Apparatus and methods for cleaning teeth and root canals

1. An apparatus for treating a tooth, the apparatus comprising:

a chamber having an access port which places the chamber in fluid communication with a treatment region of the tooth when the chamber is coupled to the tooth, the access port having a central axis;

a fluid motion generator being arranged to generate rotational fluid motion in the chamber; and

a suction port having a distal-most plane exposed to the chamber on a side of the chamber opposite of the access port, and being disposed relative to the access port such that the central axis of the access port passes through the suction port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the suction port is symmetric about the central axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a center of the suction port lies on the central axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid motion generator generates a swirling influent fluid path around the central axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is configured to draw outgoing fluid from the treatment region to the suction port in a path that flows inside the swirling influent fluid path with a suction force applied to the suction port.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the suction port is smaller than the access port.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid motion generator is disposed on a side wall of the chamber and is oriented to direct liquid in a flow direction that lies generally transverse to the central axis of the access port.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the flow direction is generally tangent to a wall of the chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the suction port is disposed on a top wall of the chamber that opposes the access port.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises a distal portion that defines the access port, the distal portion being sized and shaped to be inserted into an access opening of the tooth, and tapering distally towards the central axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid motion generator comprises a liquid jet device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one vent disposed downstream of the suction port such that the suction port lies between the chamber and the vent along an outlet passage that extends from the suction port.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each vent is disposed along the outlet passage and is angled towards the direction of fluid outflow in the outlet passage.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a handpiece and a tooth coupler at a distal portion of the handpiece, the chamber being disposed within the tooth coupler.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a sealing member extending from the tooth coupler, the sealing member being configured to seal the treatment region.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a console to be in fluid communication with the chamber, the console comprising one or more pumps to drive fluid to and aspirate fluid from the chamber.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter or major dimension of the access port is in a range of about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm.

18. An apparatus for treating a tooth, the apparatus comprising:

a chamber having a distal portion defining an access port that places the chamber in fluid communication with a treatment region of the tooth when the chamber is coupled to the tooth, the access port having a central axis;

a fluid motion generator coupled to the chamber, the fluid motion generator configured to generate rotational fluid motion in the chamber; and

a suction port having a distal-most plane exposed to the chamber and communicating with the chamber to remove fluid from the chamber and the treatment region,

wherein the distal portion is sized and shaped to be inserted into an access opening of the tooth, the distal portion tapering distally towards the central axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein an inner surface of the distal portion tapers distally towards the central axis.

20. An apparatus for treating a tooth, the apparatus comprising:

a chamber having an access port which places the chamber in fluid communication with a treatment region of the tooth when the chamber is coupled to tooth, the access port comprising a central axis;

a fluid motion generator coupled to the chamber, the fluid motion generator configured to generate a swirling influent fluid path around the central axis; and

a suction port having a distal-most plane exposed to the chamber and configured to remove fluid from the treatment region and the chamber,

wherein the apparatus is configured to draw outgoing fluid from the treatment region to the suction port in a path that flows inside the swirling influent fluid path with a suction force applied to the suction port.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the central axis of the access port passes through the suction port.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the suction port is symmetric about the central axis.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the suction port is disposed at or near a center of a top wall of the chamber.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the central axis lies generally perpendicular to the suction port.

25. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the suction port is smaller than the access port.

26. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the fluid motion generator is disposed on a side wall of the chamber and is oriented to direct liquid in a flow direction that lies generally transverse to the central axis of the access port.

27. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the fluid motion generator comprises a liquid jet device.

28. The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising at least one vent disposed downstream of the suction port such that the suction port lies between the chamber and the vent along an outlet passage that extends from the suction port.