Patents Examined by Shannel Nicole Belk
  • Patent number: 11779437
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing and generating a treatment plan for temporomandibular joint dysfunction where a polymeric shell appliance is utilized to generate one or more activation forces that facilitate tooth movement. The polymeric shell appliances may comprise one or more tooth receiving cavities, in which each of the plurality of tooth receiving cavities is shaped and arranged to provide a counter moment of each of the plurality of teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Cam, John Y. Morton, Vadim Matov, Jun Sato
  • Patent number: 11730577
    Abstract: An oral cavity washing device includes a nozzle and a pump that supplies a liquid to the nozzle. The nozzle has a nozzle flow passage and a reduced part that is disposed in an intermediate part of the nozzle flow passage and that is smaller in cross-sectional area than a rest of the nozzle flow passage. A first flow passage and a second flow passage that are in parallel to each other are disposed between the nozzle and the pump. The first flow passage has a first valve that causes the first flow passage to be opened only when the pump sucks the liquid. The second flow passage has a second valve that causes the second flow passage to be opened only during discharge performed by the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinichi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 11684421
    Abstract: A method treating a root canal in a tooth by introducing into the pulp chamber of a tooth and pulsing a laser light into the fluid reservoir so as to disintegrate pulp within the root canal without generation of any significant heat in said liquid fluid so as to avoid elevating the temperature of any of the dentin, tooth, or other adjacent tissue more than about 5° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: PIPSTEK, LLC
    Inventors: Enrico E. DiVito, Douglas L. Glover, Kemmons A. Tubbs, Mark P. Colonna
  • Patent number: 11648095
    Abstract: An intra-oral scanning device includes a light source and an optical system, and communicates with a display system. The device has a reduced form factor as compared to prior devices, and it provides for more efficient transmission and capture of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: D4D Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ye Li, Gregory R. Basile, Rod A. Duncan, Justin G. Graham, Grant E. Kenworthy, Henley S. Quadling, Mark S. Quadling, Andrei Tchouprakov, Lasse H. Toimela
  • Patent number: 11612435
    Abstract: A method treating a root canal in a tooth by introducing into the pulp chamber of a tooth and pulsing a laser light into the fluid reservoir so as to disintegrate pulp within the root canal without generation of any significant heat in said liquid fluid so as to avoid elevating the temperature of any of the dentin, tooth, or other adjacent tissue more than about 5° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: PIPSTEK, LLC
    Inventors: Enrico E. DiVito, Douglas L. Glover, Kemmons A. Tubbs, Mark P. Colonna
  • Patent number: 11612455
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for monitoring the performance of an orthodontic appliance for repositioning a patient's teeth. An orthodontic appliance may include a plurality of teeth receiving cavities shaped to reposition the patient's teeth from an initial arrangement towards a target arrangement, and one or more sensors configured to determine tooth movement (based on position and/or orientation) and/or forces applied to the teeth. The sensor may be distributed between attachments and aligners that mate with the attachments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaser Shanjani, Bruce Cam, Allen R. Boronkay, Jun Sato, John Y. Morton, Chunhua Li, Srinivas Kaza
  • Patent number: 11576766
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for monitoring either or both the performance of an orthodontic appliance for repositioning a patient's teeth and/or the user compliance in wearing the appliance using a biosensor. The apparatuses described herein may include one or more sensors, including biosensors, electrical sensors, or both, configured to generate sensor data related to user compliance and/or repositioning of the patient's teeth by an orthodontic appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaser Shanjani, Bruce Cam, John Y. Morton, Jun Sato
  • Patent number: 11571287
    Abstract: A system for removing aerosol contaminants from the air in a room is disclosed. The system comprises a vacuum inlet coupled to a vacuum system and operable to draw air from nearby into the vacuum system, filter out aerosol contaminants present in the air, and return the filtered air back into the room. The system includes airways internal to a dental chair, through which air may be drawn and filtered. The system may be used near a patient during a dental or medical procedure to remove aerosol and splatter potentially containing such contaminants as COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Inventor: David H. Roholt
  • Patent number: 11571286
    Abstract: An apparatus for tooth stain removal is presented. The invention comprises a powered device with a chisel tip at its distal end, a body at its proximal end and an electric motor housed within the body for driving the chisel tip. The chisel tip has a proximal end removably coupled to the body and an exposed distal end along a generally longitudinal axis. The chisel tip comprises a pointed end on a first side for cleaning area between teeth and a broad cleaning surface on a second side for cleaning the main surface of each tooth. The chisel tip operates in a reciprocating motion driven by the electric motor. The reciprocating motion repeatedly moves the chisel tip in a back and forth direction by a finite displacement along the chisel tip's longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Inventor: Kreigh Sedillo
  • Patent number: 11529213
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide devices (tags), systems, and methods to determine structural integrity and other states of orthodontic-elements, such as orthodontic-brackets, orthodontic-archwires, orthodontic-expanders, orthodontic-elastic-bands, and orthodontic-power-chains, to name a few, in a non-invasive and contactless way, with respect to monitoring; and using comparatively safe and/or low energy electromagnetic radiation, such as radio waves. Negligible-sized backscatter-tags with sensors are implanted in or attached to such orthodontic-elements. Such arrangements may permit monitoring of forces acting on teeth by various orthodontic-elements. Using backscatter imaging technology, the structural integrity and other states of the orthodontic-elements may be monitored; which may allow non-invasive and contactless detection of problems such as cracking, bending, excessive pressure, improper temperature, and/or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Inventor: David Akselrod
  • Patent number: 11517762
    Abstract: An oral treatment device that emits light onto surfaces of a user's teeth. In one aspect, the oral treatment device includes an intraoral mouthpiece. The mouthpiece comprises a lamp support structure comprising a lamp support surface and is formed of a first material. A flexible lamp is mounted to the lamp support surface so that a light emitting surface of the flexible lamp assumes a concave curvature, thereby forming a lamp assembly. A guard component is overmolded to the lamp assembly. In one embodiment, the oral treatment device may be a teeth whitening device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventors: Scott Demarest, Francis Tatu, Mark Bartlett, Stacey Lavender, Patrik Johansson, Scott Mosby, Mark Lowenthal
  • Patent number: 11490999
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a light curing device, in particular for dental restoration materials, having a light source and a control device for the light curing device, which control device is capable of switching on the light source at different levels of power. The light curing device includes an actuation element which can be used to switch on the light curing device upon actuation by the user at a reduced dosage of light for pre-curing the dental restoration material. The control device in particular signalizes the reduced dosage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventor: Oliver Benz
  • Patent number: 11484391
    Abstract: A method for producing a shape memory band of an orthodontic appliance. The shape memory band is one piece, has a cross section that can vary according to the longitudinal position of said cross section, and includes a bonding zone configured so as to exhibit a shape substantially identical to that of a tooth. The method includes: determining an orthodontic treatment suitable for treating the teeth, determining a set of forces to be exerted locally on the teeth in order to obtain the orthodontic treatment and the shape of the surface of the teeth to which bonding zones of the shape memory band are to be bonded, and producing the shape memory band. The local cross section of the shape memory band is determined according to the forces and in such a way as to define bonding zones substantially identical to the surfaces of the teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: D & D
    Inventors: Dan Benarouch, Delphine Majbruch
  • Patent number: 11458002
    Abstract: An intraoral applicator device is described herein that is configured to transfer medicament from the applicator to the gums of a patient. The device and methods of use may assist in topically applying medicament e.g. a topical anaesthetic to the gums of a patient without the need for or use of needles or syringes. In one embodiment, the intraoral applicator device may comprise a body with a shape and configuration that generally conforms with at least part of the shape of the teeth and gums of a patient's oral cavity. The device further comprises a holder portion, the holder portion comprising a frame, the frame being configured to clamp over the teeth about a region of the patient's oral cavity such that, when fitted to the patient's oral cavity, at least a part of the holder portion is configured to be held between the patient's teeth when the patient bites their jaws together, the holder portion also gripping at least part of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Gertruda Hubertina Westrupp
  • Patent number: 11452578
    Abstract: An orthodontic retention system includes a fixed component that remains on teeth and a component that attaches to this fixed component. The fixed component and the component have mating or interlocking parts. The component that mates with the fixed component can be removable. The component that mates with the fixed component can be adjustable. The retention system also can include magnetic retention components to retain the removable component with respect to one or more teeth. The retention system also can include an element that replaces as tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Inventor: Cosmo Haralambidis
  • Patent number: 11439486
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a root canal treatment apparatus for cleaning a root canal, a root canal treatment apparatus for charging a root canal, or a root canal treatment apparatus for cleaning and charging a root canal. The root canal treatment apparatus for cleaning a root canal according to the present invention comprises: a storage container for storing a cleaning liquid or a filler supplied from the outside; an ultrasonic oscillator for applying ultrasonic waves to the cleaning liquid or the filler stored in the storage container; an injection port for injecting, around the root canal, the cleaning liquid or the filler to which the ultrasonic waves have been applied in the storage container; and a nozzle having a suction port for sucking the cleaning liquid or bubbles in the root canal or the bubble.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Ho-Young Kim, Shin Hye Chung, Dohyun Jung, Won Jun Shon, Junhee Choi
  • Patent number: 11432984
    Abstract: A dental tool holder includes a body having a front wall. The front wall includes a magnetic material. The dental tool holder further includes a coupler. The coupler releasably secures the body to a dental stand or a dental chair. When in use, a dentist, dental hygienist, or a dental assistant may dock the dental tools onto the dental tool holder by placing the dental tool within a magnetic proximity of the front wall. The magnetic attraction between the front wall and the dental tool releasably retains the dental tool to the dental tool holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventors: Kristen Hanlan, Samantha Henke
  • Patent number: 11432905
    Abstract: Dental hand piece, comprising a housing and a drive train with a coupling element for a drive, wherein the housing radially surrounds the drive train and wherein the housing has a first and a second housing end, and wherein the housing is held on the drive train on the first and on the second housing end. Between the first housing end and the coupling element is arranged a decoupling element, which is strictly springy or springy and damping in the axial direction, whereas the second housing end is braced rigidly against the drive train and the housing is braced with respect to the coupling element in the axial direction by means of the decoupling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: DENTSPLY SIRONA INC.
    Inventors: Metin Ertugrul, Stefan Gobel
  • Patent number: 11432911
    Abstract: A dental appliance comprising a veneer, bridge, or crown with an integrated brace together formed as a single piece of material. The braces, crowns, veneers, and bridges may be printed with 3-dimensional (3D) software and SLA milling. Embodiments of the present invention provide the printed veneer, crown or bridge with an orthodontic portion (“brace” or “bracket”) that is all one piece. This can be used to move teeth orthodontically and provide a degree of esthetics. The appliance may include identification marks, which may guide placement of the appliance in a patient's mouth. The brace and identification marks can be removed, leaving the veneer, crown, or bridge behind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventor: Paul Ouellette
  • Patent number: 11426244
    Abstract: A medical or dental system with at least one first transmitting and/or receiving unit and at least one second transmitting and/or receiving unit, wherein the at least two transmitting and/or receiving units are designed for the capacitive coupling of electric signals into and/or out of a human body, so that an electric path which extends through the human body of the user and/or of the person to be treated can be established for the transmission of electric signals between the at least one first transmitting and/or receiving unit and the at least one second transmitting and/or receiving unit, in order to transmit data between the at least two transmitting and/or receiving units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: W&H Dentalwerk Bürmoos GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Schröck, Wolfgang Tannebaum