Dental phototherapy methods and compositions

• US 7,354,448 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2004
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Palomar Medical Technologies Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Palomar Medical Technologies Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Altshuler, Gregory B., Tuchin, Valery V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, III; Henry M.
• Application Number:
  US10/776,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20040191729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 433/215, 607 88- 94
• US Class Current: 607/88
• 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: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/081 Pain-alleviating features
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/088 Illuminating devices or attachments for examination of the mouth A61B1/24 and A61B1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3481 Vibrating brush body, e.g. by using eccentric weights
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/06 Implements for therapeutic treatment radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0087 Hand-held applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0089 Chemotherapy developing heat
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0096 with a thermometer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0292 using latent heat produced or absorbed during phase change of materials, e.g. of super-cooled solutions
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/108 Cold packs, i.e. devices to be cooled or frozen in refrigerator or freezing compartment
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/438 Thermochromatic; Photochromic; Phototropic
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/81 : Preparation or application process involves irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/02 : characterised by special physical form
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/005 : for cooling the radiator
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0606 : Mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 : Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 : Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0662 : Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 : Apparatus for use inside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0603 : for treatment of body cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0617 : Hair treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 : Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0624 : for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 11/00 : Preparations for care of the teeth, of the oral cavity or of dentures; Dentifrices, e.g. toothpastes; Mouth rinses

Abstract

Methods for dental treatment including applying a non-toxic chromophore to a portion of the oral cavity and delivering a low dose of radiation to the chromophore during a session, the radiation having a wavelength in the absorption band of the non-toxic chromophore and the dose being lower than the power density to which the chromophore is normally responsive. Thereafter the step of applying radiation is repeated in subsequent sessions until the chromophore is activated.

Claims

1. A method of whitening and brightening at least a portion of a tooth, comprising:

irradiating the portion of the tooth with electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength range corresponding to the absorption spectrum of a stain in the tooth, wherein the at least one wavelength range corresponding to the absorption spectrum of the stain is not transmitted through an exogenous oxidizing compound.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises heating the portion of the tooth.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein electromagnetic radiation having a second wavelength range is applied to heat the portion of the tooth.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of heating further comprises delivering optical radiation to the portion of the tooth to provide heating.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said stain is an endogenous chromophore.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said stain is present within enamel of the tooth.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said stain is present within the tooth dentine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the stain has one or more components from the group of stains caused by coffee, tea, red wine, tannins, food pigments, tobacco, smoke particles, nicotine, poly-phenols and age-dependent tissue coloration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying an exogenous chromophore to the tooth and irradiating the exogenous chromophore with electromagnetic radiation in a spectrum absorbed by the exogenous chromophore.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising irradiating an endogenous photosensitizer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said endogenous photosensitizer is a photosensitizer from the group of organic compounds and oxygen.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one wavelength range is in a range of any of about 560 nm-600 nm, 610 nm-650 nm, 740 nm-780 nm, 1040 nm-1080 nm, and 1248 nm-1288 nm.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one wavelength range is substantially in a range of about 280 nm-800 nm.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising photoactivating an internal structure of the tooth to cause rejuvenation of said structure by applying optical radiation having one or more wavelength components absorbable by at least one chromophore present in the tooth.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said photoactivating step causes growth of new dentine in said tooth.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said photoactivating step causes improvement in the enamel/dentine junction of said tooth.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the dose of radiation applied to the stain during a single session ranges from about 0.06 J/cm² to about 30 J/cm².

18. The method of claim 1, wherein a total dose of radiation applied to the stain during multiple sessions ranges from about 1 J/cm² to about 1000 J/cm².

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising irradiating the portion with electromagnetic radiation having a second wavelength range substantially between 300 nm-500 nm.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising photo-thermal bleaching the portion of the tooth by irradiating the portion with electromagnetic radiation having a second wavelength range suitable for heating the portion.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said second wavelength range is substantially one or more of the group of wavelength ranges consisting of 940 nm-980 nm, 1300 nm-1600 nm, 1640 nm-2140 nm, 2400 nm-3200 nm and 9000 nm-12000 nm.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said second wavelength range is substantially between 1200 nm-12000 nm.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is irradiated at a power density of approximately 20 mW/cm².

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is irradiated at a power density between approximately 1 mW/cm² and 100 W/cm².

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is irradiated at a power density between approximately 10 mW/cm² and 10 W/cm².

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one wavelength range is approximately centered around the absorption spectrum of a stain in the tooth.