DENTAL APPLIANCE WITH NON-AQUEOUS COMPOSITION
A system includes a dental appliance comprising a polymeric shell with a plurality of cavities for receiving one or more teeth. The system further includes a non-aqueous composition disposed in one or more of the cavities of the polymeric shell of the dental appliance. The non-aqueous composition includes an oil and a viscosity modifier. The non-aqueous composition has a viscosity of between 20 and 600 Pa*s at a shear rate 1/s.
1 . A system, comprising:
a dental appliance comprising a polymeric shell with a plurality of cavities for receiving one or more teeth; and
a non-aqueous composition disposed in one or more of the cavities of the polymeric shell of the dental appliance, the non-aqueous composition comprising:
an oil; and
a viscosity modifier;
wherein the non-aqueous composition has a viscosity of between 20 and 600 Pa*s at a shear rate 1/s.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-aqueous composition includes an organic fluid in an amount of at least 70 wt. %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous composition.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the oil comprises an edible oil.
4 . The system of claim 1 , claims, wherein the edible oil is cosmetic.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the oil comprises a plant oil.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the oil is present in the non-aqueous composition in an amount of between 65 and 95 wt. %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous composition.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the viscosity modifier comprises an oil compatible polymer, silica compound, cellulose derivative, or organic modified clay.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein oil compatible polymers are present in the non-aqueous composition in an amount of between 1 and 15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the composition.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein silica compounds are present in the non-aqueous composition in an amount of between 1 and 15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the composition.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the silica compounds comprise fumed silica.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the viscosity modifier is present in the non-aqueous composition in an amount sufficient for the non-aqueous composition to form a gel.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-aqueous composition exhibits shear thinning behavior.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-aqueous composition has a refractive index of between 1.20 and 1.65, and the refractive index of the polymeric shell differs from that of the nonaqueous composition by less than 30%.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric shell is a polymeric material selected from polyurethane, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, poly cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate glycol, poly(meth)acrylates and mixtures and combinations thereof.
15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-aqueous composition is at least substantially colorless and at least substantially transparent to visible light with a wavelength of 400-750 nm.
16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric shell and the non-aqueous composition transmit at least 60% of incident light with a wavelength of about 400-750 nm.
17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-aqueous composition has a pH of about 6.0 to about 8.0.
18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-aqueous composition further comprises a tooth re-mineralizing agent.
19 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one cavity in the polymeric shell of the dental appliance is configured to adjust a tooth from a maloccluded position to a desired position.
20 . A method for using the system of claim 1 , to adjust a tooth of a patient from a maloccluded position to a desired position, the method comprising placing the dental appliance over the teeth of the patient.