Abstract: An abrading dental floss is characterized by dental floss having a dental abrasive on at least a portion thereof suitable for polishing, sanding and/or finishing dental restorative material such as dental resin. The dental abrading material is impregnated into or provided onto the dental floss. In one form, the dental abrading floss has an abrading/abrasion/polishing/finishing/sanding section situated between lengths of the dental floss. The abrading polishing section may be formed of an alternating pattern of non-abrasive portions and abrasive portions along a length of the floss. The abrasive portions may be of a single grit or texture of the dental abrasive or may be of different grits of the dental abrasive. In another form, the dental abrading floss has a single grit of a dental abrasive along its entire length. In yet another form, the dental abrading floss comprises a plastic sheet of having a dental abrasive thereon or therein situated between lengths of the dental floss.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an apparatus for removing enamel from a person's tooth includes a blade portion and a handle portion. The blade portion includes an abrasive surface adapted to remove enamel from the tooth in response to reciprocating movement of the abrasive surface against the enamel of the tooth. The handle portion is coupled to the blade portion, has a substantially solid cross-section, and is adapted to be inserted into a corresponding opening in a driver mechanism that is adapted to drive reciprocating movement of the blade portion to provide the reciprocating movement of the abrasive surface.

Abstract: A method for preventing tooth decay by initially treating the tooth surface with a laser with a coherent or noncoherent light source. This process makes the tooth more resistant to acid and more able to bond fluoride, thus requiring a lower concentration of fluoride. The method allows for a deeper penetration of the tooth then previously accomplished with other methods.

Abstract: Hygiene instrument for removing stains, cleaning and polishing the surface of the teeth and the composite materials of dental fillings. The structure of the hygiene instrument is made up of fibers and optionally a load of particles embedded in a resinous matrix giving the working surface of the hygiene instrument a continuous abrasive power.

Abstract: A dental instrument consisting of a handle having first and second opposing ends, and a metal bur at at least one of the ends, which includes a diamond-chip coating, and of given shape and angulation, exhibiting a hardness characteristic sufficient to smooth dental enamel when filed thereacross, with the instrument included within a blister pack for consumer purchase as an emergency treatment relief device.

Abstract: A dental instrument consisting of a handle having first and second opposing ends, and a metal bur at at least one of the ends, which includes a diamond-chip coating, and of given shape and angulation, exhibiting a hardness characteristic sufficient to smooth dental enamel when filed thereacross, with the instrument included within a blister pack for consumer purchase as an emergency treatment relief device.

Abstract: The invention discloses a thin strip of plastic or other suitable material for dental hygiene. The material may be flat, curved, or have a portion of a partially cut or flattened tube. The strip includes a shaped tine on one end and a rimmed, folded or tubular grip on the other end. The material may include holes, slits or ribs and some porosity and a sac or pellet of absorbent material placed within or on the strip containing small amounts of antiseptics, cleansers or abrasive particles, pastes or other soluble or insoluble materials which are released into the folds, holes or slits along the length of the strip. The strips are capable of being a part of or joined at or near the grip with a similar strip of different configuration or, if tubular, a section of extendible, bendable concentric rings have an extension for holding or forming a similar strip of different configuration or providing means for inserting or attaching a bristle brush or other dental device.

Abstract: A dental instrument including a plastic handle with a generally planar pick at at least one of its ends, with the pick being of a plastic or emery board composition of given shape and angulation, with a rasped surface about edge portions of the pick so as to fit within a user's mouth on either the inside or outside of the gingiva, in serving as an emergency dental treatment relief device in dislodging popcorn stuck in the teeth.

Abstract: An unexpanded perlite ore polishing composition is shown. The composition comprises base material having grains of unexpanded perlite ore of a selected distribution of particle sizes which undergo fracturing of the grains as a function of an abrasive force applied to the base material. The selected distribution of particle sizes includes a significant volume of grains of unexpanded perlite ore having a particle size of less than about 245 &mgr;m. The base material is responsive to an abrasive force being applied thereto during polishing resulting in continued fracturing of the grains of unexpanded perlite ore to yield a final polishing composition having a sufficiently low level of abrasiveness under said abrasive force making it suitable for use in polishing. Methods for preparing and using the unexpanded perlite ore polishing composition are also shown.

Abstract: An inexpensive instrument for locating and remediating sites of a removable dental appliance causing sore spots on the wearer's gums includes a rigid shaft handle elongated between first and second extremities. Pigment which is transferrable by water is disposed at the first extremity. An abrading member is associated with the second extremity, and is shaped so as to have flat and round surfaces.

Abstract: A dental brush (10) especially for cleaning and stimulating tissues between the teeth includes a core (12) with filaments (14) extending outwardly away from the core in a large variety of different angles, the outer ends of the filaments lying within a triangle as viewed along the core axis. When viewed into the side of the core (12), the filaments (14) extend away from the core at a maximum in the central region of the core and have a continually reducing extent as they are spaced away from the central region toward the core ends (16, 18).

Abstract: In a dental tool in the form of a strip for the abrasion of a tooth and/or tooth filling material, a diamond coating provided on at least one lateral face of the strip, and a tooth system being provided on at least one edge thereof.

Abstract: An abrading body (1) for treating tooth crowding, which can be introduced into interdental spaces (10) between teeth (9) and is provided with oppositely disposed working or abrading surfaces (2, 3) on both sides thereof and a shaft for attachment to a reciprocating drive mechanism (8). The abrading body (1) can be introduced vertically between the teeth (9), i.e., in the longitudinal direction thereof, and is designed to carry out an abrading movement in this direction. The abrading surface (3) is formed with a convex cross-sectional configuration. The opposite abrading surface (2) is formed with a concave cross-sectional configuration. The radius (R3) of the convex abrading surface (3) is greater than the radius (R2) of the concave abrading surface (2). An advantageous interdental contact in the form of an overlapping, dimeric, arcuate chain of teeth can be created by introducing concave and convex contact surfaces on adjacent teeth using the tooth abrading body (1) of the invention.

Abstract: Tweezers for holding strip-shaped or thread-shaped material with particularly abrasive characteristics are disclosed, for example, for dental purposes, wherein clamping elements, particularly in the shape of rods, are arranged in the area of the free end of each of the two legs of the tweezers, and wherein, in the closed position of the tweezers, at least one clamping element arranged at a leg contacts two clamping elements arranged at a distance from one another at the other leg or engages in a recess located in the latter.

Abstract: Hygiene instrument for removing stains, cleaning and polishing the surface of the teeth and the composite materials of dental fillings.

Abstract: In a dental tool for the abrasion of tooth and/or filling material in the form of a strip, a diamond coating is provided on at least one lateral face and a tooth system on at least one edge.

Abstract: A device for removing tooth stain comprises a handle; a first tool disposed at one end of the handle; an extension removably secured to the other end of the handle; a second tool disposed at the other end of the handle; and a second cap removably enclosing the second tool. The extension is hollow with an open end for being removably secured to the one end as a first cap.

Abstract: A dental tool is provided for use in removing solidified material from on and between teeth during restorations. The new dental tool is appropriately shaped to provide proper control and visualization of the work and prevent damage to the interior of the mouth. The dental tool comprises a handle portion and a blade support portion extending from the handle portion, wherein the longitudinal axis of the handle and blade support portions form an angle of from about 130 degrees to about 140 degrees. A blade member is supported on the distal end of the blade support portion including a support surface which is in a plane which forms an angle of from about 80 degrees to about 100 degrees with the longitudinal axis of the handle portion. The blade supporting portion comprises a pair of spaced arms projecting from the handle and at an angle relative to one another in the range of from about 10 to about 25 degrees.

Abstract: Hygiene instrument for cleaning and polishing the surface of the teeth and the composite materials of dental fillings, in the shape of a rod. The structure of the rod is made up of fibers and optionally a load of particles embedded in a resinous matrix giving the working surface of the rod a continuous abrasive power.

Abstract: A device for removing tooth stain comprises a handle; a first tool disposed at one end of the handle; an extension removably secured to the other end of the handle; a second tool disposed at the other end of the handle; and a second cap removably enclosing the second tool. The extension is hollow with an open end for being removably secured to the one end as a first cap.

Abstract: Hygiene instrument for cleaning and polishing the surface of the teeth and the composite materials of dental fillings, in the shape of a rod.

Abstract: The invention relates to a medical or dental-medical instrument (1) for the material-removing working of body tissue or a substitute material, having an elongate handpiece (2), a holding device (4) arranged in the forward end region of the handpiece (2), and a tool (5) having a tool shaft (5a) and a tool body (5b) connected therewith, which is releasably connected with the handpiece (2) by means of the holding device (4), there being arranged in the handpiece (2) a vibration drive (6) for the tool (5), which transfers to the tool (5) high frequency oscillating movements, back and forth in at least one plane or orbital or three-dimensional, the tool body (5b) having an abrasive working surface (5c), the tool body (5b) being formed by means of a lamina (B), and the working surface (5c) being arranged at a narrow edge (21) of the lamina (B).

Abstract: An oral hygiene appliance has a spring-elastic working piece, comprising a stamped element made from foam, on the head of an handle. The stamped element is made from closed-cell foam, and only the cells located on the stamping face are opened by the stamping process.

Abstract: A device for abrading or polishing primarily uneven objects, comprising an abrasive section in the form of a strip which is preferably essentially in-elastic and which is coated with an abrasive or polishing layer. One end of the ribbon shows an elastic section connected to the abrasive section. Such a device allows a reciprocating movement without moving the end of the ribbon which is inserted into the mouth of the patient.

Abstract: The invention relates to an instrument for periodontal treatment, consisting of a connection piece (4) and of a blade (1), wherein said blade (1) has an abrasive part exhibiting two sectors (10, 11) distributed along the blade, and each situated on opposite sides of a plane passing through the axis of the blade, these two sectors (10, 11) exhibiting different levels of abrasiveness such that when the instrument is introduced into the periodontal pocket during treatment, the more abrasive sector comes into contact with the root surface of the tooth, and the other, less abrasive, sector comes into contact with the mucosa, said instrument being adapted to be held by way of its connection piece (4) on a handpiece which confers a vibratory movement on it, allowing the two sectors (10, 11) to effect the detachment of the undesirable tartar.

Abstract: A tongue scraper including a handle extent with a first free end and a second end. Further provided is an intermediate gripping extent with a first end integrally coupled in collinear relationship with the handle extent. Also included is a scraping extent having a closed-loop configuration with a hollow center. The scraping extent includes a first end integrally coupled with a second end of the intermediate gripping extent. A second end of the scraping extent has teeth formed therein for scraping teeth of a user. The teeth are defined by a plurality of triangular cut outs. Such cut outs form a plurality of triangular wells and a plurality of teeth members which together define the teeth. The teeth members include linear beveled side extents and an arcuate top surface. The teeth are formed along less than 1/4 the entire periphery of scraping extent. The triangular wells associated with the teeth have a depth that is less than 1/3 the height of the scraping extent.

Abstract: Interproximal dental appliances in the form of a floss-type linear media, a pick-type interproximal dental cleaner/tissue stimulator and an interproximal brush, include an elongated base and a plurality of elastomeric flat-faced flanges extending perpendicularly outwardly from the base in a staggered pattern to form a ribbed segment. A handle is provided adjacent to the ribbed segment, and an exteriorly smooth threaded leader or tip formed of a portion of the base extends away from the ribbed segment opposite the handle. The flanges include a first set of flanges spaced from one another along a longitudinal axis of the base and radially aligned with one another about the longitudinal axis, and a second set of radially aligned flanges longitudinally disposed in an alternating manner between adjacent flanges of the first set, wherein the first set of flanges is radially offset from the second set of flanges.

Abstract: Improvements are provided for a dental air abrasive system of the type which utilizes a compressed gas or air which creates a gas stream. Abrasive particles are introduced into the gas stream and expelled out through one end of a nozzle whereupon the abrasive laden gas stream impinges upon the target, i.e. tooth amalgam, composites, stain and/or tooth dental filling materials. The improvements include the use of two or more hoppers each containing different sized abrasive particles, which are selectively fed, either together or independently of each other, into the gas stream. Different sized abrasive particles are provided in each hopper for cutting different types of tooth structures. Other improvements include the use of fluorescent and/or colored abrasive particles to facilitate the aiming process, a laser beam, strobe, white light or other illuminating sources for aiming the abrasive stream and/or illuminating the target area as well as a disposable nozzle for hygienic reasons.

Abstract: A kit whose contents permit a denture wearer to repair their own dentures. The kit contains replacement teeth, a liquid monomer and a powdered polymer which when added together form a putty-like acrylic, a pipette for dispensing the liquid, a specially designed grinding and filing tool, a piece of emery paper, and a strip of wax used for temporarily bridging a loose tooth to a fixed tooth. Instructions explaining a method for repairing both simple and complex denture fractures, as well as replacing broken or lost denture teeth are also included in the kit. The methods each utilize the specially designed grinding and filing tool.

Abstract: A dental interproximal disk formed of rigid sheet material as a unitary or integrally formed handle portion and blade portion with an arcuate cutting edge. The handle portion includes a plurality of corrugated flutes terminating in a laterally offset flange. The side surfaces of the blade portions may be either smooth or roughened on one or both surfaces thereof. An aperture is formed adjacent one end of the handle portion for attachment of a string or cord to effect retrieving if necessary as a matter of safety.

Abstract: A combination air abrasive system and laser system are provided for dental applications. The air abrasive system creates an abrasive material laden gas flow and then directs this gas flow towards a target site in the patient's mouth. The air abrasive system also includes a vacuum system which creates an air flow to remove the abrasive material after impingement on the target site. The abrasive material is filtered from the air flow and the resulting clean air is then used to create a positive pressure within the housing for the dental laser system to prevent the entry of debris and other contaminants within the laser system. Additionally, the clean air flow is used to clean the lens system for the laser. Also, the air abrasive system and laser system include a common control system and may also utilize a common aiming and illumination mechanism.

Abstract: The ablator is made with synthetic resins reinforced so as to resist the mechanical stresses of flexion and abrasion. The resins are reinforced with metallic or non-metallic fibers totally incorporated in them, and are reinforced against wear due to abrasion by a modification in their surface molecular structure by means of a process of ionic implantation or similar procedures. Preferably, the synthetic resins used belong to the group of polyarylamides which exhibit better characteristics of mechanical resistance and of the duration of the sharpened edge of the ablator.

Abstract: A dental polishing applicator for use with a rotary dental handpiece and method of using the same which is characterized by a collet portion and a removably mounted, disposable single use tip portion. The cylindrical collet is adapted to be removably mounted to conventional dental handpieces and includes an opposing end adapted to removably receive a shaft portion of the applicator tip portion. Preferably the tip portion comprises a relatively very small cylindrical shaft provided with a conical polishing end which is designed to permit access to the more difficult to reach areas of tooth anatomy.

Abstract: An instrument for removing deposits and stains on teeth is provided with a handle having an end-piece which carries a working tool, the tip of which is intended to be applied on the teeth to be treated. The tool consists of an eraser formed by a body of molded synthetic resin such as polyvinyl chloride, polyamide or silicone, within which are incorporated abrasive or polishing elements of greater hardness such that their Rockwell hardness number is higher than 25 mPa but lower than 200 mPa. These abrasive or polishing elements consist either of glass fibers with a fiber content on the order of 20 to 30% or of micrograins of a synthetic resin such as methyl polymethacrylate or a polyamide resin with a concentration within the range of 5 to 90% by weight, with a preference for a range of 20 to 50%, the particle diameter of these micrograins being approximately 10 to 400 microns.

Abstract: A denture adhesive removing head is affixed to one end of an elongated handle. The head has several lines of projections extending from a common surface. The outer ends of the projections lie on a convexly curved surface. The head and projections are molded from a material that is pliable when warm and relatively rigid when cooled.

Abstract: A flat flexible strip has a length by means of which it can be reciprocated longitudinally in rubbing engagement with tooth surfaces. The strip is constructed of crossed strands forming cross ridges in surfaces of the strip that produce a frictional scrubbing engagement against teeth surfaces when the strip is reciprocated longitudinally. Strands can be arranged in a woven pattern or a haphazard pressed pattern. The edges of the strip are reinforced in a non-raveling structure. The strip may be of a width up to about 1/2 inch and a thickness up to about 4 mls.

Abstract: An applicator with attachable tips for tooth stain removal. The applicator can be used manually or in conjunction with the dentist's drill. The tips are generally disposable.

Abstract: A hand held periodontical tool preferably including a switch for adjusting the frequency of vibration, tabs accessible from the exterior of the housing for adjusting the vibration amplitude, and interchangeable end pieces, having a variety of tip members including side by side ribs that are separated from each other a distance smaller than at least one of the height and width dimensions of the ribs.

Abstract: A dental cleaning tool comprises a rotatable cleaning body of an elastically yielding material formed in a cuplike concavity extending inward from a rim and where curved ribs having triangular cross-section extend from the rim towards the center of the cup to a point removed from the center so as to provide a free zone at the center of the cup.

Abstract: A dental tool for facilitating gingival retraction.A shank coupled to a handle terminates in a working end member having a curved edge shaped to generally conform to the curvature of the root surface of a tooth at the gingival level and also to the contour of the marginal gingiva. The exact shape of the curved edge varies with the type of tooth for which the tool is designed.The tool can also be used for shielding the gingiva from a cutting tool working close to the gingiva, and as an aid in installing a rubber dental dam.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of dental instruments having their surfaces formed with abrasive coatings which are used for both cutting and polishing functions. In each of the instruments disclosed herein, the abrasive surface consists of a plurality of regions with each region having a distinct degree of coarseness or fineness different from the degree of abrasion of which other regions consist. In some of the instruments, the finer abrasiveness is on the end of the instrument whereas the coarser region is away therefrom, whereas in other instruments the coarser region is at the end. Other embodiments are disclosed which have alternating regions of coarseness and fineness. In some of the instruments, the interfaces between the regions define distinct changes in abrasiveness whereas in other instruments, these interfaces define gradual changes in abrasiveness.

Abstract: A cleaning instrument for removing plaque and calculus deposits from the titanium anchor cylinders of tissue integrated dental prostheses is disclosed. The instrument, molded from hard plastic, such as polypropylene or glass reinforced nylon, has an elongated handle and a substantially crescent-shaped scraper body disposed at one end of the handle. The scraper body defines an interior opening which is of the same internal diameter as the external diameter of the titanium anchor cylinders to be cleaned. Interior walls of the crescent-shaped scraper have teeth or ridges to provide a scraping or cutting action for the calculus deposits. The crescent-shaped body extends more than one-half of the corresponding circle. Therefore, in order to place the scraper on the titanium cylinder the jaws of the scraper must be slightly spread apart and thereafter the scraper body snaps onto and is removably held on the titanium cylinders.

Abstract: An instrument usable in the dental field to facilitate smoothing of restorations and cleaning of teeth. The instrument comprises of an elongated handle upon which is mounted a head at one end. The head has an operating surface which is located transverse to the elongated axis of the handle. A pad is to be removably secured to the operating surface. The outer surface of the pad includes an abrasive material.

Abstract: This invention relates to dentistry, and more particularly to cosmetic dentistry, where for aesthetic objectives it is desirable to remove a small amount of the patient's tooth enamel to modify tooth color. A procedure is described using an applicator and compound which provides accelerated treatment time in stripping away a sufficient amount of the outer layer of the tooth enamel to provide the necessary tooth color modification. The applicator has two functional ends. One end has a containment pocket for holding the compound, and a second end for high pressure scouring of the tooth enamel. The compound comprises an enamel softening acid, such as hydrochloric acid, in the concentration range of between 6%-16% in combination with an abrasive particulate material. The abrasive material should have a hardness greater than 6.0 as measured on the Mohs hardness scale for greatest effectiveness.

Abstract: A hand held abrasive dental instrument for use in cutting the proximal aspect of a tooth's surface to create an interproximal space between abutting tooth surfaces. The instrument features a thin circular disc shaped abrasive cutting member provided with a coating of abrasive material over one of the circular surfaces of the disc which is rotatably mounted between abutting handle portions. The handle portions serve to provide means for convenient grasping of the instrument by the user in a manner which permits facile manipulation of the cutting disc between abutting teeth. The handle portions are constructed to automatically lock the disc against rotation when grasped in the normal operational mode so that effective cutting can be accomplished. However, upon releasing the grasping pressure, the disc may be rotated to position an unused portion of the abrasive coating for operative use.

Abstract: A handheld dental tool for crown preparation, comprises a handle, a grinding burr, and a guard attached to the handle. The guard has a tip solid spherical closely spaced from the tip of the grinding burr such as to be receivable between the tooth to be prepared and the free gingival tissue thereat to protect the gingival tissue during the grinding of the tooth.

Abstract: A dental polishing strip includes a substrate formed of a shape-memory alloy which is not harmful in the human mouth and is restored to the stored shape at a temperature of no lower than 40.degree. C. for sterilization in dental clinics. The polishing strip is provided with a number of small holes, files, abrasive grains, or a combination thereof to form a polishing surface.

Abstract: An elongated straight handle portion has a cylindrical plugger element on each end thereof. Each plugger element has a 45.degree. bend adjacent the end of the handle and a 90.degree. bend adjacent the distal end of the plugger element. Protruding laterally from the apex of each 90.degree. bend is a burnishing element. The burnishing element on one end of the handle is ball shaped and the burnishing element on the other end is cone-shaped.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a strip-holder which is used in interdental therapy. The main object of the invention is to produce a strip-holder in which the abrasive steel-strip or the steel-sawblade, which is used for the reduction of the tooth width or for the abrading, cleaning and the prophylactic treatment of tooth and filling surfaces in the interdental space, can be easily and quickly inserted into the bow frame of the strip-holder and then tensed. The inventive strip-holder comprises a handle, a flat steel-bow or steel-frame and a gripping device, made of drawn-rod material, for the fixing and tensing of the steel-strip, which is inserted over the outer opening of the steel-bow into grip-slots. These slots are at the two opposite ends of the steel-bow and are cut at these ends into the rod material in such a way as to be slightly wider than the thickness of the steel-strips.

Abstract: A combination matrix and interproximal sanding strip for use in preparing, implanting an finishing curable dental restorations, especially of the light curable type, comprising a flexible strip having opposed sides, each side having a surface coextensive therewith, adapted for insertion between proximal tooth of the side, having a smooth surface portion on one surface for contact with the proximal surfaces surrounding the prepared cavity and the restoration material to be received therein and further having a roughened surface portion on the same side for later use in abrading and removing excess, cured restorative material that has escaped the cavity preparation, without removing the strip from interproximate the teeth.