JP2007135794A - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toothbrush capable of effectively irradiating unclean areas of teeth with light on brushing. <P>SOLUTION: A lighting system 23 is embedded in a handle section 11 to emit light having a peak wavelength of more than 380 nm and less than 550 nm from a light emitting section 22 formed on a bristle implanted surface 20 of a head section 10 through a light guiding section 12 in a neck section 12. The light emitting section 22 has an elongated shape extending in the extending direction of the neck section 12 and is arranged at the center of the bristled surface 20 with respect to the transverse direction and brushing bristles are implanted at both its sides. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a toothbrush, and more specifically, a toothbrush that irradiates light to a tooth neck and an adjacent surface of a tooth at the time of brushing, particularly suitable for light irradiation to a natural tooth or a dental implant coated with titanium oxide. It relates to a toothbrush.

  Toothbrushes that sterilize the oral cavity by irradiating ultraviolet light during brushing have been proposed (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The toothbrush disclosed in Patent Document 1 employs an optical fiber as a bristle implanted in the head part, and extends the end of the optical fiber to the handle part, and causes the ultraviolet rays generated in the handle part to pass through the optical fiber. Irradiating into the oral cavity. This toothbrush cleans the oral cavity using the bactericidal action of ultraviolet rays.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a cleaning method in which a toothbrush having substantially the same configuration as Patent Document 1 is used together with a paste containing a photocatalyst such as titanium dioxide. Patent Documents 1 and 2 both aim at cleaning the oral cavity, but the toothbrush of Patent Document 1 only irradiates ultraviolet rays, whereas Patent Document 2 irradiates the photocatalyst with ultraviolet rays. However, the cleaning by the photocatalytic action is utilized. Various other proposals have been made on toothbrushes using such photocatalytic action (for example, Patent Documents 3 and 4).

  However, safety has not been sufficiently confirmed when the oral cavity is repeatedly irradiated with ultraviolet rays or irradiated for a long time. In general, it is widely known that ultraviolet rays are harmful to the human body, but it is not well known that the influence on the human body varies greatly depending on the wavelength. For this reason, the toothbrush which irradiates an ultraviolet-ray in an oral cavity had the problem of giving anxiety to a user at least.

Further, in the case of a toothbrush in which the brush bristles are constituted by an optical fiber, it is not easy to select a material having appropriate hardness and elasticity as the bristles while having an appropriate light transmission characteristic as the optical fiber, and an optical fiber is used. As a result, there is a problem that the toothbrush becomes expensive. In addition, a large number of optical fibers must be bent in the head portion, resulting in a problem that the optical transmission characteristics of each optical fiber deteriorate and the head portion becomes large.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-155638 JP-T-2001-506891 JP 2004-41278 A JP 2004-337432 A

  In general, plaque is likely to adhere to the root portion of the tooth called the tooth neck and adjacent portions of the tooth, and it is difficult to remove the adhered plaque by brushing. In addition, if a prosthetic crown is attached, plaque tends to accumulate in the gap between the prosthetic crown and the gingival margin. That is, in any case of the natural tooth and the prosthetic crown, the tooth neck and the adjacent surface of the tooth tend to be unclean.

  Therefore, if it is possible to coat a photocatalyst in such an unclean area and irradiate light for activating the photocatalytic action during brushing, it is considered effective for cleaning the unclean area.

  However, since the teeth are not flat and the planted state varies, the brush hair is bent against the surface of the tooth other than the above-mentioned unclean area and the gingival margin, and the brush hair is unclean. Hard to reach. Accordingly, there is a problem that even if a conventional toothbrush that irradiates light from its tip using an optical fiber for the bristles cannot sufficiently irradiate the unclean area.

  Further, even if light can be irradiated to the unclean area, if the irradiation area that can be irradiated simultaneously is small, light irradiation cannot be performed effectively, and all teeth are not treated during normal brushing. There is a problem that sufficient light irradiation cannot be performed.

  This invention is made | formed in view of said situation, and it aims at providing the toothbrush which irradiates light effectively with respect to the filthy region of a tooth at the time of brushing. In particular, an object is to provide a toothbrush having a thin head portion. Moreover, it aims at providing the toothbrush which a general consumer can use safely. It is another object of the present invention to provide a toothbrush in which irradiation light is not easily attenuated by brush bristles. Moreover, it aims at providing the toothbrush which irradiates light also to teeth other than a brushing object.

  A toothbrush according to a first aspect of the present invention is a toothbrush including a head portion having a flocked surface in which a large number of bristles are implanted, a handle portion gripped during brushing, and a neck portion connecting the head portion and the handle portion. The handle portion has a light source device that generates light having a peak wavelength of 380 nm to 550 nm, and the neck portion has a light guide portion that guides light from the light source device to the head portion. And the said head part is comprised so that it may have the 1st light emission part which radiate | emits the light from the said light guide part from the said flocked surface.

  With such a configuration, light having a peak wavelength of 380 nm or more and 550 nm or less is generated in the handle portion, and this light is transmitted to the head portion via the light guide portion in the neck portion, and is formed on the flocked surface of the head portion. It can be made to radiate | emit from a 1st light emission part. That is, since the irradiation light has a peak wavelength in the visible light region for activating the photocatalyst, general consumers can use it with peace of mind. Moreover, since the 1st light emission part is formed in the flocked surface, a head part can be made thin compared with the case where a brush hair is comprised with an optical fiber.

  In the toothbrush according to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above configuration, the first light emitting portion has an elongated shape extending in the extending direction of the neck portion, and the brush bristles are arranged in the short direction of the first light emitting portion. Planted on both sides, the head portion further includes light output adjusting means for adjusting the distribution of the emitted light quantity in the first light output portion, and the light output adjustment means is disposed with the front face facing the first light output portion. The light from the light guide part is incident on the side surface, and a diffusion pattern having a different density in the longitudinal direction of the first light output part is formed on the back surface.

By extending the first light emitting part in the extending direction of the neck part and planting the bristle on both sides in the short direction, the teeth can be effectively irradiated with light during brushing. Further, by adjusting the light amount distribution in the elongated first light output unit by the light output adjusting means and realizing an arbitrary light amount distribution, it is possible to irradiate light more effectively.

  In addition to the above configuration, the toothbrush according to the third aspect of the present invention is configured such that the diffusion pattern is formed so as to become denser as the distance from the side surface on which light is incident increases. With such a configuration, it is possible to effectively irradiate light by leveling the light amount distribution in the first light output section.

  In the toothbrush according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above configuration, the head portion is formed on a side surface adjacent to the flocked surface in the short direction of the first light output portion, and the light from the light guide portion is transmitted to the toothbrush. A second light emitting part that emits in the short direction of the first light emitting part is provided. With such a configuration, it is possible to irradiate light other than the tooth that is the object of brushing. In particular, it is possible to irradiate light on the lower teeth (maxillary teeth) meshed with the upper teeth (lower jaw teeth) to be brushed.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the toothbrush which irradiates light effectively with respect to the dirty region of a tooth at the time of brushing can be provided. In particular, a toothbrush having a thin head portion can be provided. Moreover, the toothbrush which a general consumer can use in comfort can be provided. Moreover, the toothbrush with which irradiation light is hard to be attenuate | damped by brush hair can be provided. Moreover, the toothbrush which irradiates light also to teeth other than a brushing object can be provided.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
The toothbrush according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention effectively brushes light for activating the photocatalyst at the same time as brushing is performed on the tooth neck and the adjacent surface of the tooth coated with the photocatalytic film. It is a toothbrush that can be irradiated, and is intended to clean the tooth neck and the adjacent surface of the tooth, which tend to be unclean, using a photocatalytic reaction.

  FIG. 1 is an external view showing a configuration example of a toothbrush 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) in a figure is a front view in case the flocking surface 20 of the toothbrush 1 is made into the front, (b) is a side view. The toothbrush 100 includes a head portion 10 that is inserted into the oral cavity during brushing, a handle portion 11 that is gripped during brushing, and a thin neck portion 12 that connects the head portion 10 and the handle portion 11.

  The head unit 10 has a flocked surface 20 on which a large number of brush hairs 21 are implanted. The flocked surface 20 is generally configured as an elliptical or rounded rectangular plane, and here, it is assumed to have a substantially rectangular shape with the extending direction of the neck portion 12 as the longitudinal direction. The head portion 10 has a thin shape that has the flocked surface 20 as a main surface and is thinner than the width of the flocked surface 20 in the short direction. In addition, the brush bristles 21 that are fixed in the same direction are bundled as a bundle of bristles for every plurality of brush bristles, planted for each bristles bristles, and aligned on the flocked surface 20. ing.

  The handle portion 11 is a grip for a user to grip with a hand during brushing, and includes a light source device 23 and a vibration device 24. The light source device 23 is a circuit that generates light to be radiated into the oral cavity. Here, a light emitting diode (LED) that is small and light is used as the light emitting element 23a. The vibration device 24 is a device that vibrates the head unit 10 when the toothbrush 100 is used as an electric toothbrush. For example, an eccentric load is attached to the rotating shaft of the electric motor, and vibration is generated by rotationally driving the electric motor. The handle portion 11 incorporates a small power supply device (not shown) such as a dry battery, a lithium battery, or a solar battery, and power is supplied to the light source device 23 and the vibration device 24 from the small power supply device.

  The light generated in the light source device 23 is transmitted to the flocked surface 20 through the light guide portions 30 to 32 and is emitted from the light exit portion 22. These light guide portions 30 to 32 are hollow portions formed in the head portion 10, the handle portion 11, and the neck portion 12, respectively, and the light guide portion 32 extending along the extending direction of the neck portion 12 is the light guide portion. By connecting 30 and 31, a light guide path from the light emitting element 23 a to the light output part 22 is formed. In order to increase the amount of light emitted from the light output section 22, it is desirable to form a highly reflective film on the inner wall surfaces of the light guide sections 30 to 32 by aluminum vapor deposition or the like. Moreover, the head part 10, the handle | steering-wheel part 11, and the neck part 12 incorporate the optical fiber which is not shown in figure, and these optical fibers can also be utilized as each light guide parts 30-32.

  The light exit part 22 is an opening or a transparent window having an elongated shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the flocked surface 20. In addition, the flocked surface 20 is configured to be symmetric with respect to the light exit portion 22. That is, the light emission part 22 is arrange | positioned in the center of the flocked surface 20 regarding the transversal direction, and the bristles 21 of the same quantity are planted in the both sides at the position where it is mutually symmetrical. On the other hand, the light emitting unit 22 does not necessarily have to be symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal direction. In the case of this toothbrush 100, since the light guide part 30 is formed in the head part 12 on the neck part 12 side relative to the light exit part 22, the space for the light guide part 30 without flocking the bristles 21. However, there is no such problem on the side opposite to the neck portion 12, and the bristles 21 are implanted.

  In general, the toothbrush has the handle portion 11 in its hand, the head portion 10 is inserted into the oral cavity, and the bristles 21 are lightly pressed against the teeth, and the user's hand movement and vibration device 24 are inserted. Thus, the plaque adhering to the teeth is removed by vibrating the brush bristles 21 in the short direction of the flocked surface 20. At this time, the bristles of the bristles 21 are expanded in the short direction of the flocked surface 20 by being pressed against the teeth, and the bristles of the bristles 21 are still expanded by repeated brushing. It becomes.

  Thus, even when the bristles of the bristles 21 spread in the short direction, in the toothbrush 100, the light emitting part 22 is arranged in the center in the short direction of the flocking surface 20, and the bristles 21 are flocked on both sides thereof. Thus, it is possible to prevent the bristles of the bristles 21 from being bent in a direction away from the light output portion 22 and blocking the emitted light by the bent bristles. Moreover, the light emission part 22 can be irradiated with light with respect to the wide area of a tooth | gear by making it the elongate shape extended in the longitudinal direction of the flocked surface 20. FIG. In addition, the length of the light emission part 22 is arbitrary, and should just be below the length of the longitudinal direction of the flocking surface 20. FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state where the tooth neck of the natural tooth 40 is brushed using the toothbrush 100 of FIG. The natural tooth 40 has a coating portion 41 that is pre-coated with a coating containing a photocatalyst at a tooth neck that is an unclean region. For this reason, if light is irradiated to the tooth neck part of the natural tooth 40, a bactericidal action will arise and the said unclean area can be cleaned.

  When brushing the tooth neck of the natural tooth 40, with the toothbrush 100 gripped so that the extending direction of the neck 12 is substantially horizontal, the flocked surface 20 is opposed to the tooth neck of the natural tooth 40, The head unit 10 is pressed against the natural tooth 40. At this time, the tip of the bristle 21 is pressed against the surface further above the tooth neck of the natural tooth 40 or the gingival margin 42 and bent outward in the short direction of the flocked surface 20. For this reason, although the bristle 21 becomes difficult to reach the tooth neck part of the natural tooth 40, the light from the light emission part 22 does not become difficult to reach the tooth neck part. That is, when the bristles 21 are bent outward, the light emitted from the light exit portion 22 is less likely to be attenuated or blocked by the bristles 21, and a large amount of light can be applied to the coating portion 41. Therefore, a strong bactericidal action is obtained in the coating part 41, and the tooth neck part of the natural tooth 40, which is an unclean area, can be effectively cleaned.

  Next, the coating film formed on the coating part 41 will be described. This coating contains powdered titanium dioxide coated with hydroxyapatite.

Titanium dioxide is known as a photocatalyst that decomposes organic substances by generating active oxygen when irradiated with light. Active oxygen is also used when leukocytes enter bacteria, and exerts a strong decomposing action on organic substances. For this reason, if a coating film containing titanium dioxide is formed on the coating part 41, active oxygen such as O ⁻ , O ₂ ^— or O ₃ ^— is generated on the surface of the titanium dioxide during light irradiation, and bacteria attached to the coating part 41. Can be broken down strongly.

  In particular, membranes (so-called biofilms) that are produced by biochemical reactions of various bacterial aggregates (bacterial masses) and that surround the bacterial masses (so-called biofilms) are thought to be less effective for antibacterial agents, but are produced by photocatalysis. Such biofilms can be decomposed by using the active oxygen that is produced, and furthermore, toxins produced by bacteria can also be decomposed.

  On the other hand, apatite is excellent in the adsorptivity of proteins such as bacteria and viruses. For this reason, if powdered titanium dioxide is coated with apatite, it can adsorb and decompose organic substances and bacteria, and suppress adverse effects on the living body caused by active oxygen generated by photocatalysis. it can. That is, apatite-coated titanium dioxide is a material that has both of these advantages and is already commercially available.

  In particular, hydroxyapatite (HA), which is known as a main component of teeth and bones, is excellent in biocompatibility, so that the coating of the coating portion 41 is coated with hydroxyapatite (HA). It is desirable to contain. Further, since this hydroxyapatite (HA) is a relatively brittle material, the corrosion resistance and the wear resistance can be improved by fluorination and hardening. That is, it is most desirable that the coating film of the coating portion 41 contains titanium dioxide coated with fluorinated hydroxyapatite (FHA). Note that the apatite-coated titanium in this specification includes HA-coated titanium and FHA-coated titanium.

  For example, if sodium fluoride is added to a solution having a pH of 7.0 to 7.8 in which calcium phosphate and calcium chloride are dissolved, a solution of fluorinated hydroxyapatite is generated. If titanium dioxide powder is added to this solution, the solid matter will rise. This solid is titanium dioxide coated with fluorinated hydroxyapatite (FHA-coated titanium dioxide). When this solid is separated from the solution, FHA-coated titanium dioxide is obtained.

  The light source device 23 of the toothbrush 100 needs to generate light having a wavelength corresponding to the apatite-coated titanium dioxide contained in the coating film of the coating portion 41. Since active oxygen is generated by the action of excited electrons and holes, it is necessary to irradiate light having a wavelength corresponding to the excitation energy of titanium dioxide. In the case of high-purity titanium oxide, the wavelength is 380 nm or less. UV light is required. In this case, for example, an LED using indium gallium nitride (GaInN) that generates ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 370 nm can be used as the light emitting element 23a.

  Here, when titanium oxide is doped with a small amount of impurities, photocatalysis occurs even with light having a longer wavelength. For example, if a metal ion other than titanium such as chromium, vanadium, manganese, iron, or nickel is doped, a photocatalytic action can be caused by light in the visible light region (380 nm to 780 nm). Further, the photocatalytic action can be caused by light in the visible light region by doping titanium dioxide with nitrogen. For example, an impurity-added titanium dioxide that causes photocatalysis even with light having a wavelength of 550 nm is already on the market. When such an impurity-added titanium dioxide is contained in the coating film of the coating portion 41, a bactericidal effect can be obtained by irradiating visible light having a wavelength of 380 nm to 550 nm. In this case, the light source device 23 of the toothbrush 100 may be an LED using GaInN that generates blue (wavelength 450 nm) or green (wavelength 525 nm) light. Thus, if it is the toothbrush 100 which irradiates visible light instead of an ultraviolet-ray, a user can use it in comfort.

  According to the present embodiment, since the light emitting portion 22 is formed on the flocked surface 20 of the toothbrush and light is emitted from the light emitting portion 22, the head portion is compared with the conventional toothbrush in which the brush bristles are configured with optical fibers. Can be reduced in size or thickness. In addition, by forming the light-emitting portion 22 having an elongated shape extending in the extending direction of the neck portion 11 on the flocked surface 20, light can be effectively applied to the tooth neck portion and the adjacent surface of the tooth. Furthermore, since the light generated by the light source device 23 has a peak wavelength in the visible light region, it can be used with peace of mind by general consumers as compared with the case where the light source device 23 has a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet region.

  In addition, since the bristle 21 is a consumable item, it is desirable that the head unit 10 is configured to be replaceable. In the illustrated toothbrush 100, the integrally formed head portion 10 and neck portion 12 are detachably attached to the handle portion 11, and only the head portion 10 and neck portion 12 can be exchanged.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to a toothbrush incorporating a vibration device, but is more preferably applied to a toothbrush provided with a vibration device. In the case of a toothbrush having a vibration device, it is not necessary for the user to move the head part 10 up and down during brushing, so even if the brushing time is the same, the light irradiation time for the unclean area of the tooth can be increased. It is.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which light is applied to natural teeth has been described. However, the toothbrush according to the present invention is used for prosthetics such as inlays, crowns, and resins in which similar coatings are formed. The same effect can be achieved when light is irradiated.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In Embodiment 1, the usage example of the toothbrush 100 which irradiates and cleans the tooth neck part of a natural tooth at the time of brushing was demonstrated. In contrast, in the implementation of the present invention, an example of using the toothbrush 100 for cleaning the exposed portion of the dental implant abutment with light during brushing will be described.

  3 and 4 are illustrations of a dental implant that can be cleaned with a toothbrush according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of a dental treatment instrument including the dental implant 5. This dental treatment tool is a dental restoration material used in dental implant treatment, and includes a prosthesis 50 and a dental implant 5.

  Dental implant treatment is a dental treatment method in which the prosthesis is fixed to the jawbone in order to make up for the missing tooth, and it supports the prosthesis more firmly than denture treatment in which it is fixed to the adjacent teeth using a bridge. can do. Here, the prosthesis is a substitute for natural teeth made of metal, ceramic, etc., and the prosthesis 50 shown in FIG. 3 is a non-partial prosthesis used to supplement a missing tooth, Such a prosthesis is particularly called a prosthetic crown because of its shape.

  The dental implant 5 includes an abutment 6 to which the prosthesis 50 is mounted and a fixture 7 fixed to the alveolar bone, both of which are manufactured by casting or cutting of a metal material such as titanium.

  The fixture 7 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and is fixed to the alveolar bone by inserting one end 71 of the fixture 7 into the perforation of the alveolar bone, and the other end serves as a base end 72 for detachably attaching the abutment 6. A screw groove is formed on the side surface 73 of the fixture 7, and the fixture 7 is screwed in as a male screw when inserted into the alveolar bone perforation. An engagement hole 74 for engaging the abutment 6 is formed in the base end portion 72 of the fixture 7. The engagement hole 74 is a female screw hole formed in the axial direction of the fixture 7 and having a thread groove formed on the inner surface thereof.

  The abutment 6 includes an attachment portion 61 to which the prosthesis 50 is attached, a cuff portion 62 corresponding to the gingival thickness, and an engagement portion 63 to be engaged with the fixture 7. The mounting portion 61 has a substantially truncated cone shape, and after being ground by a dentist as necessary, the prosthesis 50 is bonded or fitted. The cuff part 62 has a substantially cylindrical shape, the height of which matches the gingival thickness of the missing part, and the boundary between the mounting part 61 and the cuff part 62 matches the gingival margin. The engaging portion 63 is formed of a male screw that is screwed into the engaging hole 74 of the fixture 7 and detachably engages the abutment 6 with the fixture 7.

  Generally, a plurality of types of abutments 6 having different cuff portions 62 are provided. For example, abutments having different cuff heights in units of 0.5 mm are provided, and when the dentist attaches the abutment 6, the gingival thickness is measured, and the abutment 6 having the cuff height according to the gingival thickness is provided. Select and use. For this reason, the abutment 6 engaged with the fixture is in a state in which the boundary between the mounting portion 61 and the cuff portion 62 coincides with the gingival margin 42 and only the mounting portion 61 protrudes from the gingival margin. The prosthesis 50 is mounted on the mounting portion 61.

  The coating part 64 is a part or all of the outer surface of the abutment 6 on which a film containing a photocatalyst is formed. Here, the region adjacent to the cuff portion 62 in the mounting portion 61 and covering the entire circumference of the abutment 6 having a width of 1 mm or more is the coating portion 64. The coating portion 64 is formed with a film containing titanium oxide coated with apatite. If the coating portion 64 is irradiated with light, dental plaque adsorbed on the coating film by the action of titanium oxide as a photocatalyst. The organic matter can be decomposed. Note that the surface of titanium used as a base material of the abutment 6 is oxidized to form an oxide film, and this oxide film can be used as a photocatalyst instead of the above-mentioned film containing apatite-coated titanium.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state after treatment performed using the dental implant 5 of FIG. The perforation 45 of the alveolar bone 44 is formed by drilling, and its depth corresponds to the length of the fixture 7. For this reason, the fixture 7 is embedded in a state where the base end portion 72 is made to coincide with the surface of the alveolar bone 44. When a part of the fixture 7 is protruded from the alveolar bone 44, if a force in a direction intersecting the axis of the fixture 7 is applied, stress concentrates on the surface of the alveolar bone 44 and an excessive load is applied to the alveolar bone 44. There is a risk of giving. In order to avoid such stress concentration, the fixture 7 needs to be buried in the alveolar bone 44. On the other hand, the engagement hole 74 needs to be opened, and the base end portion 72 of the fixture 7 is made to coincide with the surface of the alveolar bone 44.

  The abutment 6 is engaged with the fixture 7 by screwing the engaging portion 63 into the engaging hole 74. Since the abutment 6 has a cuff height that matches the gingival thickness, the abutment 6 that is engaged with the fixture 7 has a boundary between the mounting portion 61 and the cuff portion 62 that coincides with the gingival margin 42. It will be. Therefore, the coating portion 64 of the abutment 6 is a skirt portion of the abutment 6 protruding from the gingival margin 42, that is, a region starting from the gingival margin 42 and extending toward the prosthesis 50, and a region having a predetermined width. Become.

  Although the prosthesis 50 is mounted on the mounting portion 61 of the abutment 6, it is not easy to cover the entire mounting portion 61 with the prosthesis 50, and a gap is generated between the prosthesis 50 and the gingival edge 42. The outer surface of the abutment 6, that is, a part of the mounting portion 61 is exposed from the gap. In particular, in the case of an angle door abutment in which the mounting portion 61 and the engaging portion 63 have different axial directions, the gap is likely to occur. Since such a gap becomes an unclean area where plaque easily accumulates, in the abutment 6 according to the embodiment of the present invention, a coating portion 64 is formed on the exposed portion.

  In consideration of the case where the boundary between the mounting portion 61 and the cuff portion 62 does not completely coincide with the gingival margin 42 or the case where the gingival thickness decreases after treatment, the cuff portion 62 side starts from the above boundary. It is further desirable to include a region having a predetermined width extending in the coating portion 64. In addition, even if the abutment 6 is not clear at the boundary between the mounting portion 61 and the cuff portion 62, if the position corresponding to the gingival margin 42 can be grasped in advance, the same coating portion 64 is formed based on the position. do it.

  The apatite-coated titanium can be coated on the abutment 6 in the same manner as a conventional coating method for coating metallic titanium with apatite. For example, a thermal decomposition method in which heat treatment is performed after coating to form a film, hydrothermal treatment recrystallization of plasma-sprayed α-TCP to change it to apatite, and apatite raw material is injected into a plasma flame at about 300 ° C. and sprayed. Film forming methods such as a flame spraying method and a plasma spraying method of spraying at an ultrahigh temperature of 10,000 ° C. or higher and an ultrahigh speed are known.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state where the tooth neck side of the prosthesis 50 fixed by the dental implant 5 is brushed. In this dental implant 5, since the coating portion 64 of the abutment 6 is exposed from the gap between the prosthesis 50 and the gingival margin 42, if the exposed portion is irradiated with light, a bactericidal action occurs and the above-mentioned unclean area is cleaned. Can be

  When brushing the tooth neck part side of the prosthesis 50, the head part 10 of the toothbrush 100 is pressed so that the flocked surface 20 faces the tooth neck part side of the prosthesis 50. At this time, the tip of the brush bristles 21 is pressed against the surface of the prosthesis 50 and the gingival rim 42 and bent outward in the short direction of the flocked surface 20. For this reason, although the bristle 21 becomes difficult to reach the exposed part of the abutment 6, the light from the light emitting part 22 arranged at the center in the short direction of the flocked surface 20 easily reaches the exposed part of the abutment 6. Become. That is, as in the case of the tooth neck and the adjacent surface of the tooth in the natural tooth 40, the bristles 21 are bent to both sides, so that the light emitted from the light exiting portion 22 is attenuated or blocked by the bristles 21. It becomes difficult to irradiate the coating portion 64 with a large amount of light. Therefore, a strong sterilizing action is obtained in the coating part 64, and the exposed part of the abutment 6 which is an unclean area can be effectively cleaned.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the present embodiment, a configuration example of a toothbrush that can adjust the distribution of the amount of emitted light in the light output unit 22, particularly a toothbrush that can emit light uniformly from the elongated light output unit 22 will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a view showing a configuration example of a main part of the toothbrush 101 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state of the toothbrush 101 in FIG. 6 when the head unit 10 is replaced. If this toothbrush 101 is compared with the toothbrush 1 of FIG. 1 (Embodiment 1), the light output adjusting means 80 and the reflector 82 for adjusting the distribution of the emitted light quantity from the light output part 22 are provided in the head part 10. Is different in that.

  The light output adjusting means 80 is a transparent member obtained by processing acrylic or the like into a plate shape. The front surface of the light output adjusting unit 80 is opposed to the light output portion 22, and the rear surface is slightly inclined with respect to the front surface, so that the thickness is away from the neck portion 12. It has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape that becomes thinner. A large number of diffusion patterns 81 are formed on the back surface. The diffusion pattern 81 may be a printed pattern printed on the back surface of the transparent member, but may have an uneven shape on the back surface formed when the transparent member is injection molded.

  The reflector 82 is a reflecting unit that reflects light emitted from the back surface or the side surface of the light output adjusting unit 80 and re-enters the light output adjusting unit 80, and a highly reflective sheet is used. However, if the inner wall of the head unit 10 facing the light output adjusting means 80 has a high reflectance, the inner wall is used as the reflector 82, and it is not necessary to prepare the reflector 82 separately. It is desirable that the reflector 82 be disposed so as to face at least the side surface (the surface on the tip side of the head portion) and the back surface facing the incident surface of the light output adjusting means 80.

  The light from the light source device 23 reaches the light output adjusting means 80 through the light guide portions 30 to 32 and enters the light output adjusting means 80 from the side surface on the neck portion 12 side. The front and back surfaces of the light output adjusting unit 80 have a smooth boundary surface (surface) except for the diffusion pattern 81, and light incident on the boundary surface at an incident angle equal to or greater than a predetermined angle is the light output adjusting unit 80. The light that is totally reflected on the front surface and the back surface, but whose traveling direction is changed by hitting the diffusion pattern 81, is emitted from the front surface of the light output adjusting means 80.

In the figure, a state is shown in which light diffusely reflected by the diffusion pattern 81 and incident on the front surface of the light output adjusting means 80 at an incident angle θi equal to or smaller than the predetermined angle is emitted from the front surface. This emitted light is emitted from the front surface of the light output adjusting means 80 as refracted light having a refraction angle θr. In this case, if the absolute refractive index of the light output adjusting means 80 is n ₁ and the absolute refractive index in the air is n ₂ , the refractive index n ₁₂ of the emitted light is expressed by the following equation (1), and the refraction angle θr is It can be obtained by the following equation (2).

  In this way, since the scattered light from the diffusion pattern 81 is emitted from the front surface of the light output adjustment means 80, the light amount distribution in the light output portion 22 of the emitted light is determined by the diffusion pattern 81 on the back surface of the light output adjustment means 80. Varies depending on the density distribution. Accordingly, the distribution of the emitted light quantity in the light output part 22 can be arbitrarily determined by the diffusion pattern 81. In particular, if the diffusion pattern is arranged so as to become dense in order from the neck portion 12 side to the tip end side of the head portion 10, the light amount distribution in the light emitting portion 22 can be leveled, which is effective for the unclean area of the teeth. Can be irradiated with light.

  FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing a comparative example to be compared with FIG. 6, and another configuration example of the toothbrush 101 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. Is shown as

  In (a) in the figure, a flat plate-like reflector 82 is disposed in the internal space of the head unit 10 in a state where it is inclined so as to form an angle θ with respect to the optical axis of incident light. In this figure, since the inclination angle θ with respect to the optical axis of the reflector 82 is too small, the emitted light from the light emitting part 22 is emitted obliquely from the flocked surface 20 and effectively irradiates the tooth being brushed. I can't. In addition, the light emitted from the light exit portion 22 has only the same extent as the incident light from the neck portion 12, and even if the light exit portion 22 is formed to be elongated, light can be emitted from the entire light exit portion 22. In other words, it is impossible to irradiate light on a large area of a tooth at the same time.

  In (b) in the figure, a lens 83 is further arranged in the internal space of the head unit 10 to widen the beam diameter of light incident on the flat reflector 82. By expanding the beam diameter using the lens 83, light can be simultaneously irradiated to a wider area of the tooth. In addition to this, if the angle θ is about 45 degrees, light can be emitted from the entire light output part 22 substantially perpendicular to the flocked surface.

  However, in this case, there arises a problem that the thickness of the head portion 20 of the toothbrush becomes too thick. That is, if the length in the longitudinal direction of the light exiting portion 22 is W, and the length in the thickness direction of the head portion 10 in the space where the reflector 82 is disposed is D, then D = Wtanθ holds. At this time, if θ is set to 45 °, D = W. For this reason, the head part 10 must be thickened or the length of the light emitting part 22 in the longitudinal direction must be shortened.

  On the other hand, the toothbrush incorporating the light output adjusting means 80 shown in FIG. 6 can emit the leveled light from the entire elongated light output part 22 without significantly increasing the thickness of the head part 10.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state of the toothbrush 101 in FIG. 6 when the head unit 10 is replaced. In the toothbrush, the head portion 10 is detachably attached to the neck portion 12, and only the head portion 10 can be replaced. Further, the light output adjusting means 80 and the reflector 82 are built in the tip portion of the neck portion 12, and when the head portion 10 is attached to the neck portion 12, this tip portion is inserted into the light guide portion 30 of the head portion 10, The light output adjusting means 80 and the reflector 82 are configured to be disposed inside the head unit 10.

  Further, a light output part 26 for emitting light from the front surface of the light output adjusting means 80 is provided near the tip of the neck part 12. The light exit portion 26 is an opening or a transparent window having an elongated shape extending in the axial direction of the neck portion 12 and is disposed so as to face the light exit portion 22 of the head portion 10. That is, the light supplied from the front surface of the light output adjusting unit 80 is emitted from the flocked surface 20 of the head unit 10 through the light output unit 26 and the light output unit 21. With such a configuration, the replaceable head unit 10 can be provided at low cost.

  In the toothbrush according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the light exit portion 26 is configured as a transparent window made of a transparent member and prevents saliva and toothpaste from entering the tip portion of the neck portion 12. It prevents the saliva and the like from adhering to the interface of the adjusting means 80 and hindering the desired total reflection. In place of such a configuration, the same effect can be obtained even if the light output portion 22 is configured as a transparent window made of a transparent member.

Embodiment 4 FIG.
In the above-described embodiment, an example of a toothbrush in which the light-emitting portion 22 is provided on the flocked surface 20 has been described. However, in this embodiment, the light-emitting portion is further provided on the side surface of the head portion 10 in addition to the light-emitting portion 22. The toothbrush provided with 25a, 25b will be described.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the toothbrush 102 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As for this toothbrush 102, the two light emission parts 25a and 25b are formed in the side surface adjacent to the flocking surface 20. FIG. These light exit portions 25 a and 25 b are openings or transparent windows formed in the head portion 10, and emit light from the light source device 23 from outside the brush bristles 21. Further, the emitted light from the light exit portions 25 a and 25 b is emitted in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the neck portion 12 and away from the brush bristles 21. Here, it is assumed that light is emitted so as to be orthogonal to the axial direction of the neck portion 12 and parallel to the flocked surface 20.

  By using such a toothbrush 102, it is possible to irradiate light to teeth other than the tooth to be brushed. For example, when brushing the maxillary teeth, not only the maxillary teeth to be brushed but also the mandibular teeth facing the maxillary teeth can be irradiated with light. Further, when brushing the lower jaw teeth, not only the lower jaw teeth to be brushed but also the upper jaw teeth facing the lower jaw teeth can be irradiated with light.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which brushing is performed using the toothbrush 102. Reference numeral 40 denotes a natural tooth as an upper jaw tooth, and reference numeral 50 denotes a prosthetic crown as a lower jaw tooth meshing with the natural tooth 40, which is fixed to the lower jaw using a dental implant. In this dental implant, the coating portion 64 of the abutment is exposed from the gap between the prosthesis 50 and the gingival margin. That is, the exposed portion of the abutment is coated with titanium dioxide coated with hydroxyapatite (HA).

  When the natural tooth 40 is brushed using the toothbrush 102, the light from the light exit portion 21 is irradiated to the natural tooth 40, and the light from the light exit portions 25a and 25b is irradiated to the coating portion 64 of the abutment. . Therefore, the light irradiation to the coating part 64 is performed not only when the prosthesis 50 is brushed but also when the natural tooth 40 is brushed. Therefore, more light can be irradiated to the coating part 64 containing a photocatalyst.

  In the present embodiment, the example in which the two light emitting portions 25a and 25b are formed on one side surface of the head portion 10 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to such a case. That is, it is only necessary that at least one light exit portion is formed on the side surface of the head portion 10. Further, it is desirable that the light output portion has an elongated shape extending in the axial direction of the neck portion 12.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an example in which the light exit portions 25a and 25b are formed only on one side surface has been described. However, it is desirable to form the light exit portions on two opposite side surfaces, respectively.

It is the external view which showed the example of 1 structure of the toothbrush 100 by embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed a mode that the tooth neck part of the natural tooth 40 was brushed using the toothbrush 100 of FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of a dental treatment instrument including a dental implant 5. FIG. It is sectional drawing which showed the mode after the treatment performed using the dental implant 5 of FIG. It is the figure which showed a mode that the tooth neck part side of the prosthesis 50 fixed with the dental implant 5 was brushed. It is the figure which showed one structural example of the principal part about the toothbrush 101 by Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is the figure by which the comparative example which should be contrasted with FIG. 6 was shown, and the other structural example of the toothbrush 101 is shown. It is the figure which showed the mode at the time of replacement | exchange of the head part 10 about the toothbrush 101 of FIG. It is the figure which showed one structural example of the toothbrush 102 by Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is the figure which showed an example of a mode that brushing is performed using the toothbrush.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 Dental implant 6 Abutment 7 Fixture 10 Head part 11 Handle part 12 Neck part 20 Flocked surface 21 Brush hair 22 Light emission part 23 Light source device 23a Light emitting element 24 Vibration apparatus 25a, 25b, 26 Light emission part 30-32 Light guide part 40 Natural tooth 41 Coating part 42 Gingival margin 50 Prosthesis 64 Coating part 80 Light emission adjusting means 81 Diffusion pattern 82 Reflector 100-102 Toothbrush

Claims (4)

In a toothbrush comprising a head part having a flocked surface in which a large number of brush bristles are implanted, a handle part gripped at the time of brushing, and a neck part connecting the head part and the handle part,
The handle portion includes a light source device that generates light having a peak wavelength of 380 nm to 550 nm,
The neck portion has a light guide portion that guides light from the light source device to the head portion,
The toothbrush characterized by the said head part having a 1st light emission part which radiate | emits the light from the said light guide part from the said flocked surface. The first light emitting portion has an elongated shape extending in the extending direction of the neck portion,
The brush bristles are planted on both sides in the short direction of the first light emitting part,
The head portion further includes light output adjusting means for adjusting the distribution of the emitted light quantity in the first light output portion,
The light output adjusting means is made of a transparent member disposed with the front surface facing the first light output portion, and the light from the light guide portion is incident on the side surface and has different densities in the longitudinal direction of the first light output portion. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the diffused pattern is formed on the back surface.   The toothbrush according to claim 2, wherein the diffusion pattern is formed so as to become denser as a distance from the side surface on which light is incident becomes longer.   The second light output part is formed on the side surface adjacent to the flocked surface in the short direction of the first light output part, and the head part emits light from the light guide part in the short direction of the first light output part. The toothbrush according to claim 1, further comprising:

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