MATERIAL TO FILL DENTAL SPACES

1 . A polymerizable restorative composition, comprising a two-part curable mixture that comprises at least the following ingredients in the form of a part 1 and a part 2:

part 1: (a) a polymerizable polysaccharide, (b) a divalent cation source, and (c) a filler material; and

part 2: (d) a carrier liquid;

wherein the two-part curable mixture is curable by combining part 1 with a coherent collimated jet that comprises a part 2 to form a combined curable mixture that comprises the ingredients (a), (b), (c) and (d);

wherein the ingredients (a), (b), (c) and (d) are selected to provide the combined curable mixture with a viscosity that facilitates delivery of the combined curable mixture into a space in a tooth to form a cured mixture; and

wherein the ingredients (a), (b), (c) and (d) are also selected to provide the cured mixture with dimensional stability within the space in the tooth.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The polymerizable restorative composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable polysaccharide comprises an alginate polymer.

4 . The polymerizable restorative composition of claim 3 , wherein the alginate polymer comprises guluronic units and mannuronic units in a ratio of the guluronic units to the mannuronic units in the range of about 1:1 to about 4:1.

5 . The polymerizable restorative composition of claim 1 , wherein the carrier liquid comprises water.

6 . The polymerizable restorative composition of claim 1 , wherein part 1 further comprises an X-ray radiopaque material that comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Yb, Ba, Bi, W, Sr and Zr.

7 . (canceled)

8 . The polymerizable restorative composition of claim 1 , wherein one or both of part 1 and part 2 is degas sed.

9 . (canceled)

10 . (canceled)

11 . A curable mixture, comprising a curable mixture that comprises at least the following ingredients (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e):

(a) an alginate polymer comprising guluronic units and mannuronic units;

(b) an ionic material that comprises a divalent cation, the divalent cation being present in an amount effective to crosslink the alginate polymer;

(c) a filler material;

(d) a water miscible carrier liquid; and

(e) an X-ray radiopaque material;

wherein the alginate polymer comprises a ratio of the guluronic units to the mannuronic units in the range of about 1:1 to about 4:1; and

wherein the ingredients (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) are selected to provide the curable mixture with properties suitable for use as a tooth filling after curing by the exposure of the curable mixture to an effective amount of water.

12 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the filler material is a microparticulate filler material

13 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the water miscible carrier liquid comprises water.

14 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the ingredients (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) are substantially anhydrous.

15 . The curable mixture of claim 1 , wherein the water miscible carrier liquid comprises a polyol selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, poly(ethylene glycol), poly(propylene glycol), glycerol and mixtures thereof.

16 . The curable mixture of claim 15 , wherein the water miscible carrier liquid comprises glycerol.

17 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the divalent cation comprises an element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Ba, Sr, and a mixture thereof.

18 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the ionic material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of Ca(OH) 2 , Ba(OH) 2 , Sr(OH) 2 , CaSO 4 , BaSO 4 , SrSO 4 , CaCl 2 , BaCl 2 , SrCl 2 , calcium gluconate, calcium citrate, calcium carbonate, barium gluconate, barium citrate, barium carbonate, strontium gluconate, strontium citrate, strontium carbonate, and a mixture thereof.

19 . The curable mixture of claim 18 , wherein the ionic material is SrSO 4 .

20 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the filler material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of ZnO, a bioactive glass, a non-reactive glass, fumed silica, and a mixture thereof.

21 . The curable mixture of claim 20 , wherein the filler material comprises microparticles having an average particle size in the range of about 0.1 microns to about 3 microns, wherein the microparticles comprise ZnO, fumed silica or both.

22 . (canceled)

23 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the X-ray radiopaque material is selected from the group consisting of YbF 3 , BaF 2 , BaSO 4 , SrSO 4 , BaWO 4 , CaWO 4 , SrWO 4 and a mixture thereof.

24 - 33 . (canceled)

34 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the ingredients (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) are selected to provide the curable mixture with a viscosity effective to permit flow into the complex anatomy of a tooth.

35 . The curable mixture of claim 34 , wherein the tooth comprises a filling space with a diameter in the range of about 150 μm to about 200 μm at the apex.

36 . (canceled)

37 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the alginate polymer comprises an alginate polymer salt.

38 . The curable mixture of claim 37 , wherein the alginate polymer salt comprises Na alginate.

39 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the alginate polymer comprises a ratio of the guluronic units to the mannuronic units in the range of about 1.5:1 to about 2.3:1.

40 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , wherein the alginate polymer has a weight average molecular weight in the range of about 75 kDa to about 300 kDa.

41 . (canceled)

42 . The curable mixture of claim 11 , comprising:

8-10 wt. % sodium alginate;

3-5 wt. % CaSO 4 ;

1-4 wt. % ZnO;

1-3 wt. % fumed silica;

18-30 wt. % YbF 3 ; and

the balance comprising glycerol, optionally a surface active agent and optionally a retardant.

43 . The substantially anhydrous curable mixture of claim 11 , comprising:

7-15 wt. % sodium alginate;

3-5 wt. % SrSO 4 ;

2-8 wt. % ZnO;

1-3 wt. % fumed silica;

18-30 wt. % YbF 3 ; and

the balance comprising glycerol optionally a surface active agent and optionally a retardant.

44 . The substantially anhydrous curable mixture of claim 11 , comprising:

7-15 wt. % sodium alginate;

3-5 wt. % CaSO 4 ;

2-8 wt. % ZnO;

1-3 wt. % fumed silica;

18-30 wt. % YbF 3 ; and

the balance comprising glycerol optionally a surface active agent and optionally a retardant.

45 . A method of filling a tooth, comprising:

identifying a tooth having a cavity in need of filling;

positioning the curable mixture of claim 1 within the cavity; and

curing the curable mixture within the cavity without the need for an external energy source.

46 . (canceled)

47 . A method of filling a root canal, comprising:

identifying a tooth having a root canal in need of filling;

positioning the curable mixture of claim 11 within the root canal by mixing with a carrier liquid that has a bulk viscosity in the range of about 10 cps to about 200 cps; and

exposing the resultant curable mixture within the root canal to water for a period of time effective to cure the curable mixture.

48 . (canceled)

49 . (canceled)