Elongated bodies made from high tenacity polyolefin fibers are provided that are useful as fishing lines, and processes for making the lines. Fibers having tenacities of at least 39 g/denier are braided and fused together to form braided bodies having very small diameters.

Colored dental floss and a method for using colored dental floss. The colored dental floss includes an elongated filament having a plurality of segments, wherein each segment is a distinct color. The elongated filament is disposed within an interior volume of a container. The container includes an aperture for the elongated filament to pass therethrough. The method of using colored dental floss includes the steps of preparing a lingual side of a plurality of teeth for application of a bonding agent, applying the bonding agent to the lingual side, threading the elongated filament between a desired number of adjacent teeth in sections such that the elongated filament forms a plurality of loops on the lingual side, placing a wire through the plurality of loops, tensioning the elongated filament, applying the bonding agent to a contact point between the lingual side and the wire, curing the bonding agent, and removing the elongated filament.

A safety device for tethering an object during intraoral use, such as a dental finger driver. A tether includes a semi-rigid tip portion connected to a flexible, inelastic tail. The tip portion is oriented parallel with the length of the tail during use. The tail may be formed from a filament, such as nylon monofilament. The tip portion may be formed from plastic. The tip can be easily inserted through an aperture in the device being tethered, with the tail portion being pulled through the aperture and secured to the intraoral object. The tail portion may be secured by a knot, a stopper, or a loop formed in a second end of the tail, through which the tip may be passed.

The present invention relates to a dental suction device for managing fluid in a patient's mouth during a dental procedure. The dental suction device comprises a pliable tube having a first end for connection to a vacuum source and a second end that can be looped to form a suction end for positioning in a patient's mouth. The loop is adjustably secured by a pair of retaining collars positioned a certain distance apart from each other along the second end of the tube and connected together by a tie. The loop, adjusted to accommodate the shape of the patient's mouth, is secured around the terminal end of a row of teeth in the patient's mouth. In this way, the dental suction device can be maintained and operated in the patient's mouth during a dental procedure.

A dental maintenance kit for the removal of stains and debris from the surface and from between the teeth that includes an intraoral tool equipped with a detachably-attachable sickle blade and scaler blade. A preferred material for the intraoral tool is non-metallic that includes a recess at each opposite end of the intraoral tool for acceptance of a protrusion on the non-working end of the sickle blade and or the scaler blade. The protrusion will have means to secure the sickle blade or scaler blade firmly into the recess at each opposite end of the intraoral tool. A preferred material for the sickle blade and scaler blade is stainless steel. A coating is applied to a shaft of the sickle blade or scaler blade that extends longitudinally for the entire length of the shaft exposing only the working surface of the sickle blade or scaler blade. A preferred material for the coating is non-metallic. A guide is included with the dental maintenance kit. The guide provides written instructions for the use of the intraoral tool included in the dental maintenance kit.

Provided herein is a dental floss coating composition comprising one or more polyethylene glycol polymers and a peroxide source, wherein the melting temperature of the one or more polyethylene glycol polymers, in combination, is from 38 C to 50 C, and wherein the one or more polyethylene glycol polymers are present in the composition in an amount of from 80 weight % to 97 weight % by total weight of the composition. The composition may be used in molten form to coat dental floss whilst maintaining the stability of the peroxide source.

The present invention is related to a seamless and smooth circular dental floss for cleaning the gap between teeth with the advantages of great simplicity and cost effectiveness. A convenient dental floss package containing three sets of seamless and smooth circular floss with three different but preferred diameters, such as 50 mm, 70 mm and 90 mm may be provided for benefiting a family use or different habits in size.

The present invention refers to yarns made of hollow trilobal cross section filaments, comprising from 90 to 99% of polypropylene, and between 1 and 10% of other polyolefin resins, for the application on dental floss. This invention additionally refers to the production process of the yarns made of hollow trilobal cross section filaments. This invention additionally refers to dental floss comprising hollow trilobal cross section filaments, and the use of hollow trilobal cross section filaments for the manufacture of dental floss. The yarn described in this invention has linear density or title in the range from 400 to 1200 dtex, and it is twisted with a twist level from 10 to 160 twists per meter.

A device includes a floss assembly comprising floss wound around a spool, an insert comprising a support surface and a post configured to support the floss assembly, and a housing having a front portion and a back portion. The front portion defines a front aperture and the back portion defines a back aperture. The front aperture and the back aperture are configured to receive the insert such that the support surface interfaces with the back portion and the post interfaces with the front portion.

Hollow fiber drug delivery devices are described. Device can contain structural or solid fibers. Fabric can be formed by fibers being interwoven or joined to each other. All or some of the fibers can be resorbable. Fibers can be subdivided, by deformations or closure points, into numerous compartments that separately deliver drug. Deformations can be located at points of fiber intersection or joining. Different drug or drug formulation can be provided in different places. Fibers can be given appropriate surface treatments or coatings to achieve desired properties such as wetting of pores and surfaces. Different release characteristics in different directions can be achieved. The hollow fibers can contain solid particles of drug, and can contain gel. Possible applications include hernia meshes, pouches, sutures, catheters, wound dressings, stents, nerve regrowth guides, refillable/drainable devices, and devices that deliver drug to lymphatic flow.