Abstract: Systems and methods for mixing an oral care formulation base with one or more oral care additives in-situ. In one aspect, the invention can be a method of making an oral care formulation for consumer use, the method comprising: a) providing a first dose of an oral care formulation base to an oral cavity of a test subject; b) dispensing one or more oral care additives to the oral cavity in accordance with a first dispensing regimen during the performance of step a), the one or more oral care additives mixing with the first dose of the oral care formulation base in-situ within the oral cavity of the test subject; c) obtaining feedback regarding effects experienced by the test subject during the performance of step b); and d) creating the oral care formulation for consumer use based, at least in part, on the feedback of step c).

Abstract: A dental implant and final prosthetic placement system for small-diameter implants (and method for using the system) in which a final prosthetic is digitally designed and created, and is itself used as the drill guide to place the implants. The final prosthetic is held in the predetermined proper drilling position by a stent, such as an occlusal guard. The combination of final prosthetic (with holes through which the small-diameter implants are drilled to secure it) and the stent encasing the final prosthetic, is itself the drill guide.

Abstract: An orthodontic self-ligating bracket for orthodontic treatment of maloccluded teeth. The bracket includes a bracket body, a bracket door, and a spring mechanism retained by the bracket door. The bracket body has a base on the bottom side of the bracket body that is contoured to attach to a surface of a tooth, a bracket slot on the top side of the bracket body extending in a mesiodistal direction and configured to releasably retain an archwire, and a bracket groove on the top side of the bracket body extending in an occlusogingival direction towards the bracket slot. The spring mechanism includes one or more springs that are configured to contact the bracket door and the bracket body. The bracket door can thus be retained by and slidably engage the bracket body between an open position and a closed position. One or more additional active spring members may also be provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a preliminary guide including an impression resin and a guide tray. The guide tray includes an impression resin accommodation part, a jig fastening part, a protective cover part, and a grip part.

Abstract: Example dental scanning methods for analyzing jaws of a patient involve taking multiple scans of the jaws, and/or models thereof, and then shifting the image of one scan to match that of another. In some examples, fiducial markers are attached to the patient's jaws beforehand to accurately identify and track the relative position of the jaws. The methods provide a way for creating a precise image of an upper jaw and a lower jaw in their proper bite registration, even though the resulting image may show an insufficient number of teeth to readily do so. The final, properly shifted image serves as a virtual 3D jaw model that can be manipulated and analyzed to aid in various orthodontic and other dental treatments.

Abstract: A dental implant guiding tool set and a dental implant guiding sleeve thereof are disclosed. The dental implant guiding tool set includes a handpiece, a dental implant guiding sleeve and a tooth mold fastening device. The dental implant guiding sleeve includes a handpiece head guiding hole disposed axially and corresponding to a shape of the handpiece head of the handpiece, a lateral opening disposed on a side of the handpiece head guiding hole and corresponding to a connection handle of the handpiece. The dental implant guiding sleeve can directly guide the handpiece head of the handpiece, to prevent the dental implant guiding sleeve from directly contacting the drill bit mounted on the handpiece. Therefore, a conventional drill bit can be directly used for a guiding dental implant operation, and the minimal required operation space of the dental implant guiding tool set can be reduced.

Abstract: Protrusions or holes with jagged edges formed on the lingual side of invisible aligner trays are provided. The protrusions or holes irritate the tongue causing it to retract away from the incisors thus eliminating intruding force otherwise exerted by the tongue. A clear corrugated material is provided which is suited for making the aligner trays having the protrusions which otherwise would be difficult with standard thick material used. The lingual side protrusions are added by computer to the impressions taken from a patient's teeth such that the protrusions are formed on the dental model used to make the aligner trays.

Abstract: The orthodontic appliance includes a spread plate for spreading location of right and left molars of an upper dentition portion by spreading right and left plate portions, and the right and left plate portions include plate body portions arranged respectively on the sides of the molars of the upper dentition portion and the engagement portions extending from the plate body portions to the positions each facing the vicinity of the front teeth of the upper dentition portion, and the engagement portions are configured to be engaged with the lower front teeth when the upper dentition portion and a lower dentition portion are engaged with each other.

Abstract: A dental attachment assembly is provided, including an abutment member and a male member. The abutment member may include an outer locating surface portion having at least two axially spaced retention portions having two generally rounded, annular projections. The male member for engagement over the outer locating surface of the abutment member may include an upper end and a continuous, unbroken skirt having a rounded, convex outer surface. The male member may be constructed from a rigid material and have at least two axially spaced, snap engaging formations on the inner surface of the skirt for snap engagement with the respective retention portions of the abutment member.

Abstract: A cover device formed of a plastic or similar composition is structured for removable attachment over a bracket of an orthodontic appliance to conceal the bracket from view. The cover device includes a main plate with an outer front face, and top and bottom claws integrally formed with the main plate, curling behind the main plate, and each terminating at distal ends in spaced, opposing relation to each other behind the main plate. The front face includes an ornamental design or other indicia that is applied by polymer fusion technology to significantly reduce the risk of exposing the user to inks and pigment compositions, particularly if the cover device is accidentally swallowed. The application of the indicia by polymer fusion technology also increases the structural integrity of the cover device; mechanically strengthening the cover device at its point of greatest flexure.

Abstract: Methods for generating and providing a full arch prosthesis from a pre-existing prosthesis are presented, starting from the pre-existing prosthesis. This prosthesis is removed from the mouth, scanned, and replaced within the mouth. An intermediate prosthesis is generated from the scan, and modified to match a final physiological target configuration of the patient's mouth. The intermediate prosthesis is used to generate a final virtual representation of the target configuration, from which final virtual representation the final working prosthesis is fabricated. The intermediate prosthesis is mounted in the patient's mouth in sections, for desirable repositioning, sections then being bonded together. Copings can be digitally subtracted to enable press fit new copings to be installed. Alternatively, the intermediate prosthesis can include integrated false copings. The intermediate prosthesis is scanned to generate a final digital model or virtual representation of the desired final prosthesis.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to tools, systems and methods for recontouring/reshaping gum tissue by engaging a consumable tip on a dental hand tool to abrade/ablate excess or mal-contoured gum tissue to allow better visualization of the tooth/implant structure and reduce the periodontal pockets to provide improved access for cleaning. In some embodiments, the dental hand tool may use vibrational movement, longitudinal reciprocating movement, rotational movement, reciprocating rotational movement, or a combination of any of the above movement schemes. In some embodiments, a consumable tip may be directed for cleaning tooth/implant surfaces and for recontouring/reshaping gum tissue.

Abstract: The specification discloses a dental curing light including 1) a light engine, 2) a coaxially aligned, camera-based viewing system, and 3) a control system providing a variety of safety features and simplified, operator-friendly operation. The camera's field of view (FOV) is coaxial with the centerline of the curing beam of the light engine. The curing light includes a multi-planar dichroic mirror (MDM) providing viewing and light beam direction aligned with the target. The MDM provide multiple images to the camera from different angles. The camera provides real-time measurement of light intensity reflected back from the targeted surface. Using the multiple image portions reflected by the multi-planar dichroic mirror, the control system computes the distance between the curing light and the target. The reflected intensity and the calculated distance enable the control system to compute a light engine irradiance to achieve a desired irradiance at the targeted surface.

Abstract: A system includes a plurality of tooth models each including computer code controlling its movement. The system also includes a tooth movement control system (TMCS) with a processor executing a dental manager module and with memory scoring a different tooth movement plan for each of the tooth models. In practice, the tooth movement plans are stored in the memory of each of the tooth models (e.g., a different tooth movement plan for each tooth model). Then, during tooth movement operation, each of the local control modules independently controls the tooth model to execute the tooth movement plan stored in the memory of the tooth model.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is a self-ligation type orthodontic bracket which has a simple structure and in which a shutter can be reliably opened and closed, and fixed. The orthodontic bracket is provided with: a bracket body having a slot to which a wire is attached and an introduction port connected to the slot; a shutter provided between the slot and the introduction port to be able to move forward and backward; and a stopper wire which is attached to the bracket body and prevents the shutter from detaching. The stopper wire is elastic. Both end parts of the stopper wire are supported by the bracket body. When the shutter is closed, the central part of the stopper wire is located at a position which blocks the path along which the shutter moves forward and backward.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for dental implant and restorative services. By locating the key functions at one physical location, dental implant services are efficiently provided to patients. These functions include a treatment coordinator, a direct marketer, a restorative doctor/prosthodontist, a surgeon, an imaging area, and a dental laboratory, Further, services for dentate patients are improved by utilizing advanced dental implant methods and systems. These methods and systems include both model-based services and CT (computed tomography) guided surgery services. Using these services, improved surgical guides for dental implants are constructed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a guided bite splint for a supporting jaw comprising at least one guide for an opposing jaw. A 3D model of an upper jaw and/or a 3D model of a lower jaw are available, wherein the 3D models of the upper jaw and the lower jaw are arranged relative to one another in an occlusal position and integrated into a virtual articulator model which simulates an articulation movement of the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw, wherein a 3D model of the bite splint is constructed using the 3D model of the upper jaw and/or the 3D model of the lower jaw, wherein the at least one guide for the opposing jaw is constructed automatically on the 3D model of the bite splint with the aid of a computer.

Abstract: Packaging systems for dental implants and methods for implanting a packaged implant are provided herein. The packaging system includes a housing and a cap forming an enclosure for a dental implant and corresponding healing screw. The housing includes a first and second base portion that interact with a platform that receives a portion of the dental implant to present the dental implant to a user during use.

Abstract: An implant and abutment tooth assembly includes an implant, a rotatable connector, a screw bolt, and a photocurable resin capsule. The implant includes a threaded section and a rotatable adjustment seat, wherein the rotatable adjustment seat has an upper connection portion. The upper connection portion has a groove, two spherical portions, and a receiving trench. The rotatable connector includes a spherical rotation face, two end faces, an abutment, an internal screwing section, and a stepped notch. The screw bolt includes an external screwing section, a rotary head, and a force segment. The external screwing section is screwed with the internal screwing section of the rotatable connector, and the rotary head is movably received in the stepped notch of the rotatable connector. The photocurable resin capsule includes 0.1 g to 0.8 g of light-cured resin and is accommodated in the receiving trench of the implant.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for installing a multi-tooth dental prosthesis in one session are shown and described. A first tool attaches to the jawbone, and serves as a foundation for subsequently used guides. Existing teeth and dental fixtures are removed, and the bone tissue is removed to accommodate the prosthesis. Subsequently, a drill guide is used to drill implant holes. An abutment guide is then used to place abutments. Copings are then installed. Next, the prosthesis may be installed and cemented to the copings. A resinous filler material may be applied to fill gaps and holes in and between the copings and the prosthesis, and is sanded smooth.