A method for acquiring at least one two-dimensional image of a part of arches of a patient includes steps carried out by the patient or other person who is not a dental health professional, for example, including placing a dental separator in the mouth of the patient in order to separate the lips of the patient and improve the visibility of the teeth during the acquisition of said at least one two-dimensional image, and acquiring, in a mouth closed position and with a personal image acquisition apparatus, said at least one two-dimensional image.

According to an embodiment, a method for generating a digital data set for fabricating a physical dental bleaching tray useable to deliver an bleaching agent is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a three-dimensional digital representation of a patient’s dentition including teeth and gingiva; segmenting two or more teeth into individual tooth; identifying a facial surface of at least one of the segmented tooth; defining a facial surface portion including a surface area that is at least partly bound by a virtual boundary that is non- interfacing with the gingiva; generating a modified three-dimensional digital representation using the defined facial surface portion; and generating, based on the modified three-dimensional digital representation, the digital data set configured to be used in fabricating the physical dental bleaching tray.

Aspects relate to systems and methods for synergistic laser cleaning and whitening of teeth. In one aspect a system includes a laser system configured to perform a laser treatment on exposed tooth surfaces on a plurality of a patient's teeth, where the laser system includes a laser arrangement configured to generate a laser beam, an optical arrangement configured to direct the laser beam toward the exposed tooth surfaces, and a laser controller configured to control the laser beam to remove a pellicle from the exposed tooth surfaces, and a tray configured to apply a whitening agent to the exposed tooth surfaces after the laser treatment.

Systems, methods, and devices for producing appliances for expansion of the arch of a patient are provided. An arch expanding appliance comprises a force generating portion to apply an arch expansion force and a retention portion to hold the force generating portion on the teeth. The retention portion comprises a flexible portion and a stiff portion. The force generating portion applies a force to move teeth associated with the flexible portion, while the stiff portion resists movement of its associated teeth. The orthodontic appliances can be designed according to the specifications provided herein and manufactured using direct fabrication methods.

Described are improved dental materials and appliances made therefrom that have a range of flexibility and strength and exhibit improved comfort and effectiveness in orthodontic and other treatment.

A tray appliance of the present disclosure has a first dissolvable sheet and a first substance formed within a second dissolvable sheet. The first dissolvable sheet is laid on the second dissolvable sheet and is formed into a first dissolvable negative impression of a person's teeth, gingival tissue, or other soft tissue, such that when first dissolvable negative impression is worn by a person, the first dissolvable negative impression dissolves and releases the first substance into the person's saliva, teeth, gingival tissue, or other soft tissue.

An electrolysis device may include a housing having a cavity that is configured to receive a precursor solution. The precursor solution may include chloride. An electrolysis circuit may be located in the cavity of the housing. The electrolysis circuit may include a power source, a first electrode and a second electrode electrically coupled to the power source, and a control circuit electrically coupled to the power source and the first and second electrodes. Upon the control circuit being activated while the precursor liquid operably couples the first and second electrodes together, the electrolysis circuit may be configured to generate a hypochlorite solution from the precursor solution.

The present invention relates to a tooth whitening system (10), comprising a light source (30), a light detector (40), and a processing unit (50). The light source is configured such that a wavelength of the light emitted is adjustable over a wavelength range of operation. The detector is configured to detect light emitted from the light source. The processing unit is configured to control the light source to adjust the wavelength of the light emitted by the light source and determine a measure of absorption light detected that was emitted from the light source as the wavelength is adjusted. The processing unit is configured to utilize the determined measure of absorption to operate the light source at a wavelength at a peak in absorption.

The invention provides compositions that include isolated, non-pathogenic, hydrogen peroxide-producing bacterial strains and genetically engineered LDH-deficient bacterial strains, which can be used to whiten teeth and treat periodontal disease.

A method for monitoring the positioning of the teeth including production of a three-dimensional digital initial reference model of the arches of the patient and, for each tooth, definition, from the initial reference model, of a three-dimensional digital reference tooth model; acquisition of updated image of at least one two-dimensional image of the arches in actual acquisition conditions; analysis of each updated image and production, for each updated image, of an updated map; optionally, determination, for each updated image, of rough virtual acquisition conditions approximating the actual acquisition conditions; searching, for each updated image, for a final reference model corresponding to the positioning of the teeth during the acquisition of the updated image, for each tooth model, comparison of the positionings of the tooth model in the initial reference model and in the reference model obtained at the end of the preceding steps to determine the movement of the teeth.