Enhanced Dental Composition with Optimized Silanated Glass Flakes
Legal Citation
Summary of the Inventive Concept
An improved dental composition featuring silanated glass flakes with tailored thickness, surface modification, and arrangement to enhance dispersion, bonding, and reinforcing effects, resulting in superior esthetic appearance, mechanical properties, and flowability.
Background and Problem Solved
The original patent disclosed a dental composition comprising a dental filler containing a structural filler and silanated glass flakes, providing excellent esthetic appearance. However, the original patent's limitations include the potential for agglomeration, inadequate bonding, and suboptimal reinforcing effects. The new inventive concept addresses these limitations by introducing optimized silanated glass flakes with improved dispersion, bonding, and reinforcing capabilities.
Detailed Description of the Inventive Concept
The new inventive concept comprises a dental composition featuring silanated glass flakes with tailored thicknesses (10 nm to 500 nm), surface modification with hydrophobic agents, and specific arrangements (aspect ratio ≥ 50:1) to optimize their reinforcing effect. The silanated glass flakes can be treated with coupling agents to enhance bonding to the polymerizable resin. The inventive concept also encompasses a system for delivering the dental composition, comprising a cartridge and dispenser designed to improve flowability. Furthermore, the silanated glass flakes can be designed with a hierarchical structure featuring nano-scale surface features to enhance mechanical properties and aesthetics.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The new claims introduce novel features such as tailored thicknesses, surface modification, and specific arrangements of the silanated glass flakes, which provide improved dispersion, bonding, and reinforcing effects. These features are non-obvious and distinct from the original patent, demonstrating a significant inventive step.
Alternative Embodiments and Variations
Alternative embodiments of the inventive concept could include varying the thickness, surface modification, and arrangement of the silanated glass flakes to achieve specific properties. Additionally, different types of polymerizable resins, structural fillers, and coupling agents could be used to further optimize the dental composition.
Potential Commercial Applications and Market
The enhanced dental composition has significant commercial potential in the dental industry, particularly in the development of high-performance restorative materials with improved esthetic appearance, mechanical properties, and flowability. The target market includes dental manufacturers, clinicians, and patients seeking advanced dental care solutions.
CPC Classifications
| Section | Class | Group |
|---|---|---|
| A | A61 | A61K6/77 |
| A | A61 | A61K6/17 |
| A | A61 | A61K6/61 |
| A | A61 | A61K6/62 |
| A | A61 | A61K6/802 |
| A | A61 | A61K6/816 |
| A | A61 | A61K6/887 |
| C | C03 | C03C3/087 |
| C | C03 | C03C3/093 |
| C | C08 | C08L33/10 |
Section 103 Obviousness Analysis (PHOSITA)
Field of Art
Dental materials engineering, specifically dental composition formulations involving structural fillers and glass flake additives, requiring advanced materials science knowledge and expertise in polymer chemistry and dental material design
Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile
A materials scientist or dental materials engineer with advanced degree, expertise in polymer chemistry, nanotechnology, and composite material design, familiar with dental material modification techniques and filler optimization strategies
Obviousness Rationale
A person having ordinary skill would recognize that the PTD's variations represent predictable engineering modifications to the source patent's core dental composition concept. The disclosed changes in glass flake thickness, surface treatment, and arrangement are logical extensions of known materials engineering principles applied to dental fillers. These modifications would be considered routine optimization techniques within the skilled artisan's capabilities.
Obvious Combinations & Variations
Original Patent Information
| Patent Number | US 11,857,650 |
|---|---|
| Title | Dental composition comprising a dental filler containing a structural filler and silanated glass flakes |
| Assignee(s) | Dentsply Sirona Inc. |