Patent ID: 7294364
Filing Date: 2007-11-13
Classification: A61C,A61N,B23K,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for curing a dental material comprising the steps of: obtaining a curing light that includes said power supply providing electrical current to said LED in a pulsed input format of alternating periods of generally constant intensity current input to said LED followed by periods of rest with no current input to said LED, using said pulsed electrical input to said LED to produce a light output from said LED that is in continuous wave format rather than pulsed, said light output including light of a wavelength λ, said light output departing from said curing light in a direction that has an angular orientation of from about 30 to about 150 degrees with respect to said heat sink longitudinal axis, applying said light output to a dental material to be light cured, said dental material to be cured being curable upon exposure to light of a wavelength λ, maintaining exposure of said dental material to be cured to said light output for a period of time sufficient to initiate curing of said dental material to be cured, and permitting said dental material to be cured to cure; wherein a benefit of providing pulsed electrical input to said LED is avoidance of heat buildup in said LED which would decrease intensity of light output from said LED.