An oral irrigator has a separate high pressure water system and low pressure mouth rinse system to deliver two different fluids to a pick or other accessories. The water system and mouth rinse system are combined in a handle. The pick is connected to the handle. The water system has a blocking valve located in the handle and the mouth rinse system has a hand pump located in the handle. The hand pump sits next to a valve button for closing the blocking valve. When the hand pump is pressed, it presses against the valve button of the blocking valve to shut off the source of high pressure water to the pick. The pressure in the pick drops so that the hand pump can then introduce mouth rinse into the pick. When the hand pump is released, the blocking valve opens up and high pressure water returns to the pick.

An apparatus for endodontic treatment, comprising: a nozzle connected to a fluid source comprising: a tip small enough to be inserted into a pulp chamber of a tooth; an inner geometry which forms a flow parameters including non-axial flow direction of nozzle fluid flowing through the inner geometry such that discharge fluid discharged from the inner geometry increase rotation of root canal fluid within a root canal sufficiently to remove tissue from the root canal.

A compact oral hygiene device includes a unique mini constant jet pump which integrated with a motor, has three diaphragm chambers, draws the fluid from a reservoir and propels fluid out from a buffer room to tips at constant pulseless, high efficiencies and low noise; and a plurality of exchangeable tips cleanses teeth and the interdental area.

The invention relates to a handpiece for simultaneously irrigating and suctioning during an endodontic procedure, the handpiece comprising a handle portion comprising a first fluid line and a second fluid line passing into a head portion comprising an outlet for the first fluid line and an inlet for the second fluid line. The invention also relates to a method of performing a dental procedure such as a root canal. The handpiece permits the procedure of irrigating, cleansing and disinfection to be conducted by a single operator such as an endodontist, a dentist or even a dental student.

An oral irrigator contains: a body, a water tank and a detachable jet tip which are both in connection with the body, a power device and a control device Which are both accommodated in the body. The power device is configured to deliver water from the water tank to the detachable jet tip. The power device includes a first outlet defined thereon and configured to discharge the water, a delivery tube connecting with the first outlet, and a first seal element configured to stop water flowing into the body from the power device so that the water discharges out of the first outlet.

A method for continuously evaluating the effectiveness of debridement of a root canal of a tooth, the tooth having an open access cavity and an apex end, includes delivering a fluid to the open access cavity of the tooth, evacuating the fluid near the apex end of the tooth such that the fluid flushes most of the root canal before being evacuated, and continuously evaluating the evacuated fluid for at least one of a presence of debris, a concentration level of the debris, or a type of the debris. An apparatus for use in debriding a root canal of a tooth includes a microcannula or a macrocannula configured to evacuate a fluid in the root canal, and a sensing mechanism fluidically coupled to the microcannula or the macrocannula, the sensing mechanism configured to continuously sense debris in the evacuated fluid in real time.

An oral care appliance (10) having a pump assembly (14) for delivering discrete bursts or shots of liquid. The pump assembly includes a pump housing (36) and an inlet/outlet assembly (38) at a forward end of the housing, including one-way valves (80, 82) in the inlet and outlet openings. A plunger sleeve (44) is positioned within the housing with a central opening (48) in a fluid-tight relationship with the inlet and outlet assembly. A plunger (52) includes a center portion (56), positioned in the central opening of the plunger sleeve in a fluid-tight relationship therewith. The plunger sleeve includes an outer member (54) between the plunger sleeve and the internal surface of the housing. A compressible spring (64) is positioned between a forward end of the outer member of the plunger and the rear end of the housing. A drive mechanism (72) moves the plunger rearwardly, resulting in the plunger sleeve filling with liquid by vacuum action from a reservoir (26) in the appliance, and then releases the plunger, allowing the spring to move the plunger quickly forward, forcing liquid in the plunger sleeve out through the fluid outlet in a direct burst.

A composition delivery source (200) is provided that includes (a) a chamber (202), which is shaped so as to define (A) one or more liquid ports (310) in fluid communication with an interior of the chamber (202), and (B) one or more solid-liquid composition ports (312) in fluid communication with the interior of the chamber (202); (b) a solid-liquid composition delivery tube (314) in fluid communication with at least one of the one or more solid-liquid composition ports (312); (c) a mixing tube (316) in fluid communication with at least one of the one or more liquid ports (310) and at least one of the one or more solid-liquid composition ports (312); and (d) a liquid-supply tube (318) in fluid communication with at least one of the one or more liquid ports (310). A pump unit (201) includes one or more pumps (223), which are arranged to cause flow in the mixing tube (316) during a mixing activation state (342), and to cause flow in the liquid-supply tube (318) during a particle-delivery activation state (344).

A compact oral hygiene device comprises a unique mini constant jet pump which integrated with a motor, has three diaphragm chambers, draws the fluid from a reservoir and propels fluid out from a buffer room to tips at constant pulseless, high efficiencies and low noise; and a plurality of exchangeable tips cleanses teeth and the interdental area.

The present invention provides for oral care systems comprising: an appliance comprising a first and second plurality of nozzles, the appliance configured to be held in the mouth of a user with the first and second plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with one or more surfaces of the user's oral cavity; a source of gas; a source of liquid; and a fluid controller for directing entrained fluid to the appliance. Also provided are methods of cleaning, or otherwise providing oral care benefits to, one or more surfaces of the oral cavity using a system of the present invention.