WILLIAM BARTEL
Dentist in Scottsdale, AZ

5759032, Jun 2, 1998

Jul 24, 1996

8/685481

William B. Bartel - Scottsdale AZ

A61C 100, A61C 300

433 29

A dental curing accessory that fits on the light emitting tip of a curing light and is pressed against a photocurable material and its immediate underlying structure such as a tooth, appliance, or dental structure while the photocurable material is polymerizing. The present invention is a partially hollow tubular body having a receiving portion which fits onto the curing light tip, and also has a light permitting contact portion which contacts the photocurable material transferring pressure from the device to the photocuring site. Pressure delivered to the photocuring site through the present invention promotes intimate contact between a photocurable material and a structure to which the photocurable material is bonded or attached to, providing a stronger bond, reducing voids in the photocurable material, contouring the photocurable material against the structure resulting in a more even surfaced product requiring less finishing work, and substantially preventing the formation of an oxygen inhibited layer. The present invention may also include a reflective material positioned on or positioned within the tubular body wall for reducing the amount of light escaping from the tubular body, or alternatively, the tubular body may be made of a reflective material which does not permit an appreciable amount of light to escape the device.