# US 5,342,198 A · Dental laser

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- Number: US 5,342,198 A
- Document ID: US5342198A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/058,170
- Filed: 1993-05-10
- Granted: 1994-08-30
- Earliest claimed: 1988-03-14
- Assignees: American Dental Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Arthur Vassiliadis; William D. Myers; Terry D. Myers
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5342198A

## CPC

- A61C 1/0046: {Dental lasers (surgical lasers A61B18/20; working by laser beam in general B23K26/00; lasers per se H01S3/00)}
- A61B 2018/00636: {Sensing and controlling the application of energy}
- A61C 1/00: Dental machines for boring or cutting {; General features of dental machines or apparatus, e.g. hand-piece design}
- A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An apparatus for removing dental enamel and dentin. This apparatus is also capable of cutting soft tissue. The apparatus includes a laser which, when activated, produces a laser pulse having a wavelength of between 1.5 and 3.5 microns, a beam diameter at the target site in the range of 10 to 5,000 microns, a pulse duration of between several picoseconds and several milliseconds, an energy level of between 0.1 millijoules and five joules per pulse, and pulse repetition rates from one pulse per second to 10,000 pulses per second. The pulse is focused on the dental enamel or dentin thereby reaching high enough energy densities to vaporize the material. In the case of soft tissues, a special tip is used to concentrate the laser on the tissue so that cutting action can be easily executed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Apparatus for removing dental enamel, dentin and/or soft tissue, sterilization in a mouth and/or for endodontic applications at a target site comprising:
a laser,
means for activating said laser so that said laser produces a pulsed output having a wavelength of between 1.5 and 3.5 microns, a beam diameter at the target site in the range of 10-5000 microns, and an energy of 0.1 millijoules to five joules,
means for delivering said pulse to dental enamel, dentin and/or soft tissue and/or sterilization site and/or endodontic treatment area to thereby eradicate the dental enamel, dentin and/or soft tissue and/or sterilization and/or perform endodontic procedures.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the laser has a pulse repetition rate of 1 to 10,000 pulses per second.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said laser is a yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) laser.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said laser is a Holmium doped laser.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said laser has a wavelength of substantially 2.06 microns.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said laser is a glass laser.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said laser is a crystal laser.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said laser is an Erbium doped laser.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said laser has a wavelength of substantially 2.94 microns.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said laser is a glass laser.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said laser is a crystal laser.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said delivering means comprises means for focussing said pulse on one end of an optical fiber strand.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The invention as defined in claim 12 and comprising a contact tip adjacent the other end of said strand.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The invention as defined in claim 13 Wherein said tip is conical in shape.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein at least a portion of said optical fiber strand is flexible.