Patents Examined by Matthew Seward
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Patent number: 8398394Abstract: A system for driving an electric handpiece in response to a pneumatic control signal may provide for fast interchange of handpieces, self-calibration and wide dynamic range of operation with precise speed control. The system may be incorporated into virtually any dental treatment center using traditional pneumatic drive handpieces, and a conversion kit may facilitate such conversion. The system may provide not only for controlling the speed and torque of a tool coupled to an electric drive handpiece responsive to a pneumatic control signal, it may also provide for coupling cooling air and treatment media, such as air and/or water to the handpiece. Coupling of a handpiece to an operating base of the system, including coupling of media lines and electrical connections may be made with a simple press and twist action using quick connection structure.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2008Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Kaltenbach & Voigt GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Johannes Sauter, Richard Bürk
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Patent number: 8371846Abstract: A self-adjustable, self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a base with a tooth face bonded to a surface of a tooth. A linking body includes a body connection. The linking body is in physical communication with an archwire transmitting a force to the linking body. A connector applies a tension between the linking body and the base motivating the linking body and the base toward a normal position.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Inventor: Mohannad Kishi
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Patent number: 8356993Abstract: A removable orthodontic appliance of discrete plastic sleeves, each being receivable over a corresponding tooth of a patient. Lingual clips are fastened to the corresponding tooth and which are engageable with corresponding structure of the sleeves for removably retaining each of said plastic sleeves to the corresponding tooth of the patient. Buccal brackets are fixably carried on a side of each of the sleeves positionally corresponding to a buccal surface of the corresponding tooth to which each of the sleeves is receivable. An arch wire is ligated to each of the buccal brackets to extend therebetween. The system can be conveniently removed for cleaning and adjustment.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2010Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Inventor: Blake E. Marston
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Patent number: 8348669Abstract: A method is set forth for making a computer model of patient's jaws, face, teeth and removable dentures on the basis of digital information. Three dimensional digital data about the soft tissues, artificial teeth, supporting bone and position of nerves is combined in a virtual computer model to create an aesthetic and functional plan for the creation of surgical drill guides and the creation of new dentures and teeth. A key component of this method, the accurate positioning of dental casts in a physical articulator, is simplified using three dimensional virtual and physical measurements and movements. Surgical guides used to position dental implants are manufactured using computer milling, layered manufacturing or conventional laboratory techniques with the aid of mechanical tools that reproduce the position of the dental cast or digitally produced replica in the same orientation to the virtual implant position.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Bankruptcy Estate of Voxelogix CorporationInventor: Stephen M. Schmitt
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Patent number: 8349009Abstract: An implant that includes titanium and has one or more surfaces which can be applied in or on a bone growth area. One or more of the surfaces are arranged with a depot for bone-growth-initiating or bone-growth-stimulating substance, in which the depot is formed by a pore arrangement in a relatively thick oxide layer on the titanium. The substance is acted on, for a considerable period of time, by one or more release functions for the substance which permit a controlled or optimized release of substance to the surrounding tissue or bone growth area.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Nobel Biocare Services AGInventors: Jan Hall, Jukka Lausmaa
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Patent number: 8337203Abstract: A mobile suction unit preferably includes a portable body, a deformably non-resilient appendage connected to the body, and a dental instrument connected to the deformably non-resilient appendage. The deformably non-resilient appendage may be selectively bent from a non-tensioned shape to a curvilinear tensioned shape in such a manner that the deformably non-resilient appendage indefinitely retains the curvilinear tensioned shape while the dental instrument is adapted to be positioned within the patient oral cavity.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2010Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Inventor: Shakeya Nina Mundey
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Patent number: 8323022Abstract: The instant dental bridge is one used in surgical operations in areas of missing teeth between abutment teeth includes: an artificial tooth or teeth (2) formed with slots (6) in recessed parts near to the gum; a connecting body (1) which has through holes (3) formed in positions corresponding to the slots (6) and projections joined onto the abutment teeth, and of which the entire surface, except the surfaces (5?) in contact with the abutment teeth, is covered by the artificial tooth (2) or by the same material as the artificial tooth; and wires (8) for securing the abutment teeth and the connecting body (1) to each other, by being wound through gaps (7) neighboring the abutment teeth and through the slots (6) and the through holes (3).Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2009Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Inventor: Han Seok Yoon
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Patent number: 8297970Abstract: The orthodontic bracket according to the present invention is provided with ligating means having a simple configuration, has additional functions for improving therapeutic effect and improving aesthetic appearance and enables maintenance to be carried out easily. A movable slider portion 2 for pinching an upper portion and a lower portion of an archwire to hold the archwire is provided in order to hold the archwire with respect to a bracket body 1 that has a slot 5 for holding the archwire. This slider portion 2 is inserted into the bracket body 1 to thereby hold the archwire 6. An orthodontic bracket composed of the bracket body 1 and the slider portion 2 has aesthetic properties by having a rounded shape with few surface irregularities. The slider portion 2 can be readily moved with an operating tool 14 and can be easily attached and detached.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2009Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Dentsply-Sankin K. K.Inventors: Ryuzo Kanomi, Toshimitsu Ohki
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Patent number: 8292617Abstract: Methods and devices utilizing a dental appliance for dental retainer wire attachment are disclosed. One such wire attachment appliance includes a shell having one or more cavities formed therein and shaped to receive one or more teeth, at least two wire attachment members provided on the shell, and at least one attachment material reservoir provided on the shell, wherein the attachment material is provided to attach a wire to a tooth adjacent to a particular reservoir of the at least one attachment material reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2009Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Douglas Brandt, Rick M. Matty
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Patent number: 8292623Abstract: Systems and methods for setting posterior prosthetic teeth in production of upper and lower dentures feature tooth blocks each having inner and outer bodies having upper and lower rows of recesses therein corresponding maxillary and mandibular prosthetic teeth. The recesses of the inner and outer bodies conform to lingual and buccul surfaces of the prosthetic teeth respectively and are shaped and positioned to establish proper positioning of the prosthetic teeth relative to one another when clamped between the bodies. The two tooth blocks accommodate respective ones of left and right prosthetic poster teeth sets. Connection elements between the tooth blocks allow adjustment and subsequent locking of the relative positioning between the left and right teeth sets before setting on mandibular and maxillary casts in an articulator. The two tooth blocks eliminate the need to individually position posterior teeth on each side of the jaw.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2010Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Inventors: Jory Brock Vandor, Gyula Victor Vandor
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Patent number: 8277216Abstract: A dental impression tray assembly includes an upper tray and a lower tray operable with the upper tray, and the lower tray includes a first piece configured to measure jaw relations of a patient's mouth and a pair of second pieces detachably attachable to the first piece. The first piece of the lower tray is inserted into the patient's mouth independently of the pair of second pieces of the lower tray to measure the jaw relations and to obtain a bite registration. After the first piece is connected to the pair of second pieces, the assembly allows a final gum impression of the patient's lower gum to be obtained.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2010Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Inventor: Tae Hyung Kim
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Patent number: 8246352Abstract: Provided is a surgical guide that enables a dentist to visually identify the tip of a drill during dental implant treatment, and does not allow the drill to tilt more than necessary, and enables sufficient cooling water to be provided so as not to cause bone burns, and is compatible with several different types of drills having different diameters. A first wire is embedded in a mockup in a same orientation as the orientation of a fixture of an implant is to be embedded. A guide member of a surgical guide is fitted to a tooth portion of the mockup. An adjusting mechanism adjusts such that an intersection line made by plane-shaped red laser light beam and green laser light beam from line laser modules is located on the first wire. The guide member is removed from the tooth portion of the mockup, and fitted to a tooth portion in the mouth, and the orientation of a drill is aligned with the intersection line. Drilling operation is performed in the aligned condition.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2009Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Inventor: Akira Takebayashi
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Patent number: 8226412Abstract: A hand tool engages a pair of opposing matrix wedges that are able to mutually nest when pressed into an interproximal space between adjacent teeth. The hand tool draws a floss tightly thereby causing the wedges mounted on it to move convergently. The wedge elements support a thin matrix band which takes the necessary shape to secure a class II dental preparation.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2010Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Inventor: Charles E. Slone
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Patent number: 8167616Abstract: A dental hand piece with replaceable tips at either end of a tubular handle, each of the replaceable tips including a tip assembly having an instrument working tip end at a distal end of a main tip body and a shank extending from the instrument working tip end to a proximal end of the main tip body. The tip assembly may be provided with a flat-blade extension end at the proximal end of the main tip body. The flat-blade extension end passes through a keyway-shaped slot provided in a locking component, and engages locking structure provided on a cylindrical barrel member. Replaceable tips at the ends of the tubular handle may be secured in 180° orientation to one another. A spring arm member may additionally or alternatively engage notches along an interior wall of the cylindrical barrel member.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2010Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Hu-Friedy Mfg. Co., LLCInventors: Mohammad Ali Jamnia, Neville Hammond, Howard Wax, Ronald Saslow
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Patent number: 8162660Abstract: The present invention is directed to a locking orthodontic bracket that contains a mechanism that rotationally locks an orthodontic archwire fully or partially within the bracket archwire slot. The orthodontic bracket has a body containing a slot to receive an orthodontic archwire, wings for tying ligature wires, a base that is attachable to an orthodontic band or directly to a tooth surface and a central recess in the front surface of the body that contains the rotating clip device. The rotating clip device is rotated to enclose an orthodontic archwire within the slot.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2009Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Inventor: Robert T Rudman
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Patent number: 8133052Abstract: A dental suction mirror with a plurality of suction ports on the periphery of the reflective surface spaced apart substantially about a forward half of the mirror with the ports directed across the reflective surface. The mirror also includes a plurality of lower suction holes directed out of the cavity downward from a bottom of the mirror. The reflective surface of the mirror is replaceable.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2009Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Inventor: Donald L. Emmons, III