Abstract: Apparatus is provided for use with a dental handpiece, an oral surgical guide, and a bushing disposed in the oral surgical guide. The apparatus includes a drill bit having, a shank and a rigid guide-sleeve. A proximal end of the guide-sleeve couples to the dental handpiece, such that a lumen of the guide-sleeve and a drill bit coupled to the dental handpiece are coaxial along a central longitudinal axis of the drill bit. An inner diameter of the guide-sleeve is 0.03-0.06 mm greater than a diameter of the shank. The distal end of the guide-sleeve is slidably couplable with the bushing, such that upon the guide-sleeve being advanced into the bushing the dental handpiece is forced to align the axis of the drill bit to be coaxial with a central longitudinal axis of the bushing. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: An appliance for correcting a malocclusion in a mouth of a user, the appliance including a generally U-shaped upper body having an anterior portion configured to be adjacent to upper incisors and a posterior portion located rearward to the anterior portion, the upper body having an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter that is located interior to the outer perimeter; a generally U-shaped lower body having an outer perimeter, the outer perimeter of the lower body having an anterior portion adjacent to lower incisors and a posterior portion located rearward to the anterior portion of the lower body, wherein the lower body has a lower labial shield extending along the outer perimeter of the lower body; and lingual protrusions extending generally upward from the posterior portion of the inner perimeter of the upper body, the lingual protrusions being configured to contact a palate of the user as the appliance is worn within the mouth of the user.

Abstract: A dental crown removal apparatus is provided, including a handle for placement in an operator's hand, an elongated post projecting along a first axis, the post being connected for reciprocal motion with respect to the handle, a motor in the handle for moving the post, a tool adapter connected with the post opposite the handle, the tool adapter having an extension arm extending away from the handle with a pivot arm connected with the extension arm and spaced from the handle, and first and second opposing jaws having claw ends spring biased together, the first and second jaws having independent and unitary pivotal connection with the pivot arm.

Abstract: A cheek retraction device includes a base and a stem extending from the base, the stem for coupling to a vacuum line. Arms extend in opposed directions from the base to opposed grips flanking a working area configured to be disposed over an opened oral cavity. The grips have a plurality of ports coupled in fluid communication to the stem. A trunk extends from the base, between the arms, to in front of the working area. The has a plurality of intakes coupled in fluid communication to the stem.

Abstract: The orthodontic bracket positioning instrument is designed to engage an orthodontic bracket for precisely positioning a center of an orthodontic bracket on a center of the crown while maintaining an open visual field of the bracket and relevant structures of the tooth. The positioning instrument includes a key that is configured to mate with a receiving aperture formed in the bracket. A proximal side of the key is supported by a base that extends along a length of the key. An alignment notch is defined within a proximal side of the base to indicate the center of the bracket, as well as the horizontal axis of the bracket. A handle extends from the proximal side of the base. The handle may extend from the base at an angle to provide a clear line of sight to the base, the bracket, and supporting tooth.

Abstract: Orthodontic systems and methods involving segmentary shells are disclosed. Examples of the systems and methods are particularly focused on applying a distalization force to a segment of teeth in a posterior lateral sector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an implant unit, particularly, a dental implant unit for mitigating impact which may be substituted for a natural tooth, the dental implant unit including: a crown; an abutment which has one side coupled to the crown; and a fixture which is coupled to the other side of the abutment, in which at least one of the abutment and the fixture has an elastic layer, and also relates to a dental implant unit including: a crown; an abutment which has one side coupled to the crown; and a fixture which is coupled to the other side of the abutment, in which at least one of the abutment and the fixture has an elastic layer that is formed at a portion which is in contact with a gingiva when an implant operation is performed using the dental implant unit.

Abstract: The tool for removing orthodontic O-rings includes a handle, which is adapted for gripping by an orthodontist and has opposed first and second ends, a neck and a hooked head. The neck has opposed first and second ends, and the second end thereof is secured to the first end of the handle. The hooked head has free and fixed ends, and the fixed end is secured to the first end of the neck. The free end of the hooked head defines a sharp tip. An annular flange is located at an interface between the fixed end of the hooked head and the first end of the neck. The annular flange has a diameter greater than a diameter of the fixed end of the hooked head and greater than a diameter of the first end of the neck.

Abstract: A dental drill bit is combined with a surgical template provided with a guide hole adapted to guide the dental drill bit directly or via a guide sleeve provided in the guide hole. The dental drill bit has a first end, a second end, a spherical drill head arranged at the first end, and at least one helical flute extending from the spherical drill head towards the second end. The portion of the dental drill bit having the at least one helical flute is substantially cylindrical. A use of such a dental drill bit and a method of drilling a hole in an oblique bone surface of a jaw bone of a patient are also provided.

Abstract: A self-ligating bracket include a bracket body with an arch wire slot. A mesial recess is located at a mesial side of the bracket body and extends into the bracket body from the arch wire slot. A distal recess is located at a distal side of the bracket body and extends into the bracket body from the arch wire slot. A central ridge defines a ridge surface separated from the lateral ledges respectively by mesial and distal walls. A clip includes a first arm and a second arm connected by a U-shaped portion. The first arm terminates in a mesial arm, a distal arm, and a middle arm. The clip is moveable between an open position in which the arch wire slot is accessible and a closed position in which the arch wire slot is occluded.

Abstract: A robotic system includes a base, a grounding arm, a working arm, and one or more sensors. The grounding arm extends from the base and is configured to be coupled to a fixed structure within the mouth of the patient for establishing an origin for the robotic system. The working arm extends from the base and is configured to be coupled with one or more tools for use during an installation of a dental implant in the mouth. The one or more sensors are for monitoring positions of the grounding arm and/or the working arm and to generate positional data that is used to create a post-operative virtual three-dimensional model of at least a portion of the mouth of the patient.

Abstract: A plastic shell such as an orthodontic aligner has an interior shape that substantially conforms to a current or future dental arch of a patient. The plastic shell includes a hollow feature comprising a cavity. The plastic shell additionally includes an object inserted into the cavity, wherein the object provides structural strength to the plastic shell at a location of the hollow feature and does not interfere with a fit of the plastic shell onto the dental arch of the patient.

Abstract: An oral care regimen where a user applies a first composition and a second composition to the oral cavity. The first composition can be a dentifrice and can contain stannous fluoride and the second composition can be a dentifrice and can contain hydrogen peroxide. The regimen can provide a long-lasting clean feeling. Compositions and methods for improving compliance with a two-part oral care regimen may include the use of a first composition with mildly unpleasant organoleptic properties.

Abstract: A dental anchoring system includes an angled abutment, having a main body extending from a top to a channel body, the channel body extending away from the main body at a predetermined angle less than 180 degrees; a lip extending around the top; and an opening extending from the top and through the channel body, the opening to receive an attachment device; the angled abutment is to provide an angled attachment for a dental prosthetic.

Abstract: An oral treatment device that includes a mouthpiece and an electromagnetic radiation source. In one aspect, the oral treatment device includes a mouthpiece comprising a curved wall having a concave inner surface and a bite platform extending from the concave inner surface of the curved wall to a distal end, the distal end of the bite platform extending continuously in a non-interrupted manner from a first end of the bite platform to a second end of the bite platform; an electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation from the curved wall; and wherein the bite platform comprises a collapsible region such that the mouthpiece is alterable between: (1) a biased state in which the curved wall has a first curvature; and (2) a flexed state in which the curved wall has a second curvature that is different than the first curvature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dental implant replica (10) for a physical dental model (36), the dental implant replica including: a coronal end (14); an apical end (18); a coronal portion (12) extending to the coronal end; an cylindrical apical portion (16) extending to the apical end and including a circumventing indentation (20); an anti-rotation portion (26) located between the coronal portion and the apical portion and including at least one external convex element (28; 28a-c) extending in a longitudinal direction of the dental implant replica; and a prosthetic connection interface (34) located at the coronal end. The present invention also relates to a system including a dental implant replica and a physical dental model, a 3D printed or milled dental model, and a method of installing a dental implant replica in a dental model.

Abstract: A surgical elevator has an oximeter sensor at its tip, which allows measuring of oxygen saturation of a tissue.

Abstract: A vibration-transmitting medical tool-coupling device includes a first coupling element and a second coupling element, wherein one of the two coupling elements is designed as a coupling protrusion insertible into a coupling recess on the other coupling element, wherein the coupling protrusion and the coupling recess each have a first section having a thread with at least one thread flight for releasable connection of the two coupling elements and one second section which is designed so that the two coupling elements can be positioned relative to one another and are displaceable along the shared longitudinal axis before the two coupling elements can be connected releasably to one another by the thread. A guide ring which extends around the coupling protrusion is provided on one end of the thread which is arranged on the coupling protrusion and the at least one thread flight of the thread ends at this guide ring.

Abstract: An orthodontic system and method for aligning at least one tooth of an upper jaw or a lower jaw of a patient. In the system and method at least one orthodontic appliance can be provided which may include at least one force exerting member for applying a force to move the at least one tooth, a tooth movement sensor for obtaining tooth movement data, and a tooth movement monitor for calculating at least one of the distance the at least one tooth has moved and a current position of the at least one tooth from the tooth movement data. An electronic control console may be operatively connected to the force exerting member and in data communication with the tooth movement monitor, for controlling the operation of the force exerting member using the at least one of the distance the at least one tooth has moved and the current position of the at least one tooth.

Abstract: A dental restoration system including a dental prosthesis having an occlusal body having defined therein a cavity and having an outer profile; and a dental abutment having a main body with a gingival part for anchoring to an implant and an occlusal part shaped to fit within the cavity to support cementation of the dental prosthesis, wherein the occlusal part of the main body has an outer profile radially closer to the longitudinal center axis than an outer profile of the gingival part at the interface between the occlusal part and the gingival part, thereby defining a shoulder between the occlusal part and the gingival part. The radial width of the outer profile of the dental prosthesis where it meets the shoulder is the same as or smaller than the radial width of the outer profile of the gingival part at the shoulder.