Device for drying tooth or bone surfaces

Abstract

A device for the drying of tooth or bone surfaces includes a radiation source for irradiating the tooth or bone surface to be dried, a temperature sensor and/or a humidity sensor.

Claims

1. A device for the drying of tooth or bone surfaces, the device comprising: a radiation source configured for irradiating the tooth or bone surface to be dried, wherein the radiation source is an infrared laser; a temperature sensor; a humidity sensor; a controller, which controls the radiation source as a function of signals from the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor; and a signaling unit connected to the controller, wherein the signaling unit is configured, based on data from the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor, to send an optical and/or acoustic signal being a tone and/or a light indicating to a user when the drying of the tooth has been completed for subsequent application of tooth filler material and/or bonding agent.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the humidity sensor is a sensor for determining air humidity.

3. The device in accordance with claim 1, including a spacer configured to be set in position on a tooth or bone, the spacer configured to space the radiation source, the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor a distance apart from the tooth or bone.

4. The device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the spacer is designed as a tube.

5. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the controller controls the radiation source such that a predetermined maximum temperature of the tooth or bone surface to be dried is not exceeded.

6. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the controller controls the temperature of the tooth or bone surface to be dried to a setpoint value by controlling the radiation source.

7. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is a radiation sensor for non-contacting temperature measurement of the tooth or bone surface to be dried.

8. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the signaling unit further generates a second optical and/or acoustic signal as soon as the humidity sensor detects a humidity that reaches or falls below a predetermined threshold value.

9. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the device is a tooth or bone surface drying device.

10. A tooth or bone surface drying device, the device comprising: a radiation source configured for irradiating the tooth or bone surface to be dried, wherein the radiation source is an infrared laser; a temperature sensor; a humidity sensor; a controller, which controls the radiation source as a function of signals from the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor; and a spacer configured to be set in position on a tooth or bone, the spacer configured to space the radiation source, the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor a distance apart from the tooth or bone.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further details and advantages of the invention are explained on an example of embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying FIGURE.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a device for the drying of tooth or bone surfaces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(3) FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a device 1 for the drying of tooth or bone surfaces, together with a tooth 2. The device 1 contains a radiation source 3, for example an infrared laser or a diode. Radiation 4 emitted by the radiation source 3, for example infrared radiation, hits a tooth or bone surface 5 to be dried

(4) This causes the tooth or bone to heat up and moisture on the tooth or bone surface 5 to be dried to evaporate.

(5) The device 1 contains a temperature sensor 6 and a humidity sensor 7, which are connected to a controller 8 in the same way as the radiation source 3. The temperature sensor 6 is a non-contacting measuring thermometer and measures the temperature of the tooth or bone surface 5 to be dried, for example, by detecting infrared radiation and determining the surface temperature from the latter. The humidity sensor 7 measures the air humidity and can, for example, be a capacitive or resistive sensor.

(6) The controller 8 evaluates measurement signals from the temperature sensor 6 and the humidity sensor 7 and controls the radiation source 3. The controller 8 prevents the tooth or bone surface 5 from heating up above a specified maximum temperature, e.g. 42° C., in order to prevent damage to the patient's tissue. The controller 8 can regulate the temperature of the tooth and bone surface 5 to a setpoint value, which is between 39° C. and 41° C., for example.

(7) The controller 8 determines the air humidity by evaluating the signals of the humidity sensor 7. From the measured air humidity and the temperature of the tooth and bone surface 5 the surface moisture on the tooth or bone surface 5 can be determined, for example, by means of empirical data which can be stored in the controller 8 as tables, characteristic curves, or parametric maps. As soon as the controller 8 detects a moisture level that allows an optimal bonding in the relevant tooth filler material or bonding agent, the controller 8 automatically terminates the drying process and signals this by actuating the signalling unit 9 connected to the controller 8, which generates an acoustic or optical signal, for example.

(8) The device can have a spacer 10 in the form of a tube so that the measured air humidity is impaired as little as possible by disturbing influences, such as moist breath. The spacer 10 surrounds the radiation cone 4 emitted by the radiation source 3, and the humidity sensor 7, as well as the temperature sensor 6.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(9) 1 Device 2 Tooth 3 Radiation source 4 Radiation cone 5 Tooth or bone surface 6 Temperature sensor 7 Humidity sensor 8 Controller 9 Signalling unit 10 Spacer