Patents Examined by Heidi M Eide
  • Patent number: 11369457
    Abstract: Tool for handling palatal expanders, including two opposed jaws adapted to clamp at least one body of a palatal expander, a handle, and actuation means adapted to move said jaws between a clamping position on said at least one body and respectively a release position, said jaws being bound elastically to one another and are normally spaced from each other, and said actuation means comprising a slider slidably mounted on the outer surfaces of the jaws, the slider being provided with a part adapted to interact with said outer surfaces so as to compress the jaws by pushing them toward each other when it is made to slide along a first direction and free them when it is made to slide along a second direction, said actuation means being adapted to firmly but reversibly lock the jaws in said clamping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: LEONE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Scommegna, Maurizio Dolfi
  • Patent number: 11369458
    Abstract: A device including one or more preformed or customized eruption guidance appliances placed in an individual's mouth. The preformed appliances are vibrated with a pulsation device to encourage tooth eruption by increasing the force and efficiency of the eruption toward a preferred location and a preferred alignment as well as providing increased blood flow and blood oxygen flow to the muscles and tissues in and around the oral cavity of the individual. The preformed guidance appliance driven by the pulsation device is selected from a range of guidance appliances, each of which is selected by size and shape to fit an individual based on the individuals anticipated tooth and jaw size as well as the growth profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: ORTHO-TAIN, INC.
    Inventor: Earl O. Bergersen
  • Patent number: 11364093
    Abstract: A dental stent for tooth restoration, includes an acrylic outer shell and a set of metal matrix separator strips partially embedded into an inner silicon bed. A method of manufacturing a dental stent includes 3D printing of a model wherein tooth forms of teeth to be restored are individually removable from a remainder of the model. A method of tooth restoration uses a dental stent, and a kit of parts including a dental stent and a composite resin, and optionally a heater, a light cure unit, and a finishing tool kit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SMILE FAST LTD
    Inventors: Thomas Sealey, Olumide Ojo
  • Patent number: 11344393
    Abstract: An interdental brush device comprising an interdental brush including a working part and a connector; a delivery component including a guide head, a sliding mechanism including a sliding block and an interdental brush connecting mechanism, and a housing; the interdental brush comprises a working part with fiber or a protrusion and a connector; the interdental brush is positioned within a bended tube, and the connector of the interdental brush is detachably coupled to the interdental brush connecting mechanism such that lateral movement of the sliding mechanism drives the working part of the interdental brush to slide within the bended tube, the protrusion is made of elastic polymer material, and the connector and the protrusion are formed into a whole; and the sliding mechanism is configured to make the working part of the interdental brush extend from the outlet of the bended tube at the end of the guide head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Inventor: Xing Zhou
  • Patent number: 11337773
    Abstract: An apparatus assisting in dental procedure, comprising: a body adapted to be received with an oral cavity; an anchoring means for securing the body within the oral cavity such that it at least partially surrounds one or more teeth; a dental device located within the body and adapted to move in a plurality of planes relative to the one or more teeth; and a controller for controlling the dental device to move into a suitable position relative to the one or more teeth and once located in position carry out work on or about the one or more teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: EMUDENT TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD
    Inventors: Alaa Habeb, Omar Zuaiter
  • Patent number: 11331166
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to aligners that are capable of immobilizing a patient's jaw after orthognathic surgery while also applying forces to reposition a patient's teeth. In embodiments, a processor determines, for a treatment stage, a dentition for an upper dental arch and a lower dental arch. The processor applies one or more stabilizing features to the upper dental arch and the lower dental arch. The processor determines whether the one or more stabilizing features will prevent jaw movement while the upper dental arch is engaged with the lower dental arch. Responsive to a determination that the one or more stabilizing features will prevent the jaw movement, the processor stores a first digital model comprising the dentition for the upper arch and the one or more stabilizing features for the upper arch and stores a second digital model comprising the planned dentition for the lower arch and the one or more stabilizing features for the lower arch for each increment of treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John Y. Morton, Ken Wu, Juan Carlos Alvarez
  • Patent number: 11331165
    Abstract: A computer system and computerized method in which orthodontic treatment, including midcourse correction of one or more teeth in a dental arch fitted with a dental appliance, comprises a virtual simulation of a dental arch fitted with a virtual dental appliance in which each of the one or more teeth can be discretely moved from an initial position to a final position allowing modification of the fitted dental appliance by computerized selection of one or more brackets and production of a bonding tray adapted to hold the selected brackets in correspondence to determined bracket bonding locations in the virtual simulation of dental arch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: KLOwen Braces, Inc.
    Inventor: Brandon Owen
  • Patent number: 11324569
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a delivery system (100) for the release of a dental composition mixed from two or optionally three components. The delivery system has a mixer (14), a cartridge (20) with three compartments and a switchable bypass valve (40) for bypassing the third component from the mixer. The present application further relates to a method of dispensing a dental composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Anja Friedrich, Christian Richter
  • Patent number: 11317996
    Abstract: The invention relates to an implant for osseointegration into a jaw bone, having a receiving opening one section of which is designed as an inner polygon, and at its distal end, the implant includes an indexing that reproduces the geometry of the inner polygon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: DENTALPOINT AG
    Inventor: Philip Bolleter
  • Patent number: 11304780
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an orthodontic gripping device having a body made of a superelastic metal alloy, cold worked titanium beta III, or solution heat treated and aged titanium beta III. The body has first and second, spaced apart arm portions connected to each other. Each arm portion includes a jaw portion having an inner, arch wire-gripping, surface. The inner gripping surfaces are disposed opposite one another in spaced relation with a station defined therebetween for receiving the arch wire. At least a portion of the station is sized smaller than the arch wire. The arm portions are resiliently deflectable outwardly away from each other to admit the arch wire into the station. Once seated in the station, the arch wire is tightly held by inner gripping surfaces so as to resist displacement of the gripping device relative to the arch wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Strite Industries Limited
    Inventor: Neil Chester
  • Patent number: 11304781
    Abstract: A detachable orthodontic bracket and wire system includes bracket bases, brackets, and an arch wire for guiding alignment of teeth. The bracket bases are positioned on a lingual surface and/or a facial surface of the teeth. Each bracket base includes a first surface, a second surface, and at least one first interlocking element. The first surface is rigidly attached to the lingual surface and/or the facial surface of the teeth. The second surface opposes the lingual surface and/or the facial surface of the teeth. The first interlocking element is attached to and positioned in a direction substantially perpendicular to or parallel to the second surface of each bracket base. The brackets include at least second interlocking element that interlocks with the first interlocking element. The arch wire is inserted through a slot channel of each bracket. The bracket and the arch wire are infused and rigidly anchored within enclosing layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: HANKOOKIN INC
    Inventors: James Jiwen Chun, Andrew Youngho Chun, Angela Soyoung Chun, Jennifer Miseong Chun
  • Patent number: 11298210
    Abstract: A removable orthodontic assembly to be used in a user's mouth, including: a frame member configured to be removably positioned proximate a lingual portion of the user's teeth; a first connector member, wherein the first connector member comprises a first end extending proximate to a labial portion of the user's teeth and a second end engaging the frame member; and a labial bow configured to be removably positioned proximate to the labial portion of the user's teeth having a first end and a second end, wherein the labial bow is configured to removably engage the first connector member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Inventor: John H. Khouri
  • Patent number: 11291531
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cartridge for storing, discharging and applying a dental compound, in particular a paste for preparing and drying the gingival sulcus (sulcus gingivae) during dental impression taking. The invention relates to a cartridge (1) for storing, discharging and applying a dental compound, comprising a container (2), which has a hollow chamber (4) for accommodating the dental compound, and a cannula (3). The hollow chamber (4) comprises an outlet opening (5) and an actuator opening (6) opposite the outlet opening (5), and the cannula (3) is fluid-connected to the outlet opening (5), is arranged on the container (2) and is straight in the starting state. The cartridge is characterised in that the cannula (3) is made of plastic and is plastically deformable under standard conditions with the application of manual force in such a manner that a permanent bend by an angle of at least up to 65° in comparison with the starting state can be achieved without buckling the cannula (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Muhlbauer Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Effenberger, Axel Nowak
  • Patent number: 11284976
    Abstract: To provide a pair of maxillary and mandibular coupled artificial tooth sets applicable to alveolar ridge shapes of an unspecified large number of edentulous patients and having all the parts of 14 teeth coupled into an ideal arch shape and in an ideal maxillomandibular occlusal contact relationship. The present invention provides a pair of maxillary and mandibular coupled artificial tooth sets clearly defining an arrangement region of all parts at the time of arrangement in virtual three-dimensional coordinates, a contact relationship between maxillary and mandibular artificial teeth, and a harmonizing contact/gliding relationship at the time of movement on a mean-value articulator. This enables provision of a high-quality complete denture in which an occlusal relationship required for a complete denture can be established in a short time regardless of a skill of a technician and a difference in shape of an alveolar ridge of an edentulous patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA SHOFU
    Inventors: Nobutaka Watanabe, Katsushi Tamaki, Kunihiro Fujii, Hirokazu Satoh, Toshiyuki Nakatsuka
  • Patent number: 11273006
    Abstract: There is a need for a minimally invasive surgical treatment method for periodontitis for the removal of deep pockets, elimination of disease, creation of reattachment of the gingiva to the tooth surface and true regeneration of the attachment apparatus (new cementum, new periodontal ligament, and new alveolar bone) on a previously diseased root surface. The PerioLase® MVP-7™ including eGUI or another device capable of laser dosimetry, such as an original MVP-7™ type laser without the eGUI, achieves this with the LANAP protocol (laser-assisted new attachment procedure) and the LENAP protocol (laser excisional new attachment procedure).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Millennium Healthcare Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H Gregg, II, Dawn Gregg
  • Patent number: 11273011
    Abstract: Palatal expander apparatuses for expanding a patient's palate (“palatal expanders”) and methods of using and making them. These palatal expanders may be configured to have a variable surface smoothness on one side (e.g., the lingual-facing surface) compared to the opposite side (e.g., the palatal-facing surface). These palatal expanders may be configured to have a varying thickness in the palatal region. These palatal expanders may be adapted for ease in removal by the patient or caregiver (e.g., including a hinged region and/or detachment region, and/or including a thinner buccal side then occlusal side, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaser Shanjani, Jeremy Riley, Ryan Kimura, Jun Sato, Norman Su, Jihua Cheng, Fuming Wu
  • Patent number: 11259895
    Abstract: An instrument (10) having a working section (11) that terminates in an end zone (12) having a pointed tip. The end zone (12) has, on the one hand, a conical guiding section (13) which ends in a tip. This guiding section (13) has a tip angle of between 10° and 60° and, on the other hand, an angular cutting section (14) adjacent to the conical guiding section (13) which has three cutting edges (15). The angular cutting section (14) extends over a certain length and is located intermediate between the conical guiding section (13) and the working section (11). The angular cutting section (14) has a cross-section that progressively increases from the base of the conical guiding section (13) over at least a portion of its length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: FKG Dentaire Sàrl
    Inventors: Olivier Breguet, Gianluca Rosato
  • Patent number: 11259996
    Abstract: A method of using a dental filler is disclosed. The method may include securing a prosthetic to a dental implant, the prosthetic having an access channel therethrough. The method may also include filling a portion of the access channel by inserting a polytetrafluoroethylene dental plug into the access channel and compressing the polytetrafluoroethylene dental plug within the access channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Inventors: Alexander Shor, Jimmy Janakievski
  • Patent number: 11259995
    Abstract: Provided herein are high performance dental restoration compositions, particularly two-part compositions having good self-cure times. Also provided herein are methods for restoring or filling a cavity in a tooth in an individual with the two-part dental restoration compositions. In particular, compositions provided herein are useful in restoring large cavities, including Class I and Class II cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: ZEST IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Xiangxu Chen, Matthew Marc Durban
  • Patent number: 11241298
    Abstract: The overload protection device used on a high-speed dental handpiece includes a valve body, a piston, an elastic member, and a valve plug. The valve body is provided with an air chamber and an air intake passage in communication with each other. The piston is arranged in the air chamber. The valve plug is arranged at an end of the air chamber away from the air intake passage and is connected with the valve body. The elastic member is arranged between the piston and the valve plug. An outer surface of the valve body is provided with a plurality of air discharging holes which is in communication with the air chamber. The piston is capable of opening or closing the air discharging holes when moving vertically within the air chamber. The present invention further discloses a high-speed dental handpiece with an overload protection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: GUILIN WOODPECKER MEDICAL INSTRUMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xunxian Wu, Wei Li, Hongcan Wang, Yongchao Huang, Zhaolin Li, Qingjian Deng