Claims
- 1. An apparatus for irradiating cells whose optical properties have been modified by a modification material, said apparatus comprising:
a therapeutic light source; and means for guiding the therapeutic light to tissue region sites to be irradiated.
- 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one mask part which serves to cover tissue regions which are adjacent to the tissue region sites to be irradiated.
- 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the mask part is designed as a guard part which is adapted to be placed on a group of teeth and which is adapted to be locked elastically onto the group of teeth.
- 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the modification material is chosen so that a wavelength of light emitted by the therapeutic light source lies in a wavelength range in which absorption of the cells whose optical properties have been modified is increased.
- 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a wavelength of therapeutic radiation is chosen so that it passes through a gum.
- 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for guiding the therapeutic light to the tissue region sites to be irradiated includes a distributor part which is in channel form and which is adapted to be placed on a group of teeth and which has a reflecting inner surface.
- 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an optical coupling composition which is transparent for allowing the therapeutic light to pass therethrough and which fills a space between a light output element and the tissue region sites to be irradiated.
- 8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein light-scattering means is provided inside the distributor part in the form of a guard.
- 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutic light source comprises a flashing light source.
- 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for sealing applied modification material off from against surroundings.
- 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a source of exciting light; an observation unit for measuring light returning from cells which have been treated with a modifying material; at least one light output element to which the source of exciting light is coupled, the at least one light output element comprising a rod or plate or a two-dimensional light output element which has a small thickness, the at least one light output element being adapted to be introduced parallel to an axis of a tooth into a periodontal pocket assigned to the tooth; wherein the observation unit has at least one image converter adapted to be introduced parallel to the axis of the tooth into the periodontal pocket; and wherein the source of exciting light and the therapeutic light source comprise a joint white light source and color filters which are adapted to be placed in the white light, one of which lets exciting light through and another of which lets therapeutic light through.
- 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the white light source is coupled to a thin rod-like or two-dimensional light output element which is adapted to be introduced into a periodontal pocket in a direction parallel to a tooth axis, and to be displaceable in the tooth pocket in a direction perpendicular thereto.
- 13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a surface of the at least one light output element is provided with a plurality of light-diffracting or scattering means.
- 14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a refractive index of the at least one light output element which is produced from transparent material is chosen so that diffraction and scattering losses at an interface to fluid present in the periodontal pocket are kept small.
- 15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the modification material is a periodontological material for modifying the optical properties of cells comprising:
a basic material; a modification substance distributed in the basic material at a prescribed concentration, wherein the basic material comprises a viscous fluid, a gel, a two-dimensional or three-dimensional porous substrate or a material which hardens in situ; wherein the modification substance increases the amount of protoporphyrin formed in a heme cycle; and wherein the modification substance comprises either a substrate for enzymes which are active after 5-aminolevulinate synthase up to protoporphyrin synthesis, or an antagonist of the protoporphyrin-degrading ferrochelatase or an iron-inactivating substance.
- 16. An apparatus for irradiating cells whose optical properties have been modified by a modification material, said apparatus comprising:
a therapeutic light source; means for guiding the therapeutic light to tissue region sites to be irradiated, the means comprising a distributor part which is in channel form and which is adapted to be placed on a group of teeth and which has a reflecting inner surface; at least one mask part which serves to cover tissue regions which are adjacent to the tissue region sites to be irradiated; and wherein the modification material is a periodontological material for modifying the optical properties of cells comprising:
a basic material; a modification substance distributed in the basic material at a prescribed concentration, wherein the basic material comprises a viscous fluid, a gel, a two-dimensional or three-dimensional porous substrate or a material which hardens in situ; wherein the modification substance increases the amount of protoporphyrin formed in a heme cycle; and wherein the modification substance comprises either a substrate for enzymes which are active after 5-aminolevulinate synthase up to protoporphyrin synthesis, or an antagonist of the protoporphyrin-degrading ferrochelatase or an iron-inactivating substance.
- 17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the mask part is designed as a guard part which is adapted to be placed on a group of teeth and which is adapted to be locked elastically onto the group of teeth.
- 18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the modification material is chosen so that a wavelength of light emitted by the therapeutic light source lies in a wavelength range in which absorption of the cells whose optical properties have been modified is increased.
- 19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a wavelength of therapeutic radiation is chosen so that it passes through a gum.
- 20. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising an optical coupling composition which is transparent for allowing the therapeutic light to pass therethrough and which fills a space between a light output element and the tissue region sites to be irradiated.
- 21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein light-scattering means is provided inside the distributor part in the form of a guard.
- 22. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the therapeutic light source comprises a flashing light source.
- 23. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising means for sealing applied modification material off from against surroundings.
- 24. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:
a source of exciting light; an observation unit for measuring light returning from cells which have been treated with a modifying material; at least one light output element to which the source of exciting light is coupled, the at least one light output element comprising a rod or plate or a two-dimensional light output element which has a small thickness, the at least one light output element being adapted to be introduced parallel to an axis of a tooth into a periodontal pocket assigned to the tooth; wherein the observation unit has at least one image converter adapted to be introduced parallel to the axis of the tooth into the periodontal pocket; and wherein the source of exciting light and the therapeutic light source comprise a joint white light source and color filters which are adapted to be placed in the white light, one of which lets exciting light through and another of which lets therapeutic light through.
- 25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the white light source is coupled to a thin rod-like or two-dimensional light output element which is adapted to be introduced into a periodontal pocket in a direction parallel to a tooth axis, and to be displaceable in the tooth pocket in a direction perpendicular thereto.
- 26. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein a surface of the at least one light output element is provided with a plurality of light-diffracting or scattering means.
- 27. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein a refractive index of the at least one light output element which is produced from transparent material is chosen so that diffraction and scattering losses at an interface to fluid present in the periodontal pocket are kept small.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
198 27 417.3 |
Jun 1998 |
DE |
|
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a divisional of currently pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/720,232, filed May 18, 2001, which claims the benefit, under Title 35, United States Code, Section 365, of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP99/03778, filed on Jun. 1, 1999, and which claims the benefit, under Title 35, United States Code, Section 119(a)-(d) and (f), of German Patent Application No. 198 27 417.3, filed on Jun. 19, 1998.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09720232 |
May 2001 |
US |
Child |
10753939 |
Jan 2004 |
US |