Coloration of dental restorations

Claim 1

A method of effecting the coloration of a restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: (a) incorporating into a dental composite which comprises a material selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methyacrylate monomer a coloration agent whose color changes when subject to the application of heat; (b) manufacturing said restoration from said dental composite without the application of heat; and (c) subjecting to repeated successive exposures at least a portion of said restoration to heat in a plurality of steps while placing said restoration on said tooth between each successive exposure of heat until the color of said restoration matches accurately a pre-selected color, followed by mounting said restoration.

Claim 2

A method of effecting the coloration of a restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: (a) incorporating into a dental composite which comprises a material selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methyacrylate monomer a coloration agent whose color changes when subject to the application of heat; (b) manufacturing said restoration from said dental composite without the application of heat; and (c) subjecting to repeated successive exposures at least a portion of said restoration to heat in a plurality of steps while placing said restoration on said tooth between each successive exposure of heat until the color of said restoration matches accurately a pre-selected color, followed by mounting said restoration.

Claim 8

A method of effecting the coloration of a restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a polymerizable mixture from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent selected from the class of materials which change color upon the application of heat, said polymerizable mixture selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methacrylate monomer; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration without the application of heat; c. polymerizing without the application of heat said mixture using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and d. subjecting to repeated successive exposures at least a portion of said restoration to heat in a plurality of steps while placing said restoration on said tooth between each successive exposure of heat until the color of said restoration matches accurately a pre-selected color followed by mounting said restoration permanently in place.

Claim 9

A method of effecting the coloration of a restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a polymerizable mixture from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent selected from the class of materials which change color upon the application of heat, said polymerizable mixture selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methacrylate monomer; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration without the application of heat; c. polymerizing without the application of heat said mixture using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and d. subjecting to repeated successive exposures at least a portion of said restoration to heat in a plurality of steps while placing said restoration on said tooth between each successive exposure of heat until the color of said restoration matches accurately a pre-selected color followed by mounting said restoration permanently in place.

Claim 12

A method of effecting the coloration of a dental restoration comprising the steps of: (a) incorporating into a polymerizable mixture from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent consisting of micro-pulverized crystalline sugar in an amount sufficient to cause a change in color upon the application of heat, said polymerizable mixture selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methacrylate monomer; (b) shaping said mixture into said restoration; (c) polymerizing said mixture using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and (d) subjecting at least a portion of said restoration to sufficient heat for a sufficient length of time to change the color of said restoration to match accurately a pre-selected color.

Claim 13

A method of effecting the coloration of a dental restoration comprising the steps of: (a) incorporating into a polymerizable mixture from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent consisting of micro-pulverized crystalline sugar in an amount sufficient to cause a change in color upon the application of heat, said polymerizable mixture selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methacrylate monomer; (b) shaping said mixture into said restoration; (c) polymerizing said mixture using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and (d) subjecting at least a portion of said restoration to sufficient heat for a sufficient length of time to change the color of said restoration to match accurately a pre-selected color.

Claim 15

A method of effecting the coloration of a dental restoration comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a polymerizable mixture from which the restoration is manufactured a trace amount of a coloration agent which is sufficient to change color upon the application of heat, said coloration agent consisting of a mixture of micro pulverized crystalline sugar and anhydrous copper sulfate in about equal volumes, said polymerizable mixture selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methacrylate monomer; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration; c. polymerizing said mixture using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and d. subjecting at least a portion of said restoration to sufficient heat for a sufficient length of time to change the color of said restoration to match accurately a pre-selected color.

Claim 16

A method of effecting the coloration of a dental restoration comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a polymerizable mixture from which the restoration is manufactured a trace amount of a coloration agent which is sufficient to change color upon the application of heat, said coloration agent consisting of a mixture of micro pulverized crystalline sugar and anhydrous copper sulfate in about equal volumes, said polymerizable mixture selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methacrylate monomer; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration; c. polymerizing said mixture using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and d. subjecting at least a portion of said restoration to sufficient heat for a sufficient length of time to change the color of said restoration to match accurately a pre-selected color.

Claim 17

The method of effecting the coloration of a restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a polymerizable mixture from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent consisting of micro-pulverized crystalline sugar, said polymerizable mixture selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methacrylate monomer; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration; c. polymerizing said mixture using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and d. subjecting at least a portion of said restoration to heat in a plurality of steps while placing said restoration on said tooth between each application of heat until the color of said restoration matches accurately a pre-selected color followed by mounting said restoration permanently in place.

Claim 18

The method of effecting the coloration of a restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a polymerizable mixture from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent consisting of micro-pulverized crystalline sugar, said polymerizable mixture selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methacrylate monomer; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration; c. polymerizing said mixture using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and d. subjecting at least a portion of said restoration to heat in a plurality of steps while placing said restoration on said tooth between each application of heat until the color of said restoration matches accurately a pre-selected color followed by mounting said restoration permanently in place.

Claim 20

The method of effecting the coloration of a restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a polymerizable mixture from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent consisting of a mixture of micro pulverized crystalline sugar and anhydrous copper sulfate in about equal volumes in a trace amount, said polymerizable mixture selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methacrylate monomer; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration; c. polymerizing said mixture using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and d. subjecting at least a portion of said restoration to heat in a plurality of steps while placing said restoration on said tooth between each application of heat until the color of said restoration matches accurately a pre-selected color followed by mounting said restoration permanently in place.

Claim 21

The method of effecting the coloration of a restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a polymerizable mixture from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent consisting of a mixture of micro pulverized crystalline sugar and anhydrous copper sulfate in about equal volumes in a trace amount, said polymerizable mixture selected from the group consisting of dimethacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate, and polyurethane mixed with a methacrylate monomer; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration; c. polymerizing said mixture using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and d. subjecting at least a portion of said restoration to heat in a plurality of steps while placing said restoration on said tooth between each application of heat until the color of said restoration matches accurately a pre-selected color followed by mounting said restoration permanently in place.

Claim 22

The method of effecting the coloration of a polymerizable dental restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a dental composite comprising an unsaturated polymerizable monomer from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent selected from the class of materials which change color upon the application of heat; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration; c. polymerizing said mixture without the application of said heat using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and d. subjecting to repeated successive exposures at least a portion of said restoration to said heat in a plurality of steps while said restoration is on said tooth until the color of said restoration matches accurately the color of an adjacent tooth followed by mounting said restoration permanently in place.

Claim 23

The method of effecting the coloration of a polymerizable dental restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a dental composite comprising an unsaturated polymerizable monomer from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent selected from the class of materials which change color upon the application of heat; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration; c. polymerizing said mixture without the application of said heat using a polymerizing agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; and d. subjecting to repeated successive exposures at least a portion of said restoration to said heat in a plurality of steps while said restoration is on said tooth until the color of said restoration matches accurately the color of an adjacent tooth followed by mounting said restoration permanently in place.

Claim 24

The method of effecting the coloration of a dental restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a polymerizable dental restorative material containing an unsaturated polymerizable monomer from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent selected from the class of materials which change color upon the application of heat; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration; c. curing said mixture using an agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; d. subjecting said restoration after curing to repeated successive exposures of said heat in a plurality of steps until the color of said restoration matches accurately a preselected color; and e. mounting said restoration permanently in place on said tooth.

Claim 25

The method of effecting the coloration of a dental restoration to be mounted on a tooth comprising the steps of: a. incorporating into a polymerizable dental restorative material containing an unsaturated polymerizable monomer from which the restoration is manufactured a coloration agent selected from the class of materials which change color upon the application of heat; b. shaping said mixture into said restoration; c. curing said mixture using an agent which does not affect the color of said coloration agent; d. subjecting said restoration after curing to repeated successive exposures of said heat in a plurality of steps until the color of said restoration matches accurately a preselected color; and e. mounting said restoration permanently in place on said tooth.