Moldable dental material and method
First Claim
1. A moldable dental composition comprising:
- a uniform mixture of high-fusing temperature metal particles having an average particle size between about 4 to 80 microns, and a melting temperature above a heat treatment temperature;
low-fusing temperature metal particles having a melting temperature equal to or below said heat treatment temperature; and
a volatile binder, composed substantially or entirely of wax, with the binder in a concentration of between about thirty percent and eighty percent by volume, such that upon heat treatment at said heat treatment temperature, a porous metal structure is formed having a capillary network of voids and a void volume of between thirty to eighty percent.
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Abstract
A moldable dental composition for use in forming or repairing dental restorations composed of a mixture of high- and low-fusing temperature metal particles and a volatile binder, composed substantially or entirely of wax, with the binder having a concentration of between thirty (30%) to eighty percent (80%) by volume of the mixture. The average particle size of the high-fusing metal particles are above one micron, and preferably between four microns and eighty microns in size. The composition is heat treated at a temperature to melt the low-fusing temperature metal particles and to eliminate the binder, leaving a porous metal structure with a void volume above thirty percent (30%). The voids are filled using a filler material of metal or ceramic.
23 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A moldable dental composition comprising:
- a uniform mixture of high-fusing temperature metal particles having an average particle size between about 4 to 80 microns, and a melting temperature above a heat treatment temperature;
low-fusing temperature metal particles having a melting temperature equal to or below said heat treatment temperature; and
a volatile binder, composed substantially or entirely of wax, with the binder in a concentration of between about thirty percent and eighty percent by volume, such that upon heat treatment at said heat treatment temperature, a porous metal structure is formed having a capillary network of voids and a void volume of between thirty to eighty percent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- a uniform mixture of high-fusing temperature metal particles having an average particle size between about 4 to 80 microns, and a melting temperature above a heat treatment temperature;
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12. A method for forming or repairing a dental restoration, comprising the steps of:
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forming a mixture composed of particles of high-fusing temperature metal, particles of low-fusing temperature metal, and a binder, into a desired shape, with the binder composed substantially or entirely of wax in a concentration of at least about thirty percent by volume of the total mixture; heat treating the mixture at a temperature below the melting temperature of the high-fusing temperature metal particles, and at or above the melting temperature of the low-fusing temperature metal particles, to form a porous structure corresponding to said conformed shape and composed of said metals with a void volume of between thirty to eighty percent; adding a filler material to said porous structure; and heat treating the structure at a temperature below the melting temperature of the high-fusing metal, but high enough to melt said filler material into said porous structure for solidifying said structure into a solid. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification