US5435724A — Dental procedures and apparatus using ultraviolet…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 155 words

A method for performing dentistry, including the steps of: irradiating a region of a tooth with ultraviolet radiation of sufficient energy fluence F 1 to ablate enamel therefrom by a mechanism which causes minimal thermal diffusion to areas surrounding said region, continuing said irradiating until the desired amount of enamel is removed from said region, changing the energy fluence of said ultraviolet radiation to an amount F 2 sufficient to ablate carious material in said tooth but less than that which is necessary to ablate enamel, irradiating carious material in said tooth with ultraviolet radiation of energy fluence F 2 for a time period sufficient to ablate said carious material, thereby restoring a more healthy state to said tooth, and irradiating dentin in said tooth with ultraviolet radiation having an energy fluence greater than the energy fluence threshold F 3 required to ablate dentin therefrom, the fluence F 3 being less than F 2 .

Claim 2

Independent Claim 155 words

A method for performing dentistry, including the steps of: irradiating a region of a tooth with ultraviolet radiation of sufficient energy fluence F 1 to ablate enamel therefrom by a mechanism which causes minimal thermal diffusion to areas surrounding said region, continuing said irradiating until the desired amount of enamel is removed from said region, changing the energy fluence of said ultraviolet radiation to an amount F 2 sufficient to ablate carious material in said tooth but less than that which is necessary to ablate enamel, irradiating carious material in said tooth with ultraviolet radiation of energy fluence F 2 for a time period sufficient to ablate said carious material, thereby restoring a more healthy state to said tooth, and irradiating dentin in said tooth with ultraviolet radiation having an energy fluence greater than the energy fluence threshold F 3 required to ablate dentin therefrom, the fluence F 3 being less than F 2 .

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 1, where said energy fluence F 1 is greater than about 5.8 J/cm 2 when said ultraviolet radiation has a wavelength of about 308 nm.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 2, where said energy fluence F 2 is less than about 5.8 J/cm 2 and greater than about 1.3 J/cm 2 when said ultraviolet radiation has a wavelength of about 308 nm.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said ultraviolet radiation is in the range of about 100-400 nm.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 1, where said ultraviolet radiation is in the range of about 300-400 nm.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 1, where said ultraviolet radiation is in the wavelength range of about 185-220 nm.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 1, including the step of irradiating both carious material and dentin with an energy fluence sufficient to ablate both carious material and dentin, and removing aid carious material at a rate greater than the rate of removal of dentin.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 1, where said energy fluence is lowered to a level less than the level necessary to ablate dentin, carious material, and enamel, said ultraviolet radiation being used to cleanse the mouth of germs.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 160 words

A method for laser dentistry, including the steps of: irradiating a region of a tooth with ultraviolet laser pulses having energy fluence greater than the threshold energy fluence F 1 needed to ablate enamel, continuing said irradiating to remove a desired amount of enamel from said tooth, irradiating said tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses of a second energy fluence less than level F 1 , but greater than the threshold level F 2 necessary to ablate carious material, to ablate therefrom carious material without ablating enamel, continuing said irradiating at said second energy fluence level unit the desired amount of carious material is ablated therefrom, and irradiating said tooth at a third energy fluence level which is greater than the threshold level F 3 required to ablate dentin but less than the threshold level required to ablate carious material or enamel, in order to remove dentin from said tooth, said irradiating continuing until the desired amount of dentin is removed.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 160 words

A method for laser dentistry, including the steps of: irradiating a region of a tooth with ultraviolet laser pulses having energy fluence greater than the threshold energy fluence F 1 needed to ablate enamel, continuing said irradiating to remove a desired amount of enamel from said tooth, irradiating said tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses of a second energy fluence less than level F 1 , but greater than the threshold level F 2 necessary to ablate carious material, to ablate therefrom carious material without ablating enamel, continuing said irradiating at said second energy fluence level unit the desired amount of carious material is ablated therefrom, and irradiating said tooth at a third energy fluence level which is greater than the threshold level F 3 required to ablate dentin but less than the threshold level required to ablate carious material or enamel, in order to remove dentin from said tooth, said irradiating continuing until the desired amount of dentin is removed.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 9, where said laser is an excimer laser.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 10, where said ultraviolet radiation is in the wavelength range of 100-400 nm.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 10, where said ultraviolet radiation is in the wavelength range of about 300-400 nm.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 10, where said ultraviolet radiation is in the wavelength range of about 185-220.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 66 words

A method of dentistry including the steps of: irradiating a region of a tooth with ultraviolet laser radiation having an energy fluence greater than the threshold energy fluence F 3 required to ablate healthy dentin therefrom but less than the threshold energy F 2 required to ablate carious material therefrom, and continuing said irradiation until the desired amount of healthy dentin is removed from said tooth.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 66 words

A method of dentistry including the steps of: irradiating a region of a tooth with ultraviolet laser radiation having an energy fluence greater than the threshold energy fluence F 3 required to ablate healthy dentin therefrom but less than the threshold energy F 2 required to ablate carious material therefrom, and continuing said irradiation until the desired amount of healthy dentin is removed from said tooth.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 14, where said energy fluence F 3 is greater than about 1.04 J/cm 2 and less than about 1.36 J/cm 2 when said ultraviolet radiation has a wavelength of about 308 nm.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 14, including the further step of irradiating said tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses having an energy fluence at least equal to an energy fluence F 2 at which carious material is ablated from said tooth without ablating any enamel which is irradiated by said laser radiation.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 16, where said energy fluence level is greater than about 1.36 J/cm 2 and less than about 5.9 J/cm 2 when the wavelength of said ultraviolet radiation is about 308 nm.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 16, including the further step of irradiating said tooth with ultraviolet laser radiation having an energy fluence greater than the threshold energy fluence F 1 at which enamel is ablated from said tooth.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 14, including the further step of irradiating said tooth with ultraviolet laser radiation having an energy fluence level greater than the fluence F 1 at which enamel is ablated from said tooth.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 19, where the fluence F 1 is approximately 5.9 J/cm 2 when said ultraviolet radiation has a wavelength of about 308 nm.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 67 words

A method of dentistry including the step of irradiating a tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses to deposit therein a sufficient energy per unit volume to ablate dentin therefrom without ablating carious material or enamel, the pulse repetition rate and the pulse widths of said ultraviolet radiation pulses being less than that which would cause a significant temperature rise in regions surrounding the irradiated region of said tooth.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 67 words

A method of dentistry including the step of irradiating a tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses to deposit therein a sufficient energy per unit volume to ablate dentin therefrom without ablating carious material or enamel, the pulse repetition rate and the pulse widths of said ultraviolet radiation pulses being less than that which would cause a significant temperature rise in regions surrounding the irradiated region of said tooth.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 71 words

The method of claim 21, including the further step of irradiating carious material in said tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses to deposit sufficient energy per unit volume in said carious material to ablate carious material by a mechanism which substantially limits carious material removal to the irradiated region of said tooth, where said energy per unit volume being deposited is less than the amount necessary to ablate enamel from said tooth.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 21, including the further step of irradiating enamel in said tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses to deposit a sufficient energy per unit volume in said enamel to ablate it by a mechanism which substantially limits enamel removal to the irradiated region of said tooth.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 100 words

A method of dentistry including the steps of: irradiating a tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses of sufficient energy fluence to exceed the threshold required to ablate carious material from said tooth, irradiating said tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses of sufficient energy fluence to exceed the threshold required to ablate dentin from said tooth, and irradiating said tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses having an energy fluence greater than the threshold energy fluence required to ablate enamel from said tooth, the threshold energy fluences per pulse necessary to ablate dentin, carious material and enamel from said tooth being different from one another.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 100 words

A method of dentistry including the steps of: irradiating a tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses of sufficient energy fluence to exceed the threshold required to ablate carious material from said tooth, irradiating said tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses of sufficient energy fluence to exceed the threshold required to ablate dentin from said tooth, and irradiating said tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses having an energy fluence greater than the threshold energy fluence required to ablate enamel from said tooth, the threshold energy fluences per pulse necessary to ablate dentin, carious material and enamel from said tooth being different from one another.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 24, where the threshold energy fluence per pulse necessary to ablate dentin from said tooth is less than the threshold energy fluence per pulse necessary to ablate carious material from said tooth.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 24, where the threshold energy fluence per pulse necessary to ablate enamel from said tooth is approximately five times as large as the threshold energy fluence per pulse necessary to ablate dentin and carious material from said tooth.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 24, where the threshold energy fluence per pulse necessary to ablate dentin from said tooth is about 1 J/cm 2 .

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 24, where the threshold energy per unit volume deposited in said tooth and necessary for ablating carious material therefrom is less than the deposited energy per unit volume necessary to ablate dentin at a given ultraviolet wavelength radiation.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method of claim 28, including the step of delivering ultraviolet radiation pulses to said tooth to deposit in said tooth an energy per unit volume greater than the threshold energy per unit volume required for ablation of carious material therefrom but less than the threshold energy per unit volume required to be deposited for the ablation of dentin therefrom.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method of claim 28, including the step of depositing in said tooth ultraviolet energy having an energy per unit volume greater than that required to be deposited for the ablation of dentin from said tooth but less than the threshold energy per unit volume required to cause ablation of enamel therefrom.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 28, including the step of irradiating said tooth with ultraviolet radiation pulses to deposit in said tooth an energy per unit volume in excess of the threshold energy per unit volume required to ablate enamel therefrom.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-07-24	1999-01-23	1999-07-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-07-24	2003-01-23	2003-07-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-07-24	2007-01-23	2007-07-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Dental procedures and apparatus using ultraviolet radiation

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