Material for dental restoration

Abstract

To solve the problem in which composite resins have conventionally been a kind of simplified restorative material; that is, they are soft and have low strength, making them inconvenient to use for restoring areas that span gaps between teeth.SOLUTION: A composite resin 2 is packed into a cavity 10 formed by removing a diseased portion from the occlusal surface of a molar 1. This composite resin 2 contains approximately 50 wt.% of nanodiamond particles 3 of industrial diamond, having an average particle diameter of 100 nm, dispersed therein. These nanodiamond particles 3 can act as nanodiamond catalysts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The tooth restoration material of the present invention relates to a dental composite resin, which is characterized by dispersedly containing fine particles of nanodiamond.

Background Art

[0002] Each tooth restoration material has its own advantages and disadvantages. Silver dental inlays were aesthetically inferior because of their silver color. Also, gold alloys required technology, time, and were expensive to produce.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] The composite resin emerged with the desire to whiten the color of the above-mentioned restoration material. However, the composite resin is a kind of simple material, soft and low in strength, and it was troublesome to use for repairing parts straddling the gaps between teeth. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to solve such problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] The above problems are achieved by providing a tooth restoration material in which a dental composite resin dispersedly contains nanodiamond particles.

[0005] The dental composite resin is mainly composed of organic resins such as methacrylic acid ester resin and dimethacrylic acid ester resin, to which inorganic fillers such as alumina and glass fiber are added, and pigments are further added to approximate the color of natural teeth.

[0006] Such a restorative material is made by adding nano-diamond particles to such dental composite resin, or by using nano-diamond particles without adding inorganic fillers or pigments. Additionally, a thickening agent may be added to adjust the viscosity of the composite resin, or a photo-curing agent may be added so that the composite resin cures rapidly when irradiated with light of a specific wavelength.

[0007] Industrial diamonds can be used as the nano-diamond particles. An example of the particle size is 30 nm to 300 nm. Also, as an example, the composite resin contains 60% to 80% by weight of nano-diamond particles. However, it is not limited to this value.

[0008] According to the dental restoration material made of the above composite resin and nano-diamond particles, the following effects are exhibited. That is, it has the property of being able to be cut and is firm, and it is possible to relatively easily fill not only the occlusal surface but also the areas straddling the gaps between teeth. Also, it is easy and effective to repair the cementum on the surface of the tooth root that appears due to the recession of the gum, and it has also been successful in expanding the uses of conventional composite resins.

[0009] Next, the above nano-diamond particles can act as a nano-diamond catalyst and exhibit a bactericidal effect on the tooth repair surface. That is, there is an effect of decomposing bacteria that come into contact with the particles of the above nano-diamond as a nano-diamond catalyst. This is due to the redox reaction of the nano-diamond catalyst. Thus, it can be said that this invention has a special feature as a dental restoration material. Since it is a restoration material used for the above filling, it is very valuable to have the ability to permanently decompose bacteria on the tooth repair surface even without light. In this sense, it has also been successful in expanding the uses of composite resins.

Effects of the Invention

[0010] According to the repair material of the present invention, since the dental composite resin contains nano-diamond particles dispersedly, the strength is higher and it becomes easier to handle, and it is useful for repairing parts that straddle the gaps between teeth and for repairing the cementum of tooth roots. In addition, since the nano-diamond particles act as a nano-diamond catalyst, the repair material of the present invention has a special ability to permanently sterilize the repair surface of teeth.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

Examples

[0012] Figure 1 shows an example of treating a molar 1, and represents a state where the composite resin 2 according to this example is filled in a hole 10 formed by removing the affected part. The composite resin 2 is schematically enlarged and shown within the circle on the right. This composite resin 2 contains about 50% by weight of nano-diamond particles 3 (industrial diamonds) having an average particle size of 100 nm dispersedly.

[0013] It is stronger than conventional composite resins, and it is characterized in that it is relatively easy to fill not only the filling on the occlusal surface as shown in Figure 1 but also the filling of parts that straddle the gaps between teeth.

[0014] Although not shown, it is also easy and effective to repair the cementum on the surface of the tooth root that appears due to the recession of the gingiva.

[0015] It is certain that it is easier for dentists to handle compared to conventional composite resins.

Examples

[0016] Figure 2 schematically shows how the nanodiamond particles 3 contained in the composite resin 2 according to this embodiment act on bacteria 4 to sterilize them, focusing on this point.

[0017] That is, the composite resin 2 containing the nanodiamond particles 3 was used as a filling material for the hole 10 formed by removing the affected part and as a coating material for the cementum on the surface of the tooth root that appears due to the recession of the gum. The nanodiamond particles 3 cover the restored surface of the tooth.

[0018] Since the nanodiamond particles 3 act as a nanodiamond catalyst, the bacteria 4 that come into contact with this nanodiamond catalyst are destroyed by the oxidation-reduction reaction of the nanodiamond catalyst.

[0019] In addition, these nanodiamond particles 3 have an excellent feature that they can permanently decompose the bacteria on the restored surface of the tooth even in dark places such as inside the oral cavity, inside the tooth, and at the gum line, without light.

Industrial Applicability

[0020] The restorative material of this invention can contribute to the development of technology in that the dental composite resin dispersedly contains nanodiamond particles. Also, in that the nanodiamond particles act as a nanodiamond catalyst and exhibit a bactericidal action on the restored surface of the tooth, it can contribute to the development of technology. It can be said that the composite resin of this invention has become a full-fledged one compared to the conventional simple composite resin.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0021] 1 Molar 10 Hole formed by removing the affected part 2 Composite resin 3 Nanodiamond particles 4 Bacteria

Claims

1. A dental restoration material in which a dental composite resin dispersedly contains nanodiamond particles.

2. The dental restoration material according to claim 1, wherein the nanodiamond particles act as a nanodiamond catalyst to exhibit a bactericidal effect on the dental restoration surface.

Images