A dental material dispensing device and a method of dispensing a dental material

Abstract

A dental material dispensing device has a plunger means which for dispensing the dental material is movable for urging at least one component of a dental material toward a dispensing area. The device further has cure control means with an energy source and a flow path on which the dental composition and/or the dental material flows past the energy source during dispensation. The device is operable for exposing the dental composition and/or the dental material to a specific energy by control of the energy source and/or by control of the speed of the flow of the dental composition and/or the dental material on the flow path. The device is configured for dispensing a coherent strand of dental material in a dispensing cycle. The device is further configured for operating in a first dispensing mode and additionally in a second dispensing mode during the same dispensing cycle. The ratio between the specific energy in the second dispensing mode and the specific energy in the first dispensing mode is smaller than 1.

1 . A dental material dispensing device, comprising:
 a plunger for dispensing a dental composition from which the dental material is to be prepared toward a dispensing area;   cure control comprising an energy source, and a flow path on which the dental composition and/or the dental material flows past the energy source during dispensation;   the device being operable for exposing the dental composition and/or the dental material to a specific energy by control of the energy source and/or by control of the speed of the flow of the dental composition and/or the dental material on the flow path;   wherein the specific energy is quantified by the energy intensity the dental composition and/or the dental material is exposed to relative to the flow speed;   wherein the device is configured for dispensing a coherent strand of dental material, and   wherein the device is further configured for operating in a first dispensing mode and additionally in a second dispensing mode during dispensation of the strand,   wherein the ratio between the specific energy in the second dispensing mode and the specific energy in the first dispensing mode is smaller than 1.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source comprises an irradiation source for irradiating the dental composition and/or the dental material with light. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the light is essentially formed of blue and/or UV light. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the device has a dispensing nozzle forming a dispensing opening for the dental material, wherein the cure control is arranged upstream of the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising two plungers and a receptacle for holding a two-component cartridge for two dental compositions from which the dental material can be mixed. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , comprising the two-component cartridge and at least one static mixer, the static mixer having an inlet end which is fixedly connectable to outlets of the cartridge, a dispensing end for releasing dental material mixed from the two dental compositions and a static mixing element arranged in mixing a barrel extending between the inlet end and the dispensing end. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a mode switch for alternatively activating the first dispensing mode and the second dispensing mode. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the second dispensing mode is a default mode in which the device operates upon activation of the device and wherein the first dispensing mode is user-activated. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , being configured as handheld device for intra-oral use. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plunger comprises is a plunger rod drivable by a drive for moving the plunger rod. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , in combination with a dental material being characterized by comprising a one-component formulation which includes:
 a pre-polymer formed by reacting a polyol or polyester polyol, a diisocyanate and a hydroxyacrylate or methacrylate;   a metal catalyst;   a plasticizer;   a photosensitizer;   a reducing agent; and   a filler.   
     
     
         12 . A method of dispensing a dental material prepared from a dental composition, comprising the steps of:
 providing a device for dispensing the dental material;
 the device having cure control comprising an energy source and a flow path on which the dental composition and/or the dental material flows past the energy source during dispensation; 
 using the device for urging the dental composition for the dental material toward a dispensing area; 
 dispensing from the device a coherent strand of dental material in a dispensing cycle; and 
 within the dispensing cycle: operating the device in a first dispensing mode and additionally in a second dispensing mode; 
 exposing the dental composition and/or the dental material to a specific energy by control of the energy source and/or by control of the speed of the flow of the dental composition and/or the dental material on the flow path; 
 wherein the specific energy is quantified by the energy intensity the dental composition and/or the dental material is exposed to relative to the flow speed; and 
 wherein the ratio between the specific energy in the second dispensing mode and the specific energy in the first dispensing mode is smaller than 1. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the specific energy in the second dispensing mode is essentially zero. 
     
     
         14 . A strand of dental material, having a front end and a rear end, a leading portion adjacent the front end, a trailing portion adjacent the rear end and an intermediate portion connecting the leading portion and the trailing portion, wherein increments 0 to n of the strand along the strand's length have different ages T 0  to T n  since dispensation, with T 0  forming the age at the rear end and T n  forming the age at the front end, wherein each increment of the strand has an individual remaining setting time Set i  over the range of increments i=0 to n, and wherein there is an essentially constant common first base setting time BSet 1 =Set i +T i  over a range of increments i=m to n and an essentially constant common second base setting time BSet 2 =Set i +T i  over a range of increments i=0 to k, and wherein the first base setting time BSet 1  is shorter than the second base time BSet 2 . 
     
     
         15 . A use of a dental material strand as defined in  claim 14  for combined dental retraction and dental impressioning.