DENTAL MATERIALS AND PROCESS UTILIZING GLASS FIBER

Abstract: The composite resin reinforcement system for use in dental operations provides improved strength by the use of etched glass fiber material which is then silanated with an organo-functional silane and utilized in a composite resin (18) in the dental operation. The glass fiber material may by uniform (10) or random mesh (12), rope (14), thread or other suitable shapes. The etched silanated glass fiber material is utilized in the composite resin (18) for restoring and/or splinting teeth.

Description: Dental Materials And Process Utilizing Glass Fiber BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement in the field of prosthetic dentistry and more particular¬ ly to the field of restorative and splinting operations in the field of dentistry using various resins. Use of various composite resins in dentistry to restore one or more teeth and to improve the cosmetic appearance of the teeth has been known for some time and has been finding greater use in dentistry. However, the use of composite resins, such as macrofills and microfills in dentistry have had some drawbacks such as an inability to handle stress in particular cases, for example such as in cantilevering and in the case of bruxers. However, recently, an attempt has been made to eliminate the shortcomings of the use of composite resins by reinforcing the composite resin with a silk fabric. See Golub, The Silk Wrap Technique For Composite Bonding, The New York State Dental Journal, May 1987, Volume 53, No. 5, pp. 28- 29, and U.S. patents 4,728,291-Golub and 4,799,888-Golub. However, applicant herein has invented a new and improved composite resin reinforcement system for use in dental operations which provides improved strength characteristics. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly and basically, in accordance with the present invention, applicant has invented a new and improved means for reinforcing composite resin systems for restoring and/or splinting teeth which utilizes an etched glass fiber material which is treated with an organo-functional silane. The etched glass fiber material is preferably etched with an acid such as hydrofluoric acid or 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride, although any other suitable etchant may be utilized which will be effective in etching glass and particularly glass fiber material. The glass fiber material may preferably be a uniform mesh, a random mesh or a rope or thread type material which may be utilized in dental operations as described hereinafter. Of course, other suitable forms of glass fiber material may be utilized in the particu¬ lar dental application. Such glass fiber products are commercially available under the FIBERGLAS trademark of Owens-Corning Corp. as well as from others. Any of a number of organo-functional silanes may be utilized to act as coupling agents between the glass fiber material and the composite resin. The formation of a chemical bridge between the coupling agents and a glass substrate requires both a reactive silane and a reactive site on the glass surface. In fiber glass reinforcement, the reactive sites are the silanols on the glass surface. The silane coupling agents react with these surface silanols through hydrolyzable groups bonded to the silicon atom of the coupling agent molecule. These reactive groups can be -OH, -Cl, -OR, -OAc or -NR 2 - Some of the organo-functional silanes which may be utilized in practicing the invention include Vinyltrichlorosilane, Vinyltriethoxyεilane, Vinvl-tris(beta-methoxvethoxv)silane, qamma- Methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, beta-(3,4 - Epoxycyclohexyl)-ethyltrimethoxysilane, qamma- Glycidoxypropyltri ethoxyεilane, gamma-Aminopropyltri- ethoxyεilane, and N-beta-(aminoethyl)-gamma-aminopropyl- trimethoxysilane, as well as various commercially ' * • — - - <- — — available silane coupling agents sold primarily to dentists under various trademarks. In accordance with the present invention, the process of the present invention may be carried out for restoring or stabilizing one or more teeth comprising the steps of etching a material comprised of a glass fiber with an etchant, applying an organo-functional silane to the etched material and reconstructing or stabilizing one or more teeth utilizing the etched silanated glass fiber embedded in a resin. The resin may be any one of the various composite resins well known in the art of dentistry as selected by the dentist. As described above, the etching is commonly done by hydrofluoric acid or 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride, which is also believed to perform the etching through the formation of hydrofluoric acid. As described more fully hereinafter, various types of mesh or woven thread or rope may be utilized to reconstruct tooth surfaces, reconstruct missing teeth, create bridges, enable orthodontic applications and/or perform various types of splinting, including post ortho¬ dontic. For example, in some cases a glass fiber mesh or rope embedded in a resin may be utilized to create a periodontal splint. Such splinting may be done by embedding the etched glass fiber material in a resin along the surface of the teeth or by creating a channel in the enamel of a series of teeth through which the glass fiber rope is embedded with the composite resin. In other cases, a missing tooth may be replaced by utilizing an etched silanated glass rope embedded in the teeth adjacent to the space of the missing tooth, which etched silanated glass fiber rope may be either straight or curved, and which is then utilized as the base on which a tooth replica may be formed from a composite resin by appropriate shaping. Such creation of a missing tooth may be either in the anterior or posterior portion of the mouth and such periodontal splinting may be performed in the anterior or posterior portion of the mouth between teeth not requiring such periodontal splinting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrange¬ ments and instrumentalities shown. Figure 1 is a plan view of a uniform mesh comprised of glass fiber material which may be utilized in practicing the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view of a random mesh comprised of glass fiber material which may be utilized in practicing the present invention. Figure 3 is a plan view of a woven thread or rope comprised of glass fiber material which may be utilized in practicing the present invention. Figure 4 is an elevation view of periodontal splinting utilizing glass fiber uniform mesh applied to mandibular anterior teeth illustrating one of many possible uses of the present invention in the practice of dentistry. Figure 5 is an elevation view of periodontal splinting utilizing glass fiber random mesh applied to mandibular anterior teeth illustrating one of many possible uses of the present invention in the practice of dentistry. Figure 6 is a view in perspective of periodontal splinting utilizing glass fiber rope applied to posterior teeth illustrating one of many possible uses of the present invention in the practice of dentistry. Figureε 7, 8 and 9 are views in elevation of stepε in the proceεε of a posterior tooth replacement utilizing a glasε fiber rope as an illustration of another possible use in dentistry of the present invention. Figures 10 and 11 are elevation views of maxillary anterior teeth illustrating stepε in a tooth replacement utilizing a uniform glass fiber mesh in accordance with the present invention and illustrating another posεible uεe wherein Figure 10 iε a lingual view and Figure 11 iε a labial view. Figure 12 iε an elevation view of maxillary anterior teeth utilizing glaεs fiber rope in ortho¬ dontic retention and post treatment stabilization to illustrate another possible one of many uses of the present invention in dentistry. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is directed to a new improved meanε and method for reinforcing composite resin systemε for reεtoring and/or εplinting teeth which utilizeε glaεε fiber material, εo etimeε referred to aε FIBERGLAS, which iε a trademark of Owenε Corning Corp. In accordance with the present invention, the glasε fiber material may be in any form, and is commonly available and utilized in the form of a uniform mesh, a random mesh and thread or rope forms. The glaεε fiber material iε a εtrong material which provideε εignificant improvement in the εtrength of the reinforced composite reεin. In order to enhance the bonding of the fiber glass to the composite reεin, the fiber glass material is first etched and then treated with an organo- functional silane prior to the application of the composite reεin. The etched fiber glaεε iε preferably etched with an acid, such aε hydrofluoric acid or 1.23% acidulated phoεphate fluoride (APF) . The compoεite reεin may be any of the well known compoεite reεinε currently being utilized in the practice of dentiεtry today including those known as microfill, macrofill and hybrid resins, and theεe are well known in thiε art. For example, εee Reality/The information source for eεthetic dentiεtrv. Reality Publiεhing Company, 1989. The etching of the fiber glaεε produceε a roughened or barbed εurface on the glaεε fiberε, which may be obεerved under the microscope. After the etching is completed, any suitable organo-functional silane may be utilized which iε capable of enhancing the bonding between the glaεε fiber material and the compoεite reεinε. A number of theεe are known and exampleε of theεe include the following: Vinyltrichloroεilane, Vinyltriethoxyεilane, Vinyl-triε (beta-methoxyethoxy)silane, gamma-Methacrvloxvpropvltri- methoxysilane, beta-(3,4 - EpoxycyclohexyU-ethyltri- methoxysilane, aamma-Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, gamma-Aminopropvltriethoxvεilane , and N-beta-(aminoethyl) -gamma-aminopropyltrimethoxvεilane and commercially available silane coupling agentε commonly utilized in dentist's offices including Scotchpri e sold by the 3M Company, Clearfil Porcelain Bond sold by J. Morita/Kuraray, Porcelain Primer sold by Kerr, CerinatePrime εold by Den-Mat, Chameleon Bond Enhancer εold by Chameleon, Fuεion εold by George Taub Productε and Fuεion Co., PVS Porcelain Bond sold by Cercom, Silanit sold by Vivadent and Symphony Silane Bond sold by Dental Artε Laboratory. The foregoing commercially available silanes are listed in Reality/The information source for eεthetic dentiεtrv on pageε 80 and 81, εupra. In εummary, any εuitable organo-functional εilane coupling agent may be utilized in the practice of the present invention. The preεent invention may be utilized in numerous applications in the practice of dentistry, including periodontal splinting, tooth replacement, tooth εtabilization, etc. All of theεe will not be described herein, as such dental operations are well known to those practicing dentiεtry, i.e. those skilled in the art. However, an illustration of a few of the poεεible uεeε will be illustrated herein in connection with the drawing figures. The operations and the εpecific 10 detail of the actual practice of dentiεtry will not be repeated herein aε they are well known. Referring now to the drawingε wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there iε shown in Figure 1 a uniform mesh 10 which iε compriεed of a • glaεε fiber material. Figure 2 illustrates a random mesh 12 comprised of a glaεε fiber material. There iε illuεtrated in Figure 3, a woven rope or thread 14 which iε compriεed of a glaεε fiber material. Meεheε 10 and 12 and rope or thread 14 are all compriεed of 20 glaεε fiber material, which iε well known. Theεe are commercially available under the trademark FIBERGLAS of Owens Corning Corp. and from other εupplierε. In each caεe, the fiber glass material would be etched with an acid such as hydrofluoric acid or APF. 2 ^ Referring now to Figure 4, there is illustrated periodontal splinting of mandibular anterior teeth utilizing a uniform glasε fiber meεh 16 which haε been etched and treated with an organo-functional εilane and embedded within a compoεite reεin 18. Aε deεcribed ™ previouεly, the glaεε fiber meεh 16 may be etched with an acid, preferably hydrofluoric acid or APF, although it iε underεtood that any other acid may be utilized which iε effective in etching glaεε fiberε. The periodontal splinting aε shown in Figure 4 iε utilized ■ " to treat mobile teeth which have loεt bone εupport and/or which have been traumatized. Aε illuεtrated in Figure 4, the etched silanated glasε fiber meεh 16 may be embedded in a composite resin 18 bonding together canines 20 and 22 and mandibular incisors 24. Figure 5 illuεtrateε a subεtantially εimilar application of the preεent invention wherein a random glaεs meεh or rope 26 compriεed of glaεε fiber iε etched, εilanated and embedded in a compoεite reεin 28 aε a periodontal splint of the anterior mandibular teeth. Figure 6 illuεtrateε another uεe of the preεent invention in the practice of dentiεtry in the form of periodontal εplinting of the poεterior teeth. Aε illuεtrated in Figure 6, a channel 30 iε prepared in the occluεal surfaces of the posterior teeth by well known dental operations. A rope 32 comprised of glasε fiber material which has been etched with an acid, such as hydrofluoric acid, and treated with an organo- functional εilane as described above, is inserted into the channel and bonded to the tooth by one of the suitable well known compoεite reεinε. Figureε 7, 8 and 9 illustrate an application of the present invention in posterior tooth replacement wherein the present invention may be utilized to produce a bridge for a misεing tooth. Aε illuεtrated in Figure 7, channelε 34 and 36 may be prepared in the occlusal εurfaceε of teeth 38 and 40, reεpectively, which are immediately adjacent to the miεεing tooth. A channel may be cut into the enamel of the tooth in a well known manner. The surface of the channel in the tooth may be etched with phosphoric acid and tooth adhesive used to bond etched, εilanated, meεh or rope fiber glaεε in the channel to form a bridge through the space of the misεing tooth. Thiε may be provided with a fold 42 in meεh 44 aε illuεtrated in Figure 7 or more directly bridging the miεεing tooth εpace aε shown at 46 with fiber glass rope 48 in Figure 8. Figure 9 illustrates a tooth replica or replace- ment (artificial) tooth formed on etched, εilanated fiber glaεε meεh 44. Alternatively, tooth 50 could be formed on the etched εilanated glaεε fiber rope 48. The etched εilanated glaεε support of fiber glasε meεh 44 or rope 48 provideε a εtrong and εturdy baεe for holding the formed tooth replacement in place. Referring now to Figureε 10 and 11, there iε εhown εtill another one of the many poεεible uεeε of the preεent invention in the practice of dentiεtry in the form of an anterior tooth replacement. In a εimilar manner, channelε are prepared in teeth 52 and 53 which are immediately adjacent the miεεing tooth. Channelε are prepared in a well known manner. The teeth are then etched with phosphoric acid, adhesive iε placed in the channel and the etched εilanated fiber glaεε meεh iε inserted into the channel and the adhesive. This may be tack welded with reεin. The formation of the replacement tooth 54 iε now built onto the meεh, polymerized and εhaped into the form of a tooth. Figure 12 illuεtrateε εtill another one of the many poεεible uεeε of the preεent invention in the practice of dentiεtry. Figure 12 illuεtrateε mandibular anterior teeth wherein orthodontic retention and poεt treatment εtabilization are provided by an etched, εilanated glasε fiber rope or meεh affixed to the etched teeth and embedded in the reεin. No preparation, i.e. cutting and channeling, of the tooth iε neceεεary. Aε illuεtrated in Figure 12, the etched fiber glaεε meεh or rope 56 iε applied acroεε the canineε and mandibular incises and embedded in one of the well known compoεite reεinε. Thiε process may also be applied to the maxillary teeth. Aε a εpecific example of one application of the preεent invention, a patient of mine waε kicked by a horεe reεulting in the loεε of a mandibular right central inciεor. I utilized fiber glaεε material in the form of a random meεh. I etched the fiber glaεs meεh with a commercial form of hydrofluoric acid sold under the trademark PORCELETCH by Coεmedent, 5419 North Sheridan Road, Chicago, Illinois 60640. I treated the etched fiber glaεε with an organo-functional εilane εold under the trademark SILANATOR by Coεmedent. I εelected and utilized a well known compoεite reεin εold under the trademark ULTRABOND, which waε coated with a εecond well known compoεite reεin εold under the trademark VISARGLAZE. Both the ULTRABOND and VISARGLAZE trademark productε are available from Den- Mat Corp., 3130 Skyway Drive, Santa Maria, California 93456. I waε able to perform an eεthetic and εtructural restoration of the patient' tooth in 45 minutes with the reεult being a εtrong and εtructurally stable tooth replacement. In a second situation, two lower inciεor teeth had been lost to periodontal diseaεe and the remainder of the lower anterior teeth were mobile. The patient required immediate replacement of the misεing teeth and stabilization of the others. Fiber glasε material in the form of a uniform meεh waε utilized. The fiber glaεε meεh waε etched with a commercially available brand of hydrofluoric acid εold under the trademark PORCELETCH by Coεmedent. The fiber glaεε meεh waε treated with a commercially available organo-functional εilane εold under the trademark SILANATOR by Cos edent. I selected a well known macrofill compoεite reεin ULTRABOND which is available from Den-Mat Corp., which waε then laminated with a microfill compoεite reεin sold commercially under the trademark DURAFIL by Kulzer Corporation, 10005 Muirlands Boulevard, Irvine, California 92718, which provided improved estheticε. Thiε procedure produced a εtructurally εuperior eεthetic replacement and the εtabilized teeth exhibited -li¬ no mobility. In view of the above, the present invention may be embodied in other εpecific formε without departing from the εpirit or eεεential attributeε thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing εpecification as indicating the scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS I claim: 1. A proceεε for reεtoring or εtabilizing one or more teeth, compriεing the steps of: etching a material compriεed of glaεε fiber with an etchant; applying an organo-functional εilane to the etched material; and reconεtructing or εtabilizing one or more teeth utilizing εaid etched εilanated glaεε fiber embedded in a reεin. 2. A proceεε in accordance with Claim 1 wherein εaid etchant is an acid effective in etching glaεε. 3. A proceεε in accordance with Claim 2 wherein εaid acid iε hydrofluoric acid. 4. A proceεε in accordance with Claim 1 wherein εaid etchant iε acidulated phosphate fluoride. 5. A procesε in accordance with Claim 1 wherein εaid organo-functional εilane iε a εilane εelected from the group conεiεting of Vinyltrichloroεilane, Vinyltriethoxyεilane, Vinyl-triε(beta-methoxyethoxv) εilane, gamma-Methacryloxypropyltrimethoxyεilane, beta- (3,4 - EpoxycyclohexyU-ethyltrimethoxyεilane, qamma- Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxyεilane , gamma-AminopropyItri- ethoxyεilane, and N-beta-(aminoethyl)-gamma-aminopropyl- tri ethoxyεilane. 6. A procesε in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said resin is a compoεite reεin. 7. A proceεε in accordance with Claim 1 wherein εaid reεin iε compriεed of a microfill reεin. 8. A proceεε in accordance with Claim 1 wherein εaid reεin iε compriεed of a macrofill reεin. 9. A proceεε in accordance with Claim 1 wherein εaid glasε fiber material iε in the form of a uniform mesh. 10. A proceεε in accordance with Claim 1 wherein εaid glaεε fiber material iε in the form of a random meεh. 11. A proceεε in accordance with Claim 1 wherein εaid glaεε fiber material is in the form of a woven thread or rope. 12. An article of manufacture, comprising: a material for use in dental procesεeε involving the reconεtruction or stabilization of one or more teeth comprising an etched glasε fiber material treated with an organo-functional silane. 13. A material in accordance with Claim 12 wherein said fiber glasε material iε in the form of a uniform meεh. 14. A material in accordance with Claim 12 wherein εaid fiber glaεε material iε in the form of a random meεh. 15. A material in accordance with Claim 12 wherein εaid fiber glaεε material iε in the form of a woven thread or rope. 16. A material in accordance with Claim 12 wherein εaid organo-functional εilane iε εelected from the group conεiεting of Vinyltrichloroεilane, Vinyltriethoxysilane, Vinvl-tris(beta-methoxyethoxv) silane, gamma-Methacryloxypropyltrimethoxvsilane, beta- (3,4 - EpoxycyclohexyD-ethyltrimethoxyεilane, gamma- Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxyεilane, gamma-Aminopropyltri- ethoxyεilane, and N-beta-(aminoethyl)-gamma-aminopropyl- tri ethoxyεilane.

Inventors: SCHARF JONATHAN, SCHARF, JONATHAN
Applicants: SCHARF JONATHAN, SCHARF, JONATHAN
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A61C5
IPC codes: A61C5, A61C8, A61K6