Device for delivering medicinal implants

1. A device for inserting a medicament within a body cavity of a mammal, said device comprising:

a cartridge for containing said medicament therein, said cartridge comprising,

a housing comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion,

a retractable chamber disposed within said housing, said retractable chamber comprising an internal surface, an external surface and a lumen defined by said internal surface,

a substantially stationary member disposed within said lumen of said retractable chamber, said substantially stationary member having a uniform cross-section sized to provide a sliding fit within said lumen to provide for retraction of said retractable chamber about said substantially stationary member upon actuation of said device; and

means for retracting said retractable chamber about said substantially stationary member while maintaining said substantially stationary member in a substantially stationary position upon actuation of said device; and

an actuator for placing said device in operation, said actuator comprising,

means for activating said means for retracting said retractable chamber; and

a handle case comprising a distal portion comprising means for attaching said actuator to said cartridge,

wherein said proximal portion of said housing comprises means for connecting said cartridge to said actuator, and wherein said proximal portion of said housing is connected to said distal portion of said handle case, whereby said cartridge and said actuator are connected in operational engagement.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a distal tip of said retractable chamber has a uniform external cross-section sized to fit within said body cavity.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for retracting said retractable chamber comprises a spring disposed about said retractable chamber for retracting said retractable chamber about said substantially stationary member.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising said medicament disposed within said chamber.

5. The device of claim 4 comprising multiple doses of said medicament.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein said medicament comprises a dry microparticle composition.

7. The device of claim 4 wherein said medicament is selected from the group consisting of antibacterials, antibiotics, antifungal agents, anti-inflammatory agents, immunosuppressive agents, immunostimulatory agents, dentinal desensitizers, odor masking agents, immune reagents, anesthetics, antiseptics, nutritional agents, antioxidants, lipopolysaccharide complexing agents, peroxides and growth factors.

8. The device of claim 4 wherein said medicament is selected from the group consisting of doxycycline, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of doxycycline, hydrates of doxycycline, hydrates of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of doxycycline, minocycline, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of minocycline, hydrates of minocycline and hydrates of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of minocycline.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said cavity is a periodontal pocket of said mammal.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein said cavity is a periodontal pocket of said mammal.

11. The device of claim 1 comprising means for creating a linear motion effective to provide for retraction of said retractable chamber about said substantially stationary member upon activation of said device.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said linear motion is in a distal to proximal direction with respect to said device.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for attaching said actuator to said cartridge located at said distal portion of said handle case comprises a tube tip comprising an undercut on its inner surface.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said means for attaching said actuator to said cartridge located at said distal portion of said handle case comprises a tube tip comprising an undercut on its inner surface.

15. A device for inserting a medicament within a body cavity of a mammal, said device comprising:

a cartridge for containing said medicament therein, said cartridge comprising,

a housing comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion,

a retractable chamber disposed within said housing, said retractable chamber comprising an internal surface, an external surface and a lumen defined by said internal surface,

a substantially stationary member disposed within said lumen of said retractable chamber, said substantially stationary member having a uniform cross-section sized to provide a sliding fit within said lumen to provide for retraction of said retractable chamber about said substantially stationary member upon actuation of said device; and

a spring disposed about said retractable chamber for retracting said retractable chamber about said substantially stationary member while maintaining said substantially stationary member in a substantially stationary position upon actuation of said device; and

an actuator for placing said device in operation, said actuator comprising,

means for retracting said spring disposed about said retractable chamber about said substantially stationary member while maintaining said substantially stationary member in a substantially stationary position upon actuation of said device; and

a handle case comprising and a tube tip located at a distal portion of said handle case, said tube tip comprising an undercut on its inner surface for attaching said actuator to said cartridge,

wherein said proximal portion of said housing comprises flanges for engaging said undercut of said tube tip for connecting said cartridge to said actuator, and wherein said proximal portion of said housing is connected to said distal portion of said handle case, whereby said cartridge and said actuator are connected in operational engagement.