Destroying bacteria on physiologic tissue

• US 5,622,501 A
• Filed: 10/30/1991
• Issued: 04/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Endo Technic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Endo Technic Corporation
• Inventors: Levy, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary E.
• Application Number:
  US07/784,976
• Time in Patent Office: 2,001 Days
• Field of Search: 433/215, 433/216, 433/224, 433/226, 433/29, 606/2, 606/3, 606/10, 606/15, 606/16
• US Class Current: 433/215
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/24 for use in the oral cavity, larynx, bronchial passages or nose for medical inspection of cavities or tubes in the body A61B1/00; Tongue scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00185 Means for setting or varying the pulse height
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22085 light-absorbing A61B2017/22087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2272 with reflective or refractive surfaces for deflecting the beam A61B2018/2261, A61B2018/2266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0046 Dental lasers surgical lasers A61B18/20; working by laser beam in general B23K26/00; lasers per se H01S3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0279 Cannula; Nozzles; Tips; their connection means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0603 for treatment of body cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/30 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0006 taking account of the properties of the material involved B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/06 Shaping the laser beam, e.g. by masks or multi-focusing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/064 by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/144 the fluid stream containing particles, e.g. powder

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 dark coloration, and exposing the stained bacteria to laser radiation at a wavelength and energy level sufficient to destroy the bacteria.

Claims

1. A method of destroying bacteria on physiologic tissue in the mouth comprising:

staining the bacteria to cause the bacteria to have a dark coloration; and

exposing the stained bacteria to laser radiation at a wavelength and energy level sufficient to vaporize the bacteria, and at an energy level selected so that the physiologic tissue on which the bacteria are present is not affected by the laser radiation.