Self-healing Dental Composite with Encapsulated Monomer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Dental restorative composites face issues with rapid wear and susceptibility to fracture, which limits their durability and effectiveness in dental repairs, and there is a need for materials with self-healing capabilities to autonomically resolve discontinuities.
Innovation Solution
A dental restorative composite is developed that includes microspheres encapsulating monomers and catalysts, which upon fracture, release and polymerize to heal the discontinuity, utilizing silane crosslinking agents and biocompatible crosslinking reactions at body temperature, enhancing the composite's resistance to fracture and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If synthetic composites are used for dental repairs, then aesthetic appearance and biocompatibility are improved, but resistance to fracture and wear resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The composite material is segmented into multiple functional components: base polymer matrix, silane crosslinking agents, and microspheres containing healing agents. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while collectively improving both aesthetics and fracture resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials by combining polymer matrices with silane crosslinking agents and microsphere additives. This creates a multi-phase composite system that simultaneously achieves aesthetic properties, biocompatibility, and enhanced mechanical strength through the synergistic interaction of components.
2Ease of operation
If conventional dental composites are used, then ease of application is maintained, but durability and self-repair capability are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The composite is prepared in advance with embedded microspheres containing healing agents and silane crosslinking agents. These components are pre-positioned within the matrix before application, allowing the material to maintain ease of application while possessing pre-configured self-healing and durability capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite performs self-service through autonomous self-healing functionality. When fracture occurs, the embedded microspheres rupture and release healing agents that automatically repair the damage without external intervention, thereby extending durability while maintaining ease of initial application.
3Strength
If self-healing capabilities are added to composites, then resistance to fracture and durability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The self-healing mechanism is nested within the composite structure by embedding microspheres containing healing agents inside the polymer matrix. This nested configuration allows the complex self-healing functionality to be integrated within the simpler outer composite structure, improving fracture resistance while managing formulation complexity through hierarchical organization.
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 exhibits improved resistance to fracturing, increased flexural strength, and better durability, allowing for more effective and long-lasting dental repairs without external stimuli, addressing the limitations of existing composites.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing silane crosslinking agents and biocompatible crosslinking reactions at body temperature
Implementation Method 2
silane crosslinking agents and biocompatible crosslinking reactions
Implementation Method 3
release and polymerize to heal the discontinuity
Data Source
AI summary
Dental restorative composites having self-healing capabilities to repair discontinuities in the composite are provided. Dental restorative composites according to the present invention include a microsphere that encapsulates a monomer. When a fracture occurs, the microsphere is ruptured and the monomer fills the fracture. Depending on the monomer present in the microsphere, it is polymerized by a polymerization initiator or by an olefin metathesis catalyst present in the dental restorative composite. Self-healing dental restorative composites provide increased resistance to fracturing, and thus remain substantially intact for a longer period of time, preserving the remedial integrity of the dental repair or reconstruction.