Abstract: The tooth transilluminating light holder secures a lighting device to a tooth so that its light emitting end is perpendicular to the buccal (cheek) and lingual (tongue) surfaces of the tooth to be viewed. The tooth transilluminating light holder is supported at the tooth by a dental dam clamp to which it is affixed. Light provided to the surface of a tooth causes it to transilluminate, giving ample light within a drilled out tooth to accomplish endodontic (root canal) procedures. High intensity light is conducted along fiberoptic lines. These lines are inserted into the tooth transilluminating light holder and adjusted in and out to obtain proper proximity to the tooth's surface. This provides the desired transillumination within the tooth being viewed.

Abstract: A powered toothbrush cleans teeth and related embrasures by mechanically driving a small tuft of brush elements axially against the tooth surfaces to remove plaque and into and through the embrasures to push out food particles from the embrasures.The brush elements in the tuft have a length, texture, density, configuration and/or taper which enable the brush elements (particularly in the central part of the tuft) to penetrate directly into and through the embrasures while retaining sufficient flexibility (particularly on the periphery of the tuft) to effectively scour plaque from both convex and concave tooth surfaces as these brush elements are deflected toward lateral movement along the tooth surfaces by inward driving movement of the brush elements against the tooth surfaces.