Patent ID: 7074040

Claim:
A lens for use with a light-emitting device when curing a dental composition within a dental preparation, comprising: a connector body that couples or attaches to a light-emitting device so as to capture at least some of the light emitted by the light source of the light-emitting device; a light guide extending from the connector body, said light guide having a proximal end adjacent to said connector body and a distal end, the proximal end of said light guide having a cross-sectional diameter that is no larger than half the cross-sectional diameter of said connector body in order to facilitate placement of said light guide within a dental preparation during a dental restoration procedure; and a ball or substantially rounded shape at the distal end of the light guide distal, said light guide being sufficiently rigid as to enable said ball or substantially rounded shape to hold a matrix band against a tooth adjacent to a dental preparation during use.