Patent ID: 11918432
Assignee: SONENDO, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus for treating a tooth, the apparatus comprising:
an enclosure having a mounting surface configured to be positioned against a tooth surface over a treatment region of the tooth, the enclosure configured to define a chamber to be filled with a liquid when the enclosure is positioned against the tooth; and
a pressure wave generator coupled with the enclosure, the pressure wave generator configured to direct a coherent, collimated energy beam through the liquid, the coherent, collimated energy beam comprising a liquid jet,
wherein, when the coherent, collimated energy beam passes through the liquid, the coherent, collimated energy beam generates pressure waves that propagate through the liquid, the apparatus configured such that the generated pressure waves create at least some cavitation in the liquid, the generated pressure waves having sufficient energy to clean the treatment region, and
wherein the pressure wave generator comprises a liquid jet device, the liquid jet device comprising a liquid pressurization portion which pressurizes the liquid and a liquid beam forming portion in fluid communication with the pressurization portion, the beam forming portion comprising an orifice that receives the pressurized liquid, the orifice sized and shaped to convert the pressurized liquid into the liquid jet.