Dental composite containing discrete nanoparticles

• US 20020193462A1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kerr Corporation (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kerr Corporation (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Angeletakis, Christos, Nguyen, Minh-Dang Son
• Granted Patent: US 6,593,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 523/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 6/71 Fillers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 6/887 Compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/00 Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and only one being terminated by only one carboxyl radical, or of salts, anhydrides, esters, amides, imides or nitriles thereof; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers

Abstract

The present invention provides a dental composite which has the high strength required for load-bearing restorations, yet maintains a glossy appearance, even after substantial wear. Through the use of particles having a mean particle size between about 0.05 μm and about 0.50 μm, the composite is useful in stress bearing restorations and in cosmetic restorations. The structural filler used is typically ground to a mean particle size of less than 0.5 μm and also includes a nanofiller having discrete particles of a mean particle size less than 100 nm to improve handling and mechanical characteristics. The preferred dental composites maintain their surface finish even after substantial use and also have the strength properties of hybrid composite resins.

Claims

1. A dental composite, comprising:

a polymerizable resin base; and

about 10% by volume to about 80% by volume filler consisting essentially of a ground structural filler and a nanofiller,

wherein the ground structural filler comprises between about 10% by volume and about 70% by volume of the composite and consists of ground particles of mean particle size between about 0.05 μ

m and about 0.50 μ

m, and wherein the ground structural filler contains less than 50% by volume of particles above 0.5 μ

m in diameter, and

wherein the nanofiller comprises at least about 0.01% by volume of the composite and consists essentially of discrete, non-aggregated particles of mean particle size less than about 100 nm.

2. The dental composite of claim 1, wherein the cured resin composite has a flexural strength of at least 100 MPa.

3. The dental composite of claim 2, wherein the cured resin composite has a flexural strength of at least 120 MPa.

4. The dental composite of claim 1, wherein the resin base comprises a polymerizable vinyl compound.

5. The dental composite of claim 1, wherein the ground structural filler contains less than 10% by volume of particles above 0.8 μ

m in diameter.

6. The dental composite of claim 1, wherein the nanofiller comprises between about 5 and about 12% by volume of the composite.

7. The dental composite of claim 1, wherein the nanofiller consists essentially of aluminosilicate particles.

8. The dental composite of claim 7, wherein the aluminosilicate particles have a mean particle size of about 80 nm.

9. The dental composite of claim 7, wherein the aluminosilicate particles have a 1:

4 molar ratio of alumina to silica.

10. The dental composite of claim 1, wherein the nanofiller consists essentially of gamma alumina particles having a mean particle size of about 40 nm or less.

11. The dental composite of claim 1, wherein the nanofiller has a refractive index in the range of about 1.48 to about 1.6.

12. The dental composite of claim 1, wherein the nanofiller consists essentially of discrete particles selected from the group consisting of aluminosilicate particles, gamma alumina particles, or combinations thereof.

14. The dental composite of claim 13, wherein the cured resin composite has a flexural strength of about 120 MPa or greater.

15. The dental composite of claim 13, wherein the resin base includes a polymerizable vinyl compound.

17. The dental composite of claim 16, wherein the alumino silicate particles have a mean particle size of about 80 nm.

18. The dental composite of claim 16, wherein the aluminosilicate particles have a 1:

4 molar ratio of alumina to silica.

19. The dental composite of claim 16, wherein the cured resin composite has a flexural strength of at least 100 MPa.

13. A dental composite comprising:

a polymerizable resin base; and

about 11% by volume to about 80% by volume filler in the resin base, the filler consisting essentially of a ground structural filler and a nanofiller,

wherein the ground structural filler comprises between about 10% by volume and about 70% by volume of the composite and consists of ground particles having a mean particle size of between about 0.05 μ

m and about 0.50 μ

m, and

wherein the nanofiller comprises between about 1.0% by volume and about 15% by volume of the composite and consists essentially of discrete, non-aggregated particles having a mean particle size of less than about 100 nm, and

wherein the cured resin composite has a flexural strength greater than about 100 MPa.

16. A dental composite, comprising:

a polymerizable resin base; and

about 10% by volume to about 80% by volume filler consisting essentially of a ground structural filler and a nanofiller,

wherein the ground structural filler comprises between about 10% by volume and about 70% by volume of the composite and consists of ground particles of mean particle size between about 0.05 μ

m and about 0.50 μ

m, and wherein the ground structural filler contains less than 50% by volume of particles above 0.5 μ

m in diameter, and

wherein the nanofiller comprises between about 5% by volume to about 12% by volume of the composite and consists essentially of discrete, non-aggregated aluminosilicate particles of mean particle size less than about 100 nm.