Abstract: A dental illumination system includes an adjustable self-supporting frame and a lamp head coupled to the frame. The lamp head includes a housing and a spacer having formations that is adapted to removably mechanically couple the lamp head to a reference device, again having formations, for facilitating illumination of a tooth by a light source contained within the lamp head. The spacer and lamp head may be formed integrally. If formed separately, both the lamp head and the spacer may include formations.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to dental prophylaxis devices that improve portability, maneuverability and aid in retaining clean conditions for use on dental patients, particularly to dental handpieces. The present invention is also directed prophylaxis or prophy angles for use with such handpieces. In general, a dental prophylaxis device includes a handpiece and a prophy angle which includes a driven shaft and a prophy cup attached for rotation thereto. The handpiece generally includes a body which houses a rotational source coupled to an output shaft which couples to the driven shaft in the prophy angle via angled gear interfaces on the output shaft and the driven shaft.

Abstract: In an endodontic procedure, after the working of a root canal by instruments to remove material and shape the walls of the canal, irrigant is supplied to irrigate and clean the canal. A fluid is applied via a tube which is inserted partway down the root canal and a vacuum is supplied via the cannula. Alternately, the fluid may be supplied through the cannula and vacuum through the tube. The tube and cannula may or may not pass through a material created by a standard dental filling material of a composite nature which provides a seal at a position near the top of the coronal opening. The cleaning may be performed using a cannula having a slight taper with one or a series of larger holes near the top and smaller holes near the bottom; or a pair of cannulas of substantially the same diameter and taper, one with one or a series of larger holes near the top, while the other one with one or a series of holes near the bottom of the cannula.

Abstract: A powered dental tool generally includes a tool tip at its distal end, a body at its proximal end and a motion generating mechanism. In one aspect, the dental tool includes a tool tip having a proximal end and a distal end along a generally longitudinal axis and a reciprocating motion generating mechanism. The reciprocating motion generating mechanism may repeatedly move the tool tip generally back and forth by a given displacement generally along the tool tip's longitudinal axis. This displacement generally resembles the action of a hand scaler, i.e., a reciprocating motion along the longitudinal axis of the scaler, which is unlike the vibration of most powered scalers. Such action may be advantageous as it may be more intuitive for the dental professional or hygienist and may provide more effective scaling action. It may further be advantageous for a powered scaler to more closely resemble a hand scaler in form, which is small, portable and untethered.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for improving the oral health of a subject by exposing the oral cavity of the subject to a device comprising a light source that emits a therapeutically effective amount of light. The present invention further relates to devices utilized in exposing light to the oral cavity of a subject in the method of the present invention.

Abstract: A dental lamp boom hinge includes a pivot supporting a dental lamp head and a base supporting the pivot where the pivot may be rotated about a substantially vertical axis with respect to the base. The rotational movement between the pivot and the base is damped with a damping device. The damping device in one embodiment is adjustable to provide a variable level of damping.

Abstract: A dental illumination system includes an adjustable self-supporting frame and a lamp head coupled to the frame. The lamp head includes a housing and a spacer having formations that is adapted to removably mechanically couple the lamp head to a reference device, again having formations, for facilitating illumination of a tooth by a light source contained within the lamp head. The spacer and lamp head may be formed integrally. If formed separately, both the lamp head and the spacer may include formations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ultrasonic dental tools having an integral sheath and at least one light source adapted to utilize the electromagnetic energy already available in the existing ultrasonic dental unit. The handpiece includes a substantially hollow housing having a primary power source that may include a coil. In one aspect, the ultrasonic dental insert includes a sheath. The sheath may be formed such that it may cover at least part of the handpiece housing. In general, the sheath may serve as a barrier such that it may reduce cross-contamination to and from the patient's mouth. During operation, the primary coil of the handpiece may be inductively coupled to an illumination energy coil such that the illumination energy coil may draw energy from the electromagnetic field of the primary coil to power at least one light emitting element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a curing light having a detachable tip for spot curing of light sensitive composites. A series of tips having varying apertures is also envisioned. The present invention also relates to a curing light having a detachable tip for effecting partial curing of light sensitive composites. The advantage of the tip of the present invention, as compared to prior art tips, is that it is adapted to be fitted over the end of a curing light device without the need to remove any protective cover, focusing lens or similar structure that may be mislaid or lost. It also offers the added advantage of a simplified design without the necessity of having built-in complex optical properties normally served by the protective cover while, at the same time, the tip retains the advantages offered by prior art tips.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ultrasonic dental tools having an insert that includes monitoring mechanism(s) for usage, performance and indication mechanism(s) for replacement. The dental tool includes a dental insert having a transducer for generating ultrasonic vibrations. The ultrasonic dental insert includes a housing and a connecting body having a proximal end and a distal end having a tip attached thereto. The proximal end is attached to the transducer so as to generate the ultrasonic vibrations therefrom and to transmit the ultrasonic vibrations toward the tip attached to the distal end. In one aspect, the ultrasonic dental tool includes monitoring systems for tool usage and condition. The dental tool may include, for example, usage time monitoring circuitry, wear usage circuitry, electromagnetic monitoring circuitry and/or any other appropriate monitoring systems.

Abstract: A dental illumination system includes an adjustable lamp head including a source of radiation, which may including IR, visible, and/or UV, is provided with an adjustable mounting device adapted for mounting in such a manner that offers freedom of movement for the patient undergoing the procedure, for example, whitening, so that radiation may be directed at the tooth or teeth. In some embodiments, the lamp head includes a housing and a spacer having formations that is adapted to removably mechanically couple the lamp head to a reference device, again having formations, for facilitating illumination of a tooth by a light source contained within the lamp head. The spacer and lamp head may be formed integrally. If formed separately, both the lamp head and the spacer may include formations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to dental instruments including dental burs, dental discs, tapes, endodontic files, surgical drills and taps, scalers, mirrors, intra-oral light sources, handpieces, perioscopes, covers for dental instruments and other tools having anti-microbial and/or medicament coatings which may be in a substantially permanent covalent manner or in a substantially non-permanent manner. The anti-microbial coating may be made from a variety of anti-microbial substances and other appropriate constituents to promote its fixing to the surface of the dental instrument and to promote its anti-microbial activity either during use or during storage. The substrate of the instruments may also include sources of anti-microbial agents, either by embedding, filling or mixing into the substrate.

Abstract: A dental apparatus includes a substantially longitudinal housing having a distal end, a proximal end having a tooth brush attached to it, and a tongue scraper attached to the housing. The tongue scraper can be attached to the inside or the outside of the housing. It can be fully extended during storage or in a roll form. The tooth brush can be an electric tooth brush. The tooth brush may also include a light source. The housing may also include vents along a portion thereon so that the tongue scraper may be cleaned and air dried during storage. The tongue scraper may extend outwardly from the distal end of the housing, perpendicular to the housing, or in a manner resembling a bow.

Abstract: A dental illumination system includes an adjustable self-supporting frame and a lamp head coupled to the frame. The lamp head includes a housing and a spacer having formations that is adapted to removably mechanically couple the lamp head to a reference device, again having formations, for facilitating illumination of a tooth by a light source contained within the lamp head. The spacer and lamp head may be formed integrally. If formed separately, both the lamp head and the spacer may include formations.

Abstract: A control system having a built-in voice alert system for alerting a dental professional of the time, depth or stage in a dental procedure. The dental procedure may include a dental restoration, dental whitening and root canal procedure. The control system may also include a headphone or other private listening device, for example, so that only the dental professional alone will receive the voice alert. In one aspect, the private listening device may be a wireless listening device such as a wireless radio frequency device or an infrared device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a retracting device for retracting at least a portion of a user's mouth. The retracting device includes formations, which may be inter-engaging and/or non-inter-engaging with other dental tools or apparatus. The formations are adapted for repeatably positioning a subject's mouth with respect to a light system, and/or an imaging film, and/or a dental tray.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a curing light having a detachable tip for spot curing of light sensitive composites. A series of tips having varying apertures is also envisioned. The present invention also relates to a curing light having a detachable tip for effecting partial curing of light sensitive composites. The advantage of the tip of the present invention, as compared to prior art tips, is that it is adapted to be fitted over the end of a curing light device without the need to remove any protective cover, focusing lens or similar structure that may be mislaid or lost. It also offers the added advantage of a simplified design without the necessity of having built-in complex optical properties normally served by the protective cover while, at the same time, the tip retains the advantages offered by prior art tips.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a curing light having at least one wavelength transformer for transforming a shorter wavelength suitable for curing a dental composite into a longer wavelength also suitable for curing a dental composite. The wavelength transformer may be made of materials including organic dyes, inorganic dyes, pigments, nanocrystals and combinations thereof. The wavelength transformer can be of many different configurations. The curing light also includes at least one heat sink which can be made of a material including at least one phase change material.

Abstract: A dental lamp boom hinge includes a pivot supporting a dental lamp head and a base supporting the pivot where the pivot may be rotated about a substantially vertical axis with respect to the base. The rotational movement between the pivot and the base is damped with a damping device. The damping device in one embodiment is adjustable to provide a variable level of damping.

Abstract: Dentistry equipment includes a voice alert device adapted to annunciate a status of the dentistry equipment or a process performed by the dentistry equipment. The voice alert device in various embodiments employs synthesized and recorded human voices.