This disclosure generally relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning teeth, removing calculus from teeth, and periodontics. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for dental work which oscillates at a speed to avoid, minimize, or eliminate the generation of aerosols during use.
Dentists, technicians, orthodontists, and other dental professionals utilize tools to clean and work on patients' teeth and other oral areas. Hand instrument use by dental professionals has decreased, as the speed and ease of ultrasonic scalers helps provide comfort efficiency to such dental professionals. Hand, wrist, or forearm strain, or even carpal tunnel syndrome can be common in dental professionals using hand instruments. Vibrating or oscillating tools are becoming common for removal of calculus or plaque, as an alternative to uncomfortable or less efficient hand instruments. However, such tools often generate aerosols, which can transmit viruses, disease, or bacteria from the patient to the dental professional.
Aspects of the disclosure herein relate to a dental tool comprising: a body extending between an attachment end and a working end: a working tip mounted to the body at the working end, the working tip configured to be driven to oscillate; a set of teeth extending from the working tip, configured to be oscillated by the working tip to remove or clean material from a dental patient.
A working tip for a dental tool, the working tip comprising: a working surface configured to be oscillated to remove or clean material from a dental patient; wherein a rate of oscillation for the working surface is five-hundred oscillations per second or less.
A method of removing calculus, stains, or plaque from a tooth surface, the method comprising: oscillating a working tip at a rate of oscillation that is less than five-hundred cycles per second.
In the drawings:
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a tool for cleaning teeth or for other dental, orthodontic, or periodontic procedures. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a cleaning tool that can effectively clean teeth with vibrating or oscillating features, without generating aerosols. In one aspect, oscillations can be limited to 500 cycles per second or less in order to reduce or eliminate aerosols generated by the oscillations.
For purposes of description related to the figures, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
The first end 14 includes a set of connectors 22. The set of connectors 22 can be utilized to connect the handpiece 10 to a drive system 24, shown schematically, including a motor 26 or other mechanical driver or system to convert energy into work. Such a drive system 24 can be utilized, via the handpiece 10, the drive a tip tool (discussed in detail below) attached to the handpiece 10. In one example, the drive system 24 can include air, such as powered by compressed air, which can be converted into mechanical energy by the motor 26 and provided to a tip tool via the drive system 24. In another example, the drive system 24 can be electrical, such as utilizing electrical energy provided to a motor and converting the electrical energy into mechanical work to drive a tip tool attached to the second end 16. Additionally, battery or portable power systems are contemplated, while any suitable drive system can be utilized.
The second end 16 can be configured to receive a tip tool, such as those described herein. The second end 16 can also be mechanically configured to couple to and drive the tip tool via the drive system 24.
Referring to
In operation, the tip tool 30 can be vibrated by the handpiece 10, such that the entire tip tool 30 oscillates. Oscillation of the tip tool 30 provides for oscillation of the working tip 36, which can provide for removing material from a tooth surface.
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In operation, the working tip 36 can be vibrated or otherwise oscillated. For example, the oscillations could include where the working tip 36 oscillates left-to-right, as indicated by arrow 64, such that the teeth 60 can be used to scrape along a patient's tooth surface. Additional vibrations or oscillations are contemplated, such as up-and-down or circular in non-limiting examples. In one example, the speed of the oscillations can be set such that no more than five-hundred (500) cycles per second, where a cycle can be one period of the oscillation. Such an operational speed limit provides for minimizing, reducing, or even wholly eliminating the generation of aerosols during operation of the tip tool 30.
In comparison, typical oscillating dental tools operate at sonic or ultrasonic speeds, such as 3,000-9,000 cycles per second or 25,000-30,000 cycles per second, respectively. At such speeds, these tools can generate significant heat. Often, these tools will include a water supply in order to cool the tools and the heat generated by the friction of the oscillations contacting a tooth surface. As one can appreciate, such operational speeds with the presentation of water, or any other liquid including saliva, can readily generate aerosols, which may provide for the airborne transmission of viruses, disease, sicknesses, material, or bacteria from the patient to a professional, as well as others within the vicinity. The five-hundred cycles or less speed utilized by the working tip 36 disclosed herein can reduce or eliminate the creation of such aerosols, thus minimizing, reducing, or eliminating the opportunity of transmission of viruses, diseases, sicknesses, or bacteria to be passed from the patient to the professional via use of the dental cleaning tools. It should be understood that tools operating at sonic or ultrasonic speeds generate aerosols, which can carry viruses or disease in an airborne manner, which increases the opportunity for transmission. The tools as described herein are intended to operate without generation of aerosols.
More specifically, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have indicated that dental tools that generate aerosols are not to be used. Therefore, a dental tool that can operate without generating aerosols can be desirable. The particular dental tool as described herein, when operating at 500 oscillation cycles per second, does not generate aerosols.
It should be appreciated that other oscillating speeds are contemplated herein. For example, the oscillating speed can be 1000 cycles per second or less, or any suitable operational speed that does not generate enough heat to require liquid cooling, or does not operate at a rate fast enough to generate aerosols. Such a rate can be tailored to the particular tool or the particular procedure. For example, one dental tool may include a material that generates significant heat at 700 cycles per second, while another generates significant heat at 500 cycles per second, with neither tool generating aerosols at either speed. Thus, the rate of oscillations for the first dental tool can be 700 cycles per second or less, while the rate for the second can be 500 cycles per second or less. Similarly, the type of material may be more or less effective at differing oscillation rates. For example, steel may be utilized at 500 cycles per second, but a diamond coated tool may be utilized at 300 cycles per second. The aforementioned should be understood as exemplary only, and it should be appreciated that the rates as discussed above are intended to illustrate that particular rate of oscillations can vary, based upon the tool being used, as long as aerosols are not generated during use, and that the examples discussed above are merely by way of example only.
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The abrasive diamond coating 118 can be utilized to remove light calculus, sheet calculus, or stain. Additionally, the abrasive coating can be utilized to smooth rough tooth surfaces.
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In operation, an abrasive paste, like oral polish, can be provided into the concavity 186. The tip end 172 or working tip can be oscillated by the tip tool 170, such that the cup 178 is oscillated as well when attached to the tip tool 170. Oscillation of the cup 178 can be utilized to polish a tooth surface with the abrasive paste. The fins 188 and ribs 190 can be one example of an interior design for the cup 178, while other features or geometries are contemplated. Exemplary features or geometries can include bars, ribs, fins, bumps, brushes, spikes, knobs, knurls, rough portions, or combinations thereof. Features of the cup 178 may be made of a resilient material, such as rubber, which can be utilized to polish a tooth surface without requiring excessive oscillation rates or speeds. The prophy cup can be utilized to polish supragingival enamel, or even dental restorations, or prostheses.
The oscillations of the cup 178, for example, can be 500 cycles per second or less, or another oscillation rate such that oscillation of the tip end 172 drives the cup 178 at a speed that no aerosols are generated, or that any splatter otherwise generated by the oscillation of the abrasive paste is reduced, minimized, or eliminated. Other, typical polishing tools rotate at high speeds. Rotating polishing tools can readily generate aerosols or splatter, as the inertial forces can throw liquid, debris, or other material readily from the patient. The use of an oscillating tool, such as the one described herein, at speeds that are less than 500 oscillations per second, can reduce or eliminate the occasion for aerosol or splatter generation during use.
Alternatively, it is contemplated that the polishing tip need not be a rubber cup, but can be another element, such as a knob, brush, or other feature that can be oscillated and utilized to polish a tooth surface with an abrasive paste. Another non-limiting example can include a surface having a plurality of concavities, with or without interior features, configured to carry the abrasive paste.
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Such an oscillating speed can provide for the removal of calculus, stains, plaque or other material from a tooth without generating an aerosol. It is desirable to provide such cleaning without generating an aerosol, as aerosolized material can carry viruses, disease, bacteria, or other material through the air to a dental professional, or other person within the vicinity of the dental professional. Thus, the rate of oscillations at 500 cycles or less can provide for assisting in cleaning teeth without generating aerosols, which decreases or eliminates the opportunity for airborne transmission of viruses, disease, bacteria, or other material during a dental procedure. As such, it should be understood that the rate of oscillations can be critical to the invention, such that the particular rate does not generate aerosols. Such a rate, in one non-limiting example, can be a rate of 500 cycles per second or less.
Furthermore, the method 200 can optionally include, at 204, abrading calculus, stains, or plaque form a tooth surface with the working tip oscillating against the tooth surface. While the working tip is oscillating at the rate of 500 cycles or less, the tip tool can be used to abrade calculus, stains, plaque, or other material from the tooth surface. While using the tip tool, the oscillating working tip provides for abrading the calculus, stains, plaque or other material without generating an aerosol, by oscillating at 500 cycles per second or less.
At 206, the method 200 can optionally include, attaching a tip tool, including the working tip, to a handpiece. The method 200 can include where a tip tool, or a set of tip tools, with each including a working tip, can be connected to a handpiece that can provide for driving the oscillations of the working tip. The tip tools as described herein can be included as a set of dental tools, with each tool including the working tip, such that a dental professional can quickly and easily interchange working tips, as may be desired for use on different portions or areas of a patient's mouth or teeth.
At 208, the method 200 can further include driving the oscillations of the working tip with the handpiece. The handpiece can include a system for driving the oscillations, such as utilizing pressurized air or electrical energy to drive a motor to provide for oscillating the working tip. A drive train, or other mechanical system, can be provided in the tip tool for providing the driving energy or work to the working tip to drive the oscillations. The method 200 can further include that the rate of oscillations is slow enough such that oscillation of the working tip does not generate an aerosol.
It should be understood that the description of the method 200 or the order shown in
It should be appreciated that the disclosure provided herein provides a dental tool for working on a patient's mouth or teeth, as well as a method thereof. The dental tool and method provide for working on a patient with an oscillating tool without generating an aerosol. The oscillation rate is critical to reducing or preventing the generation of aerosols, as current solutions in the industry oscillate at a high rate that generates aerosols, which can facilitate the transmission of viruses, disease, bacteria, or other material. Therefore, it should be appreciated that the dental tool herein provides for reducing or eliminating the opportunity for transmission of viruses, disease, bacteria, or infection during dental procedures, which can benefit safety and health of dental professionals, as well as their patients. Furthermore, the disclosure provided herein provides for a dental tool to easily and efficiently clean and treat a patient, without generating aerosols. Such provides for improved and increased comfort for the dental professional, as well as improved cleaning of teeth, which can otherwise be difficult with the use of hand instruments alone, which can cause strain, discomfort, pain, or even occupational injury to the dental professional through extended use of such hand instruments. This is done without the generation of aerosols.
To the extent not already described, the different features and structures of the various embodiments of the present disclosure may be used in combination with each other as desired. For example, one or more of the features illustrated and/or described with respect to one of the systems or a component thereof can be used with or combined with one or more features illustrated and/or described with respect to the other of the system or component thereof. That one feature may not be illustrated in all of the embodiments is not meant to be construed that it cannot be, but is done for brevity of description. In one non-limiting example, the set of teeth 60 can be incorporated with the abrasive coating 118, to improve effective removal of calculus from a patient. Thus, the various features of the different embodiments may be mixed and matched as desired to form new embodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are expressly described. Such should be understood to be within the scope of one having ordinary skill in the art based upon the disclosure provided herein.
While aspects of the present disclosure have been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the forgoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure which is defined in the appended claims.