Light activated coloration of dental restorations
First Claim
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1. A method of effecting coloration of a dental restoration to produce a desired color in selected areas of said dental restoration comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a mixture of powdered dental porcelain and a photonucleable silicate material;
(b) shaping said mixture into said dental restoration;
(c) heating said dental restoration to its fusing temperature and thereafter allowing said restoration to cool;
(d) exposing selected areas of said restoration to light of a specific wave length to establish color centers in said restoration;
(e) reheating said selected areas to a predetermined temperature sufficient to cause color intensification in said selected areas of said restoration and maintaining said predetermined temperature while said color intensifies and changes in said selected areas to produce said desired color in said selected areas; and
(f) cooling said restoration after said desired color of said selected areas is produced to thus prevent further color intensification of said color centers in said dental restoration.
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Abstract
A method of effecting the coloration of a restoration to be mounted on a tooth including the steps of forming a mixture of powdered dental porcelain and a photonucleable silicate glass and shaping the mixture into a dental restoration. The dental restoration is heated in an oven to its fusing temperature and allowed to cool. Selected areas of the restoration are exposed to ultra-violet light. The dental restoration is reexposed to high energy while the color of the selected areas changes.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of effecting coloration of a dental restoration to produce a desired color in selected areas of said dental restoration comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a mixture of powdered dental porcelain and a photonucleable silicate material; (b) shaping said mixture into said dental restoration; (c) heating said dental restoration to its fusing temperature and thereafter allowing said restoration to cool; (d) exposing selected areas of said restoration to light of a specific wave length to establish color centers in said restoration; (e) reheating said selected areas to a predetermined temperature sufficient to cause color intensification in said selected areas of said restoration and maintaining said predetermined temperature while said color intensifies and changes in said selected areas to produce said desired color in said selected areas; and (f) cooling said restoration after said desired color of said selected areas is produced to thus prevent further color intensification of said color centers in said dental restoration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. The method of effecting coloration of a dental restoration to produce a desired color in selected areas of said dental restoration comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a mixture of dental glaze or dental stain and a photonucleable silicate material; (b) applying said mixture to a surface of a porcelain dental restoration having a fusing temperature above a fusing temperature of said mixture; (c) heating said coated dental restoration to a temperature below said fusing temperature of said restoration and above said fusing temperature of said mixture and thereafter allowing said restoration to cool; (d) exposing selected areas of said restoration to a source of electromagnetic energy to establish color centers in said mixture applied to said dental restoration; (e) applying additional energy to said dental restoration to cause growth in said color centers resulting in intensification of color of said selected areas of said coated dental restoration to produce said desired color in said selected areas; and (f) withdrawing said growth causing energy from said restoration after said desired color of said selected areas is produced to thus prevent further color intensification of said color centers in said mixture applied to said dental restoration. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of effecting coloration of a dental restoration to produce a desired color in selected areas of said dental restoration comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a mixture of powdered dental porcelain and a photonucleable silicate material; (b) shaping said mixture into said dental restoration; (c) heating said dental restoration to its fusing temperature and thereafter allowing said restoration to cool; (d) exposing selected areas of said restoration to a first source of electromagnetic energy to establish color centers in said restoration; (e) further exposing said selected areas to a second source of energy to cause color intensification of said color centers in said restoration to produce said desired color in said selected areas of said dental restoration; and (f) cooling said restoration after said desired color of said selected areas is produced to thus prevent further color intensification of said color centers in said dental restoration. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification