Patents Examined by Nicholas D. Lucchesi
  • Patent number: 11439480
    Abstract: An elastic matrix system for use during a dental restoration process is provided. In one embodiment, among others, the matrix system may include a restoration band having an elongated body between a first end and a second end. The restoration band comprises a top edge and a bottom edge. The matrix system also includes an upper circular rim of elastic material that has a first channel. The top edge of the restoration band is positioned in the first channel, and the restoration band expands and contracts a circumference of the matrix system along the first channel as the upper circular rim is manipulated. The matrix system also includes a lower circular rim of elastic material that has a second channel. The elastic sleeve attaches the upper circular rim to lower circular rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SMILE BUILDERS INNOVATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Robyn B. Lesser
  • Patent number: 11432906
    Abstract: Dental instruments, assemblies, and components for a dental instrument are described with a two-piece tip that includes a flexible tip end and a stiff shank. Various methods of assembly are described for securing the flexible tip end to the shank including utilizing a slot in the shank and one or more pins inserted through the tip and shank, a securing material, and forming the shank with a distal portion coupled to a portion of the flexible tip end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: HU-FRIEDY MFG. CO., LLC
    Inventors: Ravi P. Seeralan, Alexander M. Kerstein, Jennifer Nemeth
  • Patent number: 11432913
    Abstract: An articulator having a maxillary member and a mandibular member, which are connected to each other via condylar articulations, wherein a maxillary adaptor is attachable or attached at the maxillary member and a mandibular adaptor at the mandibular member, wherein a maxillary alignment member especially is form-fittingly connected to the maxillary adaptor and a mandibular alignment member is especially form-fittingly connected with the mandibular adaptor, and wherein the alignment members are automatically alignable to each other and comprising scanning members, by means of which the arrangement of alignment members and adaptors is scannable in a scanner and especially the relative position thereof moreover is detectable in relation to the articulator via the scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Robert Grünenfelder, Wolfgang Dawedeit, Alexander Schröck, Fabian Lüppens
  • Patent number: 11432912
    Abstract: Dental implant assembly comprising an implant with a body having an outer implant surface configured for osseointegration and a connection well, and an abutment comprising a prosthesis mounting portion for assembly of a dental prosthesis thereon and a connector mounting cavity. The assembly further comprises a connector comprising an implant mounting portion for assembly in the connection well of the implant, and an abutment mounting portion for assembly in the connector mounting cavity of the abutment, the abutment mounting portion of the connector comprising an index portion and the abutment connector mounting cavity further comprising an index cavity portion for receiving the index portion therein, the index portions configured to register the rotational orientation of the abutment about a longitudinal axis (A) with respect to the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: NOVODENT SA
    Inventor: Nejat Nizam
  • Patent number: 11426264
    Abstract: Tooth brushing monitoring system is disclosed that includes an oral hygiene device with a separate an optical sensor to track positional changes of the oral hygiene device. The optical sensor may alone or in combination with motion sensor data determine position and orientation of an oral hygiene device with respect to a user's mouth. The system may then determine the quality, quantity and location of brushing and provide feedback on the quality of brushing. This feedback provides motivation for users to increase their brushing habits, leading to a decrease in plaque, tooth decay and gingivitis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KOLIBREE
    Inventors: Thomas Serval, Yann Nicolas, Samuel Landau
  • Patent number: 11426261
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fixture for insertion into a bore hole arranged in bone tissue, comprising a threaded leading portion and a threaded trailing portion located coronally of the leading portion, wherein the threading of the leading portion has at least one first thread spiral, wherein the threading of the trailing portion has at least one more thread spiral than the threading in the leading portion, wherein the threading of the trailing portion and the threading of the leading portion have the same or substantially the same lead, wherein the profile of at least one of the thread spirals in the trailing portion is, at least along a portion of its length, substantially the same as the profile of the outermost parts of said first thread spiral in the leading portion, and wherein the at least one thread spiral in the trailing portion having substantially the same profile as the outermost part of said first thread spiral in the leading portion is arranged to follow the spiral path of that thread sp
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: DENTSPLY SIRONA INC.
    Inventors: Stig Hansson, Anders Halldin
  • Patent number: 11426265
    Abstract: An electrical appliance for personal care includes a handle with a longitudinal axis, and a plug-on part which can be attached to the handle, wherein a vibration unit having an electric motor and an eccentric element is arranged in the handle, wherein a plug-like coupling structure protrudes from the handle, which plug-like coupling structure forms an interface with a substantially mirror-inverted socket-like coupling structure of the plug-on part, wherein the interface has at least two stages with different circumferential geometry, wherein at least one of the stages has a rotation-preventing device between the handle and the plug-on part, and wherein a stop surface of the handle for the plug-on part extends obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: TRISA HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Armin Bärtschi, Herbert Fischer, Michael Schär
  • Patent number: 11426259
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes computing device related, systems, and methods for identifying force placed on a tooth are described herein. One method includes receiving initial orthodontic data (IOD) including teeth data; creating a virtual set of teeth from the IOD; receiving dental appliance information including at least one of dental appliance material properties and characteristics; virtually placing a dental appliance, formed from the dental appliance information, onto the virtual set of teeth; and determining one or more forces applied to the teeth based on information from the IOD and dental appliance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vadim Matov, Igor Faradjev, Bastien Pesenti, Sergey Geyn, Konstantin Tenzin
  • Patent number: 11426938
    Abstract: A dental model, includes (a) an upper segment, the upper segment having a shape corresponding to at least a portion of a dental arch of a human patient; (b) a base segment having an external surface and a bottom surface; (c) at least one internal cavity formed in the base segment, and optionally the upper segment, the at least one internal cavity extending through the bottom surface; and (d) at least one wash channel extending from the external surface of the base segment through the base segment and into the at least one internal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Alastair Graham, Kyle Laaker, Florian Markus Barth
  • Patent number: 11419697
    Abstract: A foot pedal for wireless control of a medical device, in particular a dental device, including a housing with a housing base, a cover element, which is mounted so as to be vertically displaceable relative to the housing base along an actuating direction and/or inclinable relative to the housing base, and a transmitting device arranged in the housing for wireless communication with the medical device, wherein the housing is at least partially made of a non-metallic material and the cover element is made of a metallic material, wherein in an initial state the cover element is spaced apart from the housing base and in a lowered state the cover element is offset in height with respect to the initial state in the operating direction, where the housing, in particular the housing base, is configured such that, in the lowered state, a signal transmission region arranged below the cover element, viewed in the actuating direction, is provided as a communication channel for a signal emitted from the transmitting device
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: FERTON HOLDING S.A.
    Inventors: Etienne Lebreton, Antoine Mareschal de Charentenay
  • Patent number: 11419704
    Abstract: An orthodontic appliance for orthodontic treatment of a posterior maxillary sector extending from a mesial anchor tooth to a molar tooth unilaterally on the same side of the maxilla is provided. The appliance features a molar component, a mesial anchor tooth attachment, a long rod, and a hook. The long rod is saddle-shaped in the occlusal-gingival plane, and may have a distal step-down portion. The rod may extend at a mesial end thereof from the mesial anchor tooth attachment towards the molar component in a mesiodistal direction, and the rod may also have a mesial step-up portion starting from the mesial anchor tooth or premolar attachment. The hook may be located on the rod, for attachment with a traction element for direct molar traction. Under force of the traction element the rod exerts force on the molar component for molar distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Spartan Orthodontics, Inc.
    Inventor: John Voudouris
  • Patent number: 11412829
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hair colouring tool which can be used for creating coloured patterns or designs in the hair in an extremely accurate and efficient way. The pattern or design is achieved by dying and bleaching so that the patterned areas are either darker or lighter than the natural hair colour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Inventor: Angelo Seminara
  • Patent number: 11413119
    Abstract: A fixture for insertion into a bore hole arranged in bone tissue is provided. The fixture has a threaded leading portion provided with at least one cutting edge for creating a female thread in the bone tissue, and a threaded trailing portion following the leading portion in the created female thread. Compared to the geometry of a thread peak of said cutting edge of the leading portion, a thread peak of the trailing portion is displaced or overdimensioned in at least one of the coronal and apical directions of the fixture so that a strain is provided to the bone when said displaced or overdimensioned thread peak engages with the created female thread. A fixture set for creating a strain is also provided, the set includes a fixture and a separate thread maker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: DENTSPLY SIRONA INC.
    Inventors: Stig Hansson, Anders Halldin
  • Patent number: 11406151
    Abstract: A method of attaching hair extension to customer's hair includes steps of forming beads with strands of customer s hair using bead forming devices and attaching hair extension to the beads using a hair extension attachment device. The hair extension attachment device includes a weft that holds extension hair strands, an attachment thread fixed to the base weft, an attachment needle fixed to a free end of the attachment thread. The bead forming devices includes a bead tube, a first bead thread that passes through the bead tube, a first bead handle that connects both ends of the first bead thread, a second bead thread that passes through the bead tube and a second bead handle that connects both ends of the second bead thread. The bead tube is positioned between the first bead handle and the second bead handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: THE HAIR SHOP, INC.
    Inventor: Ryan Tokko
  • Patent number: 11399916
    Abstract: A mixing chamber for a handpiece of a medical device, in particular a dental abrasive jet device, having a first supply line for a first fluid stream, in particular a liquid fluid flow, and a second supply line for a second fluid flow, in particular a powder/air mixture, where the two supply lines extend along a central axis and the second supply line-ends within the mixing chamber in an outlet the mixing chamber having a mixing region, in which the first fluid flow is deflected towards the second fluid flow, downstream of the outlet, and an accelerating region in which the first supply line extends parallel to the second supply line over the length of at least 3 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: FERTON HOLDING S.A.
    Inventors: Marcel Donnet, Rigolet Guillaume
  • Patent number: 11395723
    Abstract: A surgical device for identification of a surgical site of interest, such as a craniofacial or dental site (root apex of an identified tooth), and a method for using the device is provided. The device includes a perimeter bar and a plurality of intermediate cross bars arranged in a grid structure. The device can be used during a surgical procedure requiring enhanced precision, such as during an endodontic surgical procedure, by positioning the device next to a patient's tooth and capturing a CBCT image, the CBCT image being used to identify a drilling location. The device can be repositioned alongside the patient's tooth, and used to identify an accurate drilling position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Sid Poorya Jalali, David Krupnick
  • Patent number: 11388986
    Abstract: Hairbrushes that dispense liquid are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a hairbrush system includes a brush body, a bristle support layer, and a liquid container configured to store a liquid. The bristle support layer includes a plurality of apertures and supports a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from the brush head. In some embodiments, the hairbrush is configured to transfer the liquid from the liquid container into a chamber defined by the brush body and the bristle support layer. In operation, the hairbrush transfers the liquid from the chamber through the plurality of apertures and into the bristles when the bristle support layer is compressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: MAXRO LLC
    Inventors: Maxine Rosen, Paul Reeder
  • Patent number: 11389277
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide devices (tags), systems, and methods to determine structural integrity and other states of materials-of-interest, such as dental fillings, implants, and root canal posts, to name a few, in a non-invasive and contactless way; and using comparatively safe and/or low energy electromagnetic radiation, such as radio waves. Negligible-sized backscatter-tags with sensors are implanted in such materials-of-interest. Using backscatter imaging technology, the structural integrity and other states of the materials-of-interest may be monitored; which may allow non-invasive and contactless detection of problems such as cracking, bending, excessive pressure, improper temperature, and/or the like. Additionally, initially unknown locations of the implanted negligible-sized backscatter-tags with sensors may be readily determined upon a given scanning (reading) session; and thus mapped to provide an effective image of the material-of-interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventor: David Akselrod
  • Patent number: 11382726
    Abstract: The present invention is a digital custom denture impression tray that includes an upper U-shaped plate to measure the shape of a patient's upper gum having missing teeth and normal teeth arranged therein; a lower U-shaped plate to measure the shape of the patient's lower gum having missing teeth and normal teeth arranged therein; a height adjustment unit disposed on the upper plate for measuring the height of the denture to be implanted and structured to adjust horizontality and height of the upper plate and the lower plate; a screw nut attached to the height adjustment unit having a threaded hole at a predetermined depth; a screw bolt having a threaded surface to adjust height by being inserted in the threaded hole from under the screw nut; an indicator teeth disposed on the front center of the upper plate for recording centric relation and guiding the upper plate toward the lower plate; a front corresponding cooperation spot provided on the lower plate for receiving the indicator teeth thereon; and a rear
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventor: Joshua Lee
  • Patent number: 11382725
    Abstract: The invention relates to a screw and corresponding screw driver for driving the screw into a dental implant at an angle from the longitudinal axis of the implant. The screw has a polygonal interface and the screw driver has a matching interface for driving the screw to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Nobel Biocare Services, AG
    Inventor: Adrian Haus