Abstract: A restorable zirconium dioxide-based one piece implant includes an implant root made of zirconium dioxide and having a bottom coarse thread portion mounted in a gum of a patient and a top fine thread portion at a top side of the bottom coarse thread portion, an abutment formed integral with a top end of the top fine thread portion of the implant root for mounting a crown, and a vertical center hole extending vertically downwardly from a topmost edge of the abutment into the implant root toward a bottom end of the bottom coarse thread portion of the implant root and having a length greater than ? of the combined length of the implant root and the abutment, so when the abutment breaks, the vertical center hole provides a space for the application of post and core technology to embed a post in the broken abutment to restore the abutment.

Abstract: A method of assessing the quality of periodontal tissue using a dental device having a flat laminar body with a visual indicator thereon. The visual indicator includes a color zone having a color. The method includes positioning the flat laminar body of the dental device under the periodontal tissue in a gap existing between a tooth and a portion of the periodontal tissue covering a neck portion of the tooth; observing the periodontal tissue underneath which the body has been positioned; and determining to what the degree the color of the color zone is apparent through the periodontal tissue.

Abstract: A new medical tube guiding device, the device including a first patient engaging portion configured to engage a zone of an upper jaw of the patient and a second patient engaging portion configured to engage a zone of a lower jaw of the patient. The first and second patient engaging zones are biased apart to provide a working gap between them. The invention also provides for a guide means for a medical tube that is supportable on one or both of the patient engaging portions and locatable relative to the patient engaging portions to guide the medical tube through the working gap into a mouth of the patient.

Abstract: A dental implant comprises a titanium member composed of a sintered body made from titanium or titanium alloy; and a ceramic member composed of oxide-based ceramic, and the ceramic member fixed to the titanium member. The titanium member has a recess, and the ceramic member has a protrusion coupled to the recess and pores, and the titanium member covers the protrusion of the ceramic member. The protrusion has a cross-sectional area increasing portion whose cross-sectional area increases toward a dead-end portion of the recess in a direction away from a base end of the protrusion. The titanium member is firmly fixed and joined to the ceramic member in a state that a part of the titanium or the titanium alloy is penetrated into the pores of the protrusion of the ceramic member.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for mineralising demineralised and hypo-mineralised biological material such as tooth or bone. The apparatus has a probe electrode for receiving a mineralisation agent and a counter electrode. It is also provided with a controller to control the electrical signal provided to the probe such that the extent of mineralisation of the biological material is controlled by modulating or changing the electrical signal provided by the probe based upon the measured output of the circuit formed from the probe, counter electrode and biological material. The electrical output provides a measure of the extent of mineralisation of the biological material which is compared with data from a reference technique which gives 3D structural information on an area of interest in the biological material.

Abstract: A customized orthodontic device for the treatment of a patient and a method for producing the same. The customized orthodontic device includes a plurality of bracket assemblies which each include a bracket with at least one groove. The groove is configured to receive an arch wire. The bracket assemblies are digitally designed to include the bracket, a base, and an intermediate component. The base is configured to be placed on a face of a tooth. The intermediate component extends between the bracket and the base.

Abstract: A dental tool for use in photo-cured filling processes. The dental tool includes a tool tip formed from a material that allows the transmission of ultraviolet and visible light wavelengths through the tool tip without significant distortion or reflection. The material is also relatively high strength so not to shatter or break during use. The fill material will also not easily adhere to the tool. The material of a preferred embodiment is sapphire. The tool is able to continue to compact and shape the fill material while the composite polymer fill material is undergoing photo-curing. The light beam used for photo-curing is able to safely pass through the tool without the risk of damage to the surrounding tissue from reflection or distortion of the light beam.

Abstract: A dental occlusion correcting system (DOCS) that is designed to simplify and expedite the correction of Class II dental malocclusions. The DOCS (10) includes a set of upper and lower molar attachment structures (13,14), attached respectively to a person's upper molar and lower molar, a set of upper and lower loosely attached linkages (11,12), and a force module (70). Each of the loosely attached linkages (11,12) includes a link pivitor (50) and a link base (30) which are rotatably connected together through a system of gears and stops and rotational sections (43,44,58,59). The upper and lower loosely attached linkages are connected together, on the same side of a patient's dentition, by a force module. The force module produces upward-backward and downward-forward compression force, commensurate with the force required by a specific dental patient.

Abstract: A self-tapping dental implant has a unitary body with an open end and a bottom tip end. The implant is tapered downward from the open top to the tip end and has an internal cavity extending for substantially the length of the implant. Smooth inner sidewalls are located at the upper end of the cavity and internal threads extend from the sidewalls down into the cavity. The dental implant method utilizes the unique dental implant, along with a flexible sleeve, a solid abatement member, and dental attachment screw, to place the implant with minimal patient trauma, while simulating the micro-movement of a natural tooth.

Abstract: A placement jig for locating a dental implant analog in a physical model of a patient's mouth includes a base, a guide-strut receiving feature, a throughbore, and an angled receiving feature. The guide-strut receiving feature is positioned within the base and is configured to receive a guide-strut of the physical model thereby positioning a lower surface of the placement jig at a desired distance from an opening of a bore in the physical model. The throughbore receives a screw therethrough that engages the dental implant analog such that the dental implant analog, is removably coupled to the base. The angled receiving, feature is positioned about the throughbore on the lower surface of the base. The angled receiving feature includes a mating surface that is configured to abut a custom abutment positioned between the mating surface and the dental implant analog.

Abstract: A denture retention system includes a denture, abutments and an implant connected to each abutment. The denture has an inner channel with a resilient liner and engaging caps in the inner channel that releasably retain the denture on the abutments. The engaging caps each have a cavity that receives the head of an abutment. The cavities are sized with longitudinal space for the heads of the abutments so that the denture rests on the gingival tissue while the abutments restricts movement of the denture away from the gingival tissue. The system can be used with large diameter or mini implants. The separate implant and abutment allow precise selection of the abutment height. The abutment has a spherical head with tool engageable flats for tightening the abutment onto the implant.

Abstract: A dental mouthpiece is provided that may be attached to a high-suction dental adapter for the purpose of assisting the dental staff during dental procedures through chair-side, hands-free suction, and isolation. Such a mouthpiece may include a main body portion, a cheek retractor portion, and a suction connector portion. In some embodiments, the main body portion, cheek retractor portion, and suction connector portion (and sub-portions thereof) may be molded in one piece, preferably by injection molding. In an exemplary embodiment, the mouthpiece may be made of a material that is flexible, translucent, conducive to injection molding, high heat-resistant, and autoclavable. Such a material may include silicone. Because the mouthpiece may be made of a high heat-resistant and autoclavable material, such a mouthpiece may be reusable.

Abstract: A delivery system including an inner catheter with a reinforcing element and an outer catheter having a proximal end attached to a movable member. An abutment element may be attached to a distal end of the reinforcing element, configured to engage an implantable device disposed between the inner catheter and the outer catheter.

Abstract: A device for centering and guiding at least one drill bit of a dental handpiece when drilling a hole in the jaw of a patient in cooperation with a surgical guide equipped with a tubular drill bushing. A support holds a tubular guide sleeve permanently in a coaxial and sliding position with respect to the drill bit. The tubular guide sleeve is able to engage with slight play in the tubular drill bushing. The support insures the engagement of the guide sleeve in the tubular drill bushing at the latest when the drill bit starts to drill in the patient's jaw, thus insuring the centering and guiding of the drill bit.

Abstract: A drill guide uses a hole in a layer to guide a drill along an axial trajectory while permitting off-axis excursions of the drill during use. A number of such drill guides at varying heights from a target surface may be used sequentially or concurrently to enforce the axial trajectory in three dimensions during a surgical operation. A drill guide may include a hole in a layer that establishes a single point along the axial trajectory, or the drill guide may include multiple layers in a single device to establish two or more points along the trajectory while allowing off-axis insertion of a drill into the guide. The drill guide may be cuttable to accommodate intraoperative changes to the axial trajectory. In embodiments, a window or the like may be provided to permit a surgeon to view drill depth, drill orientation, the surgical site and the like during a procedure.

Abstract: An improved retractor device which includes a first main flat arm portion for extending along the outer surface of a patients cheek, that can be grasped by the dentist or hygienist performing the procedure; (or even in some cases, the patient); a second arm that extends into the mouth in use and is attached to the main arm at an acute angle of approximately fifty degrees and having that connecting area gently curved convexly from upper lip to lower lip and concavely from the intraoral to the extraoral portions so as to present a atraumatic surface to oral commissure, and the intraoral arm being convex as it extends to the posterior part of the mouth and getting narrower as it goes posteriorly and ending in a high convex end portion that extends behind the last tooth to reflect the cheek outwardly and posteriorly to produce an increased volume of space for conducting the dental procedure in a dry field and with greater and better comfort, access and visualization.

Abstract: Set of dental drills having two or more dental drills (10, 10?), each of dental drills (10, 10?) having a cutting portion (20, 20?) that has an end-face drilling end (22, 22?) and a shank portion (30, 30?) that has a receiving region (32, 32?) intended to be received in a drill holding device. The shank portions (30, 30?) of the dental drills each have a substantially circular-cylindrical guide region (40, 40?) for guiding the dental drills, the guide regions (40, 40?) of the two or more dental drills being of the same diameter.

Abstract: An exemplary dental appliance for application to a jaw of a dental patient includes a teeth section having at least one tooth receptacle, at least one removable retention component carried by the teeth section and at least one fixed retention component adapted for attachment to the jaw of the dental patient and engaged by the at least one removable retention component.

Abstract: A dental appliance including a concave trough conforming to a plurality of teeth when placed over the plurality of teeth. The concave trough is configured to transition from a first shape to a second shape if a deforming force is applied. The concave trough further includes a shape memory material. The shape memory material is configured to restore the concave trough to an approximate first shape upon an application of an external stimulus. The first shape is configured to apply a first force on a tooth when the trough conforms.

Abstract: An endodontic reamer/file for cleaning/shaping a tooth root canal having an elongated shank with a proximal end portion, a distal end and a tapered working portion having a longitudinal axis, the external surface of the shank working portion being defined by a plurality of at least two equally spaced apart continuous concaved helical flutes providing concave flute surfaces, the flute surfaces having therebetween an equal number of spiraled, spaced apart flanges, each flange having in a plane perpendicular the longitudinal axis a single outer end surface having opposed first and second ends, each first end forming an active spiraled leading scraping/cutting edge and each second end forming a passive spiraled edge.