HK1161825B - Mouthpiece that adjusts to user arch sizes and seals from oxygen exposure and methods for effecting an oral treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

A bite that is manually adjusted to accommodate different sizes of upper and lower teeth in a wide range of oral cavities, and also seals the treatment area to prevent oxygen exposure.The bite includes one or more light emitters and one or more heat generators.Provide a series of parallel textured strips to guide and direct the light from the light emitter to diffuse uniformly onto the teeth to be treated.The sealing starts from the inner surface of the inwardly inclined mouthpiece, so that the sealing edge seals near the gingiva above the teeth to be treated.

Description

Dental mouthpiece and method for realizing oral treatment

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a mouthpiece containing a lamp for exposing electromagnetic radiation for oral treatment, in particular for assisting activation of an adhesive whitening gel for whitening teeth. The invention can also be used to kill harmful bacteria in the mouth by exposure to electromagnetic radiation. The mouthpiece can be manually adjusted to fit a wide range of user oral sizes, and can also seal the treatment area from oxygen exposure.

The present invention relates generally to a method of effecting oral treatment using a mouthpiece containing light emitting and heat emitting devices, and more particularly to a method of treating teeth by assisting in the activation of a gel applied to the teeth and containing a light and/or heat reactive compound. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a method for whitening teeth, a method for treating gum disease by killing harmful bacteria in the mouth, a method for desensitizing teeth, a method for freshening breath, and a method for accelerating the healing of oral pain or ulcers, all by exposing teeth, targeted soft tissues and specific gels applied thereto to light and/or heat radiation by using a mouthpiece. In the methods, the mouthpiece is designed to: manually adjusted to fit a wide range of user oral cavity sizes, and then closing the system to seal the treatment area against leakage of active ingredient (i.e., oxygen) and to adjust during oral treatment using the muscles of the mouth.

Background

Traditional tooth whitening in a dental office takes up to two hours, can be painful, and is generally expensive, and begins to degrade significantly about seven days after treatment. Professional devices using white light in the 300-. Over-the-counter products have additional drawbacks such as difficulty of use, irritation to the fingers, and the results typically take seven to ten days. Generally, there is only minimal improvement. Consumers need customizable whitening alternatives that produce similar results to initial professional whitening, but with home convenience, allowing for frequent use and more consistent whitening effect.

Tooth whitening, performed by dentists, involves the controlled use of urea or hydrogen peroxide tailored to a particular patient. The dentist can supervise the clinic treatment or the treatment at home. Prior to tooth whitening treatment, most dentists clean the teeth, fill in cavities, and ensure that the patient's gums are healthy.

Most office teeth whitening systems use 15-35% hydrogen peroxide gel, sometimes coupled with high intensity light, to accelerate the bleaching chemistry.

The procedure in the clinic includes: the dentist gently cleans the teeth using pumice and then applies a protective barrier (protective barrier) to the gums. The dentist then applies the hydrogen peroxide paste to the teeth for several minutes, rinses off the applied hydrogen peroxide paste, and typically reapplies the hydrogen peroxide paste several times. After only one 40 minute treatment, the procedure can achieve about four to six whitening contrast gradations (shades of whiting).

The system in the home will typically use a 10-20% urea hydrogen peroxide gel or up to 6-7% hydrogen peroxide, which may also contain glycerol, carbomer or urea, sodium hydroxide, water, and flavoring agents. Certain gels containing more than 10% urea hydrogen peroxide also include sodium fluoride to reduce hypersensitivity and strengthen the teeth.

To begin the home procedure, the dentist takes an impression (cast) of the mouth and then makes a soft custom mouth tray. In supervised treatment, the user places a thin strip of gel into a tray and wears it for up to two hours during the day or while sleeping. Most whitening occurs in one to two weeks. In difficult situations, it may be necessary to wear the disc for up to six weeks.

The combination of the clinic system and the in-home system can achieve up to 8 to 10 whitening contrast gradations. Such a procedure is considered safe and effective when monitored by the dentist.

The system of dentist supervision has the following advantages and disadvantages when compared to non-prescription tooth whitening products. The main advantages of the system of dentist supervision are: the dentist can determine whether tooth whitening should be performed and whether it will be effective for the patient. Patients with decayed teeth, infected gums, white spots on teeth, and multiple tooth-stained fillings or crowns (caps) on incisors may not be good candidates for tooth whitening.

The dentist can also help determine what type of tooth whitening (office, home, or both) is needed and the concentration of whitening gel. The dentist can monitor and treat patients with a history of sensitivity to whitening agents and adjust the procedure for patients who have difficulty achieving the desired therapeutic effect. Finally, the dentist can help the patient explore porcelain or resin veneers (veneer), tooth stain fillings, gum lifting and tooth reshaping, with or without tooth whitening. The cosmetic dental objectives of the patient can be more easily achieved with the aid of the dentist.

Disadvantages of the dentist-supervised whitening system include: when professional whitening is used, higher costs and longer time are required to start. Furthermore, the whitening results will start to deteriorate as early as seven days after treatment. Both office and home tooth whitening systems may cost between $300- $1,000 (sometimes higher). In most cases, the cost of the in-home system is less than that of the clinic system. With a dentist supervised system, it is possible to start from waiting. You must schedule an appointment, wait for a visit and assessment, and then receive treatment.

When there is a high frequency of using whitening agents, a safe way to reject the use of high concentrations of whitening agents that may burn gingival tissue is the best result of achieving whitening. By increasing the frequency of whitening by providing the consumer with a function for whitening at home, the deterioration of whitening can be greatly reduced or even eliminated.

It is desirable to provide a whitening method that uses a whitening device (mouthpiece) coupled with a delivery system for a whitening gel and an adhesive that holds a photosensitizer (e.g., urea or hydrogen peroxide) placed in the area to be whitened (i.e., the tooth surface). Such whitening apparatus preferably produces harmless decomposable by-products and is hygienically delivered in a single dose.

Further, it is desirable to have a whitening method that uses an adjustable whitening apparatus (mouthpiece) to accommodate the upper or lower pair of teeth of a wide range of different sized users. It is also desirable that the whitening device seals the area in the mouth to be treated to reduce oxygen exposure.

In addition, harmful bacteria (particularly, gram-negative anaerobic bacteria) that cause gum disease in the mouth are killed by exposure to oxygen and ultraviolet light. Therefore, consumers would also desire to expose such bacteria to ultraviolet light and oxygen.

With respect to the need to desensitize teeth, tooth sensitivity arises from the receding of the gums from the tooth surface, exposing the root area/surface of the tooth. These areas have dentinal tubules, which are filled with fluid originating from the vicinity of the pulp, and are easily stimulated by specific stimuli of air and low temperatures. The traditional method for desensitizing teeth consists in using a toothpaste or dentifrice containing potassium nitrate and fluoride compounds that seal the tubules to prevent irritation of the surface of the tooth root.

It would be desirable to improve the conventional methods of desensitizing teeth. Even more generally, it is desirable to improve the ability to treat teeth in various treatments by using a mouthpiece that better conforms to the patient's mouth, thereby enhancing the chemical reactions that occur on or around the teeth.

Disclosure of Invention

An aspect of the present invention is to provide an oral cavity internal whitening apparatus or mouthpiece, and a method for whitening teeth using the same, suitable for creating whitening and thermal effects to increase the reaction rate of a photosensitizer, such as urea or hydrogen peroxide gel. A person whose teeth are to be whitened can whiten his/her teeth by wearing the apparatus without a professional clinic, safely, efficiently, conveniently and economically.

The inventive intra-oral whitening apparatus (or mouthpiece) allows for convenient teeth whitening at home without the need of a dentist by safely and effectively customizing the whitening process through LED-based white light technology and one or more thermal resistors. The mouthpiece is manually adjusted in its orientation to accommodate the upper or lower pair of teeth of a wide range of different sized users, and seals the treatment area in the mouth from exposure to oxygen. The mouthpiece may also be adjusted during treatment as the mouthpiece is warmed by the presence of a heat source therein to enable the mouthpiece to be molded or shaped to the user's oral muscles (e.g., orbicularis oralis muscles).

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for exposing harmful bacteria in the oral cavity to oxygen and ultraviolet light. By carrying out the method, since harmful bacteria are killed by oxygen and ultraviolet light, the spread of gum disease caused by harmful bacteria (e.g., gram-negative anaerobic bacteria) is stopped. Furthermore, when the oxidizing compound is activated, this will have an enhancing effect on the killing of anaerobic gram-negative bacteria that produce gum disease.

In a further aspect the invention provides a method for desensitizing teeth by applying a substance comprising fluoride and/or potassium nitrate to the teeth and then using the mouthpiece to generate light and heat, thereby increasing the uptake of fluoride ions and/or potassium nitrate for sealing the dentinal tubules.

In a further aspect the invention provides a method for freshening the breath of a patient in which a freshening gel is applied to the teeth, the mouthpiece is then placed in the mouth of the patient and activated to generate light and heat, thereby activating the light and/or heat reactive compounds to kill bacteria which produce bad breath.

In a further aspect the invention provides a method for accelerating the recovery of pain or ulcers in the mouth, wherein a gel containing a compound which provides such an accelerated procedure (e.g. containing hydrogen peroxide) is applied to the teeth, and then the mouthpiece is placed in the mouth of the patient and activated to generate light and heat, thereby activating the recovery enhancing compound (i.e. the oxidising agent) in the gel, thereby accelerating the recovery of the pain or ulcer.

Other aspects of the invention include methods for achieving other oral treatments where light and/or heat needs to be applied to the teeth. Accordingly, the present invention comprises: a light and/or heat responsive gel or similar compound including the above gel is applied to the teeth, followed by placement of the mouthpiece and activation of light and/or heat generators in the mouthpiece to effect oral treatment.

Drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a dental mouthpiece according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded isometric view of the dental mouthpiece of FIG. 1;

figures 3A, 3B and 3C are top views of the dental mouthpiece of figure 1 showing how the dental mouthpiece is adjusted to open from the position reflected in figure 3A to the position reflected in figure 3B and close from the position reflected in figure 3A to the position reflected in figure 3C.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the centerline of the dental mouthpiece of figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the dental mouthpiece of figure 1 with respect to the teeth of a user.

Detailed Description

Described below is an apparatus for oral treatment, and several examples of oral treatment are explained in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the oral treatment disclosed herein and includes any oral treatment that requires the application of light and/or heat to the oral cavity (e.g., teeth and/or gums) using the device. A first preferred use of the device is for whitening teeth.

During tooth whitening treatment in a dental clinic, whitening gels are applied to teeth and protective barriers are placed on the gums, mucous membranes and lips to prevent tissue burns due to the relatively high concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the whitening gel. The leading edge of the whitening gel is placed on the tooth surface. The LED-based white light is placed a few inches from the tooth surface to help activate the radical oxygen, most of which is lost into the air. By contrast, in the present invention, a mouthpiece is provided to prevent loss of active electrons of the photosensitizer into the air by sealing or surrounding the photosensitizer (e.g., urea or hydrogen peroxide gel).

The mouthpiece holds at least one LED-based white light source, or other equivalent light source, and preferably at least one heat generator (e.g., a thermal resistor that generates heat in response to an applied electrical current). A power source, which may be remote from the mouthpiece, is electrically connected to the LED-based white light source via a wire and is in electrical contact with the heat generator via the same or a different wire. The power supply powers an LED-based white light source that produces light and a heat generator that produces heat. When the mouthpiece is in its desired position relative to the tooth surface, light impinges on the tooth surface at the front and at the edges and behind the edges.

Furthermore, a "closed system" constructed from a mouthpiece or shield that seals or surrounds (prevents exposure to air) can effectively maintain the reactive free radical oxygen species in close proximity to the teeth so that they can move to the tooth surface to destroy the pigment inside the teeth. Much lower concentrations of urea or hydrogen peroxide gel may be used than would be required to achieve similar results in an "open system" that does not seal or enclose the photosensitizer (urea or hydrogen peroxide) from exposure to the atmosphere.

Indeed, the whitening device (mouthpiece) of the present invention can be used for up to seven to ten consecutive days with little to no hypersensitivity to the teeth and gums. Such continuous seven to ten day use constitutes a higher frequency of use than that available in conventional professional whitening techniques and helps to avoid the degradation phenomena already observed in conventional whitening techniques.

Referring now to the drawings, the mouthpiece 10 is adjusted to a wide range of user arch sizes (due to the curvature of the lower or upper pair of teeth). The mouthpiece 10 also emits light and heat in a controlled and focused manner and provides a means of sealing the treatment area from exposure to oxygen.

Referring to fig. 1, mouthpiece 10 includes a biting surface 12 formed in multiple segments. The biting surface 12 is centered on the body 14 and perpendicular to the body 14, and thus extends outwardly from a central portion of the inner surface of the body 14 on one side thereof. Generally, the configuration of the biting surface 12 is: between the upper and lower arches in the user's mouth to ensure stability of the mouthpiece 10. As shown in fig. 1, the biting surface 12 is formed of three segments or separate portions to thereby enable the body 14 to flex to conform to the size of a user's mouth and to provide separate biting surface portions with different and non-overlapping configurations of adjacent biting surface portions. Three such configurations are shown in fig. 3A, 3B and 3C. The number of snap-in surface portions may be different from three in the illustrated embodiment.

Referring to fig. 2, the mouthpiece 10 is preferably formed with a clean elastomeric molded body or outer shape 14 that encapsulates a flexible circuit board 22. The deformable frame 28, which supports the circuit board 22 during manufacture, may be bent by the user to adjust the orientation of the mouthpiece 10 to provide an arch that makes the user's mouth comfortable.

A series of ultra bright Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) 24 and heat generators (i.e., heat generating resistors 26) are arranged on the flexible circuit board 22, with at least the LEDs 24 on the interior lingual side thereof. The power cord 20 is attached to the outer surface from the center and enables power to be provided to the LED 24 and the heat generating resistor 26. It will be appreciated from certain embodiments of the present invention that the flexible circuit board 22 includes only a single light emitting diode or other light generating component, and that multiple light emitting diodes are not present. Similarly, it will be appreciated from certain embodiments of the present invention that the flexible circuit board 22 includes only a single heat generator and that multiple heat generators are not present. Further, with the heat generating resistor 26 as an example of a heat generator or source internal to the mouthpiece 10, other similar components that generate heat from within the mouthpiece 10 to enable the mouthpiece 10 to warm and deform are also within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

A parallel series of textured strips 16, having surface textures configured to resemble elongated convex surfaces to transmit LED light, are formed on the lingual side of the body 14 for the purpose of spreading the LED light over the surface of the tooth being treated. According to the present invention, the textured ribbons are in the form of guided-lighting optical elements (GLO), where they guide or transport light from a source to an area of desired application where the light produces a chemical reaction for beneficial purposes. Other techniques for directing light from a source to a treatment area are also within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 3A, the area between the segmented snap-in surfaces 12 allows the device to be opened as shown in fig. 3B or closed as shown in fig. 3C.

Referring to fig. 4, the inner surface 30 of the mouthpiece 10 above the biting surface 12 is inwardly sloped at an angle of about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees, as noted by B, to seal the upper sealing edge 18 and widen the upper edge of the mouthpiece 10. Similarly, the inner surface of the mouthpiece 10 below the biting surface 12 may be inclined inwardly at an angle of about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees to seal against the lower sealing edge 18 and widen the lower edge of the mouthpiece 10. The angles for the upper and lower surfaces may be the same or different. The sealing edge 18 provides a hemmed or banded outer edge to the mouthpiece 10, the sealing edge 18 forming a seal around the mouthpiece 10 when the mouthpiece 10 is placed in a user's mouth and against the user's gums.

Referring to fig. 5, the inward slope of the inner surface 30 above the biting surface 12 allows the sealing edge 18 to contact the gum above the teeth 34. This contact provides a barrier seal to both retain the whitening gel and prevent the leakage of reactive oxygen species from the treated area of the teeth (e.g., the area treated by the whitening gel). The same effect is provided to the gums beneath the teeth by the inward sloping of the inner surface beneath the biting surface 12.

In use, the GLO technique (e.g., textured strip 16) is used to direct the light 32 emitted by the LED 24, and the textured strip 16 directs the light 32 to more uniformly illuminate the surface of the tooth 34. The texture of the textured strip 16 provides a surface that is more closely perpendicular to the light path and less reflective than the polished surface of the mouthpiece 10.

The mouthpiece 10 may be used in various methods of achieving oral treatment, typically for placing the mouthpiece against teeth to treat the teeth by whitening the teeth as described above. In a typical oral treatment, electrically activated optical transmitters (i.e., LEDs 24) and heat generators (i.e., heat generating resistors 26) are utilized. The mouthpiece 10 will be positioned in the user's mouth such that the biting surface 12 is between the upper and lower arches and the bodies 14 are between the front surfaces of the teeth and the inner surfaces of the user's lips. The optical transmitter and the heat generator are then electrically activated to effect oral treatment. To improve treatment, it is further advantageous that the user bites down on the biting surface 12 to secure the mouthpiece 10 in their mouth and only thereafter activates the optical transmitter and heat generator.

When the oral treatment is tooth whitening, the whitening gel is applied to the user's teeth before the mouthpiece 10 is positioned in the user's mouth. As described above, the inwardly sloping inner surface of the body 14 of the mouthpiece is such that the sealing rim 18, which widens the outer edge of the mouthpiece 10, provides a barrier seal to retain the whitening gel. Thus, when the whitening gel contains hydrogen peroxide, the barrier seal effectively prevents oxygen from leaking to the area of the teeth treated by the whitening gel containing hydrogen peroxide, thereby improving the teeth whitening process. Accordingly, it is desirable to position the sealing edge 18 around the outer edge of the mouthpiece 10 against the gums of the user (see fig. 5).

To further improve oral treatment, the mouthpiece is designed to be anatomically shaped for each user independently. First, the body 14 may be bent via the deformable frame 28 (see fig. 3A, 3B, and 3C). The mouthpiece 10 can then be adjusted to the user during treatment while the user bites down on the biting surface 12 because the heat-generating resistors 26 generate heat that warms up the material of the body 14 (e.g., medical grade silicone). At this point, the orbicularis muscle of the mouth applies pressure to cast or shape the current malleable body 14 to conform to the user's mouth. The bite surface 12, also formed by medical grade silicone or other comparable material, can also be molded once it has been warmed by the heating of the heat-generating resistors 26. Thereby providing the user with a custom-made mouthpiece 10. In addition to, or in place of, medical grade silicone, the biting surface 12 and body 14 may be formed from any moldable material that warms and deforms (i.e., when subjected to heat generated by the heat-generating resistors 26) and desirably retains its molded form (i.e., after the heat has terminated). Thus, the biting surface 12 and the body 14 need to have good thermoplastic properties. In this manner, the patient will shape the mouthpiece 10 to his mouth during initial use, but for subsequent use the mouthpiece 10 will retain that shape, essentially without reshaping.

The whitening method using the mouthpiece 10 has advantages over existing whitening techniques, some of which are described above. In an exemplary professional whitening procedure, the light source is positioned approximately three inches from the tooth to which the whitening gel has been applied. As a result, because the treatment area is not sealed, only the leading edge of the gel serves to whiten the teeth, while the remainder of the whitening gel decomposes into water and highly reactive oxygen species and enters the atmosphere. This type of professional procedure thus requires approximately four to twenty minutes of treatment. The result of this process is a large degree of tooth sensitivity, commonly referred to as a seizure (zinger). By contrast, use of the mouthpiece 10 in a whitening process according to the present invention is significantly more efficient, takes less time, and has fewer adverse consequences to the user, because active oxygen is prevented from leaking from the treatment area by incorporating the light emitting system and the heat generating system within the mouthpiece 10, and the presence of the rim-like and sealed rim edges 18 formed at the outer edges of the mouthpiece 10.

The mouthpiece 10 may thus be applied in a method for whitening teeth that is available in a home setting, allowing a user to whiten their teeth several times in succession over one or several days. Furthermore, lower concentrations of whitening gel (e.g., 6% -10.2% whitening hydrogen peroxide gel) may be used for these multiple treatments for more than several days in a row, as compared to a single whitening procedure in a dental office, which typically uses 18% hydrogen peroxide gel.

The mouthpiece 10 may also be used in a method of desensitizing teeth. In a method of desensitizing teeth using the mouthpiece 10, according to the present invention, a substance containing fluoride and/or potassium nitrate is applied to the teeth, then the mouthpiece 10 is placed in their mouth, and the LEDs 24 and heat-generating resistors 26 are activated. When activated by light and heat is generated by the LED 24 and heat generating resistor 26, the substance may cause an increased uptake of fluoride ions and/or potassium nitrate which act to seal the dentinal tubules in the manner described above. Fluoride and potassium nitrate are used today in toothpaste to help prevent root hypersensitivity. However, the user must brush his or her teeth with this dentifrice multiple times to see the long-term effect. The efficacy of the ingestion of these actions is greatly enhanced by the mouthpiece 10 in combination with the substance, allowing the user to see a much faster response to desensitization of the tooth root surface. The substance may be in the form of a liquid or gel, which may have thixotropic properties that allow the substance to be targeted to the exposed root surface by the light and/or heat of the mouthpiece 10.

The mouthpiece 10 may also be used in a method of accelerating the recovery of pain or ulcers in the mouth. In this method, a gel containing a compound that provides such acceleration (e.g., a gel containing hydrogen peroxide) is applied to the teeth, and then the mouthpiece 10 is placed in the mouth of the patient and activated to generate light and heat, as described above, thereby activating the recovery enhancing compound in the gel, thereby accelerating recovery of the pain or ulcer. One factor that results in accelerated recovery is better retention of the compound in the mouth, resulting from the ability of the mouthpiece 10 to warm and deform in the patient's mouth, improving the seal of the mouthpiece 10 to the patient's mouth.

The mouthpiece 10 may also be used in a method of treating gum disease. In this method, the gel is applied to the gums, the mouthpiece 10 is placed into the mouth of the patient, and activated to produce light, as described above. Harmful bacteria (particularly, gram-negative anaerobic bacteria) that produce gum disease in the mouth are killed by exposure to light and active oxygen.

The mouthpiece 10 may also be used in a method of freshening the breath of a patient. In this method, a freshening gel is applied to the teeth, then the mouthpiece is placed in the patient's mouth and activated to generate light and heat, thereby activating the light and heat reactive compounds in the gel to produce breath freshening.

While the foregoing description and drawings represent the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (11)

1. A mouthpiece, comprising:

a main body; and

a bite surface extending outwardly from the body, the body comprising:

a deformable frame configured to: bending under manual force to adjust the orientation of the body to define a configuration of the dental arch; and

at least one light emitter emitting light and at least one heat generator generating heat,

wherein the body comprises an array of the light emitters on a common plane with the biting surface, a first array of the heat generators above the array of light emitters, and a second array of the heat generators below the array of light emitters, the heat generators generating heat when activated, whereby when the mouthpiece is received in a user's mouth and the arrays are activated, the arrays expose regions of the mouth above and below the biting surface to heat and emit light, activation of the array of heat generators causing the body to be heated and thereby become malleable to allow the body to be molded to conform to the user's mouth.

2. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the deformable frame supports a flexible circuit board on which the at least one optical transmitter and the at least one heat generator are disposed.

3. The mouthpiece of claim 2, wherein the body encapsulates the flexible circuit board, the at least one optical transmitter and the at least one heat generator being on a tongue side of the flexible circuit board.

4. The mouthpiece of claim 2, further comprising: a power supply line attached to a central area of an outer facing surface of the flexible circuit board.

5. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the at least one light emitter comprises at least one light emitting diode.

6. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the deformable frame supports a flexible circuit board, the at least one optical transmitter includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, and the at least one heat generator includes a plurality of heat generating resistors arranged in an array on the flexible circuit board.

7. The mouthpiece of claim 1, further comprising: a parallel series of textured strips on the lingual side of the body to diffuse light from the light emitter to the area to be treated.

8. The mouthpiece of claim 7, wherein the mouthpiece includes a polished surface, the textured strip being arranged to: directing and directing light from the at least one light emitter to illuminate the surface of the tooth more uniformly than would otherwise be the case if the textured strip were not present, the textured strip having a surface texture that is more closely perpendicular to the path of the light than the polished surface of the mouthpiece and less reflective than the polished surface of the mouthpiece.

9. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece surface is segmented into a plurality of spatially separated segments that allow spatial flexing for the deformable frame to selectively reorient the configuration of the body between the open and closed positions.

10. The mouthpiece of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece has an inner surface that is inclined inwardly over an angle of 5-15 degrees to seal against a sealing edge that widens the edge of the mouthpiece.

11. The mouthpiece of claim 10, wherein the inner surfaces are angled inward to allow the sealing edge to contact the gums on the teeth, the contact providing a barrier seal to both retain the whitening gel and prevent oxygen from entering the area of the teeth to be treated by the whitening gel.