Dental Solutions

Dental Solutions

Teeth are subject to very challenging environmental conditions. Temperature swings of 100 degrees or more are not uncommon as well as exposure to both acid and alkaline substances.  These, as well as other mechanical stresses or injury are the most common cause of dental trauma.  Following these occurrances, the tooth structure can be repaired or replaced using highly engineered dental restorative materials.
Dental composites are the preferred method of restoration as they demonstrate outstanding  corrosion and wear resistance, low tendency towards, while maintaining  a natural “tooth like” appearance.  Unlike amalgam fillings, dental composites exhibit micro-mechanicadhesion  properties, significantly improving long term performance.  Additionally chemical compounds used in dental restoration are manufactured to exacting standards in order to ensure product quality and consumer safety.
Although dental composites exist in a variety of formulations, they all contain the following essential components

Monomers

Composite resins are most primarily composed of a dimethacrylate monomer (i.e. BDMA, Bis-GDMA) along with filler materials such as silica or glass. This unique combination of materials provides the functionality and appearance of the natural tooth.

Monomers currently being produced at Hampford Research include

Photoinitiators

Light cured resin composite systems require the use of a photoinitiatorin order to achieve full cure. Camphorquinone, one of the more common PI’s used in dentistry, is specially designed to initiate polymerization at wavelengths between 400-500 nm. The ability to initiate curing within the visible range is key to the safe application of resin based restoration. Dual cured resin composite containing both photo-initiators and chemical accelerators, are also commonly used, particularly in cases where there is insufficient light exposure for light only curing.

Photoinitiators currently being produced at Hampford Research include

Resin Matrix Monomers/Modifiers

Most modern composite resins are light-cured photopolymers, meaning that they harden with light exposure. They can then be polished to achieve maximum aesthetic results. Composite resins experience a very small amount of shrinkage upon curing, causing the material to pull away from the walls of the cavity preparation. This makes the tooth slightly more vulnerable to microleakage and recurrent decay. Microleakage can be minimized or eliminated by incorporating matrix modifiers and binders into the formulation.

Resin matrix modifiers currently being produced at Hampford Research include

Hampford Research has been a leading supplier of dental restoration materials since its inception. Customers worldwide rely on HRI’s expertise to produce monomers, adhesion promoters and photoinitiators that meet or exceed the industry’s rigorous standards.