Radiopaque Infiltration Solution for Dental Enamel Lesions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental infiltrants used for treating carious enamel lesions lack sufficient radiopacity, making them difficult to detect with X-ray diagnostics and complicating the detection of progressing caries beneath the infiltrated lesions.
Innovation Solution
A kit comprising an infiltration solution with a radiopaque metal compound and a curable infiltrant containing polymerizable or crosslinkable monomers, where the radiopaque metal compound is introduced into the lesion before infiltration, increasing the X-ray contrast by evaporating a solvent and leaving radiopaque materials behind, which can be repeated to achieve desired radiopacity levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional dental infiltrants are used to treat carious enamel lesions, then the infiltration process is simple and the lesion is sealed, but the radiopacity is insufficient making X-ray detection difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The infiltration process is divided into two separate steps: first applying an infiltration solution containing radiopaque metal compounds, then applying the curable infiltrant. This segmentation allows the radiopaque materials to be introduced independently before infiltration, ensuring sufficient X-ray contrast without compromising the simplicity of the overall procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiopaque metal compounds are introduced into the lesion in advance through the infiltration solution before the actual infiltration with curable monomers occurs. This preliminary action ensures that the radiopaque materials are already present in the lesion when infiltration takes place, eliminating the need for complex post-infiltration procedures to achieve radiopacity.
2Reliability
If infiltrants with high penetration coefficient are used to ensure sufficient infiltration, then the lesion is well sealed, but the radiopacity remains insufficient for X-ray diagnostics
Solution Approach 1:
The infiltration solution acts as an intermediary carrier that transports radiopaque metal compounds into the lesion. This intermediary substance enables the introduction of radiopaque materials without interfering with the subsequent infiltration process by the curable infiltrant, ensuring both sufficient radiopacity and accurate X-ray detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiopacity parameter of the treated lesion is enhanced by introducing radiopaque metal compounds with specific atomic numbers and concentrations. This parameter change ensures that the infiltrated area achieves sufficient X-ray contrast while maintaining the functional properties of the infiltrant for lesion sealing.
3Reliability
If multiple infiltration applications are performed to increase radiopacity, then the X-ray contrast improves, but the treatment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The introduction of radiopaque metal compounds and the infiltration process are merged into a coordinated two-step procedure. The infiltration solution is applied first to introduce radiopaque materials, followed immediately by the curable infiltrant application. This merging ensures that both radiopacity enhancement and lesion sealing are achieved in a single treatment session, minimizing total treatment time.
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 method significantly enhances the radiopacity of infiltrated areas, allowing for better detection during X-ray diagnostics and preventing misdiagnosis of treated lesions as active caries, thus reducing unnecessary tooth substance loss.
Implementation Method 1
The volatile solvent evaporates/evaporates leaving the dissolved radiopaque materials in the lesion, increasing its radiopacity
Implementation Method 2
After the infiltrant has penetrated the lesion, the monomers are polymerized using light activation
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to an infiltration solution for treating an enamel lesion, containing: (a) at least 25 wt % of a solvent or solvent mixture that is volatile at room temperature (23ºC), and (b) an X-ray opaque metal compound which is dissolved in the solvent or solvent mixture, the X-ray opacity of said metal compound being greater than 200% aluminum determined according to EN ISO 4049:2000. The invention further relates to a kit composed of such an infiltration solution and an infiltrant which contains monomers that can be polymerized and/or cross-linked.