Abstract: A self-ligating orthodontic bracket has a sliding archwire cover that has a top surface congruent with the top surface of an upper body portion having an archwire slot. The cover has a resilient locking tab that slides across the slot, bending upward as it encounters a ridge on the other side of the slot, and latching to the ridge to secure the cover in a closed position. The cover has a modified dovetail shape with flared bottom portions that slideably engage guides for reciprocal opening and closing sliding motion. A groove in the slide support track engages the locking tab in the open position preventing it from disengaging from the upper body portion.

Abstract: A tooth replacement system is provided that includes an implant (10, 20, 30), for osseointegration in a jaw bone, and an abutment (40, 50, 60), wherein an abutment stem (41) including a close-fit cylinder (42) can be fitted in a corresponding cylindrical close-fit seat (14) of a receiving opening (11) in the implant. The present invention makes available a tooth replacement system including an implant and an abutment, which ensures an optimized introduction of force from the abutment into the implant and permits complete freedom in terms of the choice of material. The implant and also the abutment can be made from titanium or ceramic, and both structural parts can be used in all possible material combinations. This permits the insertion or adhesive bonding of ceramic abutments into implants made from titanium oxide or other metallic materials.

Abstract: A universal transitional abutment for immediate placement during the first and/or second stages of the dental implant surgery is presented. The transitional dental abutment can approximate the natural appearance of a patient's own tooth. The transitional dental abutment can bypass the traditional anti-rotational component common to most dental implant systems by directly screwing the transitional dental abutment onto a dental implant. In another embodiment, the abutment can be a universal anterior transitional abutment. The anterior transitional dental abutment can include a ball and a crown. The ball can be affixed to the dental implant and the crown snaps onto the ball. The transitional dental abutment can be universally used on most dental implants regardless of manufacturer by simply changing the fastener of the transitional dental abutment. The universal transitional abutments can be permanent.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a dental implant system for implanting a dental implant in bone tissue using an implant drill driver includes a shank and a drill guide. The shank is removably coupleable to the implant drill driver and includes an internal passage that has a non-round cross-sectional shape. When coupled to the implant drill driver, the shank is rotatable via operation of the implant drill driver. The drill guide pin includes a bone penetrating end portion and a shank engagement portion. The shank engagement portion includes a notched section having a non-round cross-sectional shape corresponding with the non-round cross-sectional shape of the internal passage of the shank. The notched section of the shank engagement portion is insertable within the internal passage of the shank. Moreover, engagement between the notched section and the internal passage facilitates co-rotation of the shank and drill guide pin.

Abstract: A surgical method and tool for expanding an initial osteotomy (42) to receive a bone implant (44). An osteotome (22) having a tapered working end (28) is inserted into the initial osteotomy (42). The initial osteotomy (42) is enlarged by simultaneously rotating and pushing the working end (28) of the tapered osteotome (22) into the osteotomy (42). When rotated in one direction the burnishing edges (40) concentrate the pushing and rotational force in outward normal and tangential component forces against the interior surface of the osteotomy (42) to incrementally expand the osteotomy (42) with little to no removal of bone material (46). When rotated in the opposite direction the burnishing edges cut the interior surface of the osteotomy. Progressively larger tapered osteotomes (22) are used until an osteotomy (42) of predetermined size is achieved.

Abstract: A surgical method and tool for expanding an initial osteotomy (42) to receive a dental implant (44). An osteotome (22) having a tapered working end (28) is inserted into the initial osteotomy (42). The initial osteotomy (42) is enlarged by simultaneously rotating and pushing the working end (28) of the tapered osteotome (22) into the osteotomy (42). One or more burnishing edges (40) concentrate the pushing and rotational force in outward normal and tangential component forces against the interior surface of the osteotomy (42) to incrementally expand the osteotomy (42) with little to no removal of bone material (46). The inserting and enlarging steps are repeated, as needed, with progressively larger tapered osteotomes (22) until an osteotomy (42) of predetermined size is achieved. Finally, a fixture portion of a dental implant (44) is installed into the expanded osteotomy (42).

Abstract: A palatal t-bar for preventing movement of selected teeth during corrective movement of other teeth through the use of an orthodontic appliance such as orthodontic braces. The t-bar comprises an elongate stem having an anchorage end arranged for affixation to the palatal bone of a patient by means of a temporary bone anchorage device, e.g., a miniscrew implant, and a free end extending in an anterior direction from the anchorage end. The stem is shaped to conform to the palatal surface of the patient. A cross-bar extends laterally from the free end of the stem and is arranged to engage one or more selected maxillary anterior teeth to retain the teeth non-mobile and non-rotational during corrective movement of other teeth utilizing an orthodontic appliance such as orthodontic braces.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-ligating orthodontic bracket having a mounting base with a concavely contoured surface for attachment to a tooth, a main archwire slot formed upon the base, the mounting base being supported by a bracket body, and the slot being sized for receiving an orthodontic rectangular or round archwire, a ligating slide selectively slideable between an open position permitting access to the archwire slot and a closed position covering the archwire slot. The self-ligating orthodontic bracket also includes a resilient retention feature designed for holding the ligating slide in the open or the closed positions for retreating or retaining the orthodontic archwire within an archwire slot, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating dental prosthetics is provided. The apparatus includes a base, an ear mount portion for making contact with a patient's head such that the patient's temporomandibular joints are maintained in a fixed level position relative to the base, a chin mount portion for making contact with the patient's chin and nose bridge such that the chin mount portion maintains the patient's head in a perpendicular orientation relative to the base, a bite fork portion including a bite fork which may be inserted into the patient's mouth for the purpose of obtaining the patient's bite registration information, and a camera mount portion including a camera oriented toward the patient's face.

Abstract: A hardenable dental article including a base and at least one outer surface extending from the base, wherein at least the base and the at least one outer surface of the hardenable dental article includes a hardenable dental material; and a multi-layer polymeric film conformable release liner in contact with at least a portion of the at least one outer surface.

Abstract: Provided is an acellular mammalian tooth-shaped scaffold including a compound that is chemotactic, osteogenic, dentinogenic, amelogenic, or cementogenic. Also provided is a method of replacing a tooth in the mouth of a mammal, where the tooth is absent and a tooth socket is present in the mouth at the position of the absent tooth. The method includes implanting an acellular scaffold having the shape of the missing tooth into the tooth socket. Additionally, a method of making a tooth scaffold is provided. The method includes synthesizing an acellular scaffold in the shape of a mammalian tooth and adding at least one compound that is chemotactic, osteogenic, dentinogenic, amelogenic, or cementogenic.

Abstract: An in-treatment room dental vacuum system includes a vacuum producer and an operator tool including an evacuator tip. A separator is coupled with the vacuum producer and is disposed between the vacuum producer and the operator tool. A hose assembly connects the operator tool and the separator. In use, the separator receives material from the operator tool via the hose assembly and separates the material into wet phase material and dry phase material.

Abstract: Centrifugal deflection device intended to be fitted to a surgical or dental handpiece to prevent the penetration of foreign matter that results from an operation, the centrifugal deflection device including a ring coupled in rotation either directly or via a tool shank to a drive shaft of the handpiece. This device is characterized in that the ring is covered by a sleeve secured to the front end of the body of the handpiece and which, with the ring, delimits an ejection chamber. The ejection chamber includes an inlet that communicates with a rear area of the handpiece and an outlet that communicates with the external environment, the ring having a first diameter at the outlet of the ejection chamber and a second diameter at the inlet of the ejection chamber, the first diameter of the ring being larger than the second diameter of the ring.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method relating to bidirectionally anchoring an anchor tooth. The apparatus may include an adjustable length brace and may be utilized in conjunction with an orthodontic bracket and an orthodontic temporary anchorage device (TAD).

Abstract: A dental implant system includes bone growth promoting material configured for disposal within a body cavity about an implant. A protective element is configured to overlay the bone growth promoting material. Methods of use are also disclosed.

Abstract: A dental appliance having a passive arrangement for drawing liquid from a reservoir (22, 33, 54) in the appliance by action of a stream of gas, which can be provided by a source of compressed gas (31, 34) or other system. The liquid mixes with the gas, resulting in liquid droplets which are directed through an orifice (18, 42, 68) at the end of a nozzle portion (12, 39, 66) of the appliance.

Abstract: In order to further facilitate the insertion of the dental implant into the bone, 3 plurality of apex indentations 13 are spacedly formed in the insertion root portion of the dental implant body 10. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each apex indentation 13 has a V-shape cross section defining two blade surfaces 131 cutting into the dental implant body 10 from the tip of the first end 11 of the dental implant body 10. At these two blade surfaces 131, the cross section of the asymmetric thread 20 is exposed and the blade edge 23 of the asymmetric thread 20 forms one or more cutting blades 24, wherein the dental implant of the present invention is screwed in the bone, the cutting blades 24 are the first part to cut into the bone. If the bone is hard, some bone will be drilled out by the cutting blade 24 but will be reserved inside the indentations 13. In a preferred embodiment, the dental implant body 10 has a total of three apex indentations 13.

Abstract: This invention provides the safe elevation of the Schneiderian membrane for the tissue regeneration especially bone augmentation for dental implant before surgical placement of the dental implants in the grown maxillary jaw bone in order to obtain adequate volume of osseous structure by addition of the artificial bone draft material. A surgical device can include a main portion, a handle portion, a main element, an adjustment mechanism, an adjustment portion, an outer thread, a free end, a depth measurement marks, the first and second connection sections, a cylinder, the inner and outer threads, the first and second projections, and a handle element with a texture.

Abstract: An implant includes a collar configured for disposal within tissue. The collar defines an axial bore. A shaft extends between a first end and a second end. The shaft is configured for disposal with the bore of the collar. A base defines an axial bore having an inner surface configured for engagement with the shaft such that the base is axially movable relative to the shaft. At least one arm extends between the collar and the base. The at least one arm is movable via axial movement of the base relative to the shaft between a first position and a second position such that the at least one arm is expanded in a configuration to engage tissue. Methods of use are also disclosed.

Abstract: A sulcus impression tip for injecting dental impression material for making dental impressions. The tip includes a body having a gripping portion and a discharge tip having a bore there through which permits a friction fit with the outside diameter of needle cannula. The needle cannula extends approximately 2 millimeters past a distal end of the discharge tip. The body further defines an angle for holding the gripping portion to permit the discharge tip and needle cannula to be positioned for easy access in the oral cavity by the dentist. The discharge tip is sized and shaped to separate the gum from the tooth in the selected region so that the needle cannula is positioned to permit exact positioning for placement of the dental impression material along the sulcus.