Methods for making provisional and long-term dental crowns and bridges

Abstract

The invention provides methods of making provisional and long-term dental restorations, particularly dental veneers, crowns and bridges. In one embodiment, the restoration can be fabricated indirectly by a dental laboratory. In another version, a dental practitioner can make the restoration chairside for a patient in a dental office. A polymerizable dental composite material, which is dimensionally shape-stable in its uncured state, is used to make the restoration. The material includes a polymerizable acrylic compound, polymerization initiator system capable of being activated by light or heat, and a filler material. The resulting dental restoration has good aesthetics, mechanical strength, and margins and contacts.

1 . A method of forming a dental restoration, comprising the steps of: 
 dispensing a heated polymerizable composite material into a matrix;    positioning the matrix over an area of a pre-formed dental model that will receive the restoration and allowing the composite material to set on the model;    allowing the composite material to cool and form a dimensionally shape-stable, uncured restoration on the model;    removing the matrix from the model;    irradiating the composite material with light so that it cures and forms a hardened restoration on the model; and    removing the restoration from the model.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composite material comprises: 
 polymerizable acrylic compound;    polymerization initiation system capable of being activated by light or heat, for polymerizing the composition; and    filler material.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the polymerizable acrylic compound of the composition is a semi-crystalline material.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the polymerization initiation system of the composition comprises a photoactive agent.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the polymerization initiation system of the composition comprises camphorquinone.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the polymerization initiation system of the composition comprises 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenyl-phosphine oxide.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the composition further comprises a filler material selected from the group of inorganic and organic materials and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       8 . A method of forming a dental restoration, comprising the steps of: 
 dispensing a heated polymerizable composite material into a hardened dental impression of a patient;    positioning the impression containing the composite material in the mouth of a patient so that the composite material is molded over a targeted area that will receive the restoration;    allowing the material to cool and form a dimensionally shape-stable, uncured restoration;    removing the impression containing the composite material from the mouth;    irradiating the restoration with light so that it cures and forms a hardened restoration.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the restoration is maintained within the impression material prior to being irradiated with light.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the restoration is removed from the impression material prior to being irradiated with the light.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the restoration is placed back inside of the mouth after it has been removed from the impression material and prior to irradiation with light so that the patient can bite down upon the restoration and the fit of the restoration can be checked.  
   
   
       12 . A method of forming a dental restoration, comprising the steps of: 
 dispensing a heated polymerizable composite material into a hardened dental impression of a patient;    placing the impression containing the composite material in the mouth of a patient so that the composite material is molded over a targeted area that will receive the restoration;    allowing the material to cool and form a dimensionally shape-stable, uncured restoration;    removing the impression from the mouth while leaving the shape-stable, uncured restoration over the targeted area inside of the mouth so that the restoration can be fitted;    removing the restoration from the mouth and irradiating it with light so that it cures and forms a hardened restoration.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the patient bites down upon the restoration prior to removing the restoration from the mouth so that the fit of the restoration can be checked.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 8  or  12 , wherein the uncured restoration is irradiated with light while it is positioned inside of the mouth so that it partially cures.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 8  or  12 , wherein the composite material comprises: 
 polymerizable acrylic compound;    polymerization initiation system capable of being activated by light or heat, for polymerizing the composition; and    filler material.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the polymerizable acrylic compound of the composition is a semi-crystalline material.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the polymerization initiation system of the composition comprises a photoactive agent.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the polymerization initiation system of the composition comprises camphorquinone.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the polymerization initiation system of the composition comprises 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenyl-phosphine oxide.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the composition further comprises a filler material selected from the group of inorganic and organic materials and mixtures thereof.