Intra-oral light therapy apparatuses and methods for their use

Abstract

In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a housing, an emitter, and an electronic circuit. The housing is configured to fit within a patient's mouth. The emitter is at least partially encased within the housing. The emitter is configured to emit an effective amount of light to the alveolar soft tissue when the housing is disposed within the mouth. The electronic circuit is operatively coupled to the emitter. The electronic circuit is configured to control the emitter when the housing is disposed within the mouth and the apparatus is in use during orthodontic treatment. The apparatus and its use for regulating tooth movement or maintaining or improving oral tissue health are disclosed herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for accelerating orthodontic movement, comprising:
 administering light therapy via an intraoral light therapy apparatus comprising a mouthpiece, the administering occurring when the mouthpiece is disposed within a mouth of a patient such that a light emitter coupled to a flange of the mouthpiece is disposed between alveolar mucosa of the patient and buccal mucosa of the patient, the light therapy being administered to a region of the alveolar mucosa that is associated with a tooth of the patient, the tooth being subjected to an applied force by an orthodontic appliance coupled to the tooth, the applied force being subjected prior to, during or subsequent to the administering, the administering comprising emitting light from the light emitter to the alveolar mucosa associated with the tooth, the light comprising a wavelength within a range of about 620 nm to about 1000 nm.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece is disposed within the mouth such that the second portion of the flange apically displaces the buccal mucosa away from the alveolar mucosa. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitter is embedded in the flange of the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece is configured to administer the light therapy to the alveolar mucosa only from the buccal side of the alveolar mucosa. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitter is lingual-facing. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intraoral light therapy apparatus is configured to initiate the administering in response to detection, by a sensor of the mouthpiece, that the mouthpiece is disposed within the mouth of the patient. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the intraoral light therapy apparatus is configured to initiate the administering in response to detection of a predetermined threshold of light reflectance from an oral tissue of the patient. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect light reflectance during the administering, and the intraoral light therapy apparatus is configured to cease the administering when the detected light reflectance is outside of a predetermined range of light reflectance values. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intraoral light therapy apparatus further comprises an orientation sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the light emitter is a first light emitter,   the intraoral light therapy apparatus further comprises a second light emitter, and   the first light emitter emits light at a first wavelength and the second light emitter emits light at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the orthodontic appliance is removable. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein orthodontic appliance is an orthodontic aligner. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength is within a range of 800 nm to 1000 nm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength is a first wavelength that is within a range of 800 nm to 900 nm and the light further comprising a second wavelength that is within a range of 600 nm to 700 nm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light is administered to maxillary or mandibular alveolar mucosa for a duration of at least two minutes. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light is administered to maxillary or mandibular alveolar mucosa for a non-zero duration not exceeding about twenty minutes. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tooth is a first tooth, and   the mouthpiece is disposed such that a bite tray of the mouthpiece contacts an occlusal surface of the first tooth or an occlusal surface of a second tooth of patient.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 disposing the mouthpiece within the mouth of the patient prior to the administering.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 positioning a locator portion of the mouthpiece between front central incisors of the patient.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the administering occurs within a range of from about one minute to about two weeks prior to or after the tooth is subjected to the applied force.