Dental instrument having light sources and optical diffusing assembly and method of use thereof

A dental instrument for illuminating an oral cavity of a patient's mouth with diffused light, the dental instrument comprising:

• a handle portion comprising an elongated member enabling the dental instrument to be handled;
• and
• a head portion positioned at one longitudinal end of the elongated member, the head portion comprising:
• a reflective layer having an outwardly oriented reflective surface;
• an open-top housing comprising a housing sidewall and a housing bottom wall defining a diffusing layer opening, the housing bottom wall and the housing sidewall together defining a light source receiving cavity;
• light sources received within the light source receiving cavity and configured to emit light in a direction opposite the outwardly oriented reflective surface of the reflective layer;
• and
• an optical diffusing layer having an inwardly oriented surface facing the light sources and being received into the diffusing layer opening of the housing bottom wall, the optical diffusing layer being configured to diffuse the light emitted by the light sources and produce the diffused light.

A system for use with a head portion of a dental instrument, the system comprising:

• a reflective layer comprising:
• a frustoconical transparent layer comprising a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a peripheral wall defining an outwardly extending slope;
• and
• a reflective surface adjacent to the transparent layer;
• wherein the peripheral wall of the reflective layer is configured to abut a reflective layer engaging surface of an inwardly extending projection of a head portion ring removably engageable with an open-top housing of the head portion, the reflective layer engaging surface and the outwardly extending slope having complimentary angles.

A dental instrument for illuminating an oral cavity of a patient's mouth with diffused light, the dental instrument comprising:

• a handle portion comprising an elongated member enabling the dental instrument to be handled;
• and
• a head portion positioned at one longitudinal end of the elongated member, the head portion comprising:
• an open-top housing comprising a housing sidewall and a housing bottom wall defining a reflective layer receiving cavity, the housing sidewall and the housing bottom wall together defining a housing cavity;
• a top reflective layer at least partially received within the open-top housing;
• and
• a bottom reflective layer received in the reflective layer receiving cavity;
• wherein the top reflective layer and the bottom reflective layer are configured such that their respective reflective surfaces are opposite to each other.

A dental instrument for illuminating an oral cavity of a patient's mouth with diffused light, the dental instrument comprising:

• a handle portion comprising an elongated member enabling the dental instrument to be handled;
• and
• a head portion positioned at one longitudinal end of the elongated member, the head portion comprising:
• an open-top housing comprising a housing bottom wall and a housing sidewall together defining a light source receiving cavity;
• light sources received within the light source receiving cavity and configured to emit light;
• and
• a reflective layer having a peripheral wall and comprising a diffused light guiding channel superposed to the light sources and extending peripherally along the peripheral wall and inwardly thereof, the diffused light guiding channel comprising:
• an optical diffusing assembly configured to diffuse the light emitted by the light sources and produce the diffused light.