Filler material for dental composites

A filler material for dental composites comprising:

• a fibrous material;
• and
• surface-modifying particles;
• wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• wherein the fibrous material comprises a plurality of glass fibers;
• and
• wherein the glass fibers have a composition comprising about 64-66% SiO2, 24-25% Al2O3, 0-0.1% CaO, 9.5-10% MgO, 0-0.2% Na2O+K2O, and 0-0.1% Fe2O3.

A filler material for dental composites comprising:

• a fibrous material;
• and
• surface-modifying particles;
• wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• wherein the fibrous material comprises a plurality of glass fibers;
• and
• wherein the glass fibers have a composition comprising about 52-56% SiO2, 12-16% Al2O3, 5-10% B2O3, 16-25% CaO, 0-5% MgO, 0-2% Na2O+K2O, 0-1.5% TiO2, 0-0.1% Fe2O3 and 0-1% F2.

A dental composite composition comprising:

• filler material, wherein the filler material comprises a fibrous material and surface modifying particles and wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• and
• a polymeric matrix precursor composition;
• wherein the surface-modifying particles are a glass;
• and
• wherein the glass has a composition comprising about 50% SiO2, 15% Al2O3, 1% BaO, 20% SrO, and 15% B2O3.

A dental composite composition comprising:

• filler material, wherein the filler material comprises a fibrous material and surface modifying particles and wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• and
• a polymeric matrix precursor composition;
• at least one additional filler material;
• and
• wherein the at least one additional filler material is barium borosilicate present in an amount between about 5% to about 85% by weight of the total composite composition.

A dental composite composition comprising:

• filler material, wherein the filler material comprises a fibrous material and surface modifying particles and wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• a polymeric matrix precursor composition;
• and
• at least one additional filler material;
• wherein the additional filler is a glass having the composition comprising about 55% SiO2, 10% Al2O3, 25% BaO, and 10% B2O3.

A dental composite composition comprising:

• filler material, wherein the filler material comprises a fibrous material and surface modifying particles and wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• and
• a polymeric matrix precursor composition;
• at least one additional filler material;
• and
• wherein the additional filler is a glass having the composition comprising about 50% SiO2, 10% Al2O3, 30% BaO, and 10% B2O3.

A dental restoration comprising:

• filler material, wherein the filler material comprises a fibrous material and surface modifying particles and wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• and
• a cured polymeric matrix precursor composition;
• wherein the fibrous material comprises a plurality of glass fibers;
• and
• wherein the glass fibers have a composition comprising about 64-66% SiO2, 24-25% Al2O3, 0-0.1% CaO, 9.5-10% MgO, 0-0.2% Na2O+K2O, and 0-0.1% Fe2O3.

A dental restoration comprising:

• filler material, wherein the filler material comprises a fibrous material and surface modifying particles and wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material, and
• a cured polymeric matrix precursor composition;
• wherein the fibrous material comprises a plurality of glass fibers;
• and
• wherein the glass fibers have a composition comprising about 52-56% SiO2, 12-16% Al2O3, 5-10% B2O3, 16-25% CaO, 0-5% MgO, 0-2% Na2O+K2O, 0-1.5% TiO2, 0-0.1% Fe2O3 and 0-1% F2.

A dental restoration comprising:

• filler material, wherein the filler material comprises a fibrous material and surface modifying particles and wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• and
• a cured polymeric matrix precursor composition;
• wherein the surface-modifying particles are a glass;
• and
• wherein the glass has a composition comprising about 50% SiO2, 15% Al2O3, 1% BaO, 20% SrO, and 15% B2O3.

A dental restoration comprising:

• filler material, wherein the filler material comprises a fibrous material and surface modifying particles and wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• a cured polymeric matrix precursor composition;
• and
• at least one additional filler material;
• wherein the at least one additional filler material is barium borosilicate present in an amount of about 5% to about 85% by weight of the total composition.

A dental restoration comprising:

• filler material, wherein the filler material comprises a fibrous material and surface modifying particles and wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• a cured polymeric matrix precursor composition;
• and
• at least one additional filler material;
• wherein the additional filler is a glass having the composition comprising about 55% SiO2, 10% Al2O3, 25% BaO, and 10% B2O3.

A dental restoration comprising:

• filler material, wherein the filler material comprises a fibrous material and surface modifying particles and wherein the surface-modifying particles are bonded to the fibrous material;
• a cured polymeric matrix precursor composition;
• and
• at least one additional filler material;
• wherein the additional filler is a glass having the composition comprising about 50% SiO2, 10% Al2O3, 30% BaO, and 10% B2O3.

A method of making a dental composite comprising:

• making a filler material comprising mixing fibrous material and surface-modifying particles together to produce an intimate mixture thereof;
• heating the mixture to a temperature and time sufficient enough to create a chemical bond between the surface-modifying particles and the fibrous material to form a filler material;
• wherein the temperature is below the softening temperature of the fibrous material but high enough to soften a surface of the fibrous material to bond the surface-modifying particles thereto, but not so high as to melt the surface modifying particles;
• grinding the filler material to a desired particle size;
• and
• incorporating the filler material into a polymeric matrix precursor composition to form a dental composite.