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Dental crowns and bridges from semi-thermoplastic molding compositions having heat-stable custom shape memory

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1993-10-15
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Granted: 1995-04-04
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Expires: 2013-10-15
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Abstract

Abstract Dental crowns and bridges are made from thermoplastic molding compositions which are a mixture of thermoplastic material (for example, polycaprolactone), a free-radically polymerizable resin (for example, a urethane diacrylate oligomer), and free-radical initiator (for example, a visible-light cure photoinitiator). The mixture is solid at 38° C., has a melting or softening point that comfortably can be withstood by oral tissues, and can be imprinted with a heat-stable custom shape memory and semi-thermoplastic properties by shaping the composition to a desired shape and then causing or permitting the resin to undergo polymerization.

Inventors

  • 👤 Joel D. Oxman
  • 👤 Lani S. Kangas
  • 👤 F. Andrew Ubel, III

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 12:04
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C9/00; A61C9/0006; A61C13/00; A61C13/08; A61C13/087; A61K; A61K6/00; A61K6/80; A61K6/884; A61K6/887; A61K6/891; A61K6/893; A61K6/90; C; C08; C08L; C08L67/00; C08L67/02; C08L67/025; C08L67/04; A61C2201/00; A61C2201/007; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S522/00; Y10S522/908; Y10S528/00; Y10S528/92

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 62 words
A dental crown or bridge, said crown or bridge being formed from a homogeneous blend of a thermoplastic material, a free radically polymerizable resin, and a free-radical initiator, the blend being solid at 38° C. and having a melting or softening point at a temperature less than 75° C., the blend having semithermoplasticity and hot custom memory after the resin is polymerized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 62 words
A dental crown or bridge, said crown or bridge being formed from a homogeneous blend of a thermoplastic material, a free radically polymerizable resin, and a free-radical initiator, the blend being solid at 38° C. and having a melting or softening point at a temperature less than 75° C., the blend having semithermoplasticity and hot custom memory after the resin is polymerized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the blend has a melting or softening temperature less than about 65° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the blend has been polymerized.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 3, wherein the blend will maintain its shape at an elevated temperature sufficient to melt or soften the composition before the resin was photopolymerized.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the blend has been photopolymerized.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a polyester or a polyurethane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 16 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the polyester comprises a segmented polyester.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 82 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 7, wherein the polycaprolactone has the formula: ##STR2## where R 1 is an aromatic or a straight chain or branched aliphatic backbone, w is 1 if R 1 is hydrogen, and w otherwise has an average value from about 1 to about 4, M is oxygen or --NR 2 -- where R 2 is hydrogen or a non-interfering aromatic or aliphatic group, and the product of w times x is greater than about 35.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 16 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a polycaprolactone,
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the blend comprises an acrylate or methacrylate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 16 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the blend comprises an unsaturated amide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 19 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the blend comprises an acrylated urethane oligomer or polymer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the blend comprises an acrylated polyester oligomer or polymer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 15 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the initiator comprises a photoinitiator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 26 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material is present in major proportion and the resin is present in minor proportion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 41 words
A dental crown or bridge according to claim 1, containing up to about 90 weight percent thermoplastic material, up to about 50 weight percent polymerizable resin, up to about 10 weight percent initiator, and 0 to about 70 weight percent filler.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 64 words
A male model of a tooth or teeth, said male model being formed from a homogeneous blend of a thermoplastic material, a free radically polymerizable resin, and a free-radical initiator, the blend being solid at 38° C. and having a melting or softening point at a temperature less than 75° C., the blend having semithermoplasticity and hot custom memory after the resin is polymerized.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 64 words
A male model of a tooth or teeth, said male model being formed from a homogeneous blend of a thermoplastic material, a free radically polymerizable resin, and a free-radical initiator, the blend being solid at 38° C. and having a melting or softening point at a temperature less than 75° C., the blend having semithermoplasticity and hot custom memory after the resin is polymerized.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 109 words
A method for making a male model of a tooth or teeth, comprising the steps of: a) shaping a molten or softened molding composition comprising a homogenous blend of a thermoplastic material, a free-radically polymerizable resin, and a free-radical initiator, the blend being solid at 38° C. and having a melting or softening point that comfortably can be withstood by oral tissues to the form of a male model of a tooth or teeth, and in either order, b) cooling the composition so that it solidifies and c) causing or permitting the free-radically polymerizable resin to undergo polymerization, whereby a semi-thermoplastic male model having hot custom memory is obtained.
Claim 21
Independent Claim 109 words
A method for making a male model of a tooth or teeth, comprising the steps of: a) shaping a molten or softened molding composition comprising a homogenous blend of a thermoplastic material, a free-radically polymerizable resin, and a free-radical initiator, the blend being solid at 38° C. and having a melting or softening point that comfortably can be withstood by oral tissues to the form of a male model of a tooth or teeth, and in either order, b) cooling the composition so that it solidifies and c) causing or permitting the free-radically polymerizable resin to undergo polymerization, whereby a semi-thermoplastic male model having hot custom memory is obtained.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 9 words
The product made by the process of claim 18.
Claim 23
Independent Claim 102 words
A method for making a crown or bridge, comprising the steps of: a) shaping a molten or softened molding composition comprising a homogenous blend of a thermoplastic material, a free-radically polymerizable resin, and a free-radical initiator, the blend being solid at 38° C. and having a melting or softening point that comfortably can be withstood by oral tissues to the form of a crown or bridge, and in either order, b) cooling the composition so that it solidifies and c) causing or permitting the free-radically polymerizable resin to undergo polymerization, whereby a semi-thermoplastic crown or bridge having hot custom memory is obtained.
Claim 24
Independent Claim 102 words
A method for making a crown or bridge, comprising the steps of: a) shaping a molten or softened molding composition comprising a homogenous blend of a thermoplastic material, a free-radically polymerizable resin, and a free-radical initiator, the blend being solid at 38° C. and having a melting or softening point that comfortably can be withstood by oral tissues to the form of a crown or bridge, and in either order, b) cooling the composition so that it solidifies and c) causing or permitting the free-radically polymerizable resin to undergo polymerization, whereby a semi-thermoplastic crown or bridge having hot custom memory is obtained.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 9 words
The product made by the process of claim 20.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-04-03 1998-10-03 1999-04-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-04-03 2002-10-03 2003-04-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-04-03 2006-10-03 2007-04-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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