Method and apparatus for bleaching teeth

Abstract

A method and apparatus for whitening teeth which allow the user to undergo dental bleaching with the mouth closed and without protruding instruments, trays or electrical wires and the like. The apparatus includes a support structure and a dental whitening composition in contact with the support structure. A light source is included in the apparatus, disposed on or in the support structure so that light emitted from the source contacts on the dental whitening composition. The apparatus has a volume ranging between 0.5-450 cm 3 permitting the apparatus to fit entirely within the mouth of a user during treatment.

1 . A dental apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a support structure composed of a material that is moldable by hand at room temperature and customized by application to the dentition of a user and adapted to be placed entirely within a user's mouth; and   a dental whitening composition in contact with the support structure.   
   
   
       2 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the dental whitening composition comprises an oxidizing agent. 
   
   
       3 . The dental apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the oxidizing agent is a peroxide. 
   
   
       4 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the whitening composition is in a form selected from the group consisting of: gel, emulsion, gum, putty, liquid and paste. 
   
   
       5 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the whitening composition is in a microencapsulated form. 
   
   
       6 . The dental apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the microencapsulated form is selected from the group consisting of: agar gel beads, liposomes and niosomes. 
   
   
       7 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is a dental strip. 
   
   
       8 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is a dental tray. 
   
   
       9 . The dental apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a textured surface. 
   
   
       10 . The dental apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the textured surface comprises a plurality of hexagonal cells. 
   
   
       11 . A method for treating a dental surface of a user comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a dental apparatus comprising:
 a moldable support structure composed of a material that is moldable by hand at room temperature, and 
 a dental whitening composition in contact with the support structure; 
   (b) placing the apparatus entirely within the user's mouth;   (c) customizing the support structure by manually molding it to the dentition of a user; and   (d) exposing the dental surface to the light emitted by the light source, thereby treating the dental surface.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dental whitening composition comprises an oxidizing agent. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the oxidizing agent is a peroxide. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the whitening composition is in a form selected from the group consisting of: gel, emulsion, gum, putty, liquid and paste. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the support structure is a dental strip. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the support structure is a dental tray. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the support structure comprises a textured surface. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the textured surface comprises a plurality of hexagonal cells.