WO2003039392A1

WO2003039392A1 - Tooth cleaning device

Info

Publication number: WO2003039392A1
Application number: PCT/AU2002/001518
Authority: WO
Inventors: Heinrich Venter
Original assignee: Heinrich Venter
Priority date: 2001-11-09
Filing date: 2002-11-08
Publication date: 2003-05-15
Also published as: AUPR873301A0

Abstract

A tooth cleaning device comprising a high pressure gas and liquid delivery manifold adapted to spray gas and liquid under pressure towards one or more sides and the top of a tooth simultaneously; a pressure delivery device to supply the manifold with gas and liquid under pressure.

Description

TOOTH CLEANING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a tooth cleaning device and in particular to a device adapted to direct pressurised liquid onto a plurality of surfaces of a tooth simultaneously.

For many years products have been devised to facilitate the simple cleaning of teeth although as yet a device which is simple to use and cleans all surfaces of a tooth simultaneously is not available.

Of course the conventional toothbrush is widely utilised although it requires a significant input of energy to be effective and furthermore a toothbrush cannot adequately clean the inter-proximal areas of the teeth. Cleaning of the areas between teeth currently requires the use of floss or some such other additional device apart from a toothbrush.

Electric toothbrushes have achieved significant popularity and although these reduce the energy input required to utilise a toothbrush they are still inadequate to ensure proper inter-proximal tooth cleaning. The defects associated with electric toothbrushes are principally due to the high speeds at which they oscillate or reciprocate preventing them being effectively inserted in the gaps between teeth and of course the mere physical size and shape of a brush often precludes it being placed between adjacent teeth. Oral irrigators have been utilised in order to clean the inter-proximal area between teeth although this too is a tedious process as typically these devices have a single jet which must be directed at the precise inter- proximal area involved in order to remove debris. These water pump type cleaners are therefore typically only of significant value in connection with teeth having braces thereupon which often trap large particles of food.

It will be appreciated that if both debris and plaque are to be removed from teeth at present a combination of a number of devices must be utilised which is extremely time consuming and inconvenient. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to ameliorate one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages with existing tooth cleaning apparatus and methods or at least to provide the market with an alternative.

According to the present invention there is disclosed a tooth cleaning device comprising a high pressure gas and liquid delivery manifold adapted to spray gas and liquid under pressure towards at least two sides and the top of a tooth simultaneously; means to supply the manifold with gas and liquid under pressure.

Two embodiments of the present invention will now be described one with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an end view of part of a device in accordance with the present invention in use about a tooth; and

Figure 2 is a section through the device of figure 1 showing its "in use" position with reference to two molars.

According to the embodiment of figure 1 there is disclosed a tooth cleaning device 1 in accordance with the present invention having a manifold 2 fabricated substantially as a U-shaped channel section having internally directed sprayer nozzles 3 located therein adapted to direct a liquid spray 4 under pressure at a tooth 5.

The nozzles may comprise discrete nozzles adapted to direct liquid in a fan-type spray or alternatively a longitudinal array of apertures 6 adapted to dispense a wall or line of jets at a tooth 5.

With reference now to figure 2 it will be observed that the manifold 2 may comprise a channel adapted to feed a number of nozzles 3 and/or apertures 6 such that each end of a tooth may be cleaned simultaneously or indeed two or more teeth. It will be appreciated that the nozzles are angled and designed such that spray may be directed in the inter- proximal area 7 as well as towards each of sides 8 of a tooth and indeed the top or crown area of a tooth 9. It is envisaged that a manifold may be provided with a convenient handle (not shown) such that a manifold no longer than for example one tooth may be moved along an array of teeth in a person's mouth so as to clean each tooth and inter-dental area in turn or alternatively the manifold may be constructed so as to equate in length to the length of say two molars. The handle may pivot and be biased to an equilibrium position for ease of use. If the manifold is to be moveable about the mouth it is envisaged that a length in excess of two molars would become excessive in order to negotiate the curvature associated with the tooth and gum line when transitioning from molars to the incisors and canines towards the front of the mouth.

Alternatively the manifold of a device in accordance with the present invention may adopt a full mouthguard type configuration (not shown) in order that all teeth in an upper or lower jaw may be cleaned simultaneously. In such a case a large number of nozzles 3 or apertures 6 would be required and of course a relatively powerful device adapted to supply pressurised liquid simultaneously to all nozzles.

The liquid delivered to the teeth may comprise simply water or alternatively water in conjunction with additives such a mouthwashes. The pressure delivery device may be of any suitable design and for example compressed air may be utilised or alternatively a conventional pump. The manifold may be provided with drain holes in order to assist in evacuating spent liquid from adjacent the tooth surface and ideally the device may also be provided with a suction head adapted to remove spent liquid from the mouth.

It is envisaged that spacer devices (not shown) may be devised in order to maintain the manifold at an appropriate distance from the surface of the teeth. This is particularly important in connection with a mouthguard type appliance where the appliance will not be moved from tooth to tooth and consequently more accurate jetting may be devised to produce the optimal result. The spacers may take the form of a tooth contacting part which may be fabricated from a non-abrasive water resistant type material such as nylon which is connected to the manifold via a telescoping arm which may also be spring loaded so as to assist in maintaining the desired spacing whilst accommodating small differences in the shape of individual teeth.

It will be appreciated that a device in accordance with the present invention is capable of cleaning teeth in a superior fashion to devices conventionally available. It should also be appreciated that alternate embodiments apart from those above described may be devised without departing from the scope and intendment of the present invention.

The pressure associated with the device as well as the shape, number and orientation of nozzles may be varied in order to achieve cleaning of all surfaces of a tooth and particularly the important area adjacent the gum line where plaque build up is often worst.

DATED this 7^th day of November 2002.

HEINRICH VENTER

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A tooth cleaning device comprising a high pressure liquid and gas delivery manifold adapted to spray gas and liquid under pressure towards one or more sides and the top of one or more teeth simultaneously; a pressure delivery device to supply the manifold with gas and liquid under pressure.

2. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having a manifold fabricated substantially as a U-shaped channel section having internally directed sprayer nozzles located therein adapted to direct an air and liquid spray under pressure at one or more teeth.

3. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having discrete nozzles adapted to direct air and liquid in a fan-type spray.

4. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having a longitudinal array of apertures adapted to dispense a wall or line of air and liquid at a tooth .

5. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having nozzles angled and configured such that spray may be directed into the inter-proximal area as well as towards one or more of the two opposing accessible sides of a tooth and the top or crown area of a tooth .

6. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having a handle such that a manifold no longer than one or two teeth may be moved along an array of teeth in a person's mouth so as to clean each tooth and inter-dental area in turn.

7. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having a full mouthguard type configuration in order that all teeth in an upper or lower jaw may be cleaned simultaneously.

8. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having spacer devices adapted to maintain the manifold at an appropriate distance from the surface of the teeth.

9. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof wherein the pressure delivery device is a compressor.

10. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having spacer devices adapted to maintain the manifold at an appropriate distance from the surface of the teeth; the spacers having a tooth contacting part which may be fabricated from a non-abrasive water resistant material.

11. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having spacer devices adapted to maintain the manifold at an appropriate distance from the surface of the teeth; the spacers having a tooth contacting part which may be fabricated from a non-abrasive water resistant material and being connected to the manifold via a telescoping arm spring loaded so as to assist in ma taining the desired spacing whilst accommodating small differences in die shape of individual teeth.

12. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having brushes adapted to maintain the manifold at an appropriate distance from the surface of the teeth whilst accommodating small differences in the shape of individual teeth.

13. A tooth cleaning device in accordance with the claim 1 hereof having spacer devices adapted to maintain the manifold at an appropriate distance from the surface of the teeth; the spacers having a tooth contacting part fabricated from nylon and being connected to the manifold via a telescoping arm spring loaded so as to assist in maintaining the desired spacing whilst accommodating small differences in the shape of individual teeth.