Devices and a seamless, single load, injection molded cavity preparation and filling technique
View Patent ↗There are disclosed methods for the restoration of a decayed portion of a tooth, and dental matrices, dental wedges, interdental matrix stabilizers, dental separator rings, dental curing light devices, and kits that can be used in the methods for the restoration of a decayed portion of a tooth.
1. A method for the restoration of a tooth having an original shape including a top surface and an interproximal surface, the method comprising:
(a) removing a portion of the top surface of the tooth and a portion of the interproximal surface of the tooth to form a hollow Class II cavity preparation, the cavity preparation extending from the top surface to the interproximal surface of the tooth;
(b) surrounding the removed portion of the interproximal surface of the tooth with a matrix;
(c) placing a light-curable resin tooth bonding agent into the cavity preparation;
(d) injecting a light-curable flowable composite into the cavity preparation to create a pool of the flowable composite in the cavity preparation wherein the light-curable resin tooth bonding agent and the light-curable flowable composite are not cured at this step;
(e) after step (d), extruding a light-curable paste composite resin into the pool of the flowable composite before light curing the pool of the flowable composite thereby displacing some of the flowable composite; and
(f) simultaneously light curing the bonding agent and the flowable composite and the paste composite resin contained in the cavity preparation.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (c) further comprises first utilizing an acid etching step with liquid and/or gel phosphoric acid treatment, and then placing the bonding agent into the cavity preparation.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the bonding agent is self-etching.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises:
a pre-wedging step including inserting a wedge pre-operatively between the interproximal surface of the tooth being restored and an interproximal surface of a second tooth adjacent the tooth being restored to separate the tooth being restored and the second tooth and to protect non-diseased surfaces between the interproximal surface of the tooth being restored and the interproximal surface of the second tooth;
forming the cavity preparation; and
removing the wedge.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (b) further comprises positioning a translucent elastic matrix stabilizer in contact with the matrix to maintain contact of the matrix with the tooth being restored and/or to create separation of the teeth.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein:
step (b) further comprises positioning a separator ring with a transparent and anatomic interproximal zone in contact with the matrix stabilizer and matrix to create separation between the interproximal surface of the tooth being restored and an interproximal surface of a second tooth adjacent the tooth being restored.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (f) comprises directing light at the top surface of the tooth, directing light at a buccal portion of the interproximal surface of the tooth, and directing light at a lingual portion of the interproximal surface of the tooth.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (f) comprises simultaneously directing light at the top surface of the tooth, at a buccal portion of the interproximal surface of the tooth, and at a lingual portion of the interproximal surface of the tooth.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (f) comprises directing light at the top surface of the tooth, and then thereafter simultaneously directing light at a buccal portion and a lingual portion of the interproximal surface of the tooth.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the hollow cavity preparation is saucer shaped.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein:
the cavity preparation does not extend inward more than two millimeters from a projected external interproximal filling surface of the tooth.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the matrix is translucent.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the matrix is anatomically shaped.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the matrix is tooth specific.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the matrix is tooth type specific.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the matrix is tooth surface specific.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein:
further flowable composite and/or paste composite resin are not added after step (e) such that the method produces a single cured layer load and layer of flowable composite and paste composite resin.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the light cured flowable composite and paste composite resin contained in the cavity preparation are seamless.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the light cured flowable composite and paste composite resin contained in the cavity preparation are injection molded.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the light cured flowable composite and paste composite resin contained in the cavity preparation are not layered.
21. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (f) comprises directing light from a first light guide at a buccal portion of the interproximal surface of the tooth, and directing light from a second light guide at a lingual portion of the interproximal surface of the tooth, wherein the first light guide and the second light guide are hinged at a curing light housing.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the hollow cavity preparation is saucer shaped and in an occlusal view has a first serpentine outline from a first cavity margin to an intermediate point of the cavity preparation and has a second serpentine outline from a second cavity margin to the intermediate point of the cavity preparation.
23. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the hollow cavity preparation is saucer shaped and in a gingival view has a first serpentine outline from a first cavity margin to an intermediate point of the cavity preparation and has a second serpentine outline from a second cavity margin to the intermediate point of the cavity preparation.
24. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the hollow cavity preparation is saucer shaped and in a buccal view has a first serpentine outline from a first cavity margin to an intermediate point of the cavity preparation and has a second serpentine outline from a second cavity margin to the intermediate point of the cavity preparation.
25. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the hollow cavity preparation is saucer shaped and in a lingual view has a first serpentine outline from a first cavity margin to an intermediate point of the cavity preparation and has a second serpentine outline from a second cavity margin to the intermediate point of the cavity preparation.
26. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the hollow cavity preparation is saucer shaped in an occlusal view and/or buccal view, and/or lingual view, and/or gingival view.
27. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (d) does not use a chemically cured resin.
28. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the method does not use a chemically cured resin.