Dental Composite Capsule For Injection Molded Filling Techniques

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for the restoration of a decayed portion of a tooth or re-restoration of a previously filled tooth, and to dental capsules and dental composite resin dispensers that may be used in the methods for the restoration of a decayed portion of a tooth.

1 . A capsule for use in a dental composite dispenser, the capsule comprising:
 a hollow body comprising a wall defining an interior space of the body, the body including a proximal end and a distal end having a dispensing orifice;   a first composite resin positioned in the interior space of the body; and   a second composite resin positioned in the interior space of the body,   wherein the first composite resin has a first viscosity, and the second composite resin has a second viscosity less than the first viscosity.   
     
     
         2 . A capsule for use in a dental composite dispenser, the capsule comprising:
 a hollow body comprising a wall defining an interior space of the body, the body including a proximal end and a distal end having a dispensing orifice;   a first composite resin positioned in the interior space of the body; and   a second composite resin positioned in the interior space of the body,   wherein the first composite resin has a first color, and the second composite resin has a second color different from the first color.   
     
     
         3 . The capsule of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first composite resin has a first opacity, and the second composite resin has a second opacity different from the first opacity. 
 
     
     
         4 . The capsule of  claim 1  wherein:
 a hollow body comprising a wall defining an interior space of the body, the body including a proximal end and a distal end having a dispensing orifice; 
 a first composite resin positioned in the interior space of the body; and 
 a second composite resin positioned in the interior space of the body, 
 the first composite resin comprises a first filler and a light curable resin, and the second composite resin comprises a second filler and light curable resin, and 
 a first volume percentage of the first filler in the first composite resin is greater than a second volume percentage of the second filler in the second composite resin. 
 
     
     
         5 . The capsule of  claim 1  wherein:
 the second composite resin is positioned between the first composite resin and the dispensing orifice. 
 
     
     
         6 . The capsule of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plunger positioned between the first composite resin and the proximal end of the body. 
 
     
     
         7 . The capsule of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first composite resin and the second composite resin are in contact before use of the capsule in the dental composite dispenser. 
 
     
     
         8 . The capsule of  claim 1  wherein:
 no barrier is positioned between the first composite resin and the second composite resin. 
 
     
     
         9 . The capsule of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first composite resin is a paste composite, and 
 the second composite resin is a flowable composite. 
 
     
     
         10 . The capsule of  claim 9  wherein:
 the first composite resin comprises from about 1% by volume to about 99% by volume of the interior space of the body, and 
 the second composite resin comprises from about 1% by volume to about 99% by volume of the interior space of the body. 
 
     
     
         11 . The capsule of  claim 9  wherein:
 the first composite resin comprises from about 25% by volume to about 99% by volume of the interior space of the body, and 
 the second composite resin comprises from about 1% by volume to about 75% by volume of the interior space of the body. 
 
     
     
         12 . The capsule of  claim 9  wherein:
 the first composite resin comprises from about 50% by volume to about 99% by volume of the interior space of the body, and 
 the second composite resin comprises from about 1% by volume to about 50% by volume of the interior space of the body. 
 
     
     
         13 . The capsule of  claim 9  wherein:
 the first composite resin comprises from about 65% by volume to about 85% by volume of the interior space of the body, and 
 the second composite resin comprises from about 15% by volume to about 35% by volume of the interior space of the body. 
 
     
     
         14 . The capsule of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first composite resin and the second composite resin are essentially not mixed before exiting the dispensing orifice. 
 
     
     
         15 . The capsule of  claim 1  wherein:
 less than about 5% by volume of the first composite resin and less than about 5% by volume of the second composite resin are mixed before exiting the dispensing orifice. 
 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A dental composite dispenser comprising:
 a housing including an end section for dispensing composite; and   a capsule of  claim 1  in the end section of the housing.   
     
     
         25 . The dispenser of  claim 24  further comprising:
 an electrical power supply; and 
 at least one resistive heating element in electrical communication with the power supply, each heating element being located in the end section of the housing. 
 
     
     
         26 . The dispenser of  claim 25  further comprising:
 a movable piston engaging the inner surface of the body, 
 wherein movement of the piston toward the dispensing orifice sequentially extrudes the second composite resin and the first composite resin from the dispensing orifice. 
 
     
     
         27 . A capsule for use in a dental composite dispenser, the capsule comprising:
 a hollow body comprising a wall defining an interior space of the body, the body including a proximal end and a distal end having a dispensing orifice; and   a composite resin positioned in the interior space of the body, the composite resin having a viscosity gradient in which viscosity increases from the distal end of the body to the proximal end of the body.   
     
     
         28 . A dental composite dispenser comprising:
 a housing including an end section for dispensing composite; and   a capsule of  claim 27  in the end section of the housing.   
     
     
         29 - 47 . (canceled)