A lightweight, small footprint, composite extraction pen, for the delivery of dental filling composite from commercially available composite filled carpules. An electric linear actuator is housed in a slender, pen-like housing configured to accept, constrain and allow the rotational positioning of commercially available composite filled carpules. The carpules are contained within an adaptor that connects to the body of the pen. The linear actuator extends and retracts a piston through a bore in the carpule so as to exert pressure on the composite contained therein. The pen provides precise composite delivery while maintaining a highly visible dental environment.

A lightweight, small footprint, composite extraction pen, for the delivery of dental filling composite from commercially available composite filled carpules. An electric linear actuator is housed in a slender, pen-like housing configured to accept, constrain and allow the rotational positioning of commercially available composite filled carpules. The carpules are contained within an adaptor that connects to the body of the pen. The linear actuator extends and retracts a piston through a bore in the carpule so as to exert pressure on the composite contained therein. The pen provides precise composite delivery while maintaining a highly visible dental environment.

An application tip for dispensing a dental material has a tubular dispensing end made of a plastic material. The dispensing end being formed of a circumferential wall having a thickness T.sub.1 and which forms a dispensing opening of a diameter D.sub.i1 and having a diameter-to-thickness-ratio D.sub.i1:T.sub.1 at the opening which is 13 or greater. The wall thickness increases in a direction away from the opening. The application tip preferably facilitates appropriately depositing the dental material.

An application tip for dispensing a dental material has a tubular dispensing end made of a plastic material. The dispensing end being formed of a circumferential wall having a thickness T.sub.1 and which forms a dispensing opening of a diameter D.sub.i1 and having a diameter-to-thickness-ratio D.sub.i1:T.sub.1 at the opening which is 13 or greater. The wall thickness increases in a direction away from the opening. The application tip preferably facilitates appropriately depositing the dental material.

A dispensing device for dental material, which includes a planetary gear drive with at least three planet gears in engagement with an annulus gear. The annulus gear is radial float-mounted relative to the planet gears. A radial force applied on the annulus gear urges the annulus gear into an off-center relationship with respect to an imaginary circle on which the planet gears are arranged.

A dispensing device for dental material, which includes a planetary gear drive with at least three planet gears in engagement with an annulus gear. The annulus gear is radial float-mounted relative to the planet gears. A radial force applied on the annulus gear urges the annulus gear into an off-center relationship with respect to an imaginary circle on which the planet gears are arranged.

A custom tool for forming a dental restoration in a mouth of a patient includes a one-piece mold body providing for a customized fit with at least one tooth of the patient, the one-piece mold body including an occlusal portion forming an occlusal surface corresponding with an occlusal surface of the tooth, a mesial proximal portion forming a mesial proximal surface corresponding with a mesial proximal surface of the tooth, and a distal proximal portion forming a distal proximal surface corresponding with a distal proximal surface of the tooth. The mold body is configured to combine with the tooth of the patient to form a mold cavity encompassing missing tooth structure of the tooth. The occlusal portion, the mesial proximal portion, and the distal proximal portion are based on three-dimensional scan data of the mouth of the patient.

A custom tool for forming a dental restoration in a mouth of a patient includes a one-piece mold body providing for a customized fit with at least one tooth of the patient, the one-piece mold body including an occlusal portion forming an occlusal surface corresponding with an occlusal surface of the tooth, a mesial proximal portion forming a mesial proximal surface corresponding with a mesial proximal surface of the tooth, and a distal proximal portion forming a distal proximal surface corresponding with a distal proximal surface of the tooth. The mold body is configured to combine with the tooth of the patient to form a mold cavity encompassing missing tooth structure of the tooth. The occlusal portion, the mesial proximal portion, and the distal proximal portion are based on three-dimensional scan data of the mouth of the patient.

A plunger for advancing a substance in a syringe toward a dispensing nozzle. The plunger has a plunger rod and a seal and being formed of a plastic composition. The plastic composition includes a polymer and a filler which is non-uniformly distributed within the polymer to provide the plunger rod and the seal with different mechanical properties depending on the filler content in the portions of the plastic composition plunger forming the rod and the seal. The invention preferably provides a dental syringe which can be conveniently used, and further helps minimizing costs in the manufacturing of the dental syringe.

A dental syringe that facilitates the expulsion of air from a syringe body when dental material is injected into the syringe body from a discharge port of the syringe body and the discharge of the dental material from the syringe body during use for treatment. The syringe includes a syringe body, a plunger, and an O-ring that is mounted in an engagement groove formed at a front end portion of the plunger. The engagement groove includes a shallow groove at the front end side and a deep groove at the rear end side. When the dental material is injected into the syringe body, the O-ring engages with the shallow groove, and when discharging the dental material, the O-ring engages with the deep groove.