GB2333710A

GB2333710A - Dental oscillating cleaning implement

Info

Publication number: GB2333710A
Application number: GB9902407A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Zeev Ram
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-02-03
Filing date: 1999-02-03
Publication date: 1999-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 2019-02-03
Also published as: IL123160A0; DE19935137A1; CA2278388C; GB9902407D0; IL123160A; CA2278388A1; GB2333710B

Abstract

A dental cleaning implement comprising: a handpiece graspable at one end by a user, an oscillating drive within the handpiece, a head located at the opposite end of the handpiece which includes a coupler for releasably attaching a toothpick or an interdental toothbrush thereto. The oscillating drive is adapted to provide oscillations of up to 15,000 strokes per second, preferably from 1 to 5,000 strokes per second, and the implement may optionally further comprise a selector for varying the frequency of oscillation. The implement may comprise a container for a dental liquid or paste.

Description

DENTAL OSCILLATING CLEANING IMPLEMENT AND METHOD OF USING SAME FIELD OF THE INWENTION The present invention is concerned with an implement adapted for use in prophylaxis and periodontal treatments. In particularly, the present invention relates to a dental oscillating device, and to a method of using it.

BACKGROUND OF ThE INVENTION One type of dental cleaning implement now widely in use in prophylaxis treatments, periodontia, and other areas of operative dentistry, includes a handpiece having an oscillating drive and a metal tip which is used in cooperation with a water spray for dislodging calculus and stain.

The oscillating drive is operated at ultrasonic frequencies to produce extremely rapid microscopic strokes that are transmitted to the metal tip. At the same time water spray is applied to cool the region and flush away the dislodged calculus, soft tissue, debris and stains. An example of such cleaning implement is the DentsplylCavitrone Model 3000 manufactured by the Cavitrnn Division of CooperCare Inc., Palo Alto, USA.

Another type of dental cleaning implement is described in my prior patent US 5,393,229. The implement described in that patent, includes an electrical oscillating drive for oscillating the handpiece of the implement at a relatively high frequency, a head with a toothpick and a water spray nozzle for cooling the toothpick from the heat dissipated due to the oscillations. Due to the fact that the oscillating drive operates at a relatively high frequency, considerable amount of heat is discharged at the user/patient treated area, such as the gums, which nonnally results in a very unpleasant feeling. To overcome this problem, US 5,393,229 disclose the use of a water spray nozzle that is used to cool the tip of the implement as well as the treated area.

US 5,593,304 describes another type of dental cleaning implement. This implement comprises a head that includes one pair of nozzles, connectable to a source of liquid, a gas and/or powder. A manual fluid selecting device allows the user to select the liquid, and/or gas and/or powder for discharge at the tip area.

SUMMARY OF TflE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to provide an efficient and comfortable-to-use implement that is adapted for dental cleaning.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of dental cleaning.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

According to the present invention, there is provided a dental cleaning implement comprising a handpiece graspable at one end by a user, an oscillating drive within the handpiece adapted to provide oscillations of up to 15,000 stokes per second, a head located at the opposite end of the handpiece which includes a coupler for releasably attaching a toothpick or an interdental toothbrush thereto, and optionally a selector for varying the frequency of oscillation. By a preferred embodiment of the invention, the oscillating drive within the handpiece is adapted to provide oscillations in the range of 1 to about 5,000 strokes per second.

In accordance with the present invention, the toothpick to be releasably attached to the coupler can be made from wood, plastic, metal with or without a coating of plastic material, nylon, composite material or any other material which is known per .e in the art.

The oscillating drive of the present invention can be operated electrically, electromagnetically, mechanically, piezoelectrically, pneumatically, or by any other method which is known per se in the art. in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the toothpick or the interdental toothbrush stem is releasably attached by the coupler so as to form about 90" with the axis of the implement's head.

An example of a coupler of the invention is a coupler that comprises a screw mounted on the head for attaching the toothpick or the interdental toothbrush thereto.

However, it should be understood that any other releasably attaching coupler that is known per se in the art and which can be used uath such an implement, is also encompassed by the present invention.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the releasably attaching coupler includes a stem comprising a transverse bore for receiving a toothpick or an interdental toothbrush, and a sleeve moveable with respect to the stamp to clamp the toothpick or the interdental toothbrush stalk within the transverse bore. The head of the implement according to this embodiment may be coaxial with the stem. By this embodiment, the angle formed between the axis of the toothpick and the axis of the stem is preferably in the range of from about 10 to about 25 , most preferably from about j30 to about 160, with the axis ofthe head.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, there is provided an implement wherein the releasably attaching coupler includes a stem that is scresuble to the head to clamp the toothpick or the interdental toothbrush stalk to the head. Preferably, in such embodiment the head is coaxial with the stem, and by another aspect of this embodiment the axis of the toothbrush or the interdental toothbrush forms an angle of from about 10 to about 20 , most preferably from about 13" to about 160 with the axis of the head.

In accordance with a ftirther embodiment of the present invention there is provided an implement wherein the toothpick may be attached by the releasably attaching coupler substantially coaxially with respect to the implement head. By this embodiment, the releasably attaching coupler comprises a socket formed at the end of the head for snuggly receiving one end of the toothpick.

In accordance with still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a kit comprising a dental cleaning implement of the invention and at least one toothpick and/or at least one interdental toothbrush adapted to be releasably attached by the coupler of the implement. Toothpicks within the scope of this embodiment can be made from wood, plastic, metal with or without a coating of plastic material, nylon, composite material or any other material, known per se in the art. Furthermore, the at least one toothpick may be coated, soaked or impregnated with various compositions suitable for dental cleaning, tergenetics or diagnostic purposes. in accordance with this embodiment, the toothpick to be used is coated, soaked or impregnated with one or more of the following reagents: a topical anesthetic agent such as ethyl aminobenzoate or berizoalkonium chloride; olive oil or other oil which may be helpful in enhancing the removal of bacterial plaque from the teeth from the space between the teeth and from the space between the teeth and gums; a fluoride which may be helpful in increasing the resistance of teeth to decay; a color-changing pH indicator such as phenol phthalein, which may be useful in indicating the acidic or basic condition in the gum for determining the subject's gums health conditions; an antibiotic agent, such as tetracycline; an anti-inflammatory agent such as indometacine; a sensitivity-reducing agent, such as amine fluoride; an anti-calculus agent such as anti-formic/citric acid or pyrophosphate, or any other composition known per se in the art for such or similar use.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the implement further comprises a drive that provides the toothpick being oscillated with a movement relative to the longitudinal axis of the toothpick. Atypical such movement may be forth and back movement, annular movement or any other suitable type of movement or a combination of movements that will enhance the performance of the implement in the dental cleaning.

As was described hereinbefore, the implement of the present invention can be used for cleaning the space between the teeth as well as the space between the teeth and the gums, the suclus. It may also be used for cleaning implants, porcelain crowns, bridges and the like.

By another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of dental cleaning which comprises: (i) grasping a dental implement which comprises a handpiece graspable at one end, an oscillating drive within the handpiece, a head located at the opposite end of the handpiece which includes a coupler for releasably attaching a toothpick or an interdental toothbrush thereto, by the graspable end of the handpiece; (ii) attaching a toothpick or interdental toothbrush to the head of the dental implement by the coupler thereof; (iii) operating the oscillating drive within the handpiece; and (iv) applying the toothpick or the interdental toothbrush to the space between the teeth and/or to the space between the gums, while the toothpick or the interdental is oscillated at a frequency in the range of 1 to about 15,000 strokes per second.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the method of dental cleaning further comprises applying a liquid or paste onto the toothpick or interdental brush.

Some important advantages were found while using a dental implement of the present invention. A dental cleaning implement so constructed can be used not only for cleaning the space between the teeth, but also the sulcus, the space existing between the teeth and the gums. Such a cleaning implement allows a highly efficient cleaning of the teeth by the patient himself, The cleaning is not painful, and presents a low risk of self irk , thereby obviating the need to make frequent visits to the dentist for this purpose.

As previously explained, the dental cleaning implement of the invention may be used either with a releasably attached toothpick thereto or alternatively, with releasably attached interdental toothbrush thereto, allowing efficient brushing between teeth Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent form the description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ThE DRAWIMGS The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 illustrates one type of the dental cleaning implement of the present invention and a toothpick attached thereto; FIG. 2a is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the head of the dental implement of FIG. 1; FIG. 2b is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating another head of a dental implement of the invention: FIG. 3 illustrates another type of the dental cleaning implement of the present invention and a toothpick attached thereto; FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the head of the dental implement of FIG 3; FIG. 5 illustrates a head of a dental implement of the invention adapted to receive an interdental toothbrush, and a spiral interdental toothbrush attached thereto; FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of another type of a dental cleaning implement of the present invention and a toothpick attached thereto; and FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the head of the dental implement of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EIBODXMENTS The invention will now be illustrated by the following non-limiting examples demonstrating a number of embodiments of the dental implement of the invention.

The dental cleaning implement 1 illustrated in Fig. 1, comprises a handpiece 2 graspable at one end by a user, a stem 3 attached to the opposite end of handpiece 2 and head 10 attached to stem 3. Handpiece 2 comprises an oscillating drive 4, schematically shown in broken lines. Oscillating drive 4 provides oscillations to handpiece 2 at a frequency of up to 15,000 strokes per second, and preferably at the range of 1 to 5,000 strokes per second. As was previously explained, the oscillating drive 4 may be motivated by any one of the methods known per se in the art, among which electromagnetically, piazoelectrically, mechanically or by a magnetostrictive stack which converts electrical power supplied to the handpiece into mechanical oscillations at the required frequency. Head 10 comprises a coupler 5 for attaching toothpick 7 thereto.

An enlarged view of optional heads 10' and 10" for the implement shown in Figure 1 are illustrated in Figs. 2a and 2b. In these two Figures, stem 13 and 13' comprise transverse bores 14 and 14', respectively, extending therethrough for receiving toothpicks 12 and 12', respectively. Head 10' illustrated in Fig. 2a, either comprises a sleeve 15 which is moveable with respect to the stem 13 in one direction to clamp toothpick 12 within bore 14, and in the opposite direction to release the toothpick from the bore and thereby permit its removal and replacement by another toothpick. Toothpick 12' shown in Fig. 2b is clamped to the head 10" by the stem of the handpiece (not shown in this Fig.). In the example illustrated in Fig. 1, the axis of the head 10 (or 10' as illustrated in Fig.2a) is at an angle of about 15" with the axis of handpiece 2, and the axis of the toothpick 7 is substantially perpendicular to the axis of head 10. In the variation illustrated in Fig. 2b head 10" is coaxial with the axis of the handpiece (not shown in this Fig.) and the axis of the toothpick 12' is at an angle of about 200 with the axis of head 10". In the example illustrated in Fig. 2a, sleeve 15 is retained in either its clamping position or releasing position by a friction fit with respect to stem 13. It will be appreciated however, that other types of retainers could be used e.g. screw threads, ball-and-detent retainers, and the like.

Fig. 3 illustrates a variation of the implement of the invention, wherein the axis of head 20, is inclined with respect to the axis of the handpiece 22, and toothpick 26 is coaxial with the axis of head 20. An enlarged view of head 20 is presented in Fig. 4 wherein head 20' comprises a socket 34 that frictionally receives one end of toothpick 32.

The cleaning implement illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is otherwise of the same construction as described above with respect to Figs. 1 and 2. The toothpicks presented in all these figures may be made of wood, plastic, metal with or without a coating of plastic material, nylon, composite material or any other material that is known per se in the art.

As was previously explained and in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the toothpick to be used may be coated, soaked or impregnated with one or more reagents. Such reagents may be: a topical anesthetic agent such as ethyl aminobenzoate or benzoalkonium chloride; olive oil or other oil which may be helpful in enhancing the removal of bacterial plaque from the teeth, from the space between the teeth and from the space between the teeth and gums; a fluoride which may be helpful in increasing the resistance of teeth to decay; a color-changing pH indicator such as phenol phthalein, which may be useful in indicating the acidic or basic condition in the gum for determining the subject's gums health conditions; an antibiotic agent, such as tetracycline; an anti-inflammatory agent such as indometacine; a sensitivity-reducing agent, such as amine fluoride; an anti-calculus agent such as anti-formic/citric acid or pyrophosphate, or any other composition known per se in the art for such or similar use. Also, by using toothpicks coated, soaked or impregnated with one or more of the reagents described above, the efficiency of the teeth treatment can be further enhanced, and if required the toothpick can be used for diagnosing the medical dental condition of the patient.

Fig 5 illustrates the head of a dental implement similar to that described above for the implements presented in Figs. 1 and 3. By the variation illustrated in this Figure, instead of attaching a toothpick to head 38, a spiral toothbrush 35 is attached by the coupler thereto, allowing the dental implement to be used for brushing the teeth. In this Fig., the implement stem is designated by 39, while the toothbrush stem by 36. Stem 36 is attached to head 38 in the same manner as for example toothpick 12 in Fig.2a. As illustrated in Fig. 5, toothbrush 35 comprises a conical array of bristles.

In Fig. 6 which presents another variation of the dental implement of the invention, toothpick 42 is clamped to head 45 by a screw 41, which is screwed to the head by using a screw driver 43 adapted for that use. In this example, screw 41 is coaxial with stem 47. The transverse bore 49 that receives the toothpick is at about 15" with the axis of head 45. To enhance the efficacy of the implement, a container 46 for a liquid or paste, can be attached or inserted to handpiece 48. The discharge of the material from the container can be done by applying pressure thereon or by any other suitable way. Container 46, may preferably be designed with an egress means allowing the material to be released on toothpick 42.

Fig. 7 which is an enlarged view of the head of the implement illustrated in Fig. 6 presents a variation wherein the axis of head 45' is coaxial with the axis of the handpiece (not shown in Fig. 7) and the axis of toothpick 42' is at an angle of about 20 with the axis of head 45'.

While the invention has been described with respect to several preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that these are set forth merely for the purpose of example, and that many other variations, modifications and applications of the invention which are encompassed thereby, may be made.

Claims

Claims: A A dental cleaning implement comprising: a handpiece graspable at one end by a user, an oscillating drive within the handpiece adapted to provide oscillations of up to about 15,000 stokes per second, a head located at the opposite end of the handpiece which includes a coupler for releasably attaching a toothpick or an interdental toothbrush thereto, and optionally a selector for varying the frequency of oscillation.
2. A dental cleaning implement of Claim 1, wherein said oscillating drive within the handpiece is adapted to provide oscillations in the range of 1 to about 5,000 strokes per second.
3. A dental cleaning implement of Claim 1, wherein said oscillating drive is operated electrically, electromagnetically, mechanically, piezoelectrically or pneumatically.
4. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim l, wherein said coupler includes a stem comprising a transverse bore for receiving a toothpick or an interdental toothbrush, and a sleeve moveable with respect to the stamp to clamp the toothpick or the interdental toothbrush stalk within the transverse bore.
5. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 4, wherein said head is coaxial with the stem.
6. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 5, wherein said head is coaxial with the stem and the angle formed between the axis of the toothpick or the interdental toothbrush and the axis of said stern is in the range of from about 100 to about 25 , preferably from about 13 to about 160, with the axis of the head.
7. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 4, wherein said stem is screwable to said head so as to clamp said toothpick or interdental toothbrush to the head.
8. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 7, wherein said stem is screwable to said head so as to clamp said toothpick or interdental toothbrush to the head and said head is coaxial with said stem.
9. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 7, wherein said stem is screwable to said head so as to clamp said toothpick or interdental toothbrush to the head and said head is coaxial with said stem, and the axis of said toothbrush or the interdental toothbrush forms an angle of from about 10 to about 20 , most preferably from about 13 to about 16 with the axis of said head.
10. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 1, wherein said toothpick or interdental toothbrush is attached substantially coaxially to said implement head.
I 1. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 1, wherein said coupler comprises a socket formed at the end of said head for snuggly receiving one end of the toothpick or interdental toothbrush.
12. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 1, further comprising a container for a liquid or palate, adapted to be attached or inserted to said handpiece.
13. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 1, comprising a container for a liquid or paste, adapted to be attached or inserted to said handpiece which further comprises egress adapted for dispensing the liquid or paste contained in said container.
14. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 1, comprising a container for a liquid or paste, where said liquid or paste is a member selected from the group consisting of a topical anesthetic agent, an agent effective in enhancing the removal of bacterial plaque, a fluoride, a color-changing pH indicator, an antibiotic agent, an anti-inflammatory agent, a sensitivity-reducing agent, an anti calculus agent or any combination thereof.
)5. A dental cleaning implement according to Claim 1, further comprising a drive to provide said oscillating toothpick or interdental toothbrush with a movement relative to the longitudinal axis of said toothpick or interdental toothbrush.
16. A kit comprising a dental cleaning implement comprising a handpiece graspable at one end by a user, an oscillating drive within the handpiece adapted to provide oscillations of up to about 15,000 stokes per second, a head located at the opposite end of the handpiece which includes a coupler for releasably attaching a toothpick or an interdental toothbrush thereto, and optionally a selector for varying the frequency of oscillation, and at least one interdental toothbrush.
17. A kit comprising a dental cleaning implement comprising a handpiece graspable at one end by a user, an oscillating drive within the handpiece adapted to provide oscillations of up to about 15,000 stokes per second, a head located at the opposite end of the handpiece which includes a coupler for releasably attaching a toothpick or an interdental toothbrush thereto, and optionally a selector for varying the frequency of oscillation, and at least one toothpick.
18. A kit according to Claim 17, wherein said at least one toothpick is coated, soaked or impregnated with an agent being a member selected from the group consisting of a topical anesthetic agent, an agent effective in enhancing the removal of bacterial plaque, a fluoride, a color-changing pH indicator, an antibiotic agent, an anti-inflammatory agent, a sensitivity-reducing agent, an anti-calculus agent or any combination thereof.
19. A method of dental cleaning comprising: (i) grasping a dental implement which comprises a handpiece graspable at one end, an oscillating drive within the handpiece, a head located at the opposite end of the handpiece which includes a coupler for releasably attaching a toothpick or an interdental toothbrush thereto, by the graspable end of the handpiece; (ii) attaching a toothpick or interdental toothbrush to the head of the dental implement by the coupler thereof; (iii) operating the oscillating drive within the handpiece; and (iv) applying the toothpick or the interdental toothbrush to the space between the teeth and/or to the space between the gums, while the toothpick or the interdental is oscillated at a frequency in the range of 1 to about 15,000 strokes per second.
20. A method according to Claim 19, fiXer comprising applying a liquid or paste onto said toothpick or interdental toothbrush for using same in dental cleaning.