Dental air abrasive and laser system

• US 5,759,031 A
• Filed: 06/03/1996
• Issued: 06/02/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BL Acquisition II Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Dental Technologies
• Inventors: Parker, William S., Goldsmith, Daniel S., Howell, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manahan, Todd E.
• Application Number:
  US08/656,783
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 433/88, 433/101, 433/31, 433/142, 433/29, 433/215, 51/307, 451/87, 451/88, 451/90
• US Class Current: 433/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 3/025 Instruments acting like a sandblast machine, e.g. for cleaning, polishing or cutting teeth

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. Other improvements include the use of a vacuum evacuation system to minimize dusting of the abrasive particles, as well as a dam removably positioned within the patient'"'"'s mouth which reflects the abrasive particles back towards the evacuation system. Still other improvements include the use of a microvalve adjacent the nozzle which, when closed, terminates gas flow through the fluid passageway in order to further minimize dusting of the abrasive particles.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cutting tooth structure comprising:

a source of abrasive material containing an abrasive material,

means for creating a gas stream,

means for delivering said gas stream to a target site at the tooth structure,

means for selectively feeding abrasive material from said source of abrasive material into said gas stream upstream from said delivering means so that said gas stream is laden with abrasive material,

wherein said gas stream is of sufficient velocity so that, when laden with abrasive material, cuts tooth structure at the target site, and

means for illuminating the target site comprising a light source and an elongated optical transmission fiber having one end disposed adjacent the light source and a second end directed at the target site, said fiber transmitting light from said source to said target site wherein said light source has optical qualities capable of curing light curable dental composites.