Handpiece for Detection of Dental Demineralization

Abstract

A dental implement including a housing, a light source, and an air supply.

1 . A handheld dental implement including:
 a housing defining an interior space;   an endcap coupled to the housing, the endcap including an outer wall having an internal surface and an external surface, the external surface opposing the internal surface, the outer wall further defining an interior space, the endcap being readily removable from the housing;   a light source located within the interior space of the housing; and   a mirror coupled to the internal surface of the outer wall of the endcap such that the mirror is located within the interior space defined by the outer wall.   
     
     
         2 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the endcap is coupled to a distal end of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The implement of  claim 1 , further including a gas source located at least partially within the interior space of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The implement of  claim 3 , the endcap further including a gas conduit within the outer wall thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The implement of  claim 4 , wherein the gas conduit is fluidly coupled to the gas source. 
     
     
         6 . The implement of  claim 5 , wherein the gas conduit includes a gas outlet and the gas outlet is positioned such that gas expelled therefrom contacts the mirror. 
     
     
         7 . The implement of  claim 1 , further including a gas conduit positioned to transmit gas from a gas source into contact with the mirror. 
     
     
         8 . The implement of  claim 7 , wherein the gas conduit is further positioned to transmit gas from the gas reservoir into contact with a diagnostic subject. 
     
     
         9 . The implement of  claim 1 , further including a light detecting device located within the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The implement of  claim 9 , wherein the mirror is positioned to reflect light from the light source onto a diagnostic specimen, and the mirror is further positioned to reflect light from the diagnostic specimen to the light detecting device. 
     
     
         11 . The implement of  claim 1 , wherein the endcap includes a distal end having a plurality of points on the outer wall that are sized and located to be abutted against a diagnostic specimen. 
     
     
         12 . An endcap for use with a dental implement housing including:
 an outer wall having an internal surface and an external surface, the external surface opposing the internal surface, the outer wall further defining an interior space; and   a reflective surface positioned on the internal surface such that the reflective surface is located within the interior space, and the reflective surface is positioned to reflect light from a light source onto a diagnostic specimen and reflect light from the diagnostic specimen to a light detecting device.   
     
     
         13 . The endcap of  claim 12 , wherein the endcap defines a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the endcap being smaller than the proximal end, and the endcap tapering in size from the proximal end to the distal end. 
     
     
         14 . The implement of  claim 12 , wherein the outer wall contains a gas conduit therein. 
     
     
         15 . The implement of  claim 14 , wherein the gas conduit includes a gas inlet and a gas outlet. 
     
     
         16 . The implement of  claim 15 , wherein the gas inlet is positioned to interface with a gas conduit of the dental implement housing. 
     
     
         17 . The implement of  claim 15 , wherein the gas outlet is positioned to expel gas into contact with the reflective surface. 
     
     
         18 . The implement of  claim 15 , wherein the gas outlet is positioned to expel gas into contact with the diagnostic specimen. 
     
     
         19 . The implement of  claim 12 , wherein the endcap includes a distal end having a plurality of points on the outer wall that are sized and located to be abutted against a diagnostic specimen. 
     
     
         20 . An endcap for use with a dental implement housing including:
 an outer wall having an internal surface and an external surface, the external surface opposing the internal surface, the outer wall further defining an interior space, the interior space being sized and located to provide for the transfer of light therethrough; and   a gas conduit disposed in the outer wall.   
     
     
         21 . The endcap of  claim 20 , wherein the endcap defines a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the endcap being smaller than the proximal end, and the endcap tapering in size from the proximal end to the distal end. 
     
     
         22 . The implement of  claim 20 , wherein the gas conduit includes an gas inlet and a gas outlet. 
     
     
         23 . The implement of  claim 22 , wherein the gas inlet is positioned to interface with a gas conduit of the dental implement housing. 
     
     
         24 . The implement of  claim 22 , wherein the gas outlet is positioned to expel gas into contact with the reflective surface. 
     
     
         25 . The implement of  claim 22 , wherein the gas outlet is positioned to expel gas into contact with the diagnostic specimen. 
     
     
         26 . A method of examining the dentition of a plurality of patients including the steps of:
 obtaining a dental instrument having a housing;   attaching a first endcap to the dental instrument housing, the endcap having an outer wall having an internal surface and an external surface, the external surface opposing the internal surface, the outer wall further defining an interior space, the interior space being sized and located to provide for the transfer of light therethrough, the endcap further including a gas conduit disposed in the outer wall;   examining the dentition of a first patient with the dental instrument;   detaching the first endcap from the dental instrument housing;   attaching a second endcap to the dental instrument housing; and   examining the dentition of a second patient with the dental instrument.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further including the step of exposing the dentition of the first patient to gas expelled from the gas conduit of the first endcap after the step of examining the dentition of the first patient. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further including the step of reexamining the dentition of the first patient after the step of exposing the dentition of the first patient to gas expelled from the gas conduit. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of examining the dentition of a first patient includes abutting a distal end of the first endcap to the dentition of the first patient. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the examination of the dentition of the first patient occurs at a first appointment on a first day and further including the step of examining the dentition of the first patient with the dental instrument at a second appointment on a second day. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the examination of the dentition of the first patient at the second appointment includes obtaining images from substantially identical views as images obtained of the dentition of the first patient at the first appointment. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further including the step of comparing the images of the dentition taken at the first appointment to images of the dentition taken at the second appointment. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the comparison is automatically performed by software present in a dental examination device coupled to the dental instrument.