US 12,213,731 B2
Dental and medical treatments and procedures
Enrico E. DiVito, Scottsdale, AZ (US); Douglas L. Glover, Phoenix, AZ (US); Kemmons A. Tubbs, Mesa, AZ (US); and Mark P. Colonna, Whitefish, MT (US)
Assigned to Pipstek, LLC, Laguna Hills, CA (US)
Filed by PIPSTEK, LLC, Laguna Hills, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 10, 2014, as Appl. No. 14/537,742.
Application 14/537,742 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/077,880, filed on Nov. 12, 2013, abandoned.
Application 14/077,880 is a continuation of application No. 13/633,096, filed on Oct. 1, 2012, abandoned.
Application 13/633,096 is a continuation of application No. 12/875,565, filed on Sep. 3, 2010, abandoned.
Application 12/875,565 is a continuation in part of application No. 12/395,643, filed on Feb. 28, 2009, granted, now 7,980,854.
Application 12/395,643 is a continuation in part of application No. 11/895,404, filed on Aug. 24, 2007, abandoned.
Application 12/875,565 is a continuation in part of application No. 11/895,404, filed on Aug. 24, 2007, abandoned.
Application 11/895,404 is a continuation in part of application No. 11/704,655, filed on Feb. 9, 2007, granted, now 7,959,441.
Application 12/395,643 is a continuation in part of application No. 11/704,655, filed on Feb. 9, 2007, granted, now 7,959,441.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/840,282, filed on Aug. 24, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2017/0027646 A1, Feb. 2, 2017
Prior Publication US 2018/0008347 A9, Jan. 11, 2018
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 18/26 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01); A61C 1/00 (2006.01); A61C 5/40 (2017.01); A61N 5/06 (2006.01); A61N 5/067 (2006.01); A61N 7/02 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 18/26 (2013.01) [A61C 1/0046 (2013.01); A61C 5/40 (2017.02); A61N 5/0624 (2013.01); A61N 7/022 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00565 (2013.01); A61B 2018/263 (2013.01); A61N 2005/0606 (2013.01); A61N 2005/0631 (2013.01); A61N 5/067 (2021.08)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for treating a root canal in a tooth, the method comprising:
providing a liquid to a treatment region of the tooth including an infected or decaying portion;
submerging a conical application tip of an elongate optical fiber in the liquid;
operating a laser source to generate a laser light beam and transmit the laser light beam along the elongate optical fiber to the submerged conical application tip; and
irradiating the liquid in the tooth using the laser light beam to clean the treatment region of the tooth via a photoacoustic effect while the conical application tip is submerged in the liquid, the conical application tip directing at least a portion of the laser light beam laterally outwardly into the treatment liquid, the laser light beam emanating from the conical application tip having sufficient power to create photoacoustic waves in the liquid of sufficient vibrational energy to remove at least organic material from a portion of a wall of the root canal.