Materials leading to improved dental composites and dental composites made therefrom

1. An uncured dental composite material comprising

(a) a composition comprising at least one compound of the formula:

(b) at least 10 wt % radioopaque filler; and

(c) a polymerization initiator;

wherein with regard to Formula I:

(i) n is in the range of from 1 to 5;

(ii) R 1 and R 2 are each methyl;

(iii) Z 1 and Z 2 are each independently selected and are represented by the formula

and

(iv) R 3 and R 4 are each independently selected and are represented by the formula

wherein:

(A) for groups Z 1 and Z 2 , X and Y are each H; for groups R 3 and R 4 , q=0, r=1-5 and s=5; R 5 and R 6 are each

 or

(B) for groups Z 1 and Z 2 , X and Y are either H or methyl, providing that X and Y are not the same; for groups R 3 and R 4 , q=1-11, r=0, s=0, X and Y are either H or methyl, providing that X and Y are not the same; R 5 and R 6 are each

wherein a and b are each independently an integer in the range of 0 to 6 and a +b=2-6; or

(C) for groups Z 1 and Z 2 , X and Y are either H or methyl, providing that X and Y are not the same; for groups R 3 and R 4 , q=1-11, r=0, s=0, X and Y are either H or methyl, providing that X and Y are not the same; R 5 and R 6 are each

2. The uncured dental composite material of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional polymerizable (meth)acrylic ester not of Formula I.

3. The uncured dental composite material of claim 2 wherein the additional polymerizable (meth)acrylic ester not of Formula I is a difunctional (meth)acrylate monomer.

4. The uncured dental composite material of claim 3 wherein the additional polymerizable (meth)acrylic ester(s) not of Formula I has a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the composition comprising at least one compound of Formula I.

5. The uncured dental composite material of claim 3 wherein the difunctional (meth)acrylate monomer is 2,2′-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropyl)phenyl]propane.

6. The uncured dental composite material of claim 3 wherein the difunctional (meth)acrylate monomer is dimethacryloxy ethoxylated 9,9′-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) fluorene monomer.

7. The uncured dental composite material of claim 3 wherein the difunctional (meth)acrylate monomer is ethoxylated Bisphenol A dimethacrylate.

8. The uncured dental composite material of claim 7 further comprising dimethacryloxy ethoxylated 9,9′-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) fluorene monomer.

9. A dental restoration article that is made by forming and curing the uncured dental composite material of claim 1 .