Device for storage and application and method

Abstract

The present invention relates in particular to the storage of dental material in a device (10, 10′) and the application of the dental material (20) from such a device (10,10′), and a method for treating dental material (20). In order to provide a solution that allows the simple and practical handling of a dental material (20) in the sense of storage, application and/or treatment thereof, inter alia, a device (10, 10′) for storage and application (20) comprising a cavity (12) for storage of the dental material (20) and a wall (14) surrounding the cavity (12) is proposed, wherein the wall (14) in at least a first temperature range is impermeable to radiation of at least a first wavelength or a first wavelength range in the range of 100 nm to 500 nm, wherein the wall (14) comprises at least one area that at least in a second temperature range is permeable to radiation of at least a second wavelength or a second wavelength range in the range of 600 nm to 50,000 nm.

Claims

1. A device (10, 10′) for storage and application (20), comprising a cavity (12) for storage of a dental material (20) and a wall (14) surrounding the cavity (12), wherein the wall (14), in at least a first temperature range, is impermeable to radiation of at least a first wavelength or a first wavelength range in the range of 100 nm to 500 nm, and wherein the wall (14) has at least one area with a carrier material and a filter material which is provided externally on the carrier material, internally on the carrier material and/or between at least two layers of the carrier material and/or is embedded in the carrier material, wherein the filter material is selected from the group composed of: perylene derivatives ##STR00008## and combinations thereof, wherein two N—R groups that are separated by one carbon atom join together to form imidazoles, annulated imidazoles, pyrimidones, or annulated pyrimidones.

2. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, wherein the area of the wall (14) comprises or is composed of the filter material, wherein the filter material, at least in the first temperature range, has a transmittance with respect to radiation of the first wavelength or the first wavelength range of less than 10%, wherein the filter material, at least in a second temperature range, has a transmittance with respect to radiation of a second wavelength or a second wavelength range in a range of 600 nm to 50,000 nm of more than 50%.

3. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 2, wherein the filter material comprises aromatic diazo compounds.

4. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, wherein the area of the wall (14) comprises or is composed of thermochromic material having a switching temperature in the range of 25 to 50° C., wherein the thermochromic material, at a temperature below the switching temperature, has lower transmittance with respect to radiation at least of a second wavelength or a second wavelength range in a range of 600 nm to 50,000 nm than at a temperature above the switching temperature.

5. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 4, wherein the thermochromic material is selected from the group composed of inorganic pigments comprising metal salts or metal oxides in which a colour transition takes place due to a phase transmission, a change in a ligand geometry, a change in a coordination number and/or a change in a crystal field, organic pigments comprising thermochromic liquid crystals, conjugated polymers and leuco dyes and combinations thereof.

6. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 4, wherein the thermochromic material (14″) is provided externally on the carrier material (14′), internally on the carrier material and/or between at least two layers of the carrier material and/or is embedded in the carrier material.

7. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, wherein a quotient of the transmittance of the area of the wall (14), at least in a second temperature range, with respect to radiation of a second wavelength or a second wavelength range in a range of 600 nm to 50,000 nm and the transmittance of the wall (14) in at least the first temperature range with respect to radiation at least of the first wavelength or the first wavelength range is greater than 5.

8. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, wherein the wall (14) has a transmission area which, at least in a second temperature range, is permeable to radiation of a second wavelength or a second wavelength range in a range of 600 nm to 50,000 nm, wherein the wall (14) further has a reflection area on a side opposite the transmission area that is configured, at least in the second temperature range, to reflect or backscatter radiation of the second wavelength or the second wavelength range passing through the cavity (12) with a reflectance of at least 50% into the cavity (12).

9. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, wherein the first temperature range is a range of 15 to 25° C.

10. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, comprising in the cavity (12) the dental material (20), wherein the dental material (20) is to be cured with the radiation of the first wavelength or the first wavelength range, wherein the dental material (20) in the first temperature range, in particular at a temperature of 20° C., has a viscosity of greater than 400 Pa's and wherein the dental material (20) in a second temperature range, in particular at a temperature of 60° C., has a viscosity of less than 150 Pa.Math.s.

11. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 10, wherein the dental material (20) comprises an absorber component which, at least in a second temperature range, has an absorbance with respect to radiation of a second wavelength or second wavelength range in a range of 600 nm to 50,000 nm of more than 50%.

12. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, comprising in the cavity (12) the dental material (20), which is a single-component composite composition comprising (A) monomers, (B) fillers and (C) initiators.

13. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, wherein the device (10, 10′) comprises an absorption area in the cavity (12) comprising or consisting of an absorbent material which, at least in the second temperature range, has an absorbance with respect to radiation of the second wavelength or the second wavelength range of more than 50%.

14. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, selected from the group composed of syringes, application needles and compules.

15. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, comprising: an application tip (16) for applying the dental material (20), wherein the application tip (16) comprises an outlet opening for the dental material (20), wherein the outlet opening has an outlet cross-sectional area in the range of 0.2 to 3.0 mm.sup.2.

16. A device (10, 10′) for storage and application (20) comprising a cavity (12) for storage of a dental material (20) and a wall (14) surrounding the cavity (12), wherein the wall (14), in at least a first temperature range, is impermeable to radiation of at least a first wavelength or a first wavelength range in the range of 100 nm to 500 nm and wherein the wall (14) has at least one area with a carrier material and a filter material which is provided externally on the carrier material, internally on the carrier material and/or between at least two layers of the carrier material and/or is embedded in the carrier material, wherein the filter material is selected from the group composed of: perylene derivatives ##STR00009## and combinations thereof, wherein in perylene derivatives (3) and (4), two N—R groups that are separated by one carbon atom join together to form imidazoles, annulated imidazoles, pyrimidones, or annulated pyrimidones.

Description

(1) In the following, the present invention is further illustrated and explained with reference to the examples shown in the figures. The figures show the following:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic view illustrating a first example of the device according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 a further schematic view illustrating a first example of the device according to the invention and its use,

(4) FIG. 3 a further schematic view illustrating a first example of the device according to the invention and its use,

(5) FIG. 4 a further schematic view illustrating a first example of the device according to the invention and its use,

(6) FIG. 5 a further schematic view illustrating a first example of the device according to the invention and its use,

(7) FIG. 6 a schematic view illustrating a second example of the device according to the invention,

(8) FIG. 7 a schematic flow chart of a first example of the method according to the invention for treating a dental material and

(9) FIG. 8 a schematic flow chart of a second example of the method according to the invention for treating a dental material.

(10) In the attached drawings and the explanations of these drawings, elements that correspond or relate to one another are identified—where appropriate—with respectively corresponding or similar reference numbers, even when they are to be found in different examples.

(11) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view illustrating a first example of the device according to the invention.

(12) In the first example, the device 10 is configured as a compule that has a cavity 12 designed for storage dental material (not shown in FIG. 1). The cavity 12 is surrounded by a wall 14 of the compule 10, which is in turn provided with an application tip 16. The available part of the cavity 12 is additionally delimited by a piston 18 that is arranged inside the wall 14 of the compule 10 so as to be movable along a longitudinal axis of the compule 10 in order to allow dental material located in the cavity 12 to be dispensed via the application tip 16.

(13) As the compules as such, the structure and the use thereof are known, a further explanation thereof can be avoided with here.

(14) However, it should be noted that the description of the invention based on examples in the form of a compule is not to be understood as a limitation, as the invention generally provides a device suitable for storage and application that can be implemented not only by means of a compule, but for example by means of a syringe or an application needle.

(15) FIG. 2 shows a further schematic view illustrating a first example of the device according to the invention and its use.

(16) The compule 10 shown in FIG. 1 is shown here with the dental material 20 stored in the cavity 12, wherein the piston 18 is additionally in an initial position, i.e. at the maximum distance from the application tip 16, so that the part of the cavity 12 available for the dental material 20 is maximized. In the view of FIG. 2, an area of the cavity 12 adjacent to the application tip 16 is not filled with dental material 20, wherein, however, complete filling of the cavity can also be provided. In the first temperature range (e.g. at 20° C.), the dental material preferably has such high viscosity that the application tip 16 provides resistance that is too high to allow dispensing.

(17) The compule 10 is accommodated in an application tip of compule applicator 30, wherein the compule applicator 30 comprise, in a known manner, a ram 32 for advancing the piston 18 in the compule 10 that is otherwise held by the compule applicator 30. The compule applicator 30 are additionally equipped in the area of the held compule 10 with a plurality of radiation sources in the form of infrared LEDs 34.

(18) FIG. 3 shows a further schematic view illustrating a first example of the device according to the invention and its use.

(19) The view of FIG. 3 corresponds to that of FIG. 2, wherein in FIG. 3, however, a situation is illustrated in which, by means of the IR LEDs 34 of the compule applicator 30, radiation 36 in the infrared region (in particular in the near infrared region) is irradiated onto the compule 10.

(20) In the present example, the wall 14 of the compule 10 comprises a thermochromic material, which e.g. at 20° C. is impermeable to the incident infrared radiation. In addition, the wall 14 is impermeable to radiation of the wavelength or wavelengths that can be used for light curing of the dental material 20. This is significant in that this provides protection of the dental material 20 contained therein that is integrated with the compule 10 itself, so that the compule 10 can be handled without worry about the possibility that undesired light irradiation into the interior will trigger curing of the dental material 20.

(21) The infrared radiation from the IR LEDs 34 into the wall 14 heats the wall 14, provided that the radiation there is at least partly absorbed. In this case, it should be clear that the energy input from the IR LEDs 34 must be sufficient to exceed any losses due to heat conduction, radiation, etc.

(22) A preferred combination of the aspects discussed in the present application lies in particular in a device (e.g. in the form of a compule) composed of polyamide with the above-mentioned perylene derivatives (5) and (6) as a filter material and a radiation in the near infrared region for heating (in particular with a wavelength of 800 to 1000 nm), wherein in this case the monomers (A) of the dental material composed of the material specified in (A1) to (A3) are preferably present.

(23) FIG. 4 shows a further schematic view illustrating a first example of the device according to the invention and its use.

(24) The view of FIG. 4, as is the case for that of FIG. 3, corresponds to the view of FIG. 2, wherein in FIG. 4, however, a situation is illustrated in which by means of the IR LEDs 34 of the compule applicator 30, so much radiation 36 in the infrared region (in particular in the near infrared region) has been irradiated onto the compule 10 (as shown in FIG. 3) that the thermochromic material has been heated above its switching temperature and has thus become (more) permeable to the infrared radiation.

(25) As shown in FIG. 4, the infrared radiation now reaches directly into the dental material 20, which can thus be heated.

(26) It is not necessary for the complete wall 14 to have or take on permeability to the infrared radiation, provided that a sufficiently large area of the wall (that does not necessarily have to be continuous) has the necessary permeability.

(27) Similarly, it is not necessarily the case that the entire thermochromic material present in the wall 14 or the area of the wall 14 be heated above the switching temperature, provided that a desired sufficient heat input in the dental material 20 is ensured.

(28) It can additionally be provided (not shown) that the compule 10 on or in the wall 14 on the side opposite the IR LEDs 34 has a reflection area for the radiation 36 used, which is thus reflected back into the dental material 20.

(29) By enabling corresponding visibility (e.g. by means of an opening or a recess in the compule applicator 30), the wall 14 can also advantageously be provided with a further thermochromic material, the switching temperature of which is coordinated with the desired temperature of the dental material 20 so that the colour change indicates that the desired temperature has been reached. If the further thermochromic material has reflection properties for the infrared radiation used, it can also be used for the above-mentioned reflection area.

(30) FIG. 5 shows a further schematic view illustrating a first example of the device according to the invention and its use.

(31) FIG. 5 continues from the view of FIG. 4. After the dental material 20 contained in the compule 10 has been sufficiently heated through the wall 14 using the IR LEDs 34, i.e. after a desired reduced viscosity has been achieved, the ram 32 is pressed forward over the piston 18 in order to dispense the dental material 20 through the application tip 16 of the compule 10.

(32) FIG. 6 shows a schematic view illustrating a second example of the device according to the invention.

(33) In the second example as well, the device 10′ is configured as a compule comprising a cavity 12 that is designed for the storage of dental material (not shown in FIG. 6). The cavity 12 is surrounded by a wall of the compule 10′, which in turn is equipped with an application tip 16. The available part of the cavity 12 is additionally delimited by a piston 18 that is arranged inside the wall 14′ of the compule 10′, such that it is moveable along a longitudinal axis of the compule 10′, so that the dental material located in the cavity 12 can be dispensed through the application tip 16.

(34) In contrast to the first example, which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 and in which the thermochromic material in the material itself is contained in a substantially homogeneous (or at least single-layer) wall 14 of the compule 10, in the second example, the wall has a layered configuration, wherein in the example shown in FIG. 6, a conventional compule with a wall layer 14′ is provided with an additional outer layer 14″ that comprises the thermochromic material.

(35) Together with the wall layer 14′, the outer layer 14″ forms the wall of the compule 10′ and can for example be configured in the form of a film that covers the wall layer 14′, a lacquer, a label, or a shrink tube.

(36) Installation on the inside of the wall layer is also conceivable, wherein a coating of three or more layers is also possible.

(37) In each of the two examples discussed above, thermochromic material is provided in or on the wall or wall layer. With the exception of FIG. 3, the above embodiments also apply in a correspondingly adapted manner in cases where a filter material is provided. It is also possible to provide a combination of a filter material and a thermochromic material.

(38) FIG. 7 shows a schematic flow chart of a first example of the method according to the invention for treating a dental material.

(39) In step 100, a device according to the invention with radiation-curable dental material stored therein is first provided, wherein the dental material and the device each have a temperature of 20° C.

(40) Because of the impermeability to blue light, for example, which is provided for the curing of dental material, the provided device protects the dental material from undesired initiation of the curing process.

(41) In step 110, the device is irradiated with infrared radiation in the range of 750 nm to 3,000 nm, wherein the infrared radiation is first absorbed by the wall of the device or the thermochromic material contained therein, and is thus heated.

(42) In step 120, the switching temperature of the thermochromic material is reached, which causes the thermochromic material to become permeable to the infrared radiation, so that in step 130 the dental material in the device is reached by the infrared radiation and thus heated.

(43) By the heating of the dental material in step 140, the viscosity of the dental material is reduced to a desired viscosity or less, which e.g. can be reached at a temperature of 50° C.

(44) In step 150, the dental material, which has the desired viscosity or even a lower viscosity, is dispensed from the device.

(45) In step 160, the dispensed dental material is irradiated with blue light in order to initiate and carry out the curing process.

(46) FIG. 8 shows a schematic flow chart of a second example of the method according to the invention for treating a dental material.

(47) In step 200, a device according to the invention with radiation-curable dental material stored therein is first provided, wherein the dental material and the device each have a temperature of 20° C.

(48) Because of the impermeability to blue light, for example, which is provided for the curing of dental material, the provided device protects the dental material from undesired initiation of the curing process.

(49) In step 210, the device is irradiated with infrared radiation in the range of 750 nm to 3,000 nm.

(50) On provision of the device in step 200 and also during irradiation with infrared radiation, the wall blocks and/or reflects, with its filter material, radiation of the first wavelength or the first wavelength range (e.g. blue light), but allows the infrared radiation—unlike in the case of FIG. 7—to pass through to the dental material.

(51) As the wall is permeable to the infrared radiation, in step 220, the dental material is reached in the device by the infrared radiation and thus heated.

(52) With the heating of the dental material, in step 230, the viscosity of the dental material is decreased to a desired viscosity or less, which e.g. can be reached at a temperature of 50° C.

(53) In step 240, the dental material, which has the desired viscosity or even a lower viscosity, is removed from the device.

(54) In step 250, the dispensed dental material is irradiated with blue light in order to initiate and carry out the curing process.

(55) The respective steps illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 take place outside the human or animal body and as such have no therapeutic action or any interaction with a human or animal body. In the context of the present invention, however, a therapeutic use can also be provided, in which e.g. curing of the dental material takes place in or on the tooth or in the oral cavity.

(56) Although various aspects or features of the invention are shown respectively in the figures in combinations, it is obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art—unless otherwise indicated—that the combinations shown and discussed are not the only ones possible. In particular, units or complexes of features corresponding to one another from different examples can be interchanged with one another.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(57) 10, 10′ Compule 12 Cavity 14 Wall 14′ Wall layer 14″ Outer layer 16 Application tip 18 Piston 20 Dental material 30 Compule applicator 32 Ram 34 IR LED 36 Radiation 100, 200 Step of providing the device 110, 210 Step of irradiating the provided device 120 Step of reaching the thermochromic material 130, 220 Step of heating the dental material 140, 230 Step of reducing the viscosity of the dental material 150, 240 Step of dispensing the dental material from the device 160, 250 Step of irradiating the dental material