"DENTAL BLEACHER" The present application refers to an Invention Patent for a dental bleacher, which aims to optimize tooth's bleaching process, a worldwide technique widely-used by all dentists.

Dental bleaching is a process where patient's teeth have the tones modified, obtaining a color aiming to reach an agreeable aesthetic solution.

Such a measure is widely used, since in spite of the aesthetic standard points towards white and bright teeth, the great majority of people end up to stain them, either due to smoking or to coffee consumption, etc.

Considering that such a standard is not recent, since clear and healthy teeth always have been representative of a good health, several methods have been developed in search of the bleaching.

Bleaching occurs through discoloring of dental tissue, due to action of the free radical Oxygen-0++, which is released from the transformation of H0202 = H20 + O++. Heat is the catalyst agent of the release reaction of free radical Oxygen-0++, which should introduced slowly and gradually, aiming to control the amount of released 0++.

Some professional have opted to use self-exciting chemical agents, which require no light source for catalyzing.

However, the advantage to use the latter is circumstantial, since it treats of prolonged and highly harmful processes to the soft tissues around the teeth.

Also, infrared-catalyzed chemical agents are used, containing doping agents which are photosensitive to a wavelength between 800 and 1000 nm, thereby capturing and absorbing heat generated by radiation located within this range. Lasers are used in this option; however, perhaps due to the fact that they do not control the release of free radical

Oxygen-O++ in a suitable manner, or because they reach directly the pulp, such a solution has caused a great index of dental hypersensitivity.

Finally, there are the blue light-catalyzed chemical agents, where the wavelength is between 455 and 510nm, which is recognizably more effective, since heat necessary to O++ release reaction is generated in a gradual and homogeneous manner.

The process is developed through the capture of blue light by the doping agent, which in turn releases this energy captured in the form of heat to the immerged means.

As an optimization to such a process, small amounts of heat can be directly introduced through thermal energy sources.

Equipment presently used in this process are argon lasers with irradiance between 200 and 250 mW/cm2, or further an equipment provided with halogen lamp or plasma arc.

In facing problems experienced and aiming to improve a worldwide accepted process, the inventor of the object illustrated and set forth in this Invention Patent created a fully innovative equipment which uses hybrid light generating technology, by optimizing and shortening the bleaching process.

With the use of several blue and infrared light generating elements, composed in such a way that the process can be developed over all teeth at the same time, or in worst case, per dental arch.

The advantage concerning patient's time of exposition to light is evident, because in the other processes requiring luminous energy catalyzing, the work is developed on a tooth by tooth basis, or at most in a tooth group each time. Then, an incontestable gain of productivity on the part of the professional and a greater preservation of his patient'physical

integrity will be noted.

Following, the object now treated will be explained in all of its detail, duly illustrated by the following accompanying figures, where Figure 1 is a cross-section of the dental bleacher now treated; Figure 2 is a view of the arrangement of light generating elements; and Figure 3 is a variant view of bleacher of figure 1 and 2.

The dental bleacher 1 is composed of an arrangement of light generating sources 2 where, at the center, the elements responsible for direct heat generation 3 are allocated, which can be LEDs (light emitting diodes), with wavelength between 800 and 1200 nm, laser diode with wavelength also between 800 and 1.200 nm, or halogen lamp with wavelength between 400 and 9.000 nm, the elements responsible for blue light 4 being located at the bottom and upper part, as well as LED's with wavelength between 460 and 490nm.

Arrangement of light generating elements is configured by several columns of emitters, on a side by side arrangement, as it can be easily seen from Fig. 2, covering the extension of the area to be submitted to the treatment process.

Dental bleacher 1 presents a bed where anatomic-shaped light generating elements (6) are arranged, which perfectly fits into dental arc, and the proposed equipment can further be of"estative", mask or hand.

In those cases where the user opts to use a hand appliance, he will count on a fully ergonomic handle 5 which facilitates both the handling and the application.

Electric power consumption is dramatically reduced, since in the other processes we have a 2.000 W consumption and with the appliance of the present invention the consumption is

just 100 watts. Operating time reduction is seven to one, which enables an economy of about 0.3 kWh per patient.

Optionally, and according to the constructivity described herein, light generating groups 2 can be driven in individual groups, thereby allowing, whenever required, a specific use of equipment structure areas.

Another characteristic of the present patent which can be optionally implemented refers to the fact that physical arrangement of light generating elements as represented in Figure 1 can follow a differentiated arrangement, where the individual use of one of the light generating blocks is provided, such as that represented in figure 3.

Within such a context, the present Invention Patent further provides that both light generating sources 2 and the elements responsible for direct heat generation 3 can be driven in an independent manner.

Another characteristic of the present Invention Patent further provides the fact that the dental bleaching device can use elements responsible for generating lights with color other than blue.

Finally, such a celerity, as mentioned above, will be responsible for the greater care with patient's physical integrity, since the shorter the time of exposition, the smaller the possibility of post- treatment hypersensitivity occurrence.

In Figure 3, the equipment 1 presents an arrangement corresponding to the center region of the equipment as illustrated in figures 1 and 2.

Thus, in the example of the equipment as per figure 3, there are provided light generating sources 2, where at the center thereof at least one element responsible for direct heat generation 3 is

allocated, which can be LEDs with wavelength between 800 and 1.200 nm, laser diode with wavelength also between 800 and 1.200 nm, or a halogen lamp emitting wavelength between 400 and 9.000 nm, the elements responsible for blue light 4, which are LED's with wavelength between 460 and 490nm, being located at the bottom and upper part.

It should be pointed out that for the modality illustrated in figures 1,2 and 3, of the present Invention Patent, there is no restriction or exclusivity to use of blue light generating LEDs.

Finally, both in the equipment model of figures 1 and 2, and also in the variant illustrated in figure 3, such a celerity, as mentioned above, will be further responsible for the greater care with patient's physical integrity, since the shorter the time of exposition, the smaller the possibility of post-treatment hypersensitivity occurrence.