Tooth whitening in the dental office historically has been performed by using a hydrogen-peroxide gel applied to the teeth, which bleaches the tooth surfaces when activated by light. The light source is typically a large, floor or chair based light source.
There are several different gel products on the market, which are formulated so as to react to a specific wavelength and type of curing light being used, to activate the bleaching process. In most cases, the activation energy of the curing light is UV, heat, or laser. A recent addition to the list of light sources is a high intensity LED (Light Emitting Diode), which primarily emits blue light.
During an in-office dental whitening procedure, a patient is fitted with a dental retractor, which pulls back the lip tissue, to expose the upper and lower teeth to the light source. A wax-like material is applied to protect the gums from the effects of the gel and the light. The hydrogen-peroxide gel is then applied to the tooth surfaces.
Typically, the patient is then required to sit in the dental chair without moving for 20-30 minute segments while the light source is focused on the gel coated teeth. A full whitening treatment usually is composed of two or three segments, sometimes performed all in one day, though in other cases different segments are treated over multiple days. This is necessary to assure that the light has the proper angle to the tooth surfaces being activated. Of course, having to sit immobile for extended periods during bleaching can be very uncomfortable for the patient, and can ultimately detrimentally affect the process if the patient moves.
It is an object of the present invention to simplify the tooth whitening process.
It is a further object to provide a tooth whitening process which is easier for the patient to tolerate over the extended periods required for light activated bleaching.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a support in the form of a retractor having integral therewith, a small and lightweight light source, such as could be provided by one or more high-intensity LED's, though other light sources could be used. The light sources are attached directly to the retractor, possibly in the form of a light array. The array would be powered by either a direct electrical connection to a power supply or by battery power, for example, with a battery pack worn by the user.
By having a small, lightweight light source attached directly to the retractor, the light would, by default, always be focused correctly in all three axis onto the tooth surfaces, yet the patient would have the freedom to move during the procedure. With a wearable battery power supply, the patient would even be able to sit up or even walk around during activation.
Using an array with multiple, small light sources such as LED's, the focal length can be kept very short, preventing dangerous and uncomfortable stray light from reaching the patient's eyes, and allows focusing the energy in an arch shape quite easily, as compared to the prior single, high-powered light, which required a parabolic type reflector to properly focus the light around the arch. Having the light sources on the retractor, mounted to the mouth, or integral with a mouth guard mounted within the mouth also reduces the amount of lip and cheek extension, further increasing comfort for the user.
Preferably, the light source used would be substantially out of the patient's line of sight, lessening patient anxiety, as opposed to the typical large and imposing light source and support structure that normally fills the patient's view.
Being a small, relatively inexpensive light source, the light supporting retractor could also be adapted for the home tooth whitening market, which would include full whitening, or occasional follow-ups, or touch-ups. The inventive retractor could also be included as part of a home whitening kit that includes the gel and an applicator.
To reduce cost of a home product, one light source could be used instead of an array, which is preferred for dental office use. The single light source could additionally be movable on an arched track with multiple indentions to act as stops, so that the light source could be manually moved from one position to the next, in response to a timer or upon receiving an audio or visual signal from a controller or from the power source, to facilitate proper treating of each area of the full arch. This also reduces the size of the device, increasing user comfort.
Alternative methods for holding a small, portable light source may include a headband attachment, or other similar means to keep the light source focused correctly relative to the arch, regardless of the patient's head movements.
b is a side crossectional view of an embodiment having two rows of lights, which may each be selectively oriented.
The present invention will be described relative to
Each arched portion 2, 3 has a C-shaped support channel 9, 10 mounted on an outer surface of the outer wall thereof. These are positioned such that they are aligned in a parallel relationship. A bridge 11 is received in the pair of support channels, the bridge being movable within the channels. The bridge has a first end 12 and a second end 13, each end having means for engaging the corresponding channel support for temporary locking in a selected position. The bridge is thus adjustable, in that it can adapt to various opening sizes of the retractor. In
A plurality of light sources 17 are mounted to the bridge, facing inwardly, towards the teeth 18. Preferably from 1-10 light sources per row may be used. These can be any suitable light source for light activated tooth whitening. For example, these may be LED's, halogen or incandescent light bulbs, or other light delivery means, such as being fiber optic terminal ends. These light sources are preferably mounted along a longitudinal axis of the bridge, though this can vary depending on the desired location for light delivery. For example, a wider bridge 19 with upper and lower light sources 20, 21 may be used for directing light more specifically to the upper and lower teeth, as shown in
A power supply 22 or a light source is remotely located and attached to the light sources by a cable 23. Preferably, battery power is used so that a battery pack can be worn by the user during the tooth whitening process. The power source has an on/off switch 24, and optionally includes a user settable timer 25 and optionally, audio, visual or other means to notify the user that sufficient time has elapsed so that the retractor may be removed.
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In use, the retractor would be fitted to the user and a gum protective coating applied. The whitener would then be applied to the tooth surfaces. The bridge would then be added by slipping the serrated ends into the C-shaped supports. The power supply would be connected to the bridge, and if a portable battery pack, given to the user to wear, for example on a belt. The timer would be set, and the lights powered to begin the activation process.
Since the user is not restricted by a fixed light source, the user has sufficient mobility to move about, sit up for comfort or to read, etc, during the activation process. After the process is complete, the retractor, bridge, lip protectors, etc, are disposed of, and only the power supply is reused.
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This embodiment has the advantage that the lips to not need to remain retracted during activation, further increasing the comfort and mobility of the user. Of course, the above variations in light arrays, type of lights, power or light sources, etc. apply as well to this embodiment. In addition, as with all these embodiments, various optical enhancements, such as the use of lenses with the light source can be incorporated into the bridge, support or the light itself to enhance effectiveness. For example, a lens could improve light distribution to the angled tooth surfaces.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications can be made without varying from the scope of the invention.
This application claims priority in U.S. Provisional application no. 60/583,999 filed Jun. 30, 2004.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60583999 | Jun 2004 | US |