The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 20, 1993
Filed:
Apr. 25, 1991
Thomas S Blake, Danville, CA (US);
Mark Fernwood, Danville, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
The subject matter of the disclosed invention relates generally to dental cleaning processes and apparatus. A 'wet foam sandblasting' system is described below in which a bubble foam laden with abrasive particles is propelled through a small nozzle by gas pressure. The system has very specific applications in the dental industry for 1) general cleaning of teeth such as removal of tobacco, tea and other stains; 2) for selectively abrading away carious enamel, 3) cleaning prosthodontic restorations, 4) abrading various tooth and restorative materials in preparation for bonding, and 5) periodontal pocket cleaning with osteophylic abrasives; 6) cleaning of occlusal pits and fissures for sealing. In addition, the system has numerous applications in cleaning and etching materials in the jewelry, semi-conductor, automotive and other industries. The apparatus for cleaning teeth and other surfaces comprises a canister capable of being sealed and pressurized and receiving a mixture of liquid, abrasive particles and wetting agent, said canister also having a means to receive a stream of pressurized gas, a means to disperse pressurized gas into the mixture of liquid, abrasive particles and wetting agent causing thereby causing a formation of foam and urging the abrasive particles to become entrained into the foam, a means to direct the abrasive laden foam to the surface to be cleaned, and a means to control the flow of abrasive laden foam.