REMOVAL OF DENTAL CARIES WITH HIGH SPEED WATER JET

摘要

A method and device for the high speed fluid (preferably water) jet removal of dental caries. The water jet is of a controlled upper and lower speed and pressure with a low speed and pressure being of at least 5 to 10 kpsi, sufficient to pierce and flush decayed tissue of a caries with a small beam fluid jet diameter. A pulsed or continuous fluid jet is used to remove and completely flush caries material from a tooth in a time period of under a second with a maximum stagnation pressure of about 30 kpsi, at which point healthy dentin is affected. A coherent or pseudo-coherent water jet operatin g at high stagnation pressure (range 10,000 to 20,000 psi and no more than 30 kpsi), in a brief burst (~ 1 second) and small beam diameter (30 to 100 .mu. m) will cleanly remove caries without damage to the tooth structure in particul ar the sound dentin at the boundary of the caries. No anaesthetic is accordignl y required in the abscence of a possible exposed nerve.