Technologies

Background

Dental fillings are traditionally made out of fast-setting pastes obtained by mixing solid-liquid components. Most of these filling materials are set by an acid-base reaction (for cement) or by polymerization (for resins). The standard filling is made of Zinc phosphate and is composed particularly of zinc oxide powder and a 50% phosphoric acid solution containing Al and Zn. Problems with existing dental fillings and crowns include interfacial leakages due to cement porosity and bonding issues.

Technology Description

This technology provides synthesis and fabrication of composite materials for dental fillings and other composites for crowns. This novel composite is made using magnetically aligned single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes, graphite nanoparticles, nano-sized silicon carbide particles (or other carbides) and/or nano-sized aluminum oxide particles (or other oxides) together with polymer systems that cure under UV lights. Additionally crowns can be made by using Hot Isostatic Pressing of a ceramic powder and carbon nanotubes, i.e. by sintering, at a temperature lower than the melting point of both ingredients.

Publications

• On and off-axis tension behavior of fiber reinforced polymer composites incorporating multi-walled carbon nanotubes
• Mechanical Performance of Dental Fillers Based on Alumina Nanoparticles
• Synthesis and characterisation of nano alumina dental filler
• Investigation of the nanomechanical and tribological properties of dental materials

About STC.UNM

As the technology-transfer and economic-development organization for the University of New Mexico, STC.UNM protects and commercializes technologies developed at the University of New Mexico (UNM) by filing patents and copyrights and transferring the technologies to the marketplace. We connect the business communication (companies, entrepreneurs and investors) to these UNM technologies for licensing opportunities and the creation of startup companies. Visit www.stc.unm.edu.