U.S. Laminate Veneer Patents

Claims:

Having thus fully described my invention in detail, I claim:

1. A laminar tooth facing formed of restoration material and adapted to be bonded to the enamel surface of a patient's natural tooth to provide a thin restorative covering for the labial proximal and incisal surfaces of the patient's tooth, said facing comprising:

a thin sheet-like body of preformed dental restoration material having a substantially uniform thickness, said body being preformed to define a concave lingual surface that conforms generally to the configuration of desirable portions of the natural tooth to which it is to be bonded and to define at least one proximal surface conforming to the configuration of the outer enamel surface of said tooth, said body being formed to define knife edges that engage the enamel surface of said tooth, said body being of such color as to provide a completed tooth restoration of pleasing cosmetic appearance.

2. A laminar tooth facing as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said body of tooth restoration material is thin and flexible and readily moldable to conform to desired portions of the enamel surface of the tooth being restored.

3. A laminar tooth facing as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said body of tooth restoration material is composed of plastic material and

said thin portion adapted to cover substantially all of the labial surface of the tooth to which it is to be bonded, at least some of the edges of said thin portion being tapered to define knife edges that engage the enamel surface of said tooth; and

a portion integral with said thin portion that conforms to any tooth deformity and restores the tooth to the normal configuration thereof.

4. A laminar tooth facing as recited in claim 3, wherein said body of plastic material includes:

at least one lingual portion formed integral with said thin portion and being adapted for bonding to the enamel surface of said tooth to be restored at at least one of the lingual edges of said tooth.

5. A laminar tooth restoration element adapted to be bonded to the enamel surface of at least one of a patient's teeth, said tooth restoration element comprising:

a body of dental restoration material, said body having portions of the outer enamel surface of the teeth to which it is to be bonded, said body being of such color to provide a completed tooth restoration of pleasing cosmetic appearance, said body defining

a pair of abutment facings adapted to be bonded to the labial surfaces of abutment teeth disposed on either side of a tooth space created by a missing tooth or teeth; and

a pontic being connected to each of said abutment facings and being supported by said abutment facings within said space.

6. A laminar tooth restoration element as recited in claim 5, wherein:

said pontic is formed integrally with said abutment facings.

7. A laminar tooth restoration element adapted to be bonded to the enamel surface of at least one of a patient's teeth, said tooth restoration element comprising:

a body of dental restoration material, said body being preformed to conform generally to desirable portions of the outer enamel surface of the teeth to which it is to be bonded, said body being of such color to provide a completed tooth restoration of pleasing cosmetic appearance, said body defining at least two periodontic splinting facings adapted to be bonded to the labial surfaces of adjacent teeth, said periodontic splinting facings being disposed in rigid assembly for securing a plurality of teeth to be periodontically splinted in rigid relationship.

8. A method of restoring teeth of a patient that have become badly discolored, fractured or cariously involved, said method comprising the steps of:

etching appropriate portions of the enamel of the teeth of the patient with an acid solution to provide surface irregularities in the enamel;

providing laminar facings for the teeth to be restored, which facings conform to the configuration of the surfaces of the teeth to be restored;

disposing between the etched surface of the enamel of the teeth and the laminar facings a quantity of bonding agent;

applying mechanical pressure to the laminar facings to expell excess bonding agent from between the laminar facings and the etched surface of the enamel;

forming a small quantity of bonding agent about the joint established between the marginal edges of the laminar facings and the enamel surface of the teeth;

allowing the bonding agent to cure in place; and

finishing the exterior surface of the laminar tooth restoration to yield a smooth exterior tooth restoration surface.

9. A method of restoring teeth as recited in claim 8, including the method steps of:

coating the etched surfaces of the teeth and the interior surfaces of the laminar facings with dental sealant and allowing the sealant to harden; and

disposing a quantity of dental filler material between the hardened coated surfaces of the teeth and laminar facings and allowing the dental filler material to harden in place.

10. A method of restoring teeth as recited in claim 8, wherein:

said bonding agent comprises:

a type of bonding agent that is produced by the reaction product of Bisphenol A and Glycidyl Methacrylate, said bonding agent being activated by Bensoin methyl ether and becoming polymerized following exposure to ultra-violet light.

11. A method of restoring teeth as recited in claim 8, wherein said bonding agent comprises:

a two part bonding agent that polymerizes within a predetermined period of time after said two parts are mixed.

12. A method of tooth restoration comprising the method steps of:

etching appropriate surfaces of the enamel of the teeth to be restored with an acid material;

coating appropriate surfaces of the teeth with dental coating material that penetrates the interstices of the etched enamel;

allowing said coating material to harden;

providing a plastic facing that covers said appropriate surfaces of said teeth, said plastic facing being composed of preformed fully cured material;

coating the inside surfaces of said plastic facing with said dental coating material;

allowing said dental coating material to harden;

applying a quantity of dental filler material between said appropriate surfaces of the teeth and to the inside surface of said plastic facing;

forcing said facing into assembly with said appropriate coated surfaces of said teeth with sufficient mechanical pressure to expel any excess of said dental filler material from between said facing and said teeth;

shaping dental filler material about the joint established between the marginal edges of the plastic facing and the coated enamel surface of said tooth;

allowing said dental filler material to harden;

applying a coating of dental coating material to the exterior of said facing, said coating covering the joint between the marginal edges of said facing and the coated enamel surface of said tooth; and

allowing said coating to harden.

13. A method of tooth restoration as recited in claim 12, wherein:

said dental coating material is controllably polymerized in place following application thereof.

14. A method of tooth restoration as recited in claim 12, wherein:

said dental coating material is controllably polymerized in place following application thereof; and

said dental filler material is controllably polymerized in place following application thereof.

15. A method of tooth restoration as recited in claim 12, wherein;

said dental sealant material and said dental filler material are of a type that is produced by the reaction product of Bisphenol A and Glycidyl Methacrylate, said dental sealant and dental filler materials being activated by Benzoin methyl ether and becoming polymerized following exposure to ultra-violet light.

16. A method of tooth restoration as recited in claim 12, wherein said facing is formed of flexible plastic material and said method includes:

forming said facing to the external configuration of selected surface areas of said tooth prior to allowing said dental filler material to harden, whereby said facing will retain its formed configuration in addition to becoming bonded to the structure of the tooth.

17. Dental bridge work apparatus comprising:

a pontic formed of dental restoration material and adapted to be disposed in the space defined between abutment teeth; and

at least a pair of laminar facings being connected one on either side of said pontic and supporting said pontic, said facings conforming to at least the labial surfaces of said abutment teeth.

18. Dental bridge work apparatus as recited in claim 17, including:

a bonding agent for securing said facings to the enamel surface of said teeth.

19. Dental bridge work apparatus as recited in claim 17, including:

a thin layer of dental sealant material being applied to etched enamel surfaces of said teeth and to the inside surfaces of said facings and allowed to harden; and

a quantity of dental filler material being disposed between said coated surfaces of said enamel and said facings and allowed to harden.

20. Dental bridge work apparatus as recited in claim 19, including:

a thin coating of dental sealant material being disposed about selected exposed surfaces of said facings and said teeth and allowed to harden.

21. Dental bridge work apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein said dental sealant material and said dental filler material comprise:

a reaction product of Bisphenol A and Glycidyl Methacrylate, said reaction product being activated by Benzoin methyl ether and becoming polymerized following exposure to ultra-violet light.

22. Dental bridge work apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said laminar facings are composed of thin flexible plastic material that is readily moldable to the surface configuration of the abutment teeth.

23. A periodontic splint, comprising:

a plurality of laminar facings composed of preformed fully curved dental restoration material, said facings adapted to cover at least the labial surfaces of the teeth to be periodontically splinted,

means securing at least a part of the proximal edges of said facings in rigid assembly; and

means for bonding said plurality of laminar facings to the enamel of said teeth.

24. A periodontic splint as recited in claim 23, wherein said means for bonding said facings to said enamel comprise:

a coating of dental sealant material being applied to the juxtaposed surfaces of said enamel and said facings and allowed to harden in place; and

a quantity of dental filler material being disposed between the coated surfaces of said enamel and said facings and filling the voids therebetween, said dental filler material being allowed to harden in place.

25. A periodontic splint as recited in claim 23, wherein:

said facings are of sufficient thinness and flexibility as to be readily moldable to the physical configuration of selected surfaces of the enamel of the teeth.

26. For use with the natural tooth of a dental patient, a thin laminar facing formed of tooth restoration material for covering the labial, proximal and incisal surfaces of the patient's tooth, said laminer facing comprising:

a thin curved preformed body of tooth restoration material, having a substantially uniform thickness, said body having a thin labial portion of convex configuration defining a proximal surface of concave configuration, said proximal surface generally conforming to the configuration of the labial surface of said tooth, at least some of the edges of said body of tooth restoration material being tapered to define knife edges that engage the enamel surface of said tooth; and

means for securing said preformed body of tooth restoration material to said natural tooth.

27. The combination as recited in claim 26, wherein:

said preformed body of tooth restoration material is flexible and is moldable to the configuration of the enamel surface of said tooth.

Claims:

What is claimed is:

1. A composite laminate dental veneer for attachment to the etched labial enamel surfaces of a human tooth, comprising:

(a) an outer lamination composed of stain-resistant, chemical-resistant and erosion-resistant cross-linked polymer material;

(b) an inner lamination composed of a non cross-linked polymer material having the capability of efficient bonding to the etched labial enamel surfaces of human teeth and having the capability of permanent bonding to said outer lamination, said inner and outer laminations defining integral mass, said lamination defining incisal, cervical and marginal edges and conforming to the configuration of the labial surface of said human tooth;

(c) said outer lamination being translucent and having additive color pigments; and

(d) said inner lamination having subtractive color pigments.

2. A composite laminate veneer as recited in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said additive color system comprises enamel blends of color pigments incorporated within said outer lamination; and

(b) said subtractive color system comprises dentin blend of color pigments incorporated within said inner lamination.

3. A composite laminate veneer as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said composite laminate veneer is heat deformable to the configuration of the tooth to which it is to be attached.

4. A composite laminate veneer as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said inner and outer laminations are fused together to form said integral mass.

5. A composite laminate veneer as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said inner and outer laminations are brought together in the presence of a bonding medium which secures said laminations in assembly to form said integral mass.

6. A composite laminate veneer as recited in claim 1, wherein:

a bonding material secures said inner and outer laminations in assembly, said bonding material employing a color system providing said veneer with a natural tooth color and translucency in all visible light wavelengths.

7. A composite laminate veneer as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said inner and outer laminations have greatest thickness at the central portions thereof and define marginal portions tapering to this edges at said incisal, cervical and proximal edges.

8. A composite laminate veneer as recited in claim 7, wherein said laminate veneer comprises a color system incorporating:

(a) a cervical enamel blend of color at the cervical edge portion of said veneer;

(b) an incisal enamel blend of color at the incisal edge portion of said laminate veneer;

(c) a cervical enamel body blend of color extending from the central portion of said laminate veneer to said cervical edge portion thereof; and

(d) an incisal enamel body blend of color extending from the central portion of said laminate veneer to said incisal edge portion thereof.

9. A composite laminate veneer as recited in claim 8, wherein:

said additive color system defines said enamel blends of color of said cervical, incisal, cervical body and incisal body portions of said laminate veneer.

10. A composite laminate veneer as recited in claim 9, wherein;

said color blends are overlapped in such manner as to provide said laminate veneer with a pointillistic effect when visualized.

11. A composite laminate veneer as recited in claim 10, wherein:

(a) said color blends are defined by layered color centers incorporating organized microdots of color; and

(b) at least said outer lamination is sufficiently translucent as to permit reflection of light from said color centers.

12. A composite laminate veneer for attachment to the labial surface of a human tooth, comprising:

(a) an outer body lamination of stain-resistant, chemical-resistant and abrasion-resistant material of a group including a cross-linked polymer, ceramic and ceramic-polymer composite conforming to the configuration of the labial surface of said tooth, said body defining a cervical edge portion, an incisal edge portion and proximal edge portions, said body being sufficiently translucent to permit transmission of light waves at least partially therethrough;

(b) layers of additive color pigments forming enamel blends of color and being situated in said outer body in such manner as to reflect light waves penetrating said body, said layers of color pigments providing said body with the appearance and color of a normal tooth in light of all visible wavelengths; and

(c) an inner body lamination of a material from the group including ceramic, ceramic-polymer composite, porous polymer and cross-linked polymer, said inner lamination containing dentin blends of color pigments utilizing elements of the subtractive color system distributed in layered microdots of color.

13. A laminate veneer for attachment to the labial surface of a human tooth as recited in claim 12, wherein:

said color pigments are sensitive to light of predetermined wavelength and change color responsive to being exposed to said predetermined light wavelengths to permit color adjustment before and after installation on said tooth.

14. A laminate veneer as recited in claim 12, wherein said body is formed by:

(a) an outer lamination of dense material for wear- and stain-resistance; and

(b) said inner lamination being fused to said outer lamination and being composed of a less dense material for efficient bonding thereof to the enamel surface of a tooth.

15. A laminate veneer as recited in claim 14, wherein:

said subtractive color pigments are located at the interface between said inner and outer body laminations and said additive color pigments are disposed in said outer lamination.

16. A laminate veneer as recited in claim 14, wherein

said subtractive color pigments are applied to said outer lamination and said inner lamination is fused to said outer lamination causing said subtractive color pigments to be fused into the materials of said inner and outer laminations at the fusion interface therebetween.