Dental treatment devices

Abstract

Dental treatment trays or strips include a moisture-resistant barrier layer that is flexible so as to conform to a plurality of differently-sized and shaped dental arches during use. The moisture-resistant barrier layer comprised of wax, paraffin wax and/or polyolefin. The dental treatment device also includes a substantially solid dental treatment composition adapted so as to be initially substantially dry to the touch and so as to become sticky and adhesive to dental tissue when moistened. The substantially solid dental treatment composition includes at least one adhesive agent and at least one active agent, such as a dental bleaching agent.

1 . A dental treatment device for use in applying a dental treatment composition to a person's teeth and/or gums, comprising:
 a moisture-resistant barrier layer comprised of a blend of wax and a polymeric material; and   a substantially solid dental treatment composition disposed adjacent to the moisture-resistant barrier layer and comprising at least one adhesive agent and at least one active agent, the substantially solid dental treatment composition being substantially dry to the touch or less adhesive prior to being moistened with saliva or water adapted to become more sticky and adhesive when moistened with saliva or water.   
     
     
         2 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer is a strip. 
     
     
         3 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the strip is flexible so as to wrap around a person's teeth and assume a tray shape when worn over the person's teeth during use. 
     
     
         4 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer is tray shaped. 
     
     
         5 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer comprises a blend of paraffin wax and a polyolefin. 
     
     
         6 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer comprises a blend of paraffin wax and polyethylene. 
     
     
         7 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer comprises a blend of paraffin wax and polypropylene. 
     
     
         8 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer further comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of plasticizers, flow additives, and fillers. 
     
     
         9 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the dental treatment composition comprises a dental bleaching agent. 
     
     
         10 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one adhesive agent is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl pyrrolidone and carboxymethylcellulose. 
     
     
         11 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer further comprises a bleaching agent destabilizer compounded with and/or disposed on the inner treatment surface of the barrier layer. 
     
     
         12 . A dental treatment device for use in applying a dental treatment composition to a person's teeth and/or gums, comprising:
 a moisture-resistant barrier layer comprised of a blend of paraffin wax and a polymeric material, wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer is a flexible strip adapted as to wrap around a person's teeth and assume a tray shape when worn over the person's teeth during use; and   a substantially solid dental treatment composition disposed adjacent to the moisture-resistant barrier layer and comprising at least one adhesive agent and at least one active agent, the substantially solid dental treatment composition being substantially dry to the touch or less adhesive prior to being moistened with saliva or water adapted to become more sticky and adhesive when moistened with saliva or water.   
     
     
         13 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a polyolefin. 
     
     
         14 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the polyolefin comprises polyethylene. 
     
     
         15 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the polyolefin comprises polypropylene. 
     
     
         16 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer further comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of plasticizers, flow additives, and fillers. 
     
     
         17 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the dental treatment composition comprises a dental bleaching agent. 
     
     
         18 . A dental bleaching device for use in applying a dental treatment composition to a person's teeth and/or gums, comprising:
 a moisture-resistant barrier layer comprised of a blend of wax and a polymeric material, wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer is a flexible tray-like body adapted so as to wrap around a person's teeth when worn; and   a substantially solid dental treatment composition disposed adjacent to the moisture-resistant barrier layer and comprising at least one adhesive agent and at least one dental bleaching agent, the substantially solid dental treatment composition being substantially dry to the touch or less adhesive prior to being moistened with saliva or water adapted to become more sticky and adhesive when moistened with saliva or water.   
     
     
         19 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer comprises a blend of paraffin wax and a polyolefin. 
     
     
         20 . A dental treatment device as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the moisture-resistant barrier layer further comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of plasticizers, flow additives, and fillers.