. The device facilitates hardening of dental materials and provides, inter alia, additional diagnostic functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jens Gramann, Stefan K. Welke, Thomas Müeller, Korbinian Schepke-Gerlach, Ralf Kelz, Karin Watzek, Manfred Harre, Rudolf Schmid
  • Patent number: 10231811
    Abstract: A teeth whitening device and method are presented. The teeth whitening device is configured for controllable application of AC activation signal to a regular toothpaste contacting teeth under treatment, thereby providing relatively short and effective whitening process while avoiding a need for strong oxidizing agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: BRIGHTTONIX MEDICAL LTD.
    Inventor: Genady Nahshon
  • Patent number: 10220221
    Abstract: A dental device for treating dental infection includes a dental cast comprising at least one groove to receive teeth and/or gums of a dental arch of the patient; and at least one light diffusing fiber arranged on the dental cast around the at least one groove. The dental device is used in a photodynamic therapeutic system, in which a light source instrument emits light onto a photosensitizer applied in mouth of the patient. The dental device is optically coupled to the light source instrument. The light for treating dental infection of the patient is transmitted by the at least one light diffusing fiber of the dental device and activates the photosensitizer to produce free radicals or oxidants to destroy the bacteria and microbes causing dental disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Olighter Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Ching Wu
  • Patent number: 10206767
    Abstract: The invention relates to a temporary dental prosthesis for determining abrasion facets, having at least one prosthetic tooth, in which at least the occlusion surface of the prosthetic tooth or at least one of the prosthetic teeth is made of a material that is abradable such that, within a maximum of 12 weeks of use as a dental prosthesis by a patient, abrasion facets are produced on the prosthetic teeth and are suitable for ascertaining the chewing movements of the jaw of the patient. The invention also relates to a method for determining the chewing movement of a set of teeth from measured abrasion facets, in which a temporary dental prosthesis made of an abradable material is inserted in a patient, and to a method for producing a final dental prosthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Heraeus Kulzer GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Boehm, Matthias Funk
  • Patent number: 10206483
    Abstract: A cosmetic case according to the present invention for selectively receiving miniature cosmetic items includes a lower case portion having a bottom wall and a continuous side wall extending upwardly from a perimeter edge of the bottom wall, the lower case having an open top and defining an interior area. The cosmetic case includes an upper case portion pivotally coupled to a rear section of the side wall of the lower case portion and being selectively movable between open and closed configurations. A front section of the side wall defines a plurality of apertures configured to selectively receive the tubular cosmetic items into the interior area. The cosmetic case includes a spring loaded assembly configured to naturally urge the cosmetic items out of the interior area. A magnetic shelf in the lower case portion configured to support magnetic cosmetic receptacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Inventor: Reena Gajjar
  • Patent number: 10201398
    Abstract: Devices and methods for dispensing material from a dental handpiece. In one example, the method includes receiving an input that indicates that an amount of the material is to be dispensed from the container of the dental handpiece. The method also includes rotating an electric motor to rotate an imbalanced mass to vibrate a vibration transmission element that vibrates the material in the container. The method also includes dispensing the amount of the material from the container with a piston based on the input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignees: Kaltenbach & Voigt GmbH, KaVo Dental Technologies, LLC, Kerr Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Aaron Fisher, Robert Thomas St. Louis, Gopikrishnan Soundararajan, Matteo Riccardo Bosisio, Michael Carl Dunaway
  • Patent number: 10195007
    Abstract: A drill burr includes a channel, extending along a longitudinal axis of the drill burr, and fluidically connected to a water reservoir for providing a constant-flow liquid jet. The constant-flow liquid jet has a first pressure directed at the bone along the longitudinal axis of the drill burr. A pressure sensor senses a pressure change in the liquid jet from the first pressure to a second pressure. A signal processing unit is configured to translate the pressure change into information indicating a structural change in the bone along the drilling path, from a first structure to a second structure, corresponding respectively to the first pressure and the second pressure. Optionally, the signal processing unit generates an audio alarm notifying of the structural changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Inventors: Mohsen Ahmadi, Arash Khojasteh, Mohammad Esmaeelinejad, Seyed Farzad Aghdashi
  • Patent number: 10199202
    Abstract: Provided are a plasma irradiation apparatus and plasma irradiation method capable of converting a silica precursor to a high quality silica film in a short time without thermal effects on the object being processed. This plasma irradiation apparatus 1 is provided with a plasma-generating unit 12 and an irradiation unit 80 for irradiating the plasma generated by the plasma-generating unit 12 on an object to be processed, and is characterized in that irradiation unit 80 comprises a coating part 85 capable of coating a liquid on the object being processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Oral 28 Inc.
    Inventors: Toyohiko Shindo, Yumino Genba, Masuji Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10188485
    Abstract: Disclosed are a detachable dental appliance which is outstandingly durable and can protect the teeth from clenching and bruxism and a fabricating method therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION GROUP OF KYUNG HEE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Seong Hun Kim, Hyee-woong Kim
  • Patent number: 10188488
    Abstract: A dental restoration system is disclosed. A dental restoration system includes an implant, retention component, dental component and driver tool. The retention component is seatable in a retention chamber of the implant. The retention component includes a driver section for interfacing with a driving head of the driver tool and a dental component engagement section with a threaded surface. The dental component includes a retention component interface surface with threads. The dental component engages the retention component via the threaded surface interlocking with the threads of the retention component interface surface when the dental component is inserted in the implant. The driver tool is used to rotate the retention component to engage the dental component apically. The retention component contacts the retention component wall and the dental component contacts an annular shoulder of the implant when the dental component is fully attached to the implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Biomet 3I, LLC
    Inventors: Miguel G Montero, Zachary B Suttin, David Rebollar
  • Patent number: 10188770
    Abstract: A dental implant and a method for manufacturing same which assure early stability and fixation power of an implant by suppressing early osteolysis after an implant procedure, and allowing better bone coherence of the implant surface during an osteogenic period by controlling the speed of bone remodeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: OSSTEMIMPLANT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Su Kyoung Kim, Eun Jung Kang, Ju Dong Song, Tae Gwan Eom, Kyoo Ok Choi
  • Patent number: 10182888
    Abstract: A fastening system (100) for a dental implant (30) comprising a ball shaped portion (31), wherein the fastening system (100) comprises a body (12) having a seat (10, 20) forming a cavity. The fastening system is characterized in that the body (12) comprises at least two parts (10a, 10b, 20a, 20b) together forming the seat (10, 20). The parts (10a, 10b, 20a, 20b) are arranged such that the seat (10, 20) can engage around the ball shaped portion (31) of the dental implant (30) and in that the seat (10, 20) is movable between a first position in which the parts (10a, 10b, 20a, 20b) are allowed to move relative each other, and a second position in which the parts (10a, 10b, 20a, 20b) are prevented from moving relative each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Addbutment Dental AB
    Inventors: Bo Ekström, Christian Lauridsen
  • Patent number: 10179035
    Abstract: Direct 3D-printed orthodontic aligners with torque, rotation, and full-control anchors are provided. In an implementation, an orthodontic system uses 3D-printed aligners to perform orthodontic treatment of teeth. Manufacturing the aligners by 3D-printing or additive manufacturing processes imparts novel geometries to the aligners for applying torque, rotation, and full 3D control forces to the teeth in novel ways. The 3D-printed aligners may contain multiple different plastic or metal materials with different orthodontic properties. In an implementation, divot anchors can be strategically applied to teeth to work in conjunction with a 3D-printed aligner fitted over the divot anchors and teeth. The divot anchors may include a depression, channel, groove, or notch providing an attachment point for the aligner to apply a force to the tooth through the divot anchor, such as a torque, rotational force, leverage, push, pull, or 3D control force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Real 3D Polymers Group LLC
    Inventors: Prasanna-Kumar Shivapuja, Dinesh Shah, Nidhi Shah, Sureshkumar Shah
  • Patent number: 10179036
    Abstract: Disclosed is an archwire with a varied cross section which is formed integrally with a hook. The archwire includes a customized archwire body corresponding to a setup model of patient's teeth, and the hook which is formed integrally with the archwire body. The archwire body is formed in such a way that at least one region has a cross section different from that of another region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Inventor: Jong Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 10172689
    Abstract: A pulp chamber dental spacer constructed of cold water soluble material, which may include portions of polyvinyl alcohol, to protect the pupal floor of a pulp chamber from a drilled hole following a root canal treatment or procedure. The spacer may be spherical or cubical in shape and that protects the pupal floor by providing a solid “space” for a practitioner to feel the end of a temporary filing such that the drill does not descend to and possibly damage the sensitive pupal floor. The dissolvable material preferably is non-linting, thereby providing for complete removal and preventing the “wicking” of contaminated salivary fluids and causing coronal damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: SOUTHERN ARIZONA ENDODONTICS, P.C.
    Inventors: Tung Bui, Thomas R. Kramkowski