Dental Material and Methods of Use

Abstract

A dental filling material comprising a polybutylene polymer having a molecular weight of about 10,000 to about 100,000 and being viscoelastic at about 20° C. The composition may include other polymeric resins, fillers, plasticizers and other additives typically used in dental materials. The filling material is used for the filing of root canals.

1 . A filling material for root canals comprising:
 a polybutylene polymer having a molecular weight of about 10,000 to about 100,000 and being viscoelastic at about 20° C.   
   
   
       2 . The filling material of  claim 1  wherein the polybutylene comprises α-butylene, cis-β-butylene, trans-β-butylene, isobutylene, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       3 . The filling material of  claim 1  having being self-leveling at 20° C. 
   
   
       4 . The filling material of  claim 1  being insoluble in water. 
   
   
       5 . The filling material of  claim 1  dissolvable in a non-polar or polar solvent. 
   
   
       6 . The filling material of  claim 5  wherein the non-polar solvent comprises toluene or hexane. 
   
   
       7 . The filling material of  claim 5  wherein the polar solvent comprises methylene chloride or acetone. 
   
   
       8 . The filling material of  claim 1  further comprising a filler. 
   
   
       9 . The filling material of  claim 8  wherein the filler comprises silica, silicate glass, quartz, zinc oxide, barium sulfate, barium silicate, strontium silicate, barium borosilicate, strontium borosilicate, borosilicate, lithium silicate, amorphous silica, bismuth compounds, ammoniated or deammoniated calcium phosphate, alumina, zirconia, tin oxide, titania, or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The filling material of  claim 8  wherein the filler is a bioactive filler. 
   
   
       11 . The filling material of  claim 10  wherein the bioactive filler comprises bioglass, calcium phosphate, Portland cement, hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, a di- or polyphosphonic acid, an anti-estrogen, a sodium fluoride preparation, a substance having a phosphate to calcium ratio similar to natural bone, or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The filling material of  claim 10  wherein the bioactive filler comprises bone chips, bone crystals, mineral fractions of bone or teeth, or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The filling material of  claim 10  wherein the bioactive filler comprises particulate or fibrous filler in nanosize, microsize, macrosize form, or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The filling material of  claim 8  wherein the filler is a radiopacifying filler. 
   
   
       15 . The filling material of  claim 14  wherein the radiopacifying filler comprises apatites, silica glass fillers, calcium silicate based fillers, hydroxyapatites, barium sulfate, bismuth subcarbonate, ytterbium oxide, ytterbium fluoride, ytterbium iodine, bismuth oxide, bismuth fluoride, barium oxide, tantalum oxide and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       16 . The filling material of  claim 8  wherein the filler comprises fibrous fillers. 
   
   
       17 . The filling material of  claim 16  wherein the fibrous fillers comprise glass, ceramic, metal, carbon, graphite, polymeric fibers. 
   
   
       18 . The filling material of  claim 17  wherein the polymeric fibers comprise cellulose, polyamide, aramid, polyester, polyaramid, acrylic, vinyl, modacrylic, polyolefin, polytetrafluorethylene, or mixtures, thereof. 
   
   
       19 . The filling material of  claim 17  wherein the fibrous fillers comprise fibers of uniform or random length, unidirectional or multidirectional, randomly dispersed, or in the form of fabric. 
   
   
       20 . The filling material of  claim 8  wherein the filler is present in an amount of up to about 90 percent by weight. 
   
   
       21 . The filling material of  claim 1  wherein the polybutylene polymer is present in an amount from about 10 percent to about 100 percent by weight. 
   
   
       22 . The filling material of  claim 1  further comprising a plasticizer. 
   
   
       23 . The filling material of  claim 22  wherein the plasticizer is present in an amount of up to about 90 percent by weight. 
   
   
       24 . The filling material of  claim 22  wherein the plasticizer comprises polyol, polyolfin or a mixture thereof. 
   
   
       25 . The filling material of  claim 1  further comprising an adhesive. 
   
   
       26 . The filling material of  claim 25  wherein the adhesive comprises acrylate, methacrylate, or a mixture thereof. 
   
   
       27 . The filling material of  claim 1  further comprising a polymeric resin, additional filler, pigment, dye, antibiotic, cariostatic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, biologically active or therapeutic material. 
   
   
       28 . The filling material of  claim 27  wherein the polymeric resin comprises polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, polyimides, polyarylates, polyurethanes, vinyl esters epoxy-based materials, styrenes, styrene acrylonitriles, ABS polymers, polysulfones, polyacetals, polycarbonates, polyphenylene sulfides, polyarylsulfides, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers, polyurethane dimethacrylates, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, urethane dimethacrylate, hexane diol dimethacrylate, polycarbonate dimethacrylate, the condensation product of bisphenol A and glycidyl methacrylate, 2,2′-bis[4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxy propoxy)-phenyl]-propane and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       29 . An appliance for applying a filling material to a root canal of a tooth comprising:
 a carrier; and   a filling material disposed on the carrier, wherein the filling material comprises a polybutylene polymer having a molecular weight of about 10,000 to about 100,000 and being viscoelastic at about 20° C.   
   
   
       30 . The appliance of  claim 29  wherein the polybutylene comprises α-butylene, cis-β-butylene, trans-β-butylene, isobutylene, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       31 . The appliance of  claim 29  wherein the carrier is fabricated of metal, plastic, composite, ceramic, glass or polymeric material. 
   
   
       32 . An endodontic post comprising:
 a post section; and   a tip section, wherein the tip section comprises a filling material, wherein the filling material comprises a polybutylene polymer having a molecular weight of about 10,000 to about 100,000 and being viscoelastic at about 20° C.   
   
   
       33 . The endodontic post of  claim 32  wherein the polybutylene comprises α-butylene, cis-β-butylene, trans-β-butylene, isobutylene, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       34 . The endodontic post of  claim 32  wherein the tip section is integral to the post section. 
   
   
       35 . The endodontic post of  claim 32  wherein the post section is fabricated of metal, plastic, composite, ceramic, glass or polymeric material. 
   
   
       36 . A method for restoring the root canal of a tooth comprising:
 preparing the root canal;   applying a sealant to the walls of the root canal;   inserting a filling material into the canal, wherein the filling material comprises a polybutylene polymer having a molecular weight of about 10,000 to about 100,000 and being viscoelastic at about 20° C.   
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the polybutylene comprises α-butylene, cis-β-butylene, trans-β-butylene, isobutylene, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36  wherein filling material further comprises a polymeric resin, filler, pigment, dye, antibiotic, cariostatic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, biologically active or therapeutic material. 
   
   
       39 . A dental material for sealing, temporary cavity filling, luting and cementing comprising a polybutylene polymer having a molecular weight of about 10,000 to about 100,000 and being viscoelastic at about 20° C. 
   
   
       40 . The dental material of  claim 39  wherein the polybutylene comprises α-butylene, cis-β-butylene, trans-β-butylene, isobutylene, or a combination thereof.