NAIL CORRECTION KIT

Abstract

The present invention relates to a kit for performing a nail correction method for a human or animal toenail or fingernail.

Claims

1-7. (canceled)

8. A kit for the correction of a fingernail or toenail, including a) an adhesion enhancer, comprising 40-60% of hydroxyethylene methacrylate, 40-60% of phosphate dimethacrylate, 0.1-1.0% of starter, b) at least one composition for making a light-curing nail brace, including 15-45% of bisphenol A (di)methacrylate, urethane dimethacrylate in a proportion from 1:5 to 5:1, 85-55% of fillers and pigments, 0.1-1% of camphorquinone, amino starter.

9. The kit for the correction of a fingernail or toenail according to claim 8, additionally including one or more spring braces.

10. The kit for the correction of a fingernail or toenail according to claim 8, including two compositions for making light-curing nail braces, namely a first composition including 17-21% of bisphenol A (di)methacrylate, urethane dimethacrylate in a proportion from 1:4 to 4:1, 79-83% of fillers and pigments 0.1-1% of camphorquinone, amino starter, and a second composition including 36-40% of bisphenol A (di)methacrylate, urethane dimethacrylate in a proportion from 1:4 to 4:1, 60-64% of fillers and pigments 0.1-1% of camphorquinone, amino starter.

11. The kit for the correction of a fingernail or toenail according to claim 8, wherein the mass proportion of bisphenol A (di)methacrylate to urethane dimethacrylate in the compositions for making light-curing nail braces is in the range from 1:2 to 2:1, preferably 1:1.

12. The kit for the correction of a fingernail or toenail according to claim 8, wherein the amino starter is 4-dimethylamino benzoic acid ethyl ester.

13. The kit for the correction of a fingernail or toenail according to claim 8, wherein the adhesion enhancer includes 0.1-2% of at least one antimicotic.

14. The kit for the correction of a fingernail or toenail according to claim 8, wherein at least one antimicotic is selected from the group of econazole, bifonazole, chlodrimazole, fenticonazole, ketocanazole, miconazole, oxiconazole.

15. A method for performing a nail correction for a human or animal toenail or fingernail including the steps of a) removing the concerned nail from the nail bed, b) treating the dry nail with an adhesion enhancer, comprising, 40-60% of hydroxyethylene methacrylate, 40-60% of phosphate dimethacrylate, 0.1-1.0% of starter, c) illuminating the adhesion enhancer with a light source to initiate polymerisation, d) application of a light-curing brace in form of lines to the nail, the light-curing brace comprising, 15-45% of bisphenol A (di)methacrylate, urethane dimethacrylate in a proportion from 1:5 to 5.1, 85-55% of fillers and pigments, 0.1-1% of camphorquinone, amino starter, e) illuminating the light-curing brace with a light source to initiate polymerization while the nail is held in the desired shape.

16. The method according to claim 15 in which the light-curing brace is made from a composition including 15-45% of bisphenol A (di)methacrylate, urethane dimethacrylate in a proportion from 1:5 to 5:1, 85-55% of fillers and pigments, 0.1-1% of camphorquinone, amino starter.

17. The method according to claim 15 in which the light-curing brace is made from a composition including 17-21% of bisphenol A (di)methacrylate, urethane dimethacrylate in a proportion from 1:4 to 4:1, 79-83% of fillers and pigments, 0.1-1% of camphorquinone, amino starter.

18. The method according to claim 15 in which the illuminating steps are made by application of blue light of approx. 450 nm and 100 mW/cm2 for a time of 5 seconds to 60 seconds.

19. A method for performing a nail correction for a human or animal toenail or fingernail including the steps of a) removing the concerned nail from the nail bed, treating the dry nail with an adhesion enhancer comprising, 40-60% of hydroxyethylene methacrylate, 40-60% of phosphate dimethacrylate, 0.1-1.0% of starter, b) illuminating the adhesion enhancer with a light source to initiate polymerisation, c) application of a metallic spring brace by applying a first drop of a photopolymerizing material, the metallic brace being pressed into said drop, d) light-curing of said first drop of a photopolymerizing material, e) spanning the metallic brace over the nail and fixing by means of a second drop of a photopolymerizing material, the metallic brace being pressed into said second drop, f) light-curing of said second drop of a photopolymerizing material.

20. The method according to claim 19 in which the light-curing brace is made from a composition including 15-45% of bisphenol A (di)methacrylate, urethane dimethacrylate in a proportion from 1:5 to 5:1, 85-55% of fillers and pigments, 0.1-1% of camphorquinone, amino starter.

21. The method according to claim 19 in which the light-curing brace is made from a composition including 17-21% of bisphenol A (di)methacrylate, urethane dimethacrylate in a proportion from 1:4 to 4:1, 79-83% of fillers and pigments, 0.1-1% of camphorquinone, amino starter.

22. The method according to claim 19 in which the illuminating steps are made by application of blue light of approx. 450 nm and 100 mW/cm2 for a time of 5 seconds to 60 seconds.

23. A method for performing a nail correction for a human or animal toenail or fingernail by application of one or more photopolymerisable compounds and illuminating said one or more photopolymerisable compounds with a light source to initiate polymerization while the nail is held in the desired shape.

24. The method according to claim 23 in which the illuminating step is made by application of blue light of approx. 450 nm and 100 mW/cm2 for a time of 5 seconds to 60 seconds.

25. A method for performing a nail correction for a human or animal toenail or fingernail by application of an adhesion enhancer containing one or more photopolymerisable compounds and illuminating said adhesion enhancer with a light source to initiate polymerization followed by application of a light-curing brace in form of lines to the nail, the light-curing brace containing one or more photopolymerisable compounds and illuminating said one or more photopolymerisable compounds with a light source to initiate polymerization while the nail is held in the desired shape.

26. The method according to claim 25 in which the illuminating steps are made by application of blue light of approx. 450 nm and 100 mW/cm2 for a time of 5 seconds to 60 seconds.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising removing the nail from a nail bed prior to application of the adhesion enhancer.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the light-curing brace is applied in the form of lines having a line width of 2-6 mm.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the adhesion enhancer includes 40-60% of hydroxyethylene methacrylate, 40-60% of phosphate dimethacrylate, and 0.1-1.0% of starter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 shows the application of a composition for making a light-curing nail brace onto the nail.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the light-cured composition on the nail close to the nail pocket (after illumination).

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the application of a light-curing composition on the nail close to the nail pocket.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows the attachment of a spring brace by means of the kit according to the invention by fixing the first end of the spring brace (top) and then fixing the other end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The kit according to the invention is used as follows:

[0034] First, the therapist removes the concerned nail from the nail bed. In this procedure, a strip of cloth can be inserted between nail and nail bed. Then, the nail is first treated with the primer of the kit. Care has, in particular, to be taken that the nail is dry. The concerned nail should, in particular during the 24 hours before the application, not have been in a longer-lasting contact with water. The patient should, for instance, not have taken a bath. Short washing or showering is, however, harmless, provided that the nail has been carefully dried. If necessary, the nail can be dried with a hot-air blower. The primer is first applied onto the necessary locations. Normally, it is recommended to apply the primer in a sheet-like manner onto the entire nail. After application, the polymerization is started by means of a light source (preferably blue light of approx. 450 nm and 100 mW/cm.sup.2). When using a usual light source, the polymerization is completed after a time of 5 seconds to 60 seconds, normally 10 seconds illumination is sufficient.

[0035] Thereafter, the light-curing nail brace is applied. The nail is held by the therapist by means of a tool in the desired position. The application is made in the form of lines (see FIG. 1) with a line width of 2-6 mm. After the application, preferably immediately, the polymerization is started by illumination with the light source mentioned above. It is important, when doing so, to hold the nail in the desired shape. This step, too, is usually completed after a time of 5-60 seconds. Thereafter, the material can again be re-ground, so that no edges will be created, where fabric (e.g., stockings) could get caught. With strongly deformed or very strongly thickened nails, a multitude of such line-shaped applications can be performed. If applicable, very thick nails may also be ground preparatorily, so that the nail is deformable again. Grinding has, of course, to be performed before the priming process with the primer. The photopolymer may also be applied in a correspondingly thicker layer. In an extreme case, a metallic spring brace may be applied. For this purpose, first, a drop of the light-curing material is applied as a point, and the spring brace is pressed into this drop (FIG. 4). After light-curing of the drop, the spring brace is spanned over the nail and fixed by means of a second drop of the photopolymerizing material. The two ends of the metal brace should each be visible from the inside of the drop. In this embodiment, too, a preparation of the nail using the primer is required, since otherwise the durability of the construct on the nail cannot be guaranteed.

[0036] By means of the kit according to the invention, it is also possible to enable another correction of a nail already treated with a metal brace. In particular, in the case of a tissue irritation (nail bed irritation) by the classical metal brace, the classical metal brace can be removed, and the nail is then further treated with the kit according to the invention.

[0037] The compositions provided in the kit are preferably supplied in correspondingly designed containers. For the primer, in principle, vials made of glass or plastic with an application brush are suitable. The compositions for making light-curing nail braces are typically more viscous and are preferably supplied in cartridges for use together with a cartridge press or gun. All containers are preferably opaque.

[0038] With the kit according to the invention, the necessary materials are provided, in order to correct ingrown toenails or fingernails for humans or animals, without the drawbacks of prior art occurring. In most cases, the nail correction can be performed without the aid of metallic braces. The composition according to the invention, in particular, guarantees a clearly better adhesion to the nail than prior art compositions. Furthermore, the advantages of a polymer can be combined with those of a metal brace, without the drawbacks occurring that frequently appeared in prior metal braces, in particular mechanical irritations of the nail bed.

[0039] In an improvement of the composition according to the invention, the primer additionally includes one or more antimicotics. As has been found in practice, nails needing a correction are frequently infested by nail fungi causing additional problems. It is known that nail fungi cannot easily be treated. It turned out that the nail fungus treatment is successful, when the primer additionally includes one or more antimicotics. The admixture is normally 0.1-2%, preferably 0.5-1%. As an antimcotic, generally compounds are suitable that are approved for the treatment of onychomycoses, such as, for instance, econazole, bifonazole, chlodrimazole, fenticonazole, ketocanazole, miconazole, oxiconazole, and related compounds.

[0040] In the embodiment of the invention with an addition of antimycotics, the complementing addition of penetration amplifiers has proven successful. For this purpose, the usual penetration amplifiers for nail penetration can be used. Particularly successful for the present invention have proven penetration amplifiers based on substituted 1,3-dioxolanes, 1,5-dioxanes and acetals, in particular the substances and substance mixtures marketed under the trademark SEPA®.

Examples

[0041] The invention is further explained by the compositions exemplarily illustrated in the following:

TABLE-US-00001 A) Primer A1 A2 A3 A4 Component (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) Hydroxyethylene 49.7 39.7 35.7 45.7 methacrylate Phosphate 49.7 59.7 54.6 44.7 dimethacrylate [bis(glyceryl- dimethacrylate) phosphate] Camphorquinone 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 Triethylamine 0.2 0.1 0.2 N,N-Dimethyl-p- 0.2 0.1 toluidine

TABLE-US-00002 8) Nail brace (soft) B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Component (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) Bisphenol A 16.0 15.0 14.0 30.0 22.0 (di)methacrylate Urethane 16.0 30.0 30.0 15.0 22.0 dimethacrylate Silica filler 20.0 0.0 17.0 16.5 18.5 (Aerosil 9200) Silica filler 5.0 10.3 15.0 12.5 4.5 (Aerosil 7200) Barium glass (median 18.0 13.0 13.0 12.0 14.5.0 particle size: 13 μm) Barium glass (median 3.9 14.0 5.2 5.0 5.5 particle size: 5 μm) Polymeric particle 20.0 12.0 4.0 4.5 8.0 (median particle size: 10 μm) Polymeric particle 0.0 5.0 1.0 3.5 4.0 (median particle size: 6 μm) Camphorquinone 0.6 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.0 Triethylamine 0.5 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.0 N,N-Dimethyl-p- 0.0 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 toluidine 2-Ethylanthraquinone 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 N-Phenylglycine 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4

TABLE-US-00003 C) Nail brace (hard) C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 Component (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) Bisphenol A 20.0 25.0 18.0 19.0 15.0 (di)methacrylate Urethane 20.0 13.0 20.0 20.0 23.0 dimethacrylate Silica filler 20.0 0.0 18.0 16.5 19.5 (Aerosil 9200) Silica filler 5.0 13.3 16.0 15.5 5.5 (Aerosil 7200) Barium glass (median 16.0 14.0 12.5 12.0 12.5 particle size: 13 μm) Barium glass (median 3.9 16.1 7.0 6.5 8.5 particle size: 5 μm) Polymeric particle 14.0 12.0 6.2 6.0 11.0 (median particle size: 10 μm) Polymeric particle 0.0 5.0 1.0 3.5 4.0 (median particle size: 6 μm) Camphorquinone 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.0 Triethylamine 0.5 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 N,N-Dimethyl-p- 0.0 0.8 0.4 0.0 0.0 toluidine 2-Ethylanthraquinone 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 N-Phenylglycine 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4