Toothbrush

• US 6,026,828 A
• Filed: 05/05/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Palomar Medical Technologies Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gregory B. Altshuler
• Inventors: Altshuler, Gregory B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHILOGENE, PEDRO
• Application Number:
  US09/068,257
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 132/311, 132/308, 132/290, 132/310, 132/313, 15/22.1, 15/22.2, 15/167.1, 15/167.2, 433/29, 433/119, 433/216, 433/215, 433/229, 362/109, 362/32, 362/253, 362/804
• US Class Current: 132/311
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0036 with a lighting means, e.g. laser, bulb A46B15/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0606 Mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0603 for treatment of body cavities

Abstract

A toothbrush providing a radiation source of selected optical range, having the radiation source built into a cavity in the handpiece of the toothbrush. The brush head may be transparent and the bristles may be transparent. Various combinations of scattering, transparent and reflective properties of the brush head, the type of radiation source, and bristle transparency allows selected influence directly on different field and tissues of the oral cavity. Radiation wavelength is selectable to provide treatment to both the soft tissue of the oral cavity and to the teeth. Selected radiation penetrates the pulp of the tooth to stimulate and enhance calcium transport to the dentine and enamel of the tooth to prevent and treat cavities.

Claims

1. A therapeutic tooth brush comprising:

a removable, brush head made of transparent material and having transparent bristles;

a handle with a cavity;

a switch unit;

a light source connected via said switch unit with a power supply which is built in said cavity in said handle;

wherein said light source is a source of radiation of an optical range having a wavelength in the range of about 440-1300 nanometers such that radiation is directable both to the surface of teeth and soft tissues and is directable to penetrate the gum tissue, odontoblasts, and deep within the tooth tissue to stimulate the tooth pulp.

2. The tooth brush as defined in claim 1 wherein said light source is a laser diode.

3. The tooth brush as defined in claim 1 wherein said light source is a light emitting diode.

4. The tooth brush as defined in claim 1 wherein said light source is a filament lamp and said brush head is made of color transparent material.

5. The tooth brush as defined in claim 1 wherein said brush head contains light scattering materials.

6. The tooth brush as defined in claim 1 wherein said brush head has a reflecting or back scattering coating and said bristles are transparent.

7. The tooth brush as defined in claim 1 wherein said brush head contains photoluminescent substances.

8. The tooth brush as defined in claim 1 wherein said light source is located at said brush head, bristles are not present at the point of output of radiation from said brush head and said brush head surface forms an optical lens.

9. The tooth brush as defined in claim 1 wherein material of said brush head is unavailable at the point of radiation output from said brush head.

10. The tooth brush as defined in claim 1 wherein said brush head is mounted with more than one light source.

11. The tooth brush as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle and said brush head are equipped with an electrical connector, wherein one part of said connector is mounted on said brush head and is connected electrically with said light source and another part of said connector is mounted on said brush handle and is connected electrically with said switch unit and said power supply such that said tooth brush is adaptable with respect to said light source.