Patent ID: 8636677

Claim:
A self-contained intraoral dental appliance for cleaning teeth, comprising: a first substantially rigid band ( 12 ) having first and second ends and configured to fit along outer surfaces of at least one entire row of teeth in a user's mouth; a second substantially rigid band ( 14 ) having first and second ends and configured to fit along inner surfaces of said one row of teeth wherein the first band fits along the outer surfaces of said one entire row of teeth when the second band fits along the inner surfaces of said one row of teeth; a motor assembly ( 20 ), including a battery ( 23 ), for driving the first and second bands; an assembly ( 22 , 24 , 28 , 34 , 40 , 44 ) connecting the motor to the first and second bands such that the first end of the first band moves through a displacement path along said one row of teeth while the second end thereof remains substantially stationary, and such that the first end of the second band moves through a displacement path along said row of teeth while the second end thereof remains substantially stationary wherein the first end of the first band and the second end of the second band are located at one side of the user's mouth and wherein the first end of the second band and the second end of the first band are located at the other side of the user's mouth when the appliance is in place in the user's mouth; and brush elements ( 16 , 18 ) attached to the bands, with such a configuration that the teeth are cleaned in operation of the appliance.