Abstract: System and methods for positioning 3D virtual brackets on teeth for the precise positioning of conventional brackets and wire. Various reference features may be calculated for the teeth and used to calculate a position for the virtual bracket. Reference features that are calculated include curve of Spee, Andrew's plane, and a facial axis of the clinical crown for the teeth.

Abstract: The present application describes a method for designing and manufacturing a denture device for a patient. A method is described for designing a virtual denture and manufacturing a functional fitting replica denture from the virtual denture. An apparatus comprising a functional fitting replica denture is prepared having denture teeth having a fit substantially similar to the final denture. The methods and apparatus described herein reduce the number of visits required to manufacture the final denture.

Abstract: An apparatus for treatment of teeth, including one or more dental treatment applicators having at least two walls and a floor, the walls and floor defining a well configured to accommodate at least one human dental arcade and an active agent, one or more energy-applying element located on at least one of the walls and wherein the improvement of the apparatus comprises paired dental treatment applicators configured to be applied to both upper and lower dental arcades concurrently and a number of dental treatment accelerating elements and fields.

Abstract: A screw type dental implant system (1), having a dental implant fixture (2), a multifunctional component (3) and an abutment screw (4). The screw shape dental implant fixture has an external surface having buttress threads on the body and micro threads at the collar. This combination provides the advantages of: improved biomechanics at the implant abutment interface, self-tapping nature to the implant, and minimizing the stresses at the crest of the bone leading to decrease resorption of crestal bone. The multifunctional component serves the purposes of implant mount, impression analog and final abutment and has a single prosthetic platform so one component is compatible with different implant dimensions, which minimizes the inventory needed for the implant system and allows easy handling of the system. The multifunctional component also has an external concave transmucosal portion for enhancing the emergence profile and internal threads for securing the abutment screw.

Abstract: A dental handpiece control apparatus including: a relay 17 that switches a polarity of a voltage applied to a motor 20, and thereby switches a rotation direction of the motor 20 to forward rotation and backward rotation, the motor 20 being incorporated in the dental handpiece to rotate a cutting tool (a file) mounted to the dental handpiece; and a control section 11 that controls the switching of the voltage polarity by the relay 17 based on a rotation angle ?F for forward rotation and a rotation angle ?R for backward rotation of the motor 20, the rotation angle ?F and the rotation angle ?R being associated with state information of the file.

Abstract: A self-ligating orthodontic bracket for captivating an archwire with a tooth. The bracket includes a bracket body mountable to a tooth and a self-ligating mechanism having an archwire slot and a ligating slide. The ligating slide is movable between an open position in which an archwire is insertable into the archwire slot and a closed position in which the archwire is retained in the archwire slot. The bracket body may be formed from a non-metallic material, such as a polymer, a filled polymer composite, or a ceramic, and the self-ligating mechanism may be formed from a metal. The bracket may include a resilient engagement member with a detent positioned to engage an aperture or throughhole extending through the ligating slide when the ligating slide is in the closed position.

Abstract: Integrated support devices for providing temporary primary stability to a dental prosthesis implant, each individually designed and manufactured for a specific pre-identify patient are also provided. An integrated support device can include a prosthesis interface member configured to connect to an abutment or reduced sized portion of a dental prosthesis/implant. The integrated support device also includes one or more bonding wings for connecting to the adjacent healthy teeth.

Abstract: The invention relates to the production of a dental correction splint (1) and to the resulting splint, in which a patient record is made by taking an impression of his/her teeth (2) and said impression is processed by processing the image of the impression. The method comprises the production of an orthodontic splint (1) which is based on the processed impression and provided externally with the desired result of the correction. The method is characterized in that it includes a step of calculating the internal modifications to the splint (1) by removing and/or replacing the material of the splint (1) which is adapted for each orthodontic movement specific to each stage of the correction.

Abstract: A dental implant comprising a subperiosteal extension, said extension extending radially beyond a radius of a post of said dental implant. A device for mounting onto a dental implant configured to extend said dental implant to comprise a subperiosteal extension, said device extending radially beyond an interface between bone and said dental implant. A method of implanting a dental implant comprising elevating a mucoperiosteal flap at site of implantation, drilling a hole for inserting a dental implant comprising a subperiosteal extension, inserting said dental implant, and covering said subperiosteal extension with said mucoperiosteal flap. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to computer-implemented methods of making a transfer tray using rapid prototyping techniques, where the gingival edge of the tray is defined to intersect with at least one receptacle for receiving an orthodontic appliance. This tray configuration helps to minimize the travel distance of the tray when placing the tray over a patient's teeth, while also preserving a high degree of mechanical retention for retaining the appliance until such time that the appliance is bonded to the tooth. Other aspects of the tray and associated methods of bonding are directed to a frangible web that extends over the gingival portion of the receptacle and fractures to facilitate tray removal after bonding.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance that postures the lower jaw forward and connects the lower jaw to the upper jaw, comprising two upper palate bases, a labial bow located in a front region of the appliance, a lower incisor support wire located in a front region of the appliance, an upper incisor support wire located in the a front region of the appliance, a lateral incisor support wire, cuspid support wires located in a front region of the appliance, a palatal bar which connects the two bases of the appliance, and landing gear reminders to engage the soft tissue covering the mandible.

Abstract: Various medical or dental handpieces having at least one coil for inductive coupling with a second coil and methods for using these handpieces for the transmission of at least one of power, operational data and identification data are described. Also various tool-holding/releasing devices for medical or dental handpieces are described, having at least one shaped element penetrating through a bore in a hollow shaft for accommodating a tool and protruding through the bore into the hollow shaft, a movably arranged locking sleeve cooperating with the shaped element and an operating element for moving the locking sleeve. Some of these tool-holding/releasing devices allow the insertion of the tool into the hollow shaft with different insertion depths.

Abstract: A method for decreasing dental hypersensitivity, including sizing a plurality of non-functionalized microbeads to be between 0.01 ?m to 3 ?m in diameter, suspending the plurality of non-functionalized microbeads in a fluid matrix to define a dental delivery composition, introducing the dental delivery composition into an oral cavity, introducing respective non-functionalized microbeads into a dental tubule, adhering respective functionalized microbeads each other and to the dental tubule to define an aggregate, and occluding the dental tubule with the aggregate.

Abstract: The subject matter of the disclosure is, in one example, a dental implant having a corpus, an external thread attached on the endosteal area of the corpus, and a post accommodation formed in the inside of the corpus. Providing a dental implant that can be anchored well in the jaw is achieved by forming a recess on the endosteal end of the corpus oriented coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the corpus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method define a fit of a set of upper and lower teeth of a patient by generating a computer representation of the teeth; and determining an occlusion from the computer representation of the teeth using one or more keys.

Abstract: Provided is a dental ultrasonic cleaning device that efficiently cleans teeth or dentures in an oral cavity using ultrasonic waves. A dental ultrasonic cleaning device 1 emits ultrasonic waves through a cleaning-liquid (W1) to the surface of a cleaning-target 26, ultrasonically cleaning it. An ultrasonic horn 24 propagates ultrasonic waves being generated by an ultrasonic-wave transducer 23 and emits them from the vibratory surface 25 provided at the tip-end of the horn 24. A liquid-reserving part 27 is provided, surrounding the vibratory surface 25 of the ultrasonic horn 24, which temporarily reserves the cleaning-liquid (W1) between the vibratory surface 25 and the cleaning-target 26. A cap-member 33 is provided at a certain interval opposite the liquid-reserving part 27.

Abstract: A delivery device (12, 140) includes a source (16) of pressurized fluid and a nozzle (24) which defines an outlet (22). A fluid pathway (20) fluidly connects the source of pressurized fluid with the nozzle outlet (22) for delivery of a spray of fluid from the nozzle outlet. A delivery mechanism (14) releases a dose (48) of particles (28) into the fluid pathway from an associated cartridge (32), such that the dose of the particles is carried by the pressurized fluid through the nozzle outlet in the spray. The particles include a dental care agent.

Abstract: Orthodontic remodeling devices having an extraoral housing containing a power source operably coupled to an actuator operably coupled to a processor that controls said actuator; the extraoral housing operably connected to an intraoral U-shaped bite plate; the bite plate having upper and lower vertical edges on a facial edge thereof and upper and lower vertical edges on a lingual edge thereof. During usage the orthodontic remodeling device is held in place only by teeth clamping on the bite plate and vibrates at a selected frequency between 0.1 and 400 Hz. Methods of using same for faster orthodontic remodeling and pain reduction are also provided.

Abstract: A strainer/filter unit for effectively collecting solid, liquid or gaseous substances at the source and the method of using the strainer/filter unit. The strainer/filter unit includes a housing, a one-way valve at one end of the housing, and a filter having a certain depth and thickness within the housing. The filter is formed from a plurality of layers of material with pores such that pores of one layer partially overlap pores of subsequent adjacent layers. Matters entering the strainer/filter unit are collected in the filter while travelling through filter via a tortuous path.

Abstract: Examples of apparatus, methods, and compositions for endodontic treatments are described. The apparatus can include a fluid platform configured to substantially retain fluid in a tooth chamber during treatment. The fluid platform can help maintain fluid circulation in the tooth chamber as fluid flows into and out of the tooth chamber. The apparatus can also include a pressure wave generator configured to generate acoustic waves that can be used for cleaning root canals and tooth surfaces in the tooth chamber. Examples of pressure wave generators include a liquid jet, an electromagnetic energy delivery device, and an ultrasonic device. The fluid can include antiseptic or antibacterial solutions to assist in tooth cleaning. The fluid may be degassed to have a reduced dissolved gas content (compared to non-degassed fluids used in endodontic treatments), which may improve the effectiveness of the pressure wave generation or the cleaning.