Patents Examined by Shannel Nicole Belk
  • Patent number: 11951030
    Abstract: A mouth appliance for maintaining effective airflow in a user's airway comprises a frame formed to engage the user's upper and lower teeth to retain the frame in a selected position in the user's mouth in accord with the user's natural bite. A tongue depressor is mounted to the frame and formed to extend to a rear portion of the user's throat and to exert pressure directly on the tongue in the area of the user's soft palate, thereby facilitating comfort and ease in occasional swallowing, while providing airflow effectiveness to prevent the user from snoring and experiencing sleep apnea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Inventor: Lubin Martinez
  • Patent number: 11937991
    Abstract: Aligner attachment placement devices including a frame configured to extend over at least a portion of a dental arch, an attachment support extending from a first side of the frame, an aligner attachment frangibly connected to the attachment support, a first and second registration anchor, and a retention support extending from a second side of the frame. In some cases, a gap portion of the frame between the first and second registration anchors may be configured to suspend over one or more teeth of the dental arch. The retention support may be separate from and located between the first and second registration anchors. The retention support may include an extension arm and a tooth contact portion, where at least part of the extension arm has a smaller width than the tooth contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Webber, Siobhan O'Leary, Jun Sato
  • Patent number: 11925523
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to improved multi-suction dental devices, assemblies, systems and methods and of using the same. The multi-suction dental devices can be configured to suction both liquids and aerosols during dental procedures. Each multi-suction dental device can comprise at least one low-volume evacuation (LVE) suction pathway and at least one high-volume evacuation (HVE) suction pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Inventor: Frederick Stange
  • Patent number: 11925527
    Abstract: A device for the replacement of missing bone and inadequate bone level, the device comprising: one or more implant blocks, shaped to fill in gaps in a jaw bone, the one or more implant blocks comprised of one or more layers characterized by a honeycomb-like structure, and one or more apertures separated by one or more raised crests; one or more screws; one or more tooth implants, the tooth implants shaped to fit in the one or more apertures of the one or more implant blocks, and having one or more internal holes in their base; one or more tooth abutments, the one or more tooth abutments including one or more members on a side complementary to the shape of the one or more internal holes of the one or more tooth implants, and a support structure; and one or more crowns, the one or more crowns shaped to fit over the support structure of the one or more tooth abutments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Inventor: Carlos M. Valverde
  • Patent number: 11918824
    Abstract: A laser-based system and method for treatment of hard tissue enhances remineralization and fluoride uptake to improve resistance to demineralization. The system can include a laser source, an optic, and a controller for controlling the laser source and/or the optic to deliver radiation to a treatment region with desirable characteristics (e.g., to remove carbonate without damaging the tissue surface). In some cases, the system includes a handpiece having an optical element (e.g., a lens) mounted within a replaceable cartridge and adapted to modulate a laser beam to render the beam non-ablative, prior to the laser beam's delivery to the treatment region. In some embodiments, treatment with the laser can be combined with a fluoride treatment for enhanced therapeutic effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Convergent Dental, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Kerbage, Ali Badreddine, Stephen Couitt, Roni Cantor-Balan
  • Patent number: 11911239
    Abstract: Dental implant, comprising an external thread arranged on an outside of the dental implant for fastening the dental implant to a jawbone. Further, the implant comprises an opening extending along a longitudinal axis of the dental implant, in which opening an internal thread for fastening a superstructure to the dental implant is arranged. Still further, the implant comprises an interface for fastening the superstructure to the dental implant, which interface is arranged at a front end of the dental implant. The interface is suitable for direct attachment of a superstructure to the dental implant without the use of an abutment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TRI Dental Implants Int. AG
    Inventors: Sandro Venanzoni, Rafael Perez, Ronald Jung, Tobias Richter
  • Patent number: 11903787
    Abstract: A matrix adapted is for the specific tooth type, and is positioned on the tooth to covers the tooth, so that an injected curable material is encased by the matrix over the tooth. When the curable material has cured, the matrix is removed, resulting in a veneer on the tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Iveneer LTD
    Inventor: Itay Mishaeloff
  • Patent number: 11896453
    Abstract: There is disclosed a dental device configured to be coupled to a vacuum. In at least one embodiment the device comprises at least one channel coupled to the vacuum and in fluid communication with the vacuum. In addition, there can be at least one hood coupled to the channel, and covering the channel wherein the hood is in fluid communication with said at least one channel. In addition, there can be at least one clip coupled to the hood. Furthermore, said at least one clip extending substantially perpendicularly to said at least one hood and substantially parallel to said at least one channel, wherein the vacuum is configured to create a negative pressure inside of said at least one hood, and wherein said at least one clip is configured to couple to a user's mouth, wherein said hood is positioned adjacent to a user's mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventor: Mark G. Palumbo
  • Patent number: 11890164
    Abstract: An attachment member for mating with a dental implant includes a non-rotational structure and a body. The non-rotational structure is configured to mate with a corresponding non-rotational feature of the dental implant. The body extends from the non-rotational structure. The body has (i) an exterior side surface configured to at least partially engage gingival tissue adjacent to the dental implant, (ii) an exterior top surface that is exposed through the gingival tissue, (iii) a screw access bore for receiving a screw that attaches the attachment member to the dental implant in a removable fashion, and (iv) a set of radiopaque information markers that is located internal to the exterior side surface and the exterior top surface. The set of radiopaque information markers indicates information regarding the dental implant that is revealed in response to a scan from a computerized tomography (CT) scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: BIOMET 3I, LLC
    Inventors: Zachary B. Suttin, Stephen S. Porter
  • Patent number: 11883257
    Abstract: A self-ligating bracket includes a bracket body and a spring clip. The bracket body includes a mesial channel, a distal channel, a center channel, and an arch wire slot. The spring clip includes a distal arm, mesial arm, and a center arm which are moveably within the mesial channel, distal channel, and center channel between an open position and a closed position to occlude the arch wire slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: American Orthodontics Corporation
    Inventors: Jay S. Sommer, Eric W. Nimmer, Andrew R. Pietzner
  • Patent number: 11857387
    Abstract: The invention discloses an improved dental dam (10) for use in dental restoration processes. The dam (10) includes a substantially planar membrane (12), having location portions (14) disposed on the membrane (12) and a guide formation (16) which runs along a major surface of the membrane (12). Additionally the dam (10) includes a clamp arrangement (20), which is engageable with and slidably movable along the guide formation (16). Both the membrane (12) and the clamp arrangement (20) are formed of a shape memory polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Inventor: Wafa Abdalla Sabeal Mohamed Al Bloushi
  • Patent number: 11857384
    Abstract: A motor-driven dental device has a motor control that is responsive to a load placed upon the motor. More specifically, the invention relates to a dental device having motor that drives a tool, wherein the tool is activated or otherwise controlled in response to a load placed upon the motor through the tool, such as by touching the tool to a surface. The tool may also be controlled by the sustenance, over a predetermined time period, of an increase or decrease in motor current beyond a predetermined hysteresis current threshold. The motor may be an electric motor, a rotary electric motor, and air driven motor, an ultrasonic device or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DENTSPLY SIRONA INC.
    Inventors: Jay Alexander Fayer, Ignacio Michel, Joseph R. Reagan, Kevin Lint, Jeremy Kile, Bret Beane
  • Patent number: 11833008
    Abstract: The disclosed dental appliance is a functional daytime and nighttime anatomical removable dental appliance that is designed to overlay the existing natural dentition of the user. In desirable embodiments, the appliance can be held in place without any alterations to the user's existing dentition. The appliance is a plural piece or plural section intra-oral removable appliance with occlusal surface portions that have been built up to occupy the measured intra-occlusal spaces that exist between pairs of upper and lower teeth when the mandible is in a relaxed or rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Myohealth Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Maryam M. Motlagh, Martin E. Burbano
  • Patent number: 11833000
    Abstract: A fluid-driven medical or dental handheld device includes a head, the head including a housing and a impeller rotatably mounted in the housing. The housing defines a receiving chamber for receiving the impeller, a main air inlet and an air outlet being defined in the housing and communicating with the receiving chamber. An inner surface of the housing surrounding the receiving chamber defines a plurality of grooves, the grooves being arranged at intervals along a circumferential direction of the housing. The grooves reflect rotating airflows directed to the grooves to change directions and speeds of the airflows to form interference airflows, which can effectively reduce the rotation speed of the head at idling, while ensuring the torque output of the head during grinding teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: BEYES DENTAL CANADA INC.
    Inventors: Min Li, Hua Yang
  • Patent number: 11813140
    Abstract: A frictionally-retained detachable dental attachment assembly or anchor device is designed to attach a dental appliance with a tooth root or implant. The assembly includes a denture attachment housing for securing in the dental appliance, an abutment attached with a tooth root or implant, and a compressible retention member with a first end in fixed attachment with the cap and a second end in snap engagement with the abutment via a frictionally-retained ball secured within a cavity of the abutment. The retention member is formed using a compressible material to allow the ball to compress and the retention member to flex while inserting the ball into the cavity. Additional friction-retained and fixed attachment configurations of the dental anchor device are provided, along with methods of securing a dental appliance in a subject's mouth by means of the friction-retained and fixed attachment dental anchor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: ZEST IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Robert Allen, Christopher Michael Gervais, James Irwin Johnson
  • Patent number: 11801126
    Abstract: In some examples, a tool for forming a dental restoration comprises a preformed mold body configured to provide a patient-specific, customized fit with at least one tooth to be restored of a patient. The mold body is configured to align with a portion of a surface of the at least one tooth, and is configured to combine with the at least one tooth to define a mold cavity encompassing at least a portion of desired tooth structure of the at least one tooth to be restored of the patient. The portion of desired tooth structure defines a transition from a supragingival surface of the at least one tooth to a subgingival surface of the at least one tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: James D. Hansen, Katelyn M. Languell, Joseph C. Dingeldein, Lois F. Duerst
  • Patent number: 11801125
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a reconstruction prosthesis including a plurality of prosthesis units connected in series. Each of the prosthesis units includes a main part and a cushion structure. The main part has an abutment insertion opening and an accommodation space. The cushion structure is located in the accommodation space and movably located at the abutment insertion opening and defining an abutment mounting hole connected to the abutment insertion opening. The cushion structure is deformable with respect to the main part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Wei-Chin Huang, De-Yau Lin, Chuan-Sheng Chuang, An-Li Chen, Bo Min Xu, Chun-Feng Chen, Sung-Ho Liu
  • Patent number: 11801118
    Abstract: A dental treatment apparatus includes a handpiece holding a cutting tool in its head, a drive portion driving the cutting tool held by the head, and a control portion controlling the drive portion in accordance with a drive sequence. The drive sequence includes at least one forward rotation drive for rotating the cutting tool in a cutting direction to cut a treatment portion and at least one reverse rotation drive for rotating the cutting tool in a non-cutting direction. Under the control of the drive portion in accordance with the drive sequence, a cumulative amount of rotation which is an accumulation of an amount of rotation in forward rotation drive and an amount of rotation in reverse rotation drive does not exceed a set value at any time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: J. MORITA MFG. CORP.
    Inventors: Kyohei Kato, Naoki Katsuda, Kazunari Matoba
  • Patent number: 11786227
    Abstract: Provided is a tongue separation device including: a body unit including a contact surface fixing a tongue; a support unit arranged at one end portion of the body unit and supporting the body unit from outside a mouth; a tooth mounting unit arranged at one surface of the support unit adjacent to a first region of the body unit, mounting the teeth in a state where the body unit is inserted into the mouth, and including an upper surface mounting upper teeth among the teeth and a lower surface mounting lower teeth among the teeth; and a tongue position checking unit including an opening formed at the support unit to check a position of the tongue from outside the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation
    Inventors: Sang Gyu Ju, Chae-Seon Hong
  • Patent number: 11786349
    Abstract: A particulate collecting device for dental patients is disclosed. The device includes a pair of vertical flanges, with a first flange configured to be positioned and worn on a right side of a patient's chest and a second flange configured to be positioned and worn on a left side of the patient's chest. The vertical flanges have an inner contour that aerodynamically funnels air flow away from the patient's face. The device includes a protective sheet located between the vertical flanges. The device includes a particulate matter reservoir that is fluidly coupled to the vertical flanges and configured to receive funneled air, and particulates contained therein, from the vertical flanges. The device also includes a negative air pressure generator, which is fluidly coupled to the particulate matter reservoir and produces negative air pressure in a direction from a top area of the vertical flanges towards the particulate matter reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventor: James Mah