An electric toothbrush includes a handle and a brush head attached to one end of the handle. The brush head includes a bristle unit and an ultrasound sensor. The bristle unit cleans teeth and the ultrasound sensor acquires ultrasound data of the teeth. A portable tooth decay detection device includes a handle and an ultrasound sensor attached to one end of the handle. The ultrasound sensor emits and receives ultrasound signal at a frequency of higher than 20 KHz and acquires ultrasound data of teeth.

An interchangeable brush head with ultrasound action makes it possible by way of the thin wall, which has a wall thickness of equal to or less than a millimeter and a low damping coefficient, for the energy to be transmitted as directly as possible by the ultrasonic waves into the effective medium, whereby the otherwise very high losses in the case of such prior-art appliances of the type in question are largely avoided, wherein, at the same time, the safety-related and dental-care aspects and the user-friendliness are increased. Further advantageous measures for increasing the efficiency of transmission are also present. Certain embodiments have only a directly interchangeable insert with the bristles thereon, this being environmentally friendly, user-friendly and cost-saving. In other embodiments, the entire interchangeable brush head, together with the electromechanical transducer installed therein and the neck, has to be replaced.

An electric toothbrush includes a handle and a brush head attached to one end of the handle. The brush head includes a bristle unit and an ultrasound sensor. The bristle unit cleans teeth and the ultrasound sensor acquires ultrasound data of the teeth. A portable tooth decay detection device includes a handle and an ultrasound sensor attached to one end of the handle. The ultrasound sensor emits and receives ultrasound signal at a frequency of higher than 20 KHz and acquires ultrasound data of teeth.

An ultrasonic toothbrush having spatially extended functionality to treat various oral diseases in addition to removing plaque and treating gingivitis is disclosed. In addition to the ultrasonically activated bristles, the toothbrush incorporates a multi directional ultrasound transducer system, which spatially irradiates the oral cavity with ultrasonic pressure waves, operational to loosen plaque, to remove periodontal bacteria from teeth and gums, and to simultaneously treat and destroy disease causing bacteria and bacterial chains on the inside surfaces of cheeks and lips, providing relief from Recurring Aphthous Stomatitis, Lichen Planus, and Mucositis. Various configurations are disclosed, including user removable and replaceable brush heads, ultrasound treatment heads, and a system of protecting the vibrating exposed ultrasound transducer from contacting the teeth of the user. A motorized version featuring sonic frequency orbital vibration brush head and bristle tufts is described.

An ultrasound applicator having spatially extended functionality to treat various oral and dental diseases. The applicator incorporates a multi directional ultrasound transducer system, which spatially irradiates the oral cavity with ultrasonic pressure waves, operational to simultaneously treat and destroy disease causing bacteria and bacterial chains on the gums and the inside surfaces of cheeks and lips, providing relief from Gingivitis, Recurring Aphthous Stomatitis, Lichen Planus, and Mucositis. A motorized version featuring sonic frequency orbital vibration of the applicator is described.

A pressure sensor for a toothbrush. The pressure sensor includes a substrate, a contact arm in the substrate, a power source, a signal element, and a sensor contact. The sensor contact may be mounted to the substrate such that the contact arm is not in contact with the sensor contact when the substrate is not flexed. As a user applies pressure to a toothbrush head, the substrate can flex and move the contact arm toward the sensor contact. When a threshold force is applied to the toothbrush head, the contact arm can contact the sensor contact, completing a circuit between the power source, the sensor contact, and the signal element that activates the signal element. A second sensor contact can be mounted to the substrate opposite the first sensor contact. The second sensor contact can allow the signal element to indicate three different states to a user.

A power toothbrush includes a handle having a driving system therein. The driving system is responsive to two drive signals. One drive signal produces a clinically effective cleansing action for the teeth, while the other drive signal is arranged to produce audible sounds from the toothbrush which are cognitively stimulating or relaxing.

An ultrasonic toothbrush having spatially extended functionality to treat various oral diseases in addition to removing plaque and treating gingivitis is disclosed. In addition to the ultrasonically activated bristles, the toothbrush incorporates a multi directional ultrasound transducer system, which spatially irradiates the oral cavity with ultrasonic pressure waves, operational to loosen plaque, to remove periodontal bacteria from teeth and gums, and to simultaneously treat and destroy disease causing bacteria and bacterial chains on the inside surfaces of cheeks and lips, providing relief from Recurring Aphthous Stomatitis, Lichen Planus, and Mucositis. Various configurations are disclosed, including user removable and replaceable brush heads and ultrasound treatment heads. A motorized version featuring sonic frequency orbital vibration brush head and bristle tufts is described.

A brushhead assembly (10) for a power toothbrush (1), which includes a bristle plate (12) and a set of bristles (14) mounted to the bristle plate (12). The set of bristles (14) is characterized such that some or all of the bristles have a dipole whip motion during operation at a selected drive frequency, including arrangements where the bristles in a first portion (32) have a different motion than the bristles at a at least a second portion (34) of the brushhead assembly (10).

An ultrasound-assisted wound cleanser in the form of a handheld device includes an integrated vibration motor, an integrated ultrasound generator, an integrated energy source for the vibration motor and the ultrasound generator, and a replaceable cleansing attachment which can be driven by the vibration motor for abrasively removing wound coatings. The cleansing attachment has an acoustic transducer which is designed to convert the electric oscillations generated by the ultrasound generator into sound waves, a device for reinforcing and/or distributing and/or transferring the ultrasound waves, and bristles and/or lamellas for the abrasive removal. Further, a method for cleansing wounds includes moving a cleansing attachment with bristles for abrasively removing wound coatings by a vibration motor. The cleansing attachment is oscillated by an ultrasound generator, and the oscillations for supporting the removal of wound coatings are transmitted into the wound via a transmission medium.