Method of restoring a tooth

Abstract

A method of restoring a tooth is provided. method comprises the steps of dispensing a curable composition from an applicator and curing the curable composition. The applicator has a needle with a lumen The composition is injected into a hollow on the tooth to achieve a desired shape. The composition includes curable liquid resin portion and an inorganic filler portion. The curable liquid resin portion has a polymerizable binder resin.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of restoring a tooth, comprising: 
 (a) dispensing a curable composition from an applicator having a needle with a lumen into a hollow on the tooth to achieve a desired shape, the composition comprising: 
 (i) curable liquid resin portion having a polymerizable binder resin; and  
 (ii) inorganic filler portion; and  
   (b) curing the curable composition.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the polymerizable binder resin is 2,2-bis[4(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloxypropoxy)phenyl]propane.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the inorganic filer portion contains a filler selected from the group consisting of silica, barium aluminum silicate, quartz, and silanated products thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the curable composition further comprises an initiator of polymerization and is visible light-curable.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the curable composition is thixotropic.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the dispensed curable composition forms a cured restorative structure of desired shape and smoothness upon curing.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the applicator is a syringe and the needle is a syringe needle.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising a step of repeating the dispensing and curing steps to achieve a cured restorative structure of a desired shape on the tooth.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising a step of preparing the tooth to receive the curable composition by coating the hollow with a bond having a polymerizable binder resin and a polymerizable diluent monomer less viscous than the polymerizable binder resin.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the weight ratio of the curable liquid resin portion to the inorganic filler portion is 3:10 to 1:1.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the weight ratio of the curable liquid resin portion to the inorganic filler portion is 2:5 to 3:5.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the curable liquid resin portion has a viscosity at 25° C. of from 500 to 5000 cps and wherein when a bead of the curable composition is deposited on a flat surface of a cured specimen of the curable composition the bead will not run.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the curable liquid resin portion comprises a polymerizable binder resin and a polymerizable diluent monomer less viscous than the polymerizable binder resin.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the diluent monomer is 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the diluent monomer is triethylene glycol dimethacrylate.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the weight ratio of polymerizable binder resin to polymerizable diluent monomer is from 3:1 to 1:2.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the weight ratio of polymerizable binder resin to polymerizable diluent monomer is from 3:2 to 2:3.  
     
     
         18 . A method of restoring a tooth having a decayed portion, comprising: 
 (a) removing the decayed portion and adjacent healthy portion of the tooth to form a hollow on the tooth wherein the volume of the healthy portion removed is 0.5 to 3 times the size of the decayed portion.    (b) coating the surface in the hollow with a curable bond and curing the bond;    (c) dispensing a curable composition from an applicator having a needle with a lumen into the hollow to achieve a desired shape, the composition comprising: 
 (i) curable liquid resin portion having polymerizable binder resin and polymerizable diluent monomer less viscous than the polymerizable binder resin; and  
 (ii) inorganic filler portion;  
   (d) curing the curable composition; and    (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) until a cured structure of desired shape and smoothness is obtained.    
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein the hollow has walls generally divergently directing outward from the interior of the hollow.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein in at least one of the dispensing steps, the curable composition is laid as a layer of less than 2 mm thick in the hollow before curing.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein steps (c) and (d) are repeated at least 3 times.  
     
     
         22 . A method of restoring a tooth, comprising: 
 (a) dispensing a curable composition from an applicator having a needle with a lumen in the form of one of a layer and a drop into a hollow on the tooth, the composition comprising: 
 (i) curable liquid resin portion having polymerizable binder resin; and  
 (ii) inorganic filler portion;  
   (b) curing the curable composition, wherein the curable composition shrinks during curing;    (c) dispensing the curable composition from the needle on the cured composition to further fill the hollow and to compensate for the shrinkage to achieve a desired shape;    (d) curing the curable composition; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) until a cured structure of desired shape is formed.    
     
     
         23 . A method of restoring a tooth having a decayed portion, comprising: 
 (a) removing the decayed portion and adjacent healthy portion of the tooth to form a hollow on the tooth wherein the volume of the healthy portion removed is 0.5 to 3 times the size of the decayed portion.    (b) coating the surface in the hollow with a curable bond and curing the bond;    (c) dispensing a curable, thixotropic composition from a syringe with a needle having a lumen into the hollow to result in a desired shape of the curable composition, the composition comprising: 
 (i) curable liquid resin portion having polymerizable binder-resin including 2,2-bis[4(2hydroxy-3-methacryloxypropoxy)phenyl]propane and a diluent monomer selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, the weight ratio of polymerizable binder resin to polymerizable diluent monomer is from 3:1 to 1:2; and  
 (ii) inorganic filler portion containing silica; wherein the viscosity of the curable liquid resin portion at 25° C. is 1000 to 6000 cps and the weight ratio of curable liquid resin portion to inorganic filler portion is 2:5 to 3:5  
   (d) curing the curable composition with visible light, wherein the curable composition shrinks during curing;    (e) dispensing the curable composition from the needle on the cured composition to further fill the hollow and to compensate for the shrinkage to achieve. desired shape;    (f) curing the curable composition; and    (g) repeating steps (e) and (f) until a cured structure of desired shape is formed; wherein the cured structure has desired smoothness without polishing.    
     
     
         24 . A curable, thixotropic composition injectable through a hypodermic needle for filling a hollow in the restoration of a tooth, comprising: 
 (a) a curable liquid resin portion having a polymerizable binder resin; and    (b) an inorganic filler portion including fumed silica.