Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for providing a unitary shell appliance for use in a course of treatment for a dental patient and being of controlled thickness. The unitary shell appliance may be formed to present cavities configured to receive teeth of one of an upper or lower arch of the patient when the appliance is positioned on the patient. The appliance may be formed to have a first portion engageable with any tooth selected from the arch of the patient on which the appliance is to be positioned and a second portion associated with another tooth of the arch. The appliance may be further formed with a first thickness and a second thickness. A difference between the first and second thicknesses may be used to apply different levels of force to different teeth.

The invention relates to a dental fitting (1, 1, 101, 101, 101) attachable to a dental component (30), such as a dental implant. The dental fitting (1, 1, 101, 101, 101) comprises a main body (2, 2) and a retention element (4, 104, 104, 104) provided apically to the main body (2, 2). The retention element (4, 104, 104, 104) comprises an attachment portion (6, 106, 106, 106) for attaching the dental fitting (1, 1, 101, 101, 101) to the dental component (30). The retention element (4, 104, 104, 104) has a closed ring shape or an open ring shape in a cross-section perpendicular to the direction from the attachment portion (6, 106, 106, 106) towards a coronal end (8) of the main body (2, 2). The attachment portion (6, 106, 106, 106) comprises at least one projection (10, 110, 110, 110) extending in one or more directions substantially perpendicular to the direction from the attachment portion (6, 106, 106, 106) towards the coronal end (8) of the main body (2, 2). The retention element (4, 104, 104, 104) is integrally formed with or integrally attached to the main body (2, 2).

A cover device formed of a plastic or similar composition is structured for removable attachment over a bracket of an orthodontic appliance and includes a main plate with an outer front face, and top and bottom claws integrally formed with the main plate, curling behind the main plate, and each terminating at distal ends in spaced, opposing relation to each other behind the main plate. The main plate is bowed outwardly from top to bottom to allow the claws to flex away from each other and snap over the bracket upon application of inward pressure on the front face while the claws are pressed against the bracket, to thereby attach the cover to the bracket, with the bracket concealed from view behind the cover device. The front face may include an ornamental design. In another embodiment, the cover device includes a bottom tab for cooperating engagement with a removal tool.

The present invention relates to a pre-sintered multi-layered dental mill blank comprising a top layer, a bottom layer, and at least one intermediate layer. The pre-sintered multi-layered dental mill blank or a part prepared thereof has one or more desirable properties when being fully sintered by a speed sintering process. The present invention also relates to a process for preparing a dental restoration using the pre-sintered multi-layered dental mill blank as well as to a dental restoration as such. The present invention further relates to a process for sintering a dental restoration precursor.

A bactericidal insert for introduction into a canal in a tooth during a root canal procedure is provided, along with a method of producing the insert and a method of using the insert in a root canal procedure. The insert is in the form of a carrier having a plurality of pores or interstices. The carrier had been impregnated with a liquid photosensitive dye so that the dye entered the pores or interstices and then the carrier with the liquid photosensitive dye forms a dye-impregnated carrier. The dye-impregnated carrier is configured and adapted for insertion within the canal of the tooth. The carrier, if dried, is adapted to receive a wetting agent to dissolve the dye therein to produce a liquefied dye, which is activatable to produce singlet oxygen within the canal when it is irradiated by light from outside of the tooth.

A dual-ended triple tooled dental applicator apparatus, comprising a plurality of tools with interchangeable dental tool applicators. The dental apparatus further comprises an elongated handle having two distinct tools on both ends and being detachable and interchangeable. During procedures, the dentist can alternate between both ends of the apparatus and among three dental tool applicators. A set of overlapping and circumferential friction enhancement means, along and about the apparatus, facilitate safe and effective handling during procedures. The multi-functioned dental apparatus is comprised of a lightweight but rigid materials (e.g., plastic), which allows the dentist to efficiently use the same tool for working with and applying different materials to a patient's teeth. Upon completion of a given procedure, the entire device may be readily disposable.

The blank has a restoration segment (4), a holder (2), and a partition segment (3) that connects the holder (2) to the restoration segment (4). The material of the partition segment (3) visually differs from that of the restoration segment (4). In preparation for machining, in the context of CAD/CAM machining, the outer shape of the workpiece (6) to be produced is fitted into the restoration segment (4) such that a smooth surface of the outer shape comes to lie in the interface plane (5) between the segments. The blank is then worked mechanically in order to create the outer shape. A partition pin (3b, 3c) remains between the holder (2) and the restoration segment (4) and is removed. A partition-pin-base (13) remaining in the restoration segment (4) can then be removed manually. A color marker simplifies this work step.

Non-sliding orthodontic appliances may include an archwire having male fasteners for locking in place with brackets in a non-sliding manner and interproximal loops for exerting forces on the brackets. Appropriate forces may be calculated according to vectors between initial and ideal tooth positions. The brackets may be transferred to a patient's teeth using indirect bonding trays which contain slots for holding and aligning each bracket. The trays may include integrated handles for facilitating handling, may be sectioned into smaller pieces for easier application, and/or may be labeled for facilitating proper registration. Superposition of a digital placement plan and clinical model after bonding may illustrate the accuracy of bracket placement. The archwire may comprise atraumatic ends to avoid patient discomfort. A color registration system can be used to facilitate the attachment of the archwire to the brackets. The archwire may be locked into place with the brackets using crimpable stops.

A dental cleaning appliance includes a handle and a fluid delivery system for delivering a burst of working fluid to the teeth of a user. Part of the fluid delivery system is moveable relative to the handle as the appliance is moved along the teeth of the user. A sensor provides an output which varies with movement of that part of the fluid delivery system relative to the handle. A control circuit actuates the delivery of working fluid to the teeth of the user depending on the output from the sensor.

A set of osteotomes have conical tips with free end diameters alternately increasing by a constant increment, k, as a step function, beginning with the first osteotome; and working base diameters alternately increases by a constant increment, C, as a step function, beginning with the second osteotome. For seven osteotomes, the first and second diameters respectively are: 1 mm and 2 mm; 1 mm and 3 mm; 2 mm and 3 mm; 2 mm and 4 mm; 3 mm and 4 mm; 3 mm and 5 mm; and 4 mm and 5 mm. In a first mode all seven osteotomes are used to provide very gradual diameter escalations. In a second mode the first, third, fifth, and seventh osteotomes provide conventional Summers' diameter escalations. In third and fourth modes the first, fourth, and seventh osteotomes, and the second, fifth, and seventh osteotomes respectively provide increasingly more aggressive Summers' type escalations.