The present invention relates to methods for the restoration of a decayed portion of an anterior tooth or re-restoration of a previously filled anterior tooth, and to dental matrices and composite resin dispensers that may be used in the methods for the restoration of a decayed portion of an anterior tooth.

Disclosed is a dental material heating infuser including a housing having an open front end, a cartridge detachably coupled to the open front end of the housing and configured to accommodate a dental material therein, a needle member for outwardly discharging the dental material being coupled to the cartridge, a protective casing coupled to the front end of the housing so as to surround an exterior of the cartridge, a heating unit provided between the protective casing and the cartridge for heating the cartridge, and a cartridge drive unit for applying pressure to a rear end portion of the cartridge so that the dental material is discharged outward through the needle member. The heating unit includes a heating pipe, into which the cartridge is inserted, and a Peltier element disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the heating pipe for supplying heat to the heating pipe by Peltier effect.

Disclosed is a dental material heating infuser including a housing having an open front end, a cartridge detachably coupled to the open front end of the housing and configured to accommodate a dental material therein, a needle member for outwardly discharging the dental material being coupled to the cartridge, a protective casing coupled to the front end of the housing so as to surround an exterior of the cartridge, a heating unit provided between the protective casing and the cartridge for heating the cartridge, and a cartridge drive unit for applying pressure to a rear end portion of the cartridge so that the dental material is discharged outward through the needle member. The heating unit includes a heating pipe, into which the cartridge is inserted, and a Peltier element disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the heating pipe for supplying heat to the heating pipe by Peltier effect.

A self-heating chemically activated pouch formed to hold a medical or dental device or material prior to use or application. The pouch has a construction to readily receive a dental device or material, such as a tip or syringe containing a dental material or composite, permitting easy activation of an activator or trigger to initiate an exothermic chemical reaction of a heating material to heat the dental device or material. Heating the dental material or composite improves its flowability and properties.

A self-heating chemically activated pouch formed to hold a medical or dental device or material prior to use or application. The pouch has a construction to readily receive a dental device or material, such as a tip or syringe containing a dental material or composite, permitting easy activation of an activator or trigger to initiate an exothermic chemical reaction of a heating material to heat the dental device or material. Heating the dental material or composite improves its flowability and properties.

An endodontic obturator for obturating a root canal includes a wire made of a conductive material, a carrier, and a sheath. The carrier is configured to releasably couple to the wire and is made of a first thermoset material. The sheath is configured to slidably receive the carrier and is made of a second thermoset material. The melting temperature of the second thermoset material is lower than the melting temperature of the first thermoset material. A method of obturating a root canal includes positioning the endodontic obturator in the root canal, ensuring the endodontic obturator is in a proper position by locating an apex of the root canal using the wire, sealing an apex of the root canal with the sheath, and removing the wire from the obturator.

Chitosan nanoparticles are provided for use in the in vivo treatment of connective tissues in root canal therapies. The nanoparticles are optionally linked with one or more photoactivatable compounds for providing antibacterial/antibiofilm properties, neutralizing bacterial byproducts and/or chemical/photodynamic crosslinking to achieve enhanced mechanical properties, chemical stability in connective tissues and/or to improve surface/interfacial integrity between filling material and connective tissue.

The invention relates to the application of photon energy to energize dental materials to enhance their physical handling characteristics, efficacy, ability to be delivered, reactivity, polymerization, and/or post-cure mechanical properties, among other attributes.

Drilling an infected tooth root canal can leave some infected material behind. Heat delivered from within the tooth can be used to disrupt biofilm, disinfect, and/or seal. A cone-shaped flexible device can be inserted into or toward the root canal. The device can include a heating transducer, such as a DC resistive heating element, or an RF heating transducer that can generate heat in a dielectric or semiconductor or polymer active substrate, with a locus of the heat generation controllable by adjusting a frequency of an electrical input signal driving the heating transducer. Thermally conductive fluid can be introduced into the root canal to help distribute heat from the heating transducer to nearby portions of the root canal for heat disinfecting treatment of infected tissue. The active substrate can be heat-softenable, such as to help seal a target region of the tooth.

Drilling an infected tooth root canal can leave some infected material behind. Heat delivered from within the tooth can be used to disrupt biofilm, disinfect, and/or seal. A cone-shaped flexible device can be inserted into or toward the root canal. The device can include a heating transducer, such as a DC resistive heating element, or an RF heating transducer that can generate heat in a dielectric or semiconductor or polymer active substrate, with a locus of the heat generation controllable by adjusting a frequency of an electrical input signal driving the heating transducer. Thermally conductive fluid can be introduced into the root canal to help distribute heat from the heating transducer to nearby portions of the root canal for heat disinfecting treatment of infected tissue. The active substrate can be heat-softenable, such as to help seal a target region of the tooth.