Flexible post in a dental post and core system

Abstract

A flexible post for endodontic or reconstructive tooth therapy having a modulus of elasticity which is less than or equal to that of dentin of 18 GPa (giga Pascals). The present invention is preferably made of medical grade optical glass fibers or fiberglass fibers. The micro filaments of the present invention are treated to impart flexibility to each fiber. The fibers are twisted by twisting on other non-axial arrangements of the fibers to impart strength to the unit post. This allows it to function as a permanent post in a tooth. The dental post is flexible and the post conforms to the natural curved contours of a root canal to reduce machining of the tooth and mechanical weakening of the tooth structure.

Therefore, in view of the foregoing, we claim:  
     
         1 . An endodontic dental reinforcement post for endodontic and reconstructive pin therapy comprising a prefabricated bundle of loosely compacted fibers in a cured resin, said post extending from an apical end to a coronal end of a tooth canal.  
     
     
         2 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  wherein said fibers include a bundle of medical grade optical fibers in a bundle of linearly extending fibers.  
     
     
         3 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 2  wherein said fibers are of high optical clarity with high pixel counts of between 50 and 100 thousandth.  
     
     
         4 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 2  wherein the fibers are silica base fibers having a pure silica core of SiO 2.    
     
     
         5 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 4  further comprising said fibers individually having a coating of a polymer plastic.  
     
     
         6 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 5  wherein said coating is stripped to pull light out transversally through the edge of the post.  
     
     
         7 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 5  wherein said coating is coated with PVDF resin.  
     
     
         8 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  wherein said fibers are fiberglass fibers.  
     
     
         9 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 8  wherein said fiberglass fibers are E-glass fibers.  
     
     
         10 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  wherein each fiber comprises a plurality of fiber optic filaments.  
     
     
         11 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  wherein said bundle of fibers is about 0.05 inch in diameter.  
     
     
         12 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  further comprising an epoxy binder.  
     
     
         13 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 12  wherein said epoxy resin further comprises an opaquer composition therein.  
     
     
         14 . The dental reinforce member as in  claim 2  wherein said bundle of flexible fibers includes at least one radiopaque member therein.  
     
     
         15 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 14  wherein said radiopaque member is a wire selected from the group consisting of alloyed titanium steel, platinum and palladium.  
     
     
         16 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 14  wherein said radiopaque member is alternately insertable in and removable from a pilot hole within said dental reinforcement member for insertion of a reamer therein.  
     
     
         17 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  wherein said bundle of fibers have a rounded end.  
     
     
         18 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  wherein said bundle of fibers have a tapered end.  
     
     
         19 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  further comprising at least one surface cut of about 50 to 100 micron depth to increase texturing.  
     
     
         20 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  further comprising at least one facet of about 50 to 100 micron depth to increase texturing.  
     
     
         21 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  further comprising at least one groove of about 50 to 100 micron depth to increase texturing.  
     
     
         22 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  further comprising at least indentation of about 50 to 100 micron depth to increase texturing.  
     
     
         23 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 19  further comprises at least one axially extending die drawn indentation of 50 to 100 micron depth to increase texturing.  
     
     
         24 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 19  wherein said texturing is etched with acid.  
     
     
         25 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 19  wherein said texturing is by sandblasting of said reinforcement member.  
     
     
         26 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 19  wherein said texturing is by laser light.  
     
     
         27 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  wherein said post is a dental reconstructive pin.  
     
     
         28 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 27  wherein said dental reconstructive pin is looped.  
     
     
         29 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  wherein said post is polished at one end to direct light axially therethrough.  
     
     
         30 . The dental reinforcement member as in  claim 1  wherein said dental reinforcement member comprises a plurality of adjacent coaxially extending dental reinforcement members.  
     
     
         31 . The dental reinforcement member as in claim  30  wherein each adjacent co-axially extending dental reinforcement member includes at least one axially extending facet abutting a further axially extending facet of a further adjacent coaxially extending dental reinforcement member for locking said plurality of adjacent coaxially extending dental reinforcement members in position within an interior canal of a tooth.  
     
     
         32 . A dental post and core device comprising an inelastic post, said post having a coronal end and an apical end, said post including a plurality of unstretched and non-pretensioned loosely compacted fibers in a cured resin, said fibers extending between the coronal and the apical end of said post.