MXPA06001937A - Gutta percha tip and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a gutta percha tip for filling a root channel system. The inventive tip is characterized in that at least one section of the tip has a cross-sectional area with a non-circular perimeter or in that the surface of the gutta percha tip has sections of varying roughness.

Description

POINT OF GUINPERCHA AND METHODS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THE SAME Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field of dental aids and refers to a gutta-percha tip for filling a root canal system.

The invention further relates to methods for the production of gutta-percha tips.

. Background of the Invention In the treatment of the dental root canal, it is desirable to make a hermetic seal as best as possible using the filling material that does not irritate the tissue. An ideal filler material of the root canal must not irritate the periapical tissue, it must occlude laterally and vertically hermetically the root canal, its volume must remain stable and should not shrink in the root canal. Additionally, it should not encourage bacterial growth, it should be as bacteriostatic as possible but at the same time be biologically compatible and non-toxic. It has been shown that filling the root canal using gutta-percha tips and a sealant is biologically the best and in the long term the safest method. A distinctive feature of a gutta-percha tip is the thermoplastic deformability of the material, which allows it to be worked well under moderate heat, for example, the body temperature, ie 37 ° C, and consequently allows an especially reliable filling of a channel. root. Usually, this gutta-percha tip has a gutta-percha content of about 20% by weight ± 10% by weight. This differentiates a gutta-percha tip from a retaining pin or post consisting of a solid material, such as, for example, a metal or metal alloy and is anchored in a dental cavity, for example, in the upper two thirds of a tooth. root canal, in order to fix dental prostheses, such as crowns or bridges, as an example. The widely used methods for introducing gutta-percha into the root canal are lateral condensation, vertical condensation, thermomechanical condensation and also injection techniques. In the commonly used method of lateral condensation, root canal filling begins with the selection of a main gutta-percha tip, which is first introduced into the root canal. A second gutta-percha tip is then inserted into the root canal and deformed by means of a hook-shaped tool, known as a spreader, and condensed with the main tip. This process is repeated until a homogenous filling of the root canal is achieved. Subsequently, the coronal gutta-percha tip is removed in excess. Due to the poor sealing properties of gutta-percha, it is essential to use an additional sealant for the hermetic sealing of the root canal, which is applied, for example, to the surface of the gutta-percha points. It has been shown that in particular in the case of the lateral condensation technique described above, deformation of the gutta-percha tip by the spreader may occur, which is often not satisfactorily carried out, since the gutta-percha points, which are of section round cross section, evade the deformation by the manually guided sprinkler. This means that a satisfactory homogeneous lateral condensation and filling of the root canal can not always be ensured. That is, an ideal end result of the root canal filling can be achieved only with a comparatively large amount of time and not less assuming a corresponding skill of the operator. With conventional methods for filling the root canal system using gutta-percha tips, in particular the condensation technique of lateral condensation, to avoid irritation of the peri-apical tissue by the filling material it is often indicated to prepare what is called point peri-apical, that is, create a defined end to the usually conical configuration of the channel. The complete filling of the gutta-percha root canal can often be done only with difficulty, due to the small space available. Additionally, with the usual methods of introducing gutta-percha into the root canal, trapped air or excess sealant can cause significant problems which means that the result of root canal treatment is not as successful as desired. When common gutta-percha tips are used, there is also no guarantee that sufficient sealant will be introduced into the dentine tubules to ensure complete occlusion and as a result prevent the ingress of fluids and germs. In comparison with this, the object of the present invention is to make available gutta-percha tips with which the aforementioned problems can be eliminated or mitigated.

Description of the Invention Gutta percha tips are known per se and can be obtained commercially in a variety of ways.

In the present invention, the term "gutta-percha tip" means in particular a tip for filling a root canal system comprising gutta-percha, gutta-percha which is a known natural substance in a polyisoprene base obtained from tree resins. Apart from gutta-percha, the gutta-percha tip (later called gutta-percha tip) may contain customary additives, for example, inorganic substances, such as, for example, inorganic fillers, such as zinc oxide, x-ray contrast agents. such as heavy metal salts, especially barium sulfate, or organic substances, such as • waxes, by way of example. Normally, a gutta-percha point contains approximately 70% by weight of ZnO, approximately 10% by weight of BaSO and approximately 1-4% by weight of waxes. According to a first embodiment of the invention, a gutta-percha tip is provided to fill a root canal system, which is characterized in that at least one protrusion is formed on the surface of the gutta-percha tip. This projection is advantageously in the form of a spike, protuberance or lug or a circumferential ring. This prevents the gutta-percha tips, for example, from leaving the position when filling the dental root canal system. Since the projection deforms in contact with the wall of the root canal, and establish a two-dimensional contact with it, a large contact surface is thus provided, which prevents accidental movement or even dislodging of the tip Guttapercha root canal. The usual gutta-percha tips have the disadvantage that they make poor contact with the root canal and with the sealant. In this way, with the usual tips of gutta-percha it can happen that the manipulations in the coronal end of a gutta-percha tip inserted in a root canal, for example, shorten the tip or the filling for the insertion of a post, cause the Gutta-percha point in the root canal moves or becomes dislodged from it. A projection improves the bond between the gutta-percha tip and the sealant and between the gutta-percha tip and the dentine in an advantageous manner. What is more, through a given thickness of the projection, a desired thickness of the sealant layer can be adjusted. A sealant can also be transported additionally to the root canal by the protrusions and is condensed in the root canal, which not only leads to an advantageous filling of the root canal but also to the displacement of the sealant to the tubules of the dentins, the effect which is that these are occluded advantageously, especially with respect to liquids and germs. Additionally, wedging, shoring or sealing of a plurality of gutta-percha points in the root canal is facilitated by at least one protrusion formed on the surface of each individual tip, which also advantageously improves the fixation of the tips in the root canal. . Additionally, it is advantageous that these projections are in the form of a helical winding. In particular, this ensures that the gutta-percha tip is fixed in the root canal, because the helical windings distort and create a large area of contact with the wall of the root canal. Preferably, a plurality of projections identical or different at the same time are provided on the surface of a gutta-percha tip according to the invention. Several protrusions on the surface of a gutta-percha tip may also have different sizes or resistances. Preferably, the relative size or strength of a plurality of protrusions on the surface of a gutta-percha tip changes along the longitudinal axis thereof, that is, towards the apical end and the coronal end of the gutta-percha tip. In this way, a gutta-percha tip may have, for example, a relatively thin circumferential ring in the apical region, a thicker ring in an intermediate region and an even thicker ring in the coronal region. In a second advantageous embodiment of the gutta-percha tip of the present invention, it has at least one portion having a cross-sectional area with a non-round (non-circular) circumference. In other words, the gutta-percha tip has at least a portion of a non-round cross-section by which at least the rolling property of the gutta-percha tip is eliminated or reduced. The term "cross-sectional area", as used herein, preferably describes a section through the gutta-percha tip running perpendicular to the direction of the tip. According to a preferred embodiment, the gutta-percha tip has an angular shape. In a particularly advantageous construction of the second embodiment of the gutta-percha tip of the invention, the gutta-percha tip may comprise a plurality of portions in the direction of the tip, at least a portion having a cross-sectional area having a shape circumferential that differs from the shape • circumferential cross-sectional area of a different portion. In that way, the gutta-percha tip may have, for example, apical cross-sectional areas of a circular cross-section. In a three-dimensional view, this may correspond to a conical shape of the gutta-percha tip in this region. Additionally, the gutta-percha tip may have coronal cross-sectional areas with a non-round circumference, e.g. angular. In this way, the rolling property of the gutta-percha tips in the non-apical portions of the dental root canal system, in which the volume of the cavity is relatively large, can be eliminated or at least advantageously reduced. The root canal itself in general is not in round cross section, so that the effect of a filling using a gutta-percha tip of non-round cross-section is that the root canal is advantageously filled. The terms "apical" and "coronal", as used herein, refer to the arrangement of the gutta-percha tip in the dental root canal system. In a further exemplary embodiment, portions having cross-sectional areas with a round (circular) circumference and a non-circular (non-circular) circumference can be arranged alternatively. According to the invention, it is preferred if the circumference of the cross-sectional area is partially or completely in the form of a closed polyline, that is, straight lines connected together, which merge with each other at an articulated point. The points articulated between the straight lines correspond in the three-dimensional shape to edges on the surface of the gutta-percha tip extending in the direction of the tip, and correspond to the cystine of an angular circumference of the cross-sectional area of the tip of the tip. gutta-percha. Due to the edges, this construction of the gutta-percha tip is especially advantageous to prevent the gutta-percha tip from rolling out of the position as the dental root canal system is being filled, and allows a gutta-percha tip to be fixed appropriate in the root canal. At the same time, the flat surfaces of this construction of the gutta-percha tip have the advantage that several points can be fixed particularly well to one another with a large contact area, for example, in the case of lateral condensation. Additionally, the flat surfaces allow the space of the root canal to be properly filled by the gutta-percha tips, since two points of gutta-percha can be hermetically joined together via a uniform, co-flat, common surface, ie, without hollow. between them. These gutta-percha tips can also be wedged, shored or sealed together especially effectively. An additional advantage of large flat surfaces is that due to increased friction they do not easily slip past the other surfaces as do the smaller surfaces. In this way, it is more difficult for the tips of gutta-percha to slide past one another, which prevents the undesirable slippage of the tips that have already been placed.

Traditionally, large surfaces have the advantage that they close well even without condensation, which is advantageous with respect to a good occlusion of the root canal. According to a third embodiment of the invention, which can be combined in particular with the first and / or second embodiment of the invention, the surface of the gutta-percha tip has a different roughness in different portions to reduce the rolling properties of a gutta-percha point. The gutta-percha tip can therefore advantageously be less rough, for example, in the apical region of the dental root canal system, than in the non-apical region of the dental root canal system. To increase the roughness of the surface of the gutta-percha tip, at least one, and in particular a three-dimensional structure in the form of a pattern can be formed on the surface of the gutta-percha tip. The three-dimensional structures in the form of a pattern are defined by regularly repeated structural elements, which are present, for example, in the form of depressions or protuberances, considering the case of three-dimensional and regular structures, the structural elements are arranged in a random manner. This three-dimensional structure for increasing the roughness of the surface of the gutta-percha tip is preferably present in the form of a honeycomb structure. Not only can the gutta-percha tip be effectively prevented from rolling out of position by this means, but also the surface of the gutta-percha tip can be enlarged, so that the condensation of the gutta-percha tips is promoted. Additionally, this three-dimensional structure for increasing the roughness of the surface improves the fixation of a gutta-percha tip in the root canal, whereby in particular the main tip can be fixed in an apical manner in order to ensure an advantageous occlusion of the canal. root at the apex. The additional advantages are evident for wedging, shoring, sealing and / or interlocking, the effect being that the tips of gutta-percha are fixed not only in the root canal but also enter it. A surface structure also advantageously makes it more difficult for several tips of gutta-percha to slide past one another or for a gutta-percha tip to move in the root canal. The connection between the gutta-percha tip and the sealant is likewise advantageously improved by a three-dimensional surface structure. According to a fourth embodiment of the invention, which can be combined in particular with the first, second and / or third embodiment of the invention, the gutta-percha tip is provided in a direction, for example, parallel to the direction of the tip , with at least one pass channel. This passageway can run, for example, completely inside the gutta-percha point; as an alternative to this, the passage channel may be in the form of a grooved depression in the surface of the filling tip. The air and / or liquids, especially the sealant, are advantageously allowed to escape from the root canal system through these passage channels, so that possible complications can be avoided due to any air remaining in the system of root canal or due to excess sealant. This contributes significantly to a positive treatment outcome. Additionally, it is possible to use an amount of sealant that ensures that dentine tubules are completely and permanently occluded. Additionally, excessive filling with the sealant is avoided in this manner, so that the escape of the apex sealant can be prevented in particular. According to a fifth embodiment of the invention, which can be combined in particular with the first, second, third and / or fourth embodiment of the invention, the gutta-percha tip has on its surface at least one structure, especially that runs parallel to the point direction, such as a reinforcement rib to stiffen the gutta-percha tip. Preferably, the structure is provided in the form of a reinforcing rib running parallel to the direction of the point. By means of these structures, the introduction of a gutta-percha tip into the root canal system can be significantly facilitated. Additionally, this structure advantageously improves both the stiffness and the strength of the gutta-percha tip, while maintaining the plastic deformability of the gutta-percha tip. Alternatively, the strength of the gutta-percha tip can also be implemented by incorporating a usual reinforcing material for example, it has reinforced areas of glass or carbon as well as polymers. The gutta-percha tip according to the invention can be advantageously manufactured by the molding, especially injection-molded, of liquid gutta-percha in a mold to produce a gutta-percha molding, and by subsequent solidification of the gutta-percha molding to produce the tip of gutta-percha. In this regard, it is especially preferred if the liquid guttapercha is decreased which is a negative impression of a positive impression of a dental root canal system. In other words, first of all a molded part of the dental root canal system is made to reproduce the positive impression, for example, by introducing silicone mass. Subsequently, this positive impression is used to make a negative impression, ie a hollow mold, which corresponds to the cavity of the dental root canal system. The positive impression is then connected to the liquid gutta percha and solidifies to produce the gutta-percha tip. The tip of gutta-percha has a complementary shape to the cavity of the dental root system. Alternatively, the gutta-percha tip may be produced by a process of removing material from a solid piece without finishing gutta-percha. For example, the gutta-percha tip in this case is subjected to abrasion from an unfinished piece of gutta-percha. In this respect, in a particularly advantageous manner, the cavity of the dental root canal system was preliminarily measured three-dimensionally and the gutta-percha tip was subjected to abrasion from the unfinished piece of gutta-percha using this data of measurement, so that, similarly to the molding of the gutta-percha tip by means of a negative impression, a gutta-percha tip having a shape complementary to the cavity of the dental root canal system is produced. Additionally, the gutta-percha tip can be manufactured by a process of not removing material from a solid piece without finishing gutta-percha. For example, an unfinished piece of gutta-percha is pressed using a suitable pressing tool to form the gutta-percha tip. This method advantageously presents an opportunity to produce the gutta-percha tips using different starting materials. In this way, for example, gutta-percha tips can be manufactured having a gutta-percha surface and a core of a material other than gutta-percha, especially flexible materials such as acrylates, silicones, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, metals, polyurethanes, thermoplastic elastomers, rubber-like compounds , etc. In a particularly advantageous manner, the cavity of the dental root system in this case was previously measured in a three-dimensional manner in a suitable manner and using this measurement data, the gutta-percha tip can be used in the unfinished piece of gutta-percha, so which, similar to the molding of the gutta-percha tip by means of a negative impression, is produced by pressing a gutta-percha tip having a shape complementary to the cavity of the dental root system. Surprisingly it was found that the manufacture of a gutta-percha tip with exactly defined three-dimensional surface structures and / or exactly defined protrusions is possible if either a structure and / or protrusion is placed in the mold or subsequently applied.

Brief Description of the Figures Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the gutta-percha tip according to the invention, having a plurality of projections in the form of protuberances. Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the gutta-percha tip according to the invention, which has a plurality of projections in the form of barbs. Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the gutta-percha tip according to the invention, having a plurality of lugs in the shape of lugs. Figure 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the gutta-percha tip according to the invention, having a plurality of projections in the form of circumferential rings having diameters that decrease in the apical direction. Figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the gutta-percha tip according to the invention, having a projection in the shape of a circumferential ring as well as a portion having a cross-sectional area with a round circumference and a portion having a cross-sectional area with a circumference in the shape of a closed polyline. Figure 6 shows a further preferred embodiment of the gutta-percha tip according to the invention, and having a projection in the shape of a circumferential ring as well as a portion having a cross-sectional area with a round circumference and a portion that it has a cross-sectional area with a circumference in the form of a closed polyline. Figure 7 shows a preferred embodiment of the gutta-percha tip according to the invention, having a protrusion in the shape of a circumferential ring as well as two portions having a cross-sectional area with a round circumference of two portions having a circumferential circumference. cross-sectional area with a circumference in the shape of a closed polyline. Figure 8 shows a further preferred embodiment of the gutta-percha tip according to the invention, having a protrusion in the shape of a circumferential ring as well as two portions having a cross-sectional area with a round circumference and two portions having an area in cross section with a circumferential in the form of a closed polyline.

Claims (24)

1. CLAIMS 1. Gutta-percha tip for filling a dental root canal system, characterized in that at least one protrusion is formed on the surface of the gutta-percha tip.
2. 2. Gutta-percha tip according to claim 1, characterized in that the projection is constructed in the form of a barb, a protuberance or lug or a circumferential ring.
3. 3. Gutta-percha tip according to the claim 1, characterized in that the projection is constructed in the form of a helical winding.
4. Gutta-percha tip according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the gutta-percha tip has at least one portion having a cross-sectional area with a non-round circumference.
5. Gutta-percha tip according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the gutta-percha tip has a plurality of portions, at least one portion having a cross-sectional area with a circumferential shape that is different from the circumferential shape of the gutta-percha. cross-sectional area of a different portion.
6. 6. Gutta-percha tip according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross-sectional area with a non-round circumference has a circumference in the form of a closed polyline.
7. 7. Gutta-percha tip according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the surface of the gutta-percha tip has a different roughness in different portions.
8. 8. Gutta-percha tip according to the claim 7, characterized in that the surface of the gutta-percha tip has at least one three-dimensional structure especially in the form of patterns.
9. 9. Gutta-percha tip according to the claim 8, characterized in that in different portions the gutta-percha tip has different three-dimensional structures.
10. The gutta-percha tip according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the three-dimensional structure is a honeycomb structure.
11. 11. Gutta-percha tip especially according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it is provided with at least one channel in one direction, especially parallel to the direction of the tip.
12. 12. The gutta-percha tip according to claim 11, characterized in that the channel is in the form of a grooved depression in the surface of the tip.
13. 13. Gutta-percha tip, especially according to any of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that on its surface the gutta-percha tip has at least one structure, which runs in particular parallel to the direction of the point, to reinforce the point of gutta-percha .
14. 14. Gutta-percha tip according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross-sectional area is cut perpendicular to the direction of the point.
15. Method for manufacturing a gutta-percha tip for filling a dental root canal system according to any of claims 1 to 14, characterized by the following steps: - molding, especially injection molding, liquid gutta-percha in a mold to produce a gutta-percha mold, solidification of the gutta-percha molding to produce the gutta-percha tip.
16. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the liquid guttapercha is molded in a mold which is a negative impression of a positive impression of a dental root canal system.
17. Method for manufacturing a gutta-percha tip for filling a root canal system according to any of claims 1 to 14, characterized by a processing of removing the material from an unfinished solid piece of gutta-percha to produce the tip of the gutta-percha. gutta-percha.
18. 18. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that the gutta-percha tip is subjected to abrasion.
19. 19. Method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the root canal system is measured three-dimensionally and the gutta-percha tip is molded in a mold that corresponds to and is complementary to the dental root canal system.
20. 20. Method for manufacturing a gutta-percha tip for filling a root canal system according to any of claims 1 to 14, characterized by a processing of not removing material from a solid piece without finishing gutta-percha to produce the tip of gutta-percha.
21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that the gutta-percha tip is pressed.
22. Method according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that the unfinished piece of gutta-percha, comprising gutta-percha and at least one material different from gutta-percha, is subjected to a process of not removing material.
23. Method according to any of claims 20 to 22, characterized in that the dental root canal system is measured three-dimensionally and the gutta-percha tip is molded in a mold that corresponds to and is complementary to the dental root canal system.
24. 24. Gutta-percha tip, especially according to any of claims 1 to 14, manufactured by a method according to any of claims 15 to 23.