Tooth whitening dental tray and method of use

Abstract

A dental tray with a hydrophobic tooth whitening formulation where the tooth whitening formulation is substantially non-water soluble, and a method of using this dental tray to whiten the teeth. The tooth whitening formulation is primarily comprised of a hydrophobic polymer and a peroxide or a peroxide yielding compound. Preferably the hydrophobic polymer is the condensation product of a silicone resin and an organosiloxane. The dental tray is formed to encompass the front and the rear surfaces of the teeth. The dental tray is comprised of a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer. The teeth whitening formulation is placed into the dental tray and the tray placed against the teeth to be whitened. This is for a sufficient period of time to at least partially whiten teeth. This can be a period of time from about 0.5 hour to 2 hours or more. The substantially non-aqueous tooth whitening formulation is effective over a longer period of time since it is not significantly diluted or removed from the dental tray during the treatment time.

1 . A method of whitening teeth comprising forming a dental tray to conform to teeth to be whitened, placing in said dental tray a substantially non-water soluble whitening formulation having a viscosity if about 50,000 cps to about 900,000 cps, applying said dental tray to the teeth to be whitened for a period of time.  
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said substantially non-water soluble whitening formulation has a viscosity of about 200,000 cps to about 600,000 cps.  
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said substantially non-water soluble whitening formulation has substantially the following formula:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Component 
                   Content 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Hydrophobic Polymer 
                     1 to 80 wt % 
                 
                     
                   Adhesive Enhancing Agent 
                     0 to 20 wt % 
                 
                     
                   Peroxide Whitening Agent 
                   0.5 to 50 wt % 
                 
                     
                   Surfactant 
                     0 to 50 wt % 
                 
                     
                   Flavor 
                    0.1 to 1 wt % 
                 
                     
                   Other Agents 
                     0 to 10 wt % 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 3  wherein said non-aqueous hydrophobic polymer has a concentration of about 15 to about 40 weight %.  
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 3  wherein said adhesive enhancing agent has a concentration of about 2 to about 15 weight %.  
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 3  wherein said peroxide whitening agent has a concentration of about 10 to about 40 weight %.  
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 3  wherein said surfactant has a concentration of about 15 to about 35 weight %.  
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said tray is comprised of one of a thermoplastic resin and a thermoset resin.  
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 8  wherein said thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and polypropylene polymers, derivatives and copolymers, polyurethanes and derivatives, polycaprolactams, polystyrene and derivatives, polybutadiene and derivatives, polyisoprene and derivatives, and polymethacrylate and its derivatives  
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein subsequent to a removal of said tray from the teeth said teeth are treated with a desensitizing formulation.  
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 10  wherein said desensiticizing contains at least one of potassium nitrate, citric acid, citric acid salts and strontium chloride.  
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 3  wherein said hydrophobic polymer is the condensation product of a silicone resin and an organosiloxane.  
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 12  wherein said hydrophobic polymer is a condensation product comprised of about 50 to 70 parts silicone resin to 30 to 50 parts organosiloxane polymer.  
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 3  wherein said adhesive enhancing agent is selected from the group consisting of waxes, nonionic polymers of ethylene oxide and nonionic copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.  
     
     
         15 . A dental tray for treating teeth with a whitening formulation comprising a dental tray formed to substantially cover the front and a rear surface of at least one tooth, said dental tray containing a substantially non-water soluble whitening formulation having a viscosity of about 50,000 cps to about 900,000 cps.  
     
     
         16 . A dental tray as in  claim 12  wherein said substantially non-water soluble whitening formulation has a viscosity of about 200,000 cps to about 600,000 cps.  
     
     
         17 . A dental tray as in  claim 12  wherein said substantially non-water soluble whitening formulation has substantially the following formula:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Component 
                   Content 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Hydrophilic Polymer 
                     1 to 80 wt % 
                 
                     
                   Adhesive Enhancing Agent 
                     0 to 20 wt % 
                 
                     
                   Peroxide Whitening Agent 
                   0.5 to 50 wt % 
                 
                     
                   Surfactant 
                     0 to 50 wt % 
                 
                     
                   Flavor 
                    0.1 to 1 wt % 
                 
                     
                   Other Agents 
                     0 to 10 wt % 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         18 . A dental tray as in  claim 14  wherein said non-aqueous hydrophilic polymer has a concentration of about 15 to about 40 weight %.  
     
     
         19 . A dental tray as in  claim 14  wherein said adhesive enhancing agent has a concentration of about 2 to 15 weight %.  
     
     
         20 . A dental tray as in  claim 14  wherein said peroxide whitening agent has a concentration of about 10 to 40 weight %.  
     
     
         21 . A dental tray as in  claim 12  wherein said peroxide whitening agent has a concentration of about 15 to about 35 weight %.  
     
     
         22 . A dental tray as in  claim 19  wherein subsequent to a removal of said tray from the teeth a tooth densiticizing composition is placed into said tray.  
     
     
         23 . A dental tray as in  claim 15  wherein said non-aqueous hydrophobic polymer is the condensation product of a silicone resin and an organosiloxane.  
     
     
         24 . A dental tray as in  claim 23  wherein hydrophobic polymer is a condensation product comprised of about 50 to 70 parts silicone resin to 30 to 50 parts organosiloxane polymer.  
     
     
         25 . A dental tray as in  claim 15  wherein said adhesive enhancing agent is selected from them group consisting of waxes, nonionic polymers of ethylene oxide and nonionic copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide