WO2001085049A2 - Procedes de desensibilisation acceleree des dents - Google Patents

Procedes de desensibilisation acceleree des dents Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001085049A2
WO2001085049A2 PCT/US2001/014780 US0114780W WO0185049A2 WO 2001085049 A2 WO2001085049 A2 WO 2001085049A2 US 0114780 W US0114780 W US 0114780W WO 0185049 A2 WO0185049 A2 WO 0185049A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
teeth
person
impression
dental
desensitization
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2001/014780
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English (en)
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WO2001085049A3 (fr
Inventor
Sherill F. Lindquist
Original Assignee
Ultradent Products, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US09/565,752 external-priority patent/US6422868B1/en
Application filed by Ultradent Products, Inc. filed Critical Ultradent Products, Inc.
Priority to AU2001261260A priority Critical patent/AU2001261260A1/en
Publication of WO2001085049A2 publication Critical patent/WO2001085049A2/fr
Publication of WO2001085049A3 publication Critical patent/WO2001085049A3/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
    • A61C9/00—Impression cups, i.e. impression trays; Impression methods
    • A61C9/0006—Impression trays
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
    • A61C19/00—Dental auxiliary appliances
    • A61C19/06—Implements for therapeutic treatment
    • A61C19/063—Medicament applicators for teeth or gums, e.g. treatment with fluorides

Definitions

  • This invention is in the field of apparatus and methods for use in desensitizing teeth. More particularly, the invention is in the field of apparatus and methods for accelerating the activity of desensitizing dental compositions by means of the application of heat.
  • a laser, curing lamp or heated dental impression material may advantageously be employed to impart the necessary heat to the desensitizing composition.
  • compositions for both in-office or at-home use typically include a peroxide bleaching agent, such as carbamide peroxide, hydrogen peroxide or sodium perborate.
  • a peroxide bleaching agent such as carbamide peroxide, hydrogen peroxide or sodium perborate.
  • Carbamide peroxide is a complex of urea and hydrogen peroxide.
  • Sodium perborate is a complex of sodium borate and hydrogen peroxide.
  • hydrogen peroxide by itself only exists in aqueous form and is generally unstable except at relatively low pH.
  • dental bleaching agents are able to penetrate into the teeth through microscopic holes or passages normally found in teeth. Because dental bleaching agents work by oxidizing stains or other coloration by penetrating into the aforementioned dental pores, it is not surprising that such oxidizing agents, because they are caustic, are often found to cause irritation of the teeth. By penetrating into the patient's teeth, the irritating oxidizing agents are sometimes able to reach nerve endings found within the pulp, which can cause acute pain or generally increased sensitivity of the teeth.
  • Teeth can also become irritated or sensitized for other reasons as well, including a wide variety of common dental ailments. These include, for example, tooth decay, cracks or fissures in the enamel, tiny gaps or pores between filling materials and dental tissue, heat, cold, jarring of the teeth, and the like. Tooth sensitivity and pain can be treated by means of a topical application of a desensitizing composition.
  • a desensitizing composition There are presently numerous over-the-counter toothpastes that incorporate a desensitizing agent for application to a person's teeth during regular brushing and general daily hygiene.
  • a common desensitizing agent found within toothpastes is potassium nitrate.
  • desensitizing toothpaste compositions One of the drawbacks of desensitizing toothpaste compositions is that the duration of contact between the desensitizing agent and a person's teeth during daily brushing is sometimes insufficiently long to adequately treat tooth sensitivity. Most people brush for less than 60 seconds, which is usually not long enough to adequately treat overly sensitized teeth. Nevertheless, the use of desensitizing toothpaste compositions over a prolonged period of time may have a beneficial effect due to the frequency with which it is applied to the teeth. In order to obtain faster results, there are a number of specially formulated desensitizing dental compositions that are formulated so as to remain in contact with a person's teeth for a prolonged period of time, typically from 30 minutes to 8 hours.
  • compositions that can remain in contact with a patient's teeth for longer periods of time is that it allows more time for the potassium nitrate or other desensitizing agent to penetrate through the enamel and into the dental pulp where it can impart its anesthetizing effect.
  • the downside is that the patient must maintain the desensitizing composition in contact with the sensitive teeth being treated for a prolonged period of time, thus potentially causing discomfort or inconvenience to the patient.
  • the present invention relates to apparatus and methods used to accelerate desensitization of a person's teeth through the application of heat together with a desensitizing composition.
  • the heat may be imparted to the desensitizing composition by means of any heating apparatus known in the art, such as a dental curing lamp or a laser.
  • acceleration of desensitization may advantageously be carried out by means of conventional or specially adapted dental impression trays in conjunction with a heated impression material.
  • the use of an impression material provides the dentist with the ability to manufacture what is, in essence, a customized tray that can be loaded with a desensitizing dental composition and heated before or after placement of the tray into the patient's mouth.
  • the formed impression material can be heated by, e.g., microwave energy, resistive heating devices, or a heated fluid in order to accelerate the rate at which the desensitizing dental composition is able to carry out its intended desensitization ofa person's teeth.
  • the dental impression trays may advantageously be sold or provided to a dentist in the form of a kit that includes at least a portion of the means necessary to form and then heat a dentition impression of the patient's teeth, followed by treatment ofa patient's teeth using a dental desensitizing composition.
  • kits will preferably include, at a minimum, a dental impression tray capable of receiving sufficient impression material so as to make an impression of at least a portion of the patient' s teeth, means for heating the impression during the treatment process, and one or more dental compositions, including a composition which includes a desensitizing agent ⁇ e.g., a potassium salt such as potassium nitrate or a fluoride salt such as sodium fluoride).
  • a desensitizing agent e.g., a potassium salt such as potassium nitrate or a fluoride salt such as sodium fluoride.
  • the kits may optionally include an impression material, such as a standard alginate impression material known in the art. Nevertheless, because most dentists already have standard impression materials on site for other purposes, it is typically not necessary for the kits to include an impression material.
  • An exemplary embodiment of utilizing a formed dentition impression to provide heat includes the following steps: (1) filling at least a portion ofa dental impression tray with an unset dental impression material; (2) placing the filled dental impression tray into the patient's mouth in order to take an impression of at least a portion of the patient's teeth; (3) maintaining the impression tray in place for a sufficient length of time for the dental impression material to at least partially cure to thereby form a patient dentition impression; (4) removing the dental impression tray and included formed patient dentition impression from the patient's mouth; (5) placing an appropriate quantity of a dental desensitizing composition within the formed patient dentition impression; (6) introducing the dental impression tray and included formed patient dentition impression with the desensitizing composition into the patient's mouth so as to at least approximately register the patient's teeth and the corresponding formed patient dentition impression; (7) heating and/or maintaining the temperature of the formed patient dentition impression at a temperature of at least about 105° F.; and (8) removing the dental impression try and included
  • the formed patient dentition impression will be heated to and maintained at the desired temperature by means of an electrical resistance heating element located within, or otherwise associated with, the dental impression tray.
  • the dentition impression may alternatively be heated by means of microwave energy or by the use of a heated fluid.
  • the temperature of the dentition impression is preferably maintained in a range of about 110°F. to about 150° F., more preferably in a range of about 120° F. to about 140° F.
  • the dental impression tray will be electronically connected to a power supply, such as a DC power supply that supplies a desired amount of power.
  • the patient may be given a control device that interacts with the power supply so as to heat and maintain the dentition impression at an elevated, yet comfortable, temperature so as to optimize patient comfort and dental composition activity.
  • a control device that interacts with the power supply so as to heat and maintain the dentition impression at an elevated, yet comfortable, temperature so as to optimize patient comfort and dental composition activity.
  • the treatment times according to the present invention typically range of about 1 minute to about 60 minutes, more preferably in a range of about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes, depending on the dental composition being used, as well as the time necessary for carrying out the desired desensitization treatment.
  • the invention provides apparatus and methods for desensitizing • teeth in a manner that significantly reduces the time it takes for potassium nitrate or other suitable desensitizing agents to impart their desired desensitizing effect.
  • Figure 1 depicts a preliminary procedural step of coating the principal cavity of an alginate dental impression tray with a conventional adhesive
  • Figure 2 depicts a preliminary step of applying a dental Wax overlay to the surfaces of the patient's teeth that are to be whitened;
  • Figure 3 illustrates the step of placing an unset conventional dental impression material in the principal cavity of the dental impression tray of Figure 1;
  • Figure 4 is a cross-section view taken at line 4-4 of Figure 3 and extending transversely through the filled dental impression tray of Figure 3;
  • Figure 5 depicts the act of inserting the compound-filled dental impression tray of Figures 3 and 4 into a patient's mouth for impression-setting purposes;
  • Figure 6 is a plan view of the completed dental impression prior to wax overlay removal;
  • Figure 7 is a cross-section view taken at line 7-7 of Figure 6;
  • Figure 8 is a cross-section view similar to Figure 7 but after accomplishing wax overlay removal
  • Figure 9 is a cross-section view taken at line 9-9 of Figure 6;
  • Figure 10 is a cross-section view taken at line 9-9 of Figure 8 but with an alternative dental impression material having a particulate filler dispersed therein;
  • Figure 11 depicts the step of placing a desensitizing dental composition into the formed dental impression cavity preparatory to treating the patient's teeth
  • Figure 12 depicts the placement of the tray of Figure 11 into the patient's mouth in order to effect bleaching
  • Figure 13 schematically depicts an alternate embodiment of a dental impression material and impression tray in which resistive heat is employed to heat and maintain the proper temperature of the set dental impression material;
  • Figure 14 is a cross-section view taken at line 14-14 of Figure 13;
  • Figure 15 schematically depicts another alternative embodiment of a dental impression material and impression tray in which a heated fluid is used to heat and maintain the proper temperature of the set dental impression material;
  • Figure 16 is a cross-section view taken at line 16-6 of Figure 15;
  • Figure 17 is a perspective view of an alternative dental impression tray equipped with resistive heating elements;
  • Figure 18 is a perspective view of the dental impression tray of Figure 17 into which a dental impression material has been placed into the upper half of the impression tray.
  • Figure 19 is a cross-section view taken at line 19-19 of Figure 18;
  • Figure 20 is a perspective view of a heating element used in a dental impression tray according to the invention.
  • Figure 21 schematically depicts an integrated system employing the impression tray of Figure 17 together with a power supply and a controller.
  • the present invention encompasses apparatus and methods for accelerated desensitization ofa patient's teeth, typically in an in-office procedure, utilizing heat and a desensitizing dental composition applied to a person's teeth.
  • the heat maybe imparted to the desensitizing composition by means of any heatmg apparatus known in the art, such as a dental curing lamp or a laser.
  • the heat used for accelerating desensitization of a person's teeth may be provided by a conventional or specially adapted dental impression tray that includes a heated dental impression material.
  • the impression material may be heated, e.g. , by means of microwave energy, a resistive heating device, or a heated fluid so as to accelerate the rate at which the dental desensitizing composition is able to desensitize a person's teeth. Other optional steps may be performed, as desired.
  • an impression material to make what is in essence a customized dental tray into which an appropriate dental composition can be loaded eliminates the time-consuming practice of manufacturing a customized dental tray.
  • the heated impression materials of the present invention are far less expensive than expensive lasers, or even relatively inexpensive curing lamps, but provide similar or even superior results. Because dental impression trays and impression materials are so inexpensive, they may be used once and then discarded. Of course, it is certainly within the scope of the invention to use a heated custom dental tray, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,102,705.
  • Examples of lasers that may be used, or adapted for use, in desensitizing teeth according to the present invention are disclosed in U.S. PatentNo. 5,645,428, U.S. Patent No. 5,611,733, U.S. PatentNo. 6,086,367, U.S. Patent No. 6,083,218, U.S. Patent No. 5,928,220 and U.S. PatentNo. 5,713,738.
  • Examples of dental curing lamps for use in desensitizing teeth according to the presentinvention are disclosed inU.S. PatentNo.6,171, 105, U.S. Patent No. 6,168,431, U.S. PatentNo. 6,123,545 and U.S. PatentNo. 5,749,724.
  • the apparatus and methods according to the invention utilize a dental impressing tray.
  • One of the purposes of the dental impression tray is receive and retain a dental impression material during the formation of a patient dentition impression and also during subsequent treatment of the patient's teeth.
  • the impression tray will advantageously include means for heatmg the formed patient dentition impression during the treatment process.
  • any dental impression tray both conventional or specialized, may be used within the scope of the present invention, in combination with an impression material, to form a dentition impression of a patient's teeth to be treated. Examples of suitable dental trays that include means for heating a formed dentition impression are illustrated more particularly in Figures 13-21.
  • FIGS 13 and 14 illustrate a dental impression tray 10 according to the present invention that includes a resistive heating element or wire.
  • Impression tray 10 includes one or more heating wires 34 that are looped around within an interior cavity 12 of the tray 10 prior to filling tray cavity 12 with an unset or uncured dental impression material 16.
  • the one or more heating wires 34 are connected to a power supply 32.
  • the impression tray 10 and power supply 32 form a system 30 that is capable of heating the impression material 16 disposed within the interior trough of the tray 10.
  • the one or more heating wires 34 are advantageously coupled to the power supply 30 by means of conventional or specialized electrical connectors 36.
  • Figure 14 depicts an arrangement wherein the heatmg wires 34 are embedded within the impression material 16, any arrangement whereby impression tray 10 is able to heat and maintain the impression material 16 within a desired temperature range is within the scope of the invention.
  • approximately 40 to 50 inches of No. 24 insulated audio speaker wire were used as resistance heatmg wire 34.
  • Power supply 32 comprised a conventional 120/30 volt alternating current step-down transformer with a 2.5 ampere output current, an alternating current-to-direct current rectifier, an electronic intermittent switch having 30-40 second on times alternated with 30-40 second off times, and a system on-off timer switch mechanism.
  • the power supply timer functioned to activate power supply 32 for periods of time in a range of from 1 to 15 minutes.
  • FIGS 17-21 depicts an alternative dental impression tray 50 configured so as to be able to treat the upper and lower teeth of a person of the same time.
  • dental impression tray 50 includes a generally arcuate structure 52, which defines an interior region for receipt of a dental impression material 64 (Figure 18).
  • Arcuate structure 52 is attached to a handle 62, which serves the dual purpose of facilitating gripping by the dental practitioner as well as providing a protective housing for wires 60 used to supply an electric current used to heat a formed dentition impression of the person's teeth (not shown) within dental impression tray 50.
  • Tray 50 further includes a substantially planar divider or barrier 54, which provides opposing surfaces for placement of an impression material 64 on either side of divider 54.
  • Divider 54 may comprise any appropriate material, examples of which include a solid metal or plastic sheet, or a wire or nylon fabric or mesh.
  • a generally curved wall 56 assists in retaining the alginate or other impression material within the space between arcuate structure 52 and wall 56.
  • Figure 17 further depicts a pair of heating elements 58a and 58b disposed on an interior surface of arcuate structure 52, which are used to heat an impression material.
  • Figure 18 depicts tray 50 into which an unset impression material 64 has been placed within the space defined by wall 56 and arcuate structure 52 on an upper surface of divider 54.
  • a layer of impression material 64 may also be placed on the underside of divider 54.
  • the use of a mesh or other porous material as the divider 54 promotes adhesion of the impression material 64 onto the surface of the divider 54, even on the underside.
  • glue or other adhesion aids may be used as desired to retain the impression material 64 within the tray 50. It will be appreciated that a person' s gums or gingiva are typically more sensitive to heat than teeth.
  • the cured impression material advantageously touches or is adjacent to only the person's teeth being treated rather than the more sensitive gingival tissue.
  • heating elements 58a and 58b heat up as an electrical cu ⁇ ent is passed therethrough.
  • wires 60 deliver an appropriate electrical cu ⁇ ent to heating elements 58a and 58b.
  • the heating elements 58a and 58b are relied on to generate heat, they should comprise an appropriate high resistance metal or other poorly conductive material capable of generating heat when a cu ⁇ ent is passed therethrough.
  • heating elements 58a and 58b may passively act as heat sinks that assist in distributing heat generated by adjacent heating element wires in contact with elements 58a and 58b. In this way, elements 58a and 58b may not themselves generate heat but will act to better disperse heat over a wider area compared to heating element wires in contact with heating elements 58a and 58b. In such a case, the heating elements 58a and 58b may advantageously comprise a metal or other material that readily conducts heat, such as aluminum.
  • heating element 58 includes a channel 59 into which one or more electrical wires 60 are placed so as to deliver an appropriate cu ⁇ ent to the heating element 58 in order to cause heatmg element 58 to generate heat.
  • the one or more wires 60 may include a length of a heating wire, such as a Ni-Cad wire, disposed within channel 59.
  • the Ni-Cad wire rather than the metallic heating element 58, will be primarily responsible for generating the heat used to heat up the patient dentition impression (not shown) formed from the impression material 64 in order to accelerate activity of the dental agent.
  • metallic heating element 58 will act primarily as a heat sink used to transfer heat energy from the Ni-Cad wire to the impression material 64.
  • a prefe ⁇ ed system 70 includes a dental impression tray 50 as described in Figures 17-19, together with a power supply 72 and a controller 74.
  • the power supply will provide between 5 and 10 volts of DC cu ⁇ ent at 1.2 amperes to each of heating elements 58a and 58b.
  • the controller 74 maybe operated by either the patient or a dental practitioner as desired. Allowing the patient to control the temperature of the dental tray and associated patient dentition within the patient's mouth will allow for optimization between patient comfort and treatment time.
  • the optimum temperature may vary from patient to patient depending on how sensitive a patient is to heat.
  • the optimum temperature in terms of minimizing treatment time, while being sensitive to patient comfort, will be the maximum temperature at which the patient still feels comfortable and is not experiencing excessive pain or discomfort.
  • the temperature within the impression material may be measured by means of a diode (not shown), which is an extremely inexpensive device for measuring temperature but which is preferred where impression tray 50 is intended to be disposable. While diodes are not necessarily as accurate as other devices for measuring temperature, such as thermocouples, they have adequate accuracy within the na ⁇ ow temperature ranges involved in the present invention ⁇ e.g. , preferably about 110- 150° F., more preferably about 120-140° F.).
  • FIGS 15 and 16 depict an alternative system 40 for continuously heating a patient dentition impression tray 10 during a desired dental treatment regimen.
  • System 40 includes a hot fluid supply 42 in fluid communication with a looped tubular fluid conduit 44 disposed within the principal cavity 12 of the impression tray 10.
  • the fluid conduit 44 may be selectively connected to and disconnected from the hot fluid supply 42 by means of conventional fluid connectors 46.
  • the dental impression tray 10 is provided with the looped fluid conduit 44 disposed in the bottom of principal cavity 12 prior to filling the cavity 12 with unset or uncured dental impression material 16.
  • 1/8 inch rigid plastic fluid conduit was used as fluid conduit 44 connected to a supply 42 of water heated to approximately 130° F.
  • heatmg means for heating a formed patient dentition impression.
  • heatmg means for heating a formed patient dentition impression.
  • Another example of a resistive heating device is an etched resistive circuit.
  • heating means generally includes any heating apparatus known in the art that is or can be adapted for use with a dental impression tray to heat a formed patient dentition impression.
  • heating means shall broadly encompass any known or conventional device that may be used to heat up the desensitizing dental compositions according to the inventive methods, i.e., within the temperature ranges and time durations disclosed herein.
  • fluid shall be understood to broadly include substances in a gaseous, liquid or supercritical fluid state.
  • FIG. 1-12 depict one possible method sequence using a conventional dental impression tray 10 that includes a principal cavity 12. Even though Figures 1-12 depict a method of using a conventional dental impression tray 10, the general method steps illustrated therein may be generalized as having applicability to methods that employ the dental trays depicted in Figures 13-21, keeping in mind that some of the steps depicted in Figures 1-12 are merely optional. While certainly within the scope of the mvention, the use of a conventional dental impression tray that is not adapted with heat generating means will typically require the use of an external heat source, such as a heater or microwave capable of temporarily imparting heat energy to the dental tray and/or included patient dentition impression. IH. METHODS OF TREATMENT.
  • any method that employs the use of heat to accelerate the desensitization of a person's teeth using a dental composition is within the scope of the invention.
  • the term "dentition impression” should be broadly interpreted to include any depression or void space formed within an impression material regardless of whether or not the depression closely or only very roughly approximates the person's teeth. Preformed, non-custom depressions or void spaces formed within an impression material are within the scope of the term "dentition impression".
  • heating a desensitizing dental composition significantly reduces the time necessary to desensitize a person's teeth. Even though potassium nitrate, fluoride salts or other desensitizing agents are within the temperature ranges of the inventive methods, for reasons and mechanisms not entirely understood, it has been found that heating a desensitizing composition increases the rate by which the desensitizing agent is able to impart its beneficial desensitizing properties. Perhaps the increased temperature increases the rate at which the desensitizing agent is able to penetrate into the pulp.
  • the use of a heated dentition impression greatly reduces the time and hassle, and increases patient comfort, compared to treatments that utilize conventional heat sources, such as lasers or dental curing lamps.
  • a heated dentition impression to carry out accelerated desensitization of a patient's teeth
  • the following steps are employed: (1) filling at least a portion of a dental impression tray with a dental impression material, preferably an unset dental impression material; (2) placing the filled dental impression tray into the patient's mouth in order to take an impression of at least a portion of the patient's teeth; (3) maintaining the impression tray in place for a sufficient length of time for the dental impression material to at least partially cure to thereby form a patient dentition impression; (4) removing the dental impression tray and included formed patient dentition impression from the patient's mouth; (5) placing an appropriate quantity ofa desensitizing dental composition within the formed patient dentition impression; (6) introducing the dental impression tray including the formed patient den
  • Figure 1 depicts an optional preliminary step of brushing or otherwise applying a dental impression adhesive onto the surface of the principal cavity 12 of a conventional, disposable alginate dental impression tray 10.
  • a conventional, disposable alginate dental impression tray 10 is required for the mandibular (or lower) teeth that are to be whitened, and a separate but like tray 10 may be used for treating the patient's maxillary (or upper) teeth. It will be appreciated, however, that it is within the scope of the invention to utilize a two-sided impression tray capable of receiving impression material sufficient for both the top and bottom teeth.
  • Figure 2 depicts an optional step of applying a sheet-like dental wax overlay 14 onto those surfaces of the patient's teeth that are to be whitened ⁇ usually just to the facial aspects of the teeth.
  • the purpose of the wax sheet is to create more space between the formed dental impression and the patient's teeth so as to hold an additional quantity of the dental composition, if desired. It should be understood, however, that treatment of the patient's teeth is possible with or without this extra space formed as a result of the wax overlay 14.
  • Other blockout materials may be used, such as curable liquids, coatings or pliable materials, collectively refe ⁇ ed to as "amorphous blockout materials".
  • Figure 3 depicts the step of filling the principal cavity 12 of an impression tray 10 with a suitable quantity of an impression material 16, typically an unset alginate dental impression material or catalyzed dental impression compound.
  • Figure 4 is a cross- sectional view of a tray 10 according to Figure 3 that has been filled with impression material 16 prior to insertion of the tray 10 into the patient's mouth.
  • Figure 5 depicts the step of inserting the impression tray 10 and impression material 16 into a patient's mouth. Thereafter, the patient is asked to gently bite down into the impression material 16 so as to conform the impression material 16 to the shape of the patient's teeth and thereby form a patient dentition impression 18 (see Figure 6).
  • the impression material 16 will comprise a curable impression material, and the tray 10 will be held in place within the patient's mouth for a sufficient length of time for the dental impression material 16 to at least partially set or cure in order to yield a formed dentition impression 18 that will maintain its shape when removed from the patient's mouth.
  • any wax overlay or other blockout material 14 that is retained on the surfaces of patient dentition impression 18 is manually removed from the impression 18 by appropriate manual scraping or the like.
  • some of the impression material defining the dentition impression 18 may be trimmed away in order to reduce or eliminate subsequent contact of the heated impression material with sensitive gingival tissues.
  • Figures 6 and 7 depict the set patient dentition impression 18 with wax overlay material 14 in place.
  • Figure 8 is similar to Figure 7 but illustrates the formed patient dental impression 18 with the wax overlay material 14 having been removed.
  • Figures 9 and 10 are alternative cross-sectional views of the tray 10 of Figure 6 depicting the use of different types of impression materials.
  • Figure 9 depicts a patient dentition impression 18 formed from a conventional impression material, e.g., alginate.
  • Figure 10 alternatively depicts an impression tray 10 and set patient dentition impression 22 formed from an impression material that includes a particulate filler material. The particulate filler material is included in order to increase the specific heat of the patient dentition impression 22 so that it is capable of absorbing and transfe ⁇ ing a greater quantity of heat energy per unit of time.
  • Figure 11 depicts the step of loading the patient dentition impression 18 (or 22) with a desensitizing dental composition by means of a syringe 20.
  • An exemplary desensitizing composition includes 3% potassium nitrate by weight. Because the act of placing the dental tray 10 into the patient's mouth will typically cause the dental composition to spread out and coat the tooth surfaces, there is no specifically required method of loading the dentition impression 18 (or 22). In one embodiment, it may be desirable to coat the interior labial surfaces of the set patient dentition impression 18 (or 22) corresponding to the patient tooth surfaces to be treated with approximately 0.5 to 1 cc. of the dental composition. The tray is then inserted into the patient's mouth in a manner so as at least approximately register the formed patient dentition impression 18 (or 22) with the patient's teeth to be treated.
  • Figure 12 depicts the step of treating the patient's teeth.
  • the tray 10 and set patient dentition impression 18 (or 22) are typically heated before or after insertion of the tray into the patient's mouth, depending on the type of heat source that is employed.
  • the dental tray includes a heating means, such as a resistive heating element or a heated fluid
  • the tray is typically heated after insertion into the patient's mouth, although it may optionally be preheated prior to insertion into the patient's mouth.
  • the tray is heated using a completely external heat source, such as a heater or microwave
  • the tray will typically be heated before insertion into the patient's mouth, with stored heat providing the desired energy for heating the dental composition.
  • the formed dentition impression and/or the dental composition should be maintained at a temperature of at least about 105° F. in order to accelerate the desensitizing activity of the desensitizing agent.
  • the dental composition and/or formed dentition impression are preferably heated and maintained at a temperature in a range of about 110° F. to about
  • 150° F more preferably in a range of about 120° F. to about 140° F., during treatment.
  • the dental tray will typically remain in the patient's mouth for a period of time in a range of about 1 minute to about 60 minutes, more preferably in a range of about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes, depending on the strength or concentration of the desensitizing agent, the operating temperature(s), and the like. Although not a precise measurement, it has been found that, for every 10 degree increase in the operating temperature, the time period for desensitizing teeth is cut approximately in half. In the case where a tray is heated externally, such as by means of microwave energy, it may be necessary to reheat the tray periodically as it cools off in the patient's mouth, optionally with the additional step of replenishing the desensitizing dental composition. IV.
  • compositions that will be used together with the inventive apparatus — an impression material used to form a dentition impression and a dental composition that includes at least one desensitizing agent.
  • the present invention contemplates the use of both conventional impression materials and dental compositions, as well as impression materials and dental compositions that may be specially formulated for use in conjunction with the inventive apparatus.
  • any plastic and deformable material known in the art that is capable of making an impression of a person's teeth may be used in combination with an impression tray according to the present invention.
  • a material that can set or cure in a relatively short period of time such as in a matter of minutes or even seconds, after being placed into a patient's mouth.
  • Alginate impression materials are presently prefe ⁇ ed. Alginate impression materials are a common feature in most dental offices and are regularly used to make impressions ofa patient's teeth for a variety of reasons. Therefore, dentists are familiar with how alginates are mixed, utilized and set to form a reliable and resilient dentition impression. Alginate materials are also non-toxic and are set or cured by hydration with water. They are relatively inexpensive and readily available. Because they are initially water soluble, a wide range of flavorants may be used to enhance the taste and decrease the tendency of patients to gag while taking an impression.
  • impression material any settable impression material may be used.
  • alternative impression materials include silicone rubbers, polyethers, and epoxies.
  • a heat-retention material into the impression material, such as a particulate or fibrous filler.
  • suitable materials include metal fibers or powders, ceramic fibers or powders, or mineral fibers or powders.
  • polished 2 mm.-3 mm. size, stone chips maybe added and uniformly mixed into an unset alginate dental impression composition in the ratio of approximately 12-1/2 parts by weight of polished dental stone chips to approximately 87- 1/2 parts by weight of unset alginate dental impression material. Inclusion of the aggregate in the composition extends the length of time during which the patient dental impression, following heating by microwave oven equipment or other heating means, will remain above the minimum temperature of about 105° F. while being held in the patient's mouth.
  • impression materials such as silicone and polyethers, which do not readily transfer heat
  • more conductive fillers such as those based on metals or more conductive ceramics materials.
  • any dental composition that includes a desensitizing agent, and optionally one or more additional active agents for providing other treatments.
  • dental bleaching compositions are characterized by the inclusion of a dental bleaching agent, e.g., carbamide peroxide, aqueous hydrogen peroxide, sodium perborate, and the like.
  • Desensitizing compositions are characterized by the inclusion of a desensitizing agent, e.g., potassium nitrate, other potassium nitrate salts like potassium citrate, citric acid, citric acid salts, strontium chloride, fluoride salts, and the like.
  • Remineralizing compounds are characterized as including a fluoride salt such as sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride, sodium monofluorophosphate, and the like.
  • the dental compositions according to the present invention may include a plurality of active agents, such as two or more of a bleaching agent, a desensitizing agent, a remineralizing agent, or some other active dental agent (whether or not activated by heat so long as the composition includes at least one active agent that is activated by heat).
  • Exemplary desensitizing compositions that may be used in the inventive methods are available from Ultradent Products, Inc., located in South Jordan, Utah.
  • Ultradent sells a desensitizing composition under the name of UltraEZ®, which includes 3% by weight potassium nitrate and 0.11 % by weight fluoride ion within a sticky, viscous gel formulation.
  • a duel desensitizing/remineralizing composition that includes 1.1 % by weight sodium fluoride is sold under the name of Flor-Opal®.
  • a variety of blended compositions that include various concentrations of carbamide peroxide (10%, 15% or 20%), together with 3% potassium nitrate and 0.11% fluoride ion, are sold under the name of Opalecence® PF.
  • blended compositions that include various concentrations of carbamide peroxide (15% or 20%), together with 0.11% fluoride, are available under the name of Opalecence® F.
  • Compositions and methods for manufacturing a wide range of desensitizing compositions, such as those exemplified by UltraEZ®, or blended bleaching compositions such as Opalecence® PF are generally described in U.S. Patent No. 5,855,870 and U.S. PatentNo. 5,851,512.
  • Compositions and methods for manufacturing dental compositions that include a fluoride salt are generally described in U.S. Patent No. 5,376,006.
  • the desensitizing agent maybe included in an amount in a range of about 0.01% to about 50% by weight, more preferably in a range of about 0.05% to about 10% by weight, and most preferably in a range from about 0.1% to about 5% by weight.
  • kits may advantageously include a disposable dental impression tray and one or more dental compositions.
  • a kit may advantageously include a dental impression tray having means for heating a formed patient dentition impression, such as a resistive heating element, and one or more dental compositions that include a desensitizing agent, e.g. , a composition that includes potassium nitrate and/or a blended composition that includes more than one active dental agent.
  • the kit may include multiple dental impression trays together with multiple doses of one or more dental compositions.
  • the dental compositions may advantageously be loaded into and delivered from a syringe, such as a syringe that includes a unit dose of the dental composition.
  • a syringe such as a syringe that includes a unit dose of the dental composition.
  • the kit may also include an impression material, this may not be necessary in many cases in view of the fact that many dentists typically keep ample alginate impression material on hand to take dental impressions for a variety of different reasons. Virtually any material capable of taking a dentition impression may be used within the kits of the present invention. Alginate impression materials are presently prefe ⁇ ed due to their low cost, ready availability and ease and familiarity of use.
  • kits may also include a suitable power supply designed to provide a desired amount or range of power in order to heat and maintain the dental impression fray and accompanying impression material at a desired temperature or within a desired temperature range.
  • a suitable power supply designed to provide a desired amount or range of power in order to heat and maintain the dental impression fray and accompanying impression material at a desired temperature or within a desired temperature range.
  • kits may include one or more wax overlay sheets in order to act as a blockout material on the surface of the patient's teeth (see Figure 2).
  • the blockout may be an amo ⁇ hous material that can be brushed, sprayed or other pressed onto the tooth surfaces.
  • amo ⁇ hous blockout material shall broadly include any material other than a sheet that can be applied to a person's teeth in order to temporarily increase the apparent thickness of the teeth during formation of the patient dentition impression.
  • One pu ⁇ ose for doing this is to increase the size of the dentition impression, particularly at the interface between the impression material and the labial tooth surfaces to be treated, in order to create a reservoir for the inclusion of additional dental composition during treatment.
  • the invention provides apparatus and methods for desensitizing teeth in a manner that significantly reduces the time it takes for potassium nitrate or other suitable desensitizing agents to impart the desired desensitizing effect.
  • the invention further provides apparatus and methods that significantly reduce the time it takes to desensitize the teeth, while utilizing conventional desensitizing compositions presently available on the market.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
  • Dentistry (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Dental Preparations (AREA)
  • Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne des dispositifs, des kits et des procédés pour le traitement accéléré des dents, qui consistent à utiliser une coque d'empreinte dentaire (10) comprenant un matériau d'empreinte dentaire (16) du type alginate. La coque (10) a l'avantage de présenter des fils d'échauffement (34) reliés par des connecteurs (36) à une source d'alimentation (32). Les fils (34) chauffent et maintiennent la coque (10) à une température supérieure à environ 105 °F. La coque ainsi chauffée accélère l'activité des agents blanchissants pour les dents (par exemple, peroxydes), des agents de désensibilisation (par exemple, nitrate de potassium), des agents de reminéralisation (par exemple, sels de fluorure), et autres. Une procédure de soins pour le traitement des dents comprend les étapes de base suivantes: chargement d'une coque spécialement préparée (10), avec une composition dentaire du type composition pour blanchir, désensibiliser ou reminéraliser; positionnement de la coque (10) dans la bouche; échauffement de la coque (10) et de la composition dentaire à une température au moins supérieure à 105 °F; et maintien de la coque (10) en position pendant une durée comprise entre environ 1 minute et environ 60 minutes. La procédure peut être adaptée à l'échauffement par hyperfréquences, résistance électrique ou fluide chaud de la coque (10).
PCT/US2001/014780 2000-05-08 2001-05-08 Procedes de desensibilisation acceleree des dents WO2001085049A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

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Applications Claiming Priority (4)

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US09/565,752 US6422868B1 (en) 2000-05-08 2000-05-08 In-office tooth whitening
US09/565,752 2000-05-08
US09/850,355 2001-05-07
US09/850,355 US20010044096A1 (en) 2000-05-08 2001-05-07 Methods for accelerated desensitization of teeth

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WO2001085049A3 WO2001085049A3 (fr) 2009-06-11

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1575443A2 (fr) * 2002-12-02 2005-09-21 Centrix, Inc. Procede et dispositif de retraction et d'hemostase de tissu au cours de procedures de fabrication d'un pont et d'une couronne
WO2009027845A2 (fr) * 2007-08-31 2009-03-05 Luedi Etchevarren Viviana Clel Embouts microperforés
CN109172022A (zh) * 2018-08-17 2019-01-11 广州医科大学附属肿瘤医院 牙本质敏感症治疗的脱敏试剂固定装置及制备、成型方法
CN110325142A (zh) * 2017-01-25 2019-10-11 登士柏希罗纳有限公司 光固化牙科系统

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US5316473A (en) * 1988-06-17 1994-05-31 Dentsply Research & Development Corp. Light curing apparatus and method
US5494441A (en) * 1993-08-02 1996-02-27 Nicholson; James A. Oral therapeutic apparatus and method of treating oral tissue during chemotherapy
US6102705A (en) * 1997-11-22 2000-08-15 Darnell; Daniel Henry Heated dental tray

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5316473A (en) * 1988-06-17 1994-05-31 Dentsply Research & Development Corp. Light curing apparatus and method
US5494441A (en) * 1993-08-02 1996-02-27 Nicholson; James A. Oral therapeutic apparatus and method of treating oral tissue during chemotherapy
US6102705A (en) * 1997-11-22 2000-08-15 Darnell; Daniel Henry Heated dental tray

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1575443A2 (fr) * 2002-12-02 2005-09-21 Centrix, Inc. Procede et dispositif de retraction et d'hemostase de tissu au cours de procedures de fabrication d'un pont et d'une couronne
EP1575443A4 (fr) * 2002-12-02 2007-03-28 Centrix Inc Procede et dispositif de retraction et d'hemostase de tissu au cours de procedures de fabrication d'un pont et d'une couronne
WO2009027845A2 (fr) * 2007-08-31 2009-03-05 Luedi Etchevarren Viviana Clel Embouts microperforés
WO2009027845A3 (fr) * 2007-08-31 2009-05-14 Luedi Etchevarren Viviana Clel Embouts microperforés
CN110325142A (zh) * 2017-01-25 2019-10-11 登士柏希罗纳有限公司 光固化牙科系统
CN110325142B (zh) * 2017-01-25 2022-02-01 登士柏希罗纳有限公司 光固化牙科系统
CN109172022A (zh) * 2018-08-17 2019-01-11 广州医科大学附属肿瘤医院 牙本质敏感症治疗的脱敏试剂固定装置及制备、成型方法

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Publication number Publication date
AU2001261260A8 (en) 2009-07-30
AU2001261260A1 (en) 2001-11-20
WO2001085049A3 (fr) 2009-06-11

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