Heating of dental materials using overtone signatures, absorbing dyes and material properties
AssigneeInter-Med, Inc.
InventorsJohn Baeten, Alex Johnson, Brett Arand
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to the application of photon energy to energize dental materials to enhance their physical handling characteristics, efficacy, ability to be delivered, reactivity, polymerization, and/or post-cure mechanical properties, among other attributes.
Claims20
A material container comprising a thermoplastic resin and at least one photon energy absorption enhancer additive forming the container that increases one or more properties comprising:
- increasing energy conversion efficiency from photon energy to heat, or
- increasing a heating rate of the material contained within,
- wherein the at least one photon energy absorption enhancer additive has an optical density value greater than 1 for photon energy between 0.49 eV-2.38 eV (2500 nm-520 nm) after thermoplastic injection molding.
A dental material heating and dispensing device for heating a dental material and applying the heated dental material to a tooth surface or cavity comprising:
- a. a device body;
- b. a plunger mounted movably within the device body for engaging with a dental material container;
- c. an actuation means connected to the plunger to controllably dispense the dental material from the dental material container;
- d. a distally mounted photon energy emission source, wherein the distally mounted photon energy emission source consists of an electroluminescence source that produces between 0.5 watts and 20 watts of optical power;
- e. a rechargeable power source, wherein the electroluminescence source is in electrical communication with the rechargeable power source;
- f. a primary heat sink located within the device body or that constitutes a part of the device body, wherein the electroluminescence source is coupled to the primary heat sink;
- and
- g. a receptacle on the device body for securably receiving the dental material container, such that the dental material container is held within close proximity to the electroluminescence source.
A handheld multispectral device for enhancing the curing of a photopolymerizable dental material, the device comprising:
- a. a thermally conductive body;
- b. at least four discrete distally mounted photon energy emission sources that produce at least two discrete emission spectra, wherein;
- i. one photon energy source is centrally located, and at least three photon energy sources are located radially about the centrally located photon energy source;
- ii. an output of the centrally located photon energy emission source leads, lags, or is simultaneously used with an output of the at least three radially located photon energy emission sources;
- iii. at least one emission spectra is used for curing the photopolymerizable dental material, and at least one emission spectra is used to elevate the photopolymerizable dental material's temperature above ambient temperature during curing;
- iv. the at least four photon energy emission sources consists of light emitting diodes;
- c. the at least four discrete photon energy emission sources are coupled to at least one primary heat sink located within the device body;
- d. the at least one primary heat sink is coupled to the thermally conductive body;
- and
- e. the light emitting diodes are in electrical communication to a direct current power source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.