Abstract: There is provided a resin-containing dental composite including a dispersed phase, reinforcing, translucent filler having about 25-80% by volume of the filler particles in the particle size range from about 0.2 &mgr;m to about 0.6 &mgr;m whereby the composite has a self-opalescing quality. Without the addition of opalescence-imparting pigments, a dental restorative composite is provided that displays opalescence to the visible eye, which gives the restoration the appearance of a vital, natural tooth. Preferably, the refractive indices of the resin and the translucent filler are the same or substantially similar, both advantageously being within the range of 1.45-1.60. Further, to prevent the opal effect from being masked, the dental restorative composite advantageously comprises less than 0.0021% by weight yellow hue pigments such that the composite formulation is relatively colorless.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 7, 1999
Date of Patent:
May 15, 2001
Assignee:
Kerr Corporation
Inventors:
Alvin I. Kobashigawa, Christos Angeletakis