Dental delivery device

Abstract

A single use cartridge 10 is disclosed for dispensing a medicament or other substance for dental, medical, or veterinarian applications. A motive fluid can contact the medicament to mix and dispense from reservoir 12, or the motive fluid can act on a plunger 21 to dispense the medicament. A handpiece 15 can sealably connect the cartridge 10 to a source of the motive fluid. The cartridge 10 can be easily replaced to facilitate the use of multiple cartridges with a single handpiece 15. An ultrasonic cleaning element 30 with a channel for fluid flow can be used in a handpiece 25 with a single use medicament cartridge 28 to dispense medicament during ultrasonic dental procedures. A cartridge 72 can contain a mixing element 70 to mix the motive fluid and abrasive particles for tooth surface polishing.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A delivery device for medicament, comprising:
 a cartridge housing a reservoir containing a unit dose of medicament;   a handpiece with a cavity removably receiving the cartridge, the handpiece including a retaining lip at a distal end thereof facilitating retention of the cartridge within the cavity;   an ultrasonic element disposed in the handpiece;   an ultrasonic tip in fluid communication with a distal end of the cartridge projecting through an opening at the distal end of the handpiece;   a source of a first motive fluid in fluid communication with a first passage in the handpiece;   a first port in the cartridge for connecting the first passage to the reservoir for supplying the first motive fluid to displace medicament from the reservoir though a channel in the ultrasonic tip;   a source of a second motive fluid in communication with a second passage in the handpiece;   a second port in the handpiece for connection to the second passage;   a flow channel through the cartridge for the second motive fluid from the second port to the tip separate from the reservoir; and   a mixing element for introducing a mixture of the first motive fluid and medicament from the reservoir into the channel.   
     
     
         14 . The delivery device of  claim 13  wherein the first motive fluid comprises a gas and the second motive fluid comprises a liquid. 
     
     
         15 . The dental delivery device of  claim 14  wherein the liquid comprises water and the gas comprises air. 
     
     
         16 . The dental delivery device of  claim 15  wherein the mixing element comprises outer and inner concentric tubes with a flow path for supplying air and medicament from the reservoir to the inner tube. 
     
     
         17 . The delivery device of  claim 15  wherein the mixing element comprises a nozzle. 
     
     
         18 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The method of dispensing a medicament with the delivery device of  claim 13  comprising the steps of:
 inserting the cartridge containing the unit dosage of medicament into the handpiece;   supplying the second motive fluid through the flow channel to the mixing element;   supplying the first motive fluid to the reservoir to displace medicament and form a first mixture of the first motive fluid and the medicament;   mixing the second motive fluid with the first mixture to form a second mixture of the medicament and the first and second motive fluids; and   discharging the second mixture from the tip.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising the step of:
 modulating the supply of the first and second motive fluids to control a rate of the displacement of the medicament.   
     
     
         29 - 33 . (canceled)