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:
May. 01, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 09, 1997
Juan C. Valdes, Alta Loma, CA (US);
Randal Bailey, Lake Forest, CA (US);
Steve Baldwin, Berkeley, CA (US);
Rex E. Doherty, Orinda, CA (US);
SurgiJet, Inc., Irvine, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for dental procedures using a dental hydrojet tool having a cannula extending therefrom. The cannula is connected to a source of high pressure liquid, and delivers a high velocity, high pressure jet. For root canal procedures, the cannula is directed through an opening formed in the crown of the tooth, and the hydrojet is directed at the pulp, nerve and vascular tissue within the interior chamber. The jet may comprise medical-grade saline, disinfectant, antibiotic or abrasive solutions. All the soft tissue within the tooth is cut, excised, emulsified, and aspirated out of the tooth. The time required to excise, emulsify, and aspirate all the soft tissue within a typical molar is on the order of 10-240 seconds. The interior chamber of the tooth is completely aspirated and verified visually for completion of removal of all soft tissue, and then packed with an appropriate filler material, and the opening in the top of the tooth is filled or provided with a prosthetic crown. The fluid jet may comprise a pulsed jet formed by a pulse intensifier device in the handpiece of the dental hydrojet tool, or a steady stream jet emanating from the orifice. The jet may be used for caries removal, plaque and calculus removal, and soft tissue surgery.