Passive dental appliances of fiber-reinforced composites
AssigneeUniversity of Connecticut
InventorsA. Jon Goldberg, Charles J. Burstone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a dental appliance system having use as an orthodontic retainer, bridge, space maintainer, splint and the like, the improvement wherein a structural component thereof is formed from an effective fiber-reinforced composite material comprising a polymeric matrix and a reinforcing fiber component embedded within the matrix, the reinforcing fiber component comprising at least 20% by weight of the composite material and being substantially fully wetted by the polymer matrix, the composite material being substantially free of voids and having a modulus of elasticity greater than 0.5 x 10.sup.6 psi.
Claims14
In a passive dental appliance system wherein said system is selected from the group consisting of orthodontic retainers, bridges, space maintainers, tooth replacement appliances and splints, the improvement wherein a structural component thereof is fabricated as a preformed shape of high stiffness, strength, and stability, which exhibits ease of processing for subsequent application to a patient from an effective fiber-reinforced composite material comprising a polymeric matrix and a reinforcing fiber component embedded within the matrix, the reinforcing fiber component comprising at least about 30% by weight of the composite material and being substantially fully wetted by the polymer matrix, the composite material being substantially free of voids and having a modulus of elasticity greater than 0.5.times.10.sup.6 psi.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.