Patent · US Expired

Vaporizing tartar and calculus around a tooth root

US5188532A · kind A · utility

44Cited by
4References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 11, 1992
Grant dateFeb 23, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 11, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB23K2103/30
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The cutting of tooth or bone tissue with laser radiation is enhanced by giving the radiation a polarization P parallel to the surface of the tissue being cut. For enlarging a tooth canal, laser radiation is delivered via an optical fiber which is introduced into the canal and is tapered in the region of its distal end. To fill a canal, an optical fiber having a low melting point is introduced into the canal and radiation is conducted through the fiber to melt the fiber and form the filling. The fiber may be coated with a material which will be melted by the radiation and will bond to the canal wall. Fillings and coatings are formed on tooth or bone tissue by projecting toward a surface of the tissue two starting components which when combined and exposed to light of a selected wavelength undergo a photochemical reaction to form a calcium containing product, and causing light of the selected wavelength to impinge on the components at least partially before they reach the surface in order to create the reaction and cause the resulting calcium containing product to bond to the tissue. Bacteria on a tooth surface are destroyed by staining the bacteria to cause the bacteria to have a da…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.