Apparatus and method for curing materials with light radiation

摘要

An instrument 10 and method for curing light-curable compounds in the mouth of a patient, the instrument comprising a housing 12 and a plurality 32 of solid state, light-emitting elements 30 on a substrate 34 supported by the housing 12. The elements 30 form a collective array 32 on the substrate 34 operable for collectively emitting light having wavelengths within a narrow band of wavelengths. An optical focusing device 44 is positioned to intercept the fight emitted by the array 3-2 of elements and includes a non-imaging optical device which is operable for collimating the light from the array into a beam to be directed onto a compound for curing the compound. A disposable sleeve 50 covers the housing and array and may incorporate the optical focusing device. The sleeve 50 is removed and discarded after use to eliminate the need to autoclave the instrument.