COMPOSITE, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ADDING AESTHETIC FEATURES TO A DENTURE BASE

Abstract

A composite, three-dimensionally stable facing material for adding aesthetic features to a denture base. The composite may be a flexible, flat strip of material capable of being molded to gingival surfaces of the denture base and retained on the denture base. The strip is capable of being trimmed and then cured to a hardened state. Fibers and/or other characterization may be added for increasing realism of the denture gingival surfaces.

Claims

1. A composite for adding aesthetic features to a denture base, the composite comprising: a flexible, flat and three-dimensionally stable facing material capable of being molded to gingival surfaces of a denture base and retained on the denture base, the facing material further being capable of being trimmed and then cured to a hardened state.

2. The composite of claim 1, wherein the facing material is formed at least in part from a polymeric material.

3. The composite of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive for bonding the facing material to the gingival surfaces of the denture base.

4. The composite of claim 3, wherein the adhesive is applied to or incorporated in the facing material prior to bonding the facing material to the gingival surfaces of the denture base.

5. The composite of claim 3, wherein the adhesive is separate from the facing material.

6. The composite of claim 1, wherein the facing material is curable using at least one of light, electron beam, moisture, heat or self-curing.

7. The composite of claim 1, wherein the facing material is at least partially translucent.

8. The composite of claim 1, wherein the facing material is packaged with the facing material in a flat condition.

9. The composite of claim 1, wherein the facing material is packaged with the facing material in a rolled condition.

10. The composite of claim 1, wherein the facing material comprises a strip or a sheet.

11. A denture comprising: a denture base; a flexible, flat and the three-dimensionally stable facing material molded to gingival surfaces of the denture base and retained on the denture base to provide the look of natural gingival surfaces.

12. The denture of claim 11, wherein the facing material is formed at least in part from a polymeric material.

13. The denture of claim 11, further comprising an adhesive located between the denture base and the facing material for bonding the facing material to the gingival surfaces of the denture base.

14. The denture of claim 13, wherein the adhesive is applied to or incorporated in the facing material prior to bonding the facing material to the gingival surfaces of the denture base.

15. The denture of claim 13, wherein the adhesive is separate from the facing material.

16. The denture of claim 11, wherein the facing material is at least one of light curable, electron beam curable, moisture curable, heat curable or self-curing.

17. The denture of claim 11, wherein the facing material is at least partially translucent.

18. The denture of claim 11, further comprising fibers for replicating a vein structure of gingival tissue.

19. The denture of claim 11, further comprising liquid modifiers to provide characterization to the facing material-modified denture.

20. A method of adding aesthetic features to a denture base, the method comprising: applying a flexible, flat and three-dimensionally stable facing material to gingival surfaces of the denture base; trimming the facing material to conform to the gingival surfaces of the denture base; and curing the facing material into a hardened condition.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the facing material is formed at least in part from a polymeric material.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising using an adhesive to bond the facing material to the gingival surfaces of the denture base.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising using an adhesive applied to or incorporated in the facing material to bond the facing material to the gingival surfaces of the denture base.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising applying an adhesive to the gingival surfaces of the denture base to bond the facing material to the gingival surfaces of the denture base.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of curing the facing material further comprising curing the facing material using at least one of light, electron beam, moisture, heat or self-curing.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising using fibers to replicate a vein structure of gingival tissue.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising using liquid modifiers to provide characterization to the facing material-modified denture.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a flexible, malleable aesthetic strip of facing material about to be applied to a denture base.

[0017] FIG. 1A is a side elevational view of the denture base shown in FIG. 1, with the flexible, malleable strip of facing material schematically shown in dash-dot lines just prior to being applied and molded to the denture base.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the flexible, malleable aesthetic strip of facing material being applied to the denture base.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the flexible, malleable aesthetic strip of facing material being molded by hand to the denture base.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the flexible, malleable aesthetic strip of facing material after being molded and adhered to the denture base, and undergoing a trimming process.

[0021] FIG. 4A is a side elevational view of the flexible, malleable aesthetic strip of facing material after being molded and adhered to the denture base, and undergoing a trimming process as illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the denture base and the molded, adhered and trimmed strip of facing material being cured into a hardened condition.

[0023] FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the denture base and the molded, adhered, trimmed and cured strip of facing material being polished.

[0024] FIG. 6A is a side elevational view of the denture shown in FIG. 6 being polished.

[0025] FIG. 7 is a top elevational view of the denture shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A being colored, such as with a stain applied with a brush.

[0026] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a strip of facing material constructed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment in a flat, rectangular form.

[0027] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a strip of facing material constructed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment in a roll form.

[0028] FIG. 10 is an elevation view of the facing material in a flat, sheet form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] An illustrative embodiment of the invention relates to a three-dimensionally stable, biocompatible dental facing material that has sufficient strength to maintain its shape as a three-dimensionally stable, flat material during transportation and storage, yet has sufficient malleability to be subsequently formed or molded, such as by hand, into a final shape on the gingival surfaces of the denture base and then hardened and polished. This material may be used as a veneer to improve the aesthetics of the gingival portion of a removable dental prosthetic or denture. The facing material is preferably comprised of a curable composite formed at least partially of a polymeric material. Any shape other than the relatively narrow strip shape shown in FIGS. 1-9 may be used including, but not limited to, the sheet form shown in FIG. 10. The format of the facing material may be obtained in any desired manner including, e.g., extrusion, molding and/or rolling and cutting. The material may be cured by the user with visible light or in any other manner depending on the composition of the facing material. The facing material is sufficiently strong, prior to curing, that the three-dimensionally stable pre-formed flat shape and its features, such as malleability, workability, color retention and curability, are retained prior to use, including during transportation (e.g., shipping) and storage. This means that the facing material remains dimensionally stable while contained in its packaging, for sufficient time (e.g., one year at about 75° F. or room temperature) as well as during temporary spikes in temperature up to about 110° F. and down to about 0° F. The facing material will be sufficiently malleable prior to curing for purposes of allowing final features to be formed, such as with easy manual manipulation or working by a dental technician. Preferably, the facing material is easily formed or worked by hand, prior to curing, under a moderate force, using fingers and/or typical dental hand tools.

[0030] The shape and size of the facing material, with or without the need for cutting to size by the technician, will facilitate its use as a gingival veneer, being generally rectangular in shape, and the facing material thickness will range from about 0.5 mm to about 2 mm. The width of a useful strip of this material may range from about 10 mm to about 25 mm. Length of the strip may be sufficient to cover the gingival surfaces of a full denture, e.g., up to about 100 mm. Sheets of facing material may alternatively be formed and then cut out to individual shapes and sizes for use. Such sheets may be sized in any useful dimension(s). The length may also be considered unlimited, such as where a strip of the facing material is provided on a roll like a roll of tape. In this form, the technician will cut desired lengths of the strip of material from the roll.

[0031] The facing material may be pre-formed during manufacture with coloring in various shades of pink to red, which are then selected for the shade most similar to natural gingiva desired for a particular patient. The coloring may be partially translucent, translucent and/or opaque. The facing material is then cut and trimmed to the approximate length and width of the area to be covered. The area on the denture base to receive the facing material is cleaned, then the facing material is applied onto the desired location such as with the use of a bonding agent. Additional trimming and forming is completed as needed (such as at the gingival line and interdental papilla) to mimic the natural gingiva. Liquid modifiers may be used to enhance the life-like characterization of the acing material, and once the technician is pleased with the aesthetics of the gingival portion of the denture, the facing material is cured to full hardness. The prosthetic or denture may then be polished as needed and delivered to verify fit and aesthetics for the patient.

[0032] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 1A, a strip of facing material 10 is positioned relative to a denture base 20 such that an upper portion 10a of the strip extends above the upper gingival portions 30 of the denture base 20 and a lower edge 10b of the strip 10 extends below the lowermost points 32 of the gingiva between the prosthetic teeth 40. A bonding agent (not shown) may be first applied to the gingival surfaces 42 wherever the strip of material 10 will be in contact. Alternatively, or in addition, a bonding agent (not shown) may be applied by the technician, or pre-applied or incorporated during the manufacturing process of the strip 10, to the strip of material 10. The bonding agent may be an adhesive, such as a ready-to-use adhesive or an adhesive component. Veins may be simulated by adding suitable fibers 44. These fibers 44 may be adhered to the denture base 20, as shown, and/or incorporated into or onto the strip 10 as desired for enhancing realism. As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the strip of material 10 is hand molded or worked by pressing the strip 10 against the prosthetic gingival surfaces adjacent to the teeth 40 and upper gingival portions 30 as particularly shown in FIG. 3.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A, dental hand tools 50 are used to appropriately trim the strip of material 10 to create realistic gingival lines 52 and papilla lines 54 adjacent the prosthetic teeth 40.

[0034] As further shown schematically in FIG. 5, light 60 is used to cure the hand worked or molded and trimmed strip of material 10 after the technician is satisfied with the aesthetics, such that the strip of material 10 is fully hardened. The light 60 may be of any wavelength necessary to cure the light-curable material formulation used for the strip of material 10. Preferably, the light 60 is in the visible portion of the spectrum. As discussed, any other curing method may be used depending on the chemical formulation of the facing material.

[0035] As further shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A, the fully hardened material 10 is then polished by one or more tools 70 as needed or desired by the technician to achieve the desired look. As further shown in FIG. 7, characterization may be added by the technician, such as by using an application brush 80 and/or other tool brushing stain or otherwise applying color to the visible surfaces of the prosthetic gingiva comprised of the strip 10. Other manners of adding life-like characterization may be used depending on the desires of the technician. The denture 90 is then complete and may be fitted to the patient.

[0036] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate two possible forms for the strip of material, including a rectangular strip 10 shown in FIG. 8 and another form of the strip of material 10 that has been placed into a rolled condition 100, similar to a roll of tape, shown in FIG. 9. Each of these forms may include a release film or paper 102 which is peeled off to expose an adhesive side of the strip 10.

[0037] FIG. 10 illustrates a sheet 110 of the facing material. Sheet 110 may have any desired shape and/or dimensions from which smaller and more narrow strips of the facing material may be cut or otherwise removed or separated for use. As one of many possible examples, the sheet may be 200 mm (I)×200 mm (w)×2.5 mm (t). Of course, any other size may be used instead.

EXAMPLE

[0038] An illustrative and preferred formulation of the facing material is comprised of: [0039] 17.06% Urethane Methacrylate Viscosity 8,000 cp (CAS #72869-86-4) [0040] 5.60% TMPTMA (Trimethylolpropane Trimethacrylate (CAS #3292-92-4) [0041] 22.10% PEG200DMA (CAS #25852-47-5) [0042] 55.10% Surface Treated Pyrogenic Silica (200 m.sup.2/g) (CAS #112945-52-5) [0043] 0.06% 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyldiphenyl phosphine oxide (CAS #1628881-26-7) [0044] 0.03% Camphorquinone (CAS #10373-78-1) [0045] 0.03% EDMAB (CAS #10287-53-3) [0046] 0.02% 3,5-Di-tert-4-butylhydroxytoluene (CAS #128-37-0)

[0047] The formulation presents a Flexural Strength of 99 MPa and a Flexural Modulus of 4,400 MPa for the strip of material.

[0048] One illustrative and preferred strip size is: 70 mm (length)×10 mm (width)×2.5 mm (thickness).

[0049] There may be various translucent, semi-translucent and opaque shades of the facing material. Any of these may include different levels of veining provided, such as by using fibers (which may or may not be formed into a fibrous material or mat) incorporated within the facing material and/or applied on the facing material. The coloring or shading may be various shades of pink and/or red.

[0050] A modifier liquid stain may be formed using the same formulation as above, but with 25% less Pyrogenic Silica in Red, Brown, Black, Blue, Yellow and Dark Pink. Special attention should be given to the possibility to characterize underneath the “protecting” overlayed composite facing material, which provides a protection to the aesthetics of the facing material.

[0051] An illustrative and preferred bonding formulation applied to the denture base before applying the strip is comprised of: [0052] 50.0% Acetone (CAS #67-64-1) [0053] 25.0% Urethane Methacrylate Viscosity 8,000 cp (CAS #72869-86-4) [0054] 25.0% TMPTMA (Trimethylolpropane Trimethacrylate (CAS #3292-92-4)

[0055] While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of specific embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. The various features discussed herein may be used alone or in any combination within and between the various embodiments. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope or spirit of the general inventive concept.