Patent ID: 7959441

Claim:
A method for providing a photoacoustic wave therapy for use in endodontic treatments of tooth interiors comprising: (a) providing a laser system; (b) providing a laser fiber optic operatively coupled to the laser system, said laser fiber optic being substantially cylindrical and untapered from adjacent a proximal end to adjacent a tip which tapers from a circumference of the laser fiber optic to an apex with a surrounding generally conical wall, defining a surrounding generally conical outer surface of said tip and further where the laser fiber optic contains a sheath extending from adjacent the proximal end of the laser fiber optic to a terminus edge thereof spaced proximally from the beginning of said tapered tip and spaced proximally from said apex of said tapered tip toward said proximal end by a distance of from about 2 mm to about 12 mm so that at least the surface of said fiber optic is uncovered over substantially the entirety of said tapered tip and over at least the portion of an outer surface of the substantially cylindrical and untapered part of said fiber optic extending from adjacent said terminus edge to the beginning of the tapered tip; (c) delivering a treatment liquid into a root canal in a tooth; (d) submerging at least the tip and the uncovered portion of the outer surface of the substantially cylindrical and untapered part of said laser fiber optic into the treatment liquid so that substantially no laser light may be emitted from the outer surface of said fiber optic into any open space above an upper surface of the liquid in the canal; (e) treating the interior of the root canal by pulsing a laser through the fiber optic so that laser light is emitted from surfaces thereof uncovered by said sheath generally omnidirectionally to create a series of photoacoustic waves which propagate from said surfaces generally omnidirectionally through the treatment liquid in the interior of the root canal and into contact with adjacent root canal wall surfaces in order to disintegrate material in the root canal, while preserving, cleaning and disinfecting reticular surfaces of the aforesaid adjacent root canal wall surfaces relative to their condition prior to treatment as aforesaid; (f) withdrawing the tip of the laser fiber optic from the treatment liquid; and (g) sealing the root canal.