Patents Examined by Nicholas D. Lucchesi
  • Screw and driver tool
    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
  • Three-dimensional stabilization thread form for dental implants
    Patent number: 11382724
    Abstract: An implant for insertion within a maxillofacial bone of a patient including a tapered body and one or more threads formed along the body. The one or more threads on one or more lead threads include multiple thread forms including both three-dimensional stabilization thread and standard thread (e.g. v-thread, buttress thread, etc.) forms. The one or more threads including the multiple thread forms provides for maximizing the restriction of lateral movement of the implant within a full or partial osteotomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: EVOLLUTION IP HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Patrick E. Barton, John J. Bellanca, Thomas P. Lewis, Fred J. Molz
  • Orthodontic brackets for deciduous teeth
    Patent number: 11382722
    Abstract: The present invention relates to orthodontic brackets designed for use with the deciduous teeth and method for its use. The brackets provide one or more debonding tabs which reduces the potential for damage to the deciduous tooth due to the application of excessive force during the debonding process. The small size of the brackets allow the brackets to fit available crown space on the deciduous teeth. Further the brackets are shaped to minimize mechanical forces applied to the deciduous teeth when engaged with an archwire. The bracket bases are shaped to conform to the morphology of the deciduous tooth crown surface thereby providing an optimal adhesive interface with the deciduous tooth. The deciduous brackets provide proper adhesion to avoid unwanted detachment of the brackets which often occurs when the use of permanent brackets is attempted on the deciduous teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventor: Cameron Mashouf
  • Three-dimensional oral imaging system and method
    Patent number: 11382727
    Abstract: An oral imaging system and method for acquiring dental impression scans is provided by having one or more imaging strips with illumination elements and imaging sensors that are positioned along the contour of the various surfaces of a dental tray and acquire images of the lips, teeth, and gum regions of a mouth. Fluid channels interconnecting a vacuum source or pressurized air source to openings near the imaging sensors on the dental tray are provided to reduce condensation on the imaging sensors. An extraoral extension may also be provided to acquire images of the exterior region of the lips. Furthermore, two dental trays of the present invention may be stacked together so that the entire mouth may be scanned at one time. A ramp is provided on the lower dental tray in the stacked configuration for acquiring relative jaw positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventor: Thamer Marghalani
  • Orthodontic appliance and method for moving teeth
    Patent number: 11376103
    Abstract: Systems and methods for moving a tooth using a light, continuous force are disclosed. In examples, a bracket has a surface which is mounted to a tooth, and a pair of wings defining a slot having oppositely disposed upper and lower surfaces that converge at an apex. A wire runs through the slot at a distance from the apex. And a tensioning device presses the wire against a surface of the slot, the system is configured so that the wire gradually moves toward the apex of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Skarin Orthodontics
    Inventor: David A. Skarin
  • Dental tray with encapsulated fluid
    Patent number: 11376108
    Abstract: A dental tray with encapsulated fluid that includes an arched tray frame having a bottom surface spanning a tray length separating ends of the tray frame, an outer sidewall spanning the tray length, with an upper edge, and with an inner sidewall surface, an inner sidewall spanning the tray length, with an upper edge, and with an inner sidewall surface. The inner sidewall surfaces of the outer sidewall and the inner sidewall and the bottom surface of the tray frame define a tray channel spanning the tray length and the continuous tray channel has a teeth applicator fluid housed therein. The tray frame also includes a flexible cover selectively removably coupled to the upper edges of the outer and inner sidewalls of the tray frame in a hermetically sealed configuration to encapsulate the teeth applicator fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: ORATRAY INC
    Inventors: Fernando Volante, Martin Fernandez Feo
  • Facial hair shaping tool and comb
    Patent number: 11375793
    Abstract: The invention provides a facial hair shaping tool and comb for personal grooming, including a first guide member and a second guide member that are identical or nearly identical in size and shaped like a comb with a handle, coupled at a centerline separating the first guide member and the second guide member at two end portions. Each guide member is relatively thin compared to its overall size, having an elongated planar body with at least one curvilinear segment, and includes additional members that allows the facial hair shaping tool and comb to convert between a conjoined facial hair shaping tool (opened state) to a miniature comb (closed state), and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: iP TECH PROS Inc.
    Inventor: Ronaldo Green Penaflor
  • Automated treatment staging for teeth
    Patent number: 11369456
    Abstract: Apparatus, system, and methods for utilizing one or more computing devices to stage the movement of teeth during an alignment treatment are disclosed. The computing device receives an electronic representation of the patient's teeth in their initial position and an electronic representation of the teeth a final position for each tooth. A route each tooth will travel to reach its final position is determined, and the teeth are scheduled to move according to a movement pattern. Moreover, the schedule of movement takes into account a maximum rate of tooth movement for each tooth, the path of movement for each tooth, the distance each tooth needs to move, any needed tooth staggering, any needed round-tripping or tooth movement slowing. The invention also includes techniques for determining an optimum number of stages for the treatment based on the schedule of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Ian Kitching, Alexander Dmitriev, Alexey Vishnevskiy
  • Disposable aspirator
    Patent number: 11369461
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dental mirror suction device (10) for suctioning liquids and particles from an oral cavity of a patient, with a tubular hollow base body (12) having an inner surface (14), an outer surface (16), a longitudinal axis (X-X), a connection opening (18) for a hose, and a suction opening (20). The inner surface (14) has a mirror-coated surface (24) which is viewable through the suction opening (20) and which is arranged such that the oral cavity is viewable at least in some portions. The mirror suction device (10) is configured as a disposable mirror suction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Cleverdent Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephan Clasen, Martin Kayser
  • Dental tray and articulator
    Patent number: 11364100
    Abstract: Improvements in a dental model tray and associated articulation system for use in forming a dental model includes providing: a flange integrally attached to the upper edge of an upstanding side wall of said tray; a pair of spaced apart ears that project outwardly from said flange; an alignment pin extending upwardly from and perpendicular to a planar base of said tray; a centric stop mechanism in which the cylindrical hollow post forming the centric stop is provided with a thin membrane covering over the otherwise open end of the post; and an articulation system which includes a ridged first leg and a second leg which is formed in the shape of a flat plate having sufficient thickness to be substantially rigid but which also allows limited torsional movement or bending about its longitudinal length as well as limited flexing about its longitudinal length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventor: James K. Garland
  • Orthodontic bracket for use on deciduous teeth
    Patent number: 11364097
    Abstract: The present invention relates to orthodontic brackets designed for use with the deciduous teeth and method for its use. The brackets provide one or more debonding tabs which reduces the potential for damage to the deciduous tooth due to the application of excessive force during the debonding process. The small size of the brackets allow the brackets to fit available crown space on the deciduous teeth. Further the brackets are shaped to minimize mechanical forces applied to the deciduous teeth when engaged with an archwire. The bracket bases are shaped to conform to the morphology of the deciduous tooth crown surface thereby providing an optimal adhesive interface with the deciduous tooth. The deciduous brackets provide proper adhesion to avoid unwanted detachment of the brackets which often occurs when the use of permanent brackets is attempted on the deciduous teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventor: Cameron Mashouf
  • Monitoring of dentition
    Patent number: 11357602
    Abstract: An acquisition kit, including: a mouthpiece intended for being placed into the mouth of a patient and including a reference mark; and an image-acquisition apparatus including a screen for viewing an image that can be acquired, computer memory containing information on target acquisition conditions, and a computer program comprising program code instructions for displaying on said screen a reference in a position such that, when the reference mark matches the reference on the screen, the acquisition apparatus complies with the target acquisition conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: DENTAL MONITORING
    Inventors: Philippe Salah, William Ayache, Laurent Debraux, Guillaume Ghyselinck, Thomas Pellissard
  • Electronic impression tray for obtaining dental information
    Patent number: 11357601
    Abstract: An electronic impression tray can be used to obtain three-dimensional and temporal measurements in dentistry. There is a device having optical measurement sensor system, and an electronic system including a central management unit capable of collecting, storing and ordering the data obtained by the sensor systems distributed over all or part of the impression tray. An optical impression of all or part of a dental arch can be obtained with a single or multiple impressions. The tray includes a part having the shape of all or part of a dental arch, and the part can change by virtue of its ability to deform and/or a structure formed by multiple elements that are hinged to one another and/or reversibly assembled and secured to one another, such as to provide the optimal shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Inventors: Francois Duret, Guy De Vreese
  • Dental arch analysis and tooth numbering
    Patent number: 11357598
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and apparatuses for analyzing a patient's dental arches in order to generate a treatment plan for the dentition. In particular described herein are methods and apparatuses for determining accurate standardized tooth numbering even when there are missing and/or supernumerary teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher E. Cramer
  • Dental implant
    Patent number: 11357600
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a dental implant configured to be inserted in a hole in jaw bone and to be at least partially situated in the bone tissue when implanted and includes: a coronal region, an apical region, a longitudinal axis extending from the coronal region of the dental implant to the apical region of the dental implant; an implant surface configured to form an interface between an implant material and the oral environment/surrounding tissue and a surface layer formed on at least part of the implant surface, the surface layer including crystalline titanium oxide in the anatase phase and wherein the surface area roughness Sa and the pore size of the implant surface on which said surface layer is formed increase from the coronal region toward the apical region of the dental implant along the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Nobel Biocare Services AG
    Inventors: Marcello Memmolo, Jan Hall, Emmanuel De Haller
  • Dental wedges and matrix bands for use in direct composite restoration techniques
    Patent number: 11351010
    Abstract: A wedge system for use in a dental restoration procedure for a posterior tooth. The wedge system includes a first wedge including a body portion adapted to be disposed in an approximal space, a first arm extending from the body, a second arm extending from the body portion, a gap formed between the first arm and the second arm, a first rib arranged on an inner surface of the first arm, and a second rib arranged on an inner surface of the second arm, wherein each of the first and second ribs is adapted to engage tissue defining the approximal space. In some cases, the wedge system may also include a second wedge including a body portion, at least a portion of which can be disposed in the gap of the first wedge to removably secure the second wedge to the first wedge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Burton Dental Innovations, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Burton
  • Restoration dental implant system and method
    Patent number: 11344388
    Abstract: An implant fixture is disclosed. The implant fixture contains an elongated shaft section, and a head section, wherein the head section contains at least one concave area for bone growth therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Inventors: Fereidoun Daftary, Oded Bahat
  • Bone foundation guide system and method
    Patent number: 11344383
    Abstract: A bone foundation guide system and method, the system could includes a bone foundation guide including a body forming an open surgical space, the body further having a bottom contoured to reversibly affix to exposed bone of a dental surgical site and a top contoured to match a bottom side of a dental implant surgical guide; at least one anchoring strut that removably attaches to the body with an apex of the anchoring strut further denoting one or more indentations for matching up with and receiving one or more portions of one alveolar ridge that opposes another alveolar ridge supporting the dental surgical site; alternatively to the anchoring struts and a tissue spacing gasket, the dental implant surgical guide that removably connects to the body; and alternatively to the anchoring struts or the dental implant surgical guide, the tissue spacing gasket that removably connects to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL DENTEX, LLC
    Inventors: Armand C. Jusuf, Daniel R. Llop
  • Deposition of discrete nanoparticles on a nanostructured surface of an implant
    Patent number: 11344387
    Abstract: A method of forming an implant to be implanted into living bone is disclosed. The method includes the act of roughening at least a portion of the implant surface to produce a microscale roughened surface. The method further includes forming a nanoscale roughened surface on the microscale roughened surface. The method further includes the act of depositing discrete nanoparticles on the nanoscale roughened surface though a one-step process of exposing the roughened surface to a solution including the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles have a material having a property that promotes osseointegration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Biomet 3i, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Berckmans, III, Ross W Towse, Robert L Mayfield
  • Production method for tooth replacement part and veneer structure
    Patent number: 11337781
    Abstract: A method for producing a tooth replacement part to be secured on an implant, based on a 3D model of the tooth replacement part with a surface and with a continuous screw channel with an initial shape in the form of a cylindrical barrel, with a first and a second end, wherein a cross sectional area of the screw channel is designed to be constant and/or to increase in size towards the second end of the screw channel. A 3D model of an inlay with a jacket surface, an upper face and a lower face is generated. A part of the surface of the 3D model of the tooth replacement part that is cut out through the second end of the final shape of the screw channel is used as the upper face and the jacket surface is configured as a negative form of a part of the final shape of the screw channel that adjoins the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: DENTSPLY SIRONA INC.
    Inventors: Paul Schnitzspan, Thorsten Jordan, Friedemann Roessler