Patent ID: 8046861

Claim:
A hand-held power toothbrush, comprising: a hand-held handle portion; a head portion, connected to and extending from the handle portion by a stem portion, the head portion configured and adapted to be positioned within the mouth of a user for cleaning of teeth, the head portion containing a flexible diaphragm acoustic action member for creating sonic frequency acoustic wave action outwardly from the head portion, acting on fluid in a user's mouth, the head portion further including a standoff member or a line of bristles which provide a standoff between the flexible diaphragm and the teeth; and an acoustic system driver for producing energy to move the acoustic action member relative to the teeth, at a frequency in the range of 30-700 Hz, to create a sonic frequency acoustic wave off of the acoustic action member, between the acoustic action member and the teeth to be cleaned, such that when the head portion is operatively positioned in the mouth of a user, the acoustic action member moves toward and away from the teeth of the user, without contacting the teeth, wherein said movement of the acoustic action member produces a sonic frequency acoustic wave action in fluid contacting the teeth, producing an acoustic cleansing effect on the teeth.