Continuous fiber-reinforced dental restorations

A method for direct filling a tooth cavity, the method comprising:

• inserting into a prepared tooth cavity a fiber material consisting of polymeric fibers coated with and contained within a dental liquid resin;
• filling the tooth cavity with a direct-filling material comprising a composite resin and pre-hardened glass ionomer particles, wherein the fiber material comprises from about 30 to 60% of the combined weight of the direct filling material and fiber material;
• and
• hardening the direct-filling material;
• wherein at least about 60% of the fibers extend continuously through at least 80% of the widest dimension of the tooth cavity.

A method for direct filling a tooth cavity, the method comprising:

• inserting into a prepared tooth cavity a fiber material consisting of a hardened composite polymeric-fiber preform;
• filling the tooth cavity with a direct-filling material comprising a composite resin and pre-hardened glass ionomer particles;
• and
• hardening the direct-filling material;
• wherein at least about 60% of the fibers extend continuously through at least 80% of the widest dimension of the tooth cavity.

A method for preparing a dental indirect restoration, the method comprising:

• placing a fiber material into a mold having a longitudinal axis, wherein the fiber material is selected from the group consisting of a hardened fiber composite preform, fibers, an unhardened fiber-resin paste, and a partially-hardened flexible fiber composite preform;
• wherein fibers in the fiber material extend continuously across at least 60% of the widest dimension of the mold;
• adding a composite resin filling material to the mold;
• and
• hardening the composite resin filling material to form the dental indirect restoration.

A method for preparing a dental indirect restoration, the method comprising:

• placing a fiber material into a mold having a longitudinal axis, wherein the fiber material consists of ceramic fibers;
• adding a composite resin filling material to the mold;
• hardening the composite resin filling material to form the dental indirect restoration;
• wherein at least 60% of the fibers in the fiber material extend continuously through at least 80% of said restoration;
• and
• bonding the restoration into a prepared tooth cavity or onto a prepared tooth.

A method for making a composite fiber preform for direct dental restoration, the method comprising:

• providing fibers selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, ceramic fibers, polymeric fibers, metal fibers, and mixtures thereof;
• coating a resin onto the fibers;
• and
• hardening the resin to form a composite fiber preform, wherein fibers extend continuously through at least 60% of the widest dimension of the preform.

A method for making a composite fiber preform for direct dental restoration, the method comprising:

• providing fibers selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, ceramic fibers, polymeric fibers, metal fibers, and mixtures thereof;
• coating a resin onto the fibers;
• hardening the resin to form a composite fiber mass;
• and
• shaping said composite fiber mass into a composite fiber preform, wherein said shaping comprises at least one of cutting and machining;
• wherein fibers extend continuously through at least 60% of the widest dimension of the preform.