Organic-Inorganic Composite Filler for Dental Curable Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dental curable compositions containing organic-inorganic composite fillers face challenges with mechanical strength and operability due to poor wettability and surface treatment effects, leading to increased polymerization shrinkage and viscosity, which complicates the filling process and affects the aesthetic and functional properties.
Innovation Solution
An organic-inorganic composite filler is developed, incorporating a polymerizable monomer with specific functional groups, a polymerizable monomer without functional groups, an inorganic filler, and a silane compound that generates —OH groups by hydrolysis, enhancing reaction sites for silane coupling agents, thereby improving wettability and mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the average particle diameter of the filler is made smaller to impart excellent surface luster and gloss maintainability, then the surface luster is improved, but the specific surface area increases causing the filler filling amount to decrease and the viscosity to increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses organic-inorganic composite fillers that combine organic polymer matrix with inorganic filler particles. This composite structure allows the filler to maintain small particle size for surface luster while the organic matrix reduces specific surface area effects, enabling higher filling amounts without excessive viscosity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the filler by incorporating polymerizable monomers with specific functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amine groups) into the filler structure. This modifies the surface chemistry to improve wettability and reduce viscosity, allowing higher filler loading while maintaining surface luster.
2Illumination intensity
If the average particle diameter of the filler is made smaller to impart excellent surface luster and gloss maintainability, then the surface luster is improved, but the operability is lowered due to increased viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the filler surface by incorporating monomers with carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amine groups. These functional groups improve wettability and reduce interparticle friction, thereby reducing viscosity and improving operability while maintaining small particle size for surface luster.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different functional groups at the filler surface (local region) to improve wettability and reduce viscosity, while the bulk filler structure maintains small particle size for surface luster. This localized functional modification resolves the contradiction between surface luster and operability.
3Illumination intensity
If the average particle diameter of the filler is made smaller to impart excellent surface luster and gloss maintainability, then the surface luster is improved, but the surface hardness is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite filler structure where inorganic particles provide hardness within the organic polymer matrix. The inorganic core maintains surface hardness while the organic matrix allows for small overall particle size, achieving both surface luster and surface hardness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent concentrates the hardness-providing inorganic material at the core or surface regions of the filler particles, while the overall particle size is kept small for surface luster. This localized distribution of properties resolves the contradiction between surface luster and surface hardness.
4Illumination intensity
If the average particle diameter of the filler is made smaller to impart excellent surface luster and gloss maintainability, then the surface luster is improved, but the polymerization volume shrinkage is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses organic-inorganic composite fillers where the inorganic component does not polymerize and thus does not contribute to polymerization shrinkage. The organic matrix component is minimized, reducing overall shrinkage while maintaining small particle size for surface luster.
5Strength
If the filler filling amount is increased to maintain high mechanical strength, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the viscosity increases causing poor operability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surface chemistry parameters of the filler by incorporating functional groups that improve wettability. This reduces interparticle friction and viscosity, allowing high filler loading for mechanical strength without sacrificing operability.
6Strength
If conventional organic-inorganic composite filler is used, then the surface treatment effect by silane coupling agent is poor due to covered inorganic filler surface, but the filler still provides some structural support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by incorporating silane coupling agents during the filler synthesis process rather than applying them afterward. This ensures the silane coupling agents are properly integrated into the filler structure before the organic matrix fully forms, improving surface treatment effectiveness while maintaining structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the polymerizable monomer with functional groups as an intermediary that facilitates the bonding between the inorganic filler and the organic matrix. The functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amine) act as intermediaries that enhance silane coupling agent effectiveness by providing additional reaction sites.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite filler achieves high X-ray contrast, excellent surface luster, low polymerization shrinkage, and improved mechanical strength, along with enhanced operability by increasing the filling content and reducing stickiness, resulting in a more efficient and effective dental curable composition.
Implementation Method 1
a silane compound (e) which generates an —OH group by hydrolysis
Implementation Method 2
polymerizing and curing the mixed material
Implementation Method 3
a silane coupling agent has been mainly used as a surface treatment agent in the dental field. This silane coupling agent works on a silanol group which is hydrophilic and presents on the surface of an inorganic filler, to form a covalent bond
Data Source
AI summary
To provide an organic-inorganic composite filler containing; a polymerizable monomer (a) having at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of —OH group, —NH— group, and —NH2 group, a polymerizable monomer (b) having no functional group selected from the group consisting of —OH group, —NH— group, and—NH2 group, a polymerization initiator (c), an inorganic filler (d), and a silane compound (e) which generates —OH group by hydrolysis.