A light-emitting device (1) for curing dental materials. The device comprises an activator (10) and a light output (4) and is adapted to operate the light output at a first or a second operating mode dependent on the presence of a second user input within a monitoring time period after a first user input. The device allows for convenient operation by a user and helps in reliably curing dental materials.

An ablation procedure. The ablation procedure may be applied to tooth buds 120 and result in tooth agenesis. The ablation procedure may be applied to lesions or tumors. A tooth bud ablation system for use in a tooth bud ablation procedure that results in tooth agenesis. A method for volume scanning both hard tissues and soft tissues of a patient. A method for manufacturing or fabricating a custom surgical stent 110. A custom surgical stent 110 for use in a tooth bud ablation procedure that results in tooth agenesis, the custom surgical stent 110 for use with an ablation probe tip 108 having a center of ablation 130a.

A dental handpiece control apparatus including: a relay 17 that switches a polarity of a voltage applied to a motor 20, and thereby switches a rotation direction of the motor 20 to forward rotation and backward rotation, the motor 20 being incorporated in the dental handpiece to rotate a cutting tool (a file) mounted to the dental handpiece; and a control section 11 that controls the switching of the voltage polarity by the relay 17 based on a rotation angle θ.sub.F for forward rotation and a rotation angle θ.sub.R for backward rotation of the motor 20, the rotation angle θ.sub.F and the rotation angle θ.sub.R being associated with state information of the file.

A dental water jet is provided. The dental water jet may include a base unit, a reservoir supported by the base unit, a handle supported by the base unit, and a container covering an opening of the reservoir. The container may include a base supported by the reservoir and a lid movable relative to the base. The container may be configured to store one or more tips for use with the handle.

A self-cleaning suction device has a user's suction end that self-sanitizes externally and internally before and after use, as well as self-sanitizes internally during use. A cover opens to reveal the user's suction end within a containment unit. As the cover opens, the suction end travels from a lower chamber, proceeds through a middle chamber of a sanitizing agent, and is presented for use. After suction is complete, the suction end retracts through an upper chamber with, a scraping feature that removes debris from the outer surface of the mouthpiece, and proceeds down through the middle chamber of a sanitizing agent and a scraping feature that removes debris and the sanitizing agent from the outer surface of the user's suction end. Upon the sealing closure of the cover, the upper and middle chambers are flushed with a sanitizing agent, which is suctioned away along with any collected debris. The user's suction end resides within a lower chamber and can be decontaminated by a UV-C light entering into the lower chamber and/or corresponding chambers. The suction device can also include a liquid-hydration delivery system.

The present invention provides a method for dental cutting including the steps of providing a dental unit water line irrigation system, the dental unit water line irrigation system including a container surrounding a solution chamber; providing a lubricant for use in the dental unit water line irrigation system, the lubricant defining a composition including 10 to 25% by weight of ethanol; 5 to 25% by weight of glycerol; 10 to 25% by weight of xylitol; 0.5 to 5% by weight of a nonionic surfactant and emulsifying agent; 0.15 to 0.5% by weight of a plurality of flavoring agents; and 45 to 60% by weight of water; and selectively operating the water line irrigation system to express the lubricant onto a dental cutting site.

A tracking and guidance arrangement for a surgical robot system and related method are provided. The arrangement includes a patient-interacting device including an instrument engaged a distal end of a guide arm and a fiducial marker coupled to maxillofacial anatomy of the patient. A detector is connected to an articulating arm and co-operable therewith to be positioned adjacent to the fiducial marker, with the detector being configured to interact with the fiducial marker. A controller device is configured to receive data from the detector relative to the interaction thereof with the fiducial marker, to determine a spatial relation between the fiducial marker and the detector based on the data, to determine a spatial relation of the instrument relative to the fiducial marker, and to direct the instrument to interact with the maxillofacial anatomy of the patient according to the determined spatial relations.

A tracking and guidance arrangement for a surgical robot system and related method are provided. The arrangement includes a patient-interacting device including an instrument engaged a distal end of a guide arm and a fiducial marker coupled to maxillofacial anatomy of the patient. A detector is connected to an articulating arm and co-operable therewith to be positioned adjacent to the fiducial marker, with the detector being configured to interact with the fiducial marker. A controller device is configured to receive data from the detector relative to the interaction thereof with the fiducial marker, to determine a spatial relation between the fiducial marker and the detector based on the data, to determine a spatial relation of the instrument relative to the fiducial marker, and to direct the instrument to interact with the maxillofacial anatomy of the patient according to the determined spatial relations.

A diode laser system having high-power diode(s) said high-power diode(s) producing laser outputs in a range of 0.1 to 25 Watts of power using optimum wavelengths via a single optical delivery fiber.

The present invention relates to a device and a method for measuring osseous quality.