Patent ID: 7998375

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite dental post comprising: pulling fibers through a heated reservoir having a filled resin therein, wherein the filled resin comprises a resin component including a photo-initiated polymerizable reactive monomer and a radiopaque filler component in an amount of about 40 to about 80 percent by weight, wherein the filled resin is heated to a temperature in a range from about 50° C. to about 100° C., and wherein the fibers are immersed in and impregnated with the filled resin to produce a fiber-reinforced composite comprising the resin component in an amount from about 15 to about 30 percent by weight, the filler component in an amount from about 15 to about 60 percent by weight, and the fibers in an amount from about 20 to about 60 percent by weight; pulling the fiber-reinforced composite through a first heated rod-shaped die having a first diameter and length, whereby the fiber-reinforced composite is shaped into a rod and heated a first time at a temperature in a range from about 65° C. to about 125° C.; continuing to pull the fiber-reinforced composite through a second heated rod-shaped die having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter and/or a second length smaller than the first length, wherein the fiber-reinforced composite is heated a second time at a temperature in a range from about 65° C. to about 125° C.; and after the fiber-reinforced composite exits the second heated rod-shaped die, light curing the fiber-reinforced composite as it passes through a light curing device to effect polymerization of the photo-initiated polymerizable reactive monomer and to fully harden the fiber-reinforced composite into a cured rod.