MXPA99006468A - Stable light or heat activated dental bleaching compositions - Google Patents

Abstract

Dental bleaching compositions are made with a bleaching agent and a stable radiant-energy absorbing compound that acts as a bleaching agent activator. The dental bleaching compositions of the present invention can be one-part, pre-mixed compositions that do not require mixing at the time of treating a patient's teeth but which remain stable over time. The bleaching agent may consist of hydrogen peroxide, either in aqueous form or complexed with urea (carbamide peroxide) or sodium perborate. The bleaching agent activator includes hydrocarbons that are stable in the presence of the bleaching agent, which do not prematurely accelerate liberation of the bleaching agent, but which allow for selective activation of the bleaching agent by irradiation of the bleaching composition with radiant energy. The bleaching composition may optionally include a neutralizing agent to adjust the pH, a carrier to help provide proper consistency and potency, and a stabilizing agent to maintain maximum potency of the bleaching agent over time. The bleaching composition may also include a thickening agent to achieve a selected viscosity. The dental bleaching compositions may be adapted to be loaded into and delivered from a syringe.

Description

STABLE DENTAL BLENDING COMPOSITIONS A. LIGHT OR ACTIVATED WITH HEAT DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to dental bleaching compositions and methods for treating tooth surfaces. More particularly, the invention is directed to a stable, one component, viscous / gelled dental bleaching composition having a high concentration of bleaching agent. The dental bleaching compositions of the present invention include a radiant energy or thermal energy absorbing substance which causes the bleaching agent to whiten the surface of the teeth more rapidly. The use of certain foods and tobacco, the aging process, diseases, trauma, medications, some congenital conditions and environmental effects can cause the teeth to discolor. Since white or bleached teeth are usually considered aesthetically superior to stained or discolored teeth, there is a high level of interest in delaying the development of teeth whitening compositions and methods. A tooth is composed of a layer of internal dentin and a layer of external hard enamel, which is slightly porous. The outer layer is the protective layer of the tooth. The natural color of the tooth is opaque to translucent, white or slightly whitish. Some toothpastes, such as toothpastes, gels and powders, contain bleach agents that release active oxygen or hydrogen peroxide. Such bleaching agents include peroxides, percarbonates and perborates of alkali and alkaline earth metals or complex compounds containing hydrogen peroxide. Also, it is known that the peroxide salts of the alkali or alkaline earth metals are useful for whitening teeth. The most commonly used dental bleaching agent is carbamide peroxide (CO (NH2) 2? 202), also called urea-hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide carbamide and perhydrol-urea. Carbamide peroxide has been used by medical dentists for decades as an oral antiseptic. Teeth whitening was an observed side effect of extended contact time. Frequently sold compositions of 10% carbamide peroxide are available as "GLY-OXIDE®" by Marion Laboratories and "PROXIGEL®" by Reed and Carnrick. An extended contact application of bleaching gel maintained on a dental tray is available as "OPELASCENCE®" by Ultradent. Other bleaching agents such as peroxyacetic acid (CH3C = 00-0H) and sodium perborate are also known in the medical, dental and cosmetic arts. "Patients who have decided to have white teeth have typically done so by applying a whitening composition to the teeth through the dental tray in repeated treatments, or have undergone conventional office bleaching techniques that require 4 to 10 visits. to the dental office before obtaining clinically important results. Less effective tooth whitening has also been performed through the use of toothpastes or polishes that are applied by brushing. The clinically significant results are quantifiable such as measuring the scale in gray, L *, and from yellow to bluish, b *, in the CIÉ® system of color measurement or through equivalent methods. The bleaching compositions have been manufactured in one-part and two-part systems. A one-part system consists of a compound wherein the active bleach is dispersed in inert components to form an emulsion or gel. One-part systems also consist of mixtures where stabilizers are used to prevent premature decomposition of the peroxide in the bleaching composition. The advantage of a one-part system is ease of use and convenience. The main disadvantage is that the bleaching compositions of a prior art part generally contain relatively low concentrations of peroxide due to the instability of the more highly concentrated peroxide compositions. In this way, the systems of a frequent part have a low power and are slower to react. Most systems of a part in the past included active peroxide on a scale of up to about 3.5% by weight due to the relatively low concentration of active bleaching agent in one part systems, about 10 applications on average are necessary for an effective laundering. In a two part system, aqueous hydrogen peroxide is mixed with other components to obtain a preferred higher viscosity. These components are mixed together before bleaching due to the incompatibility of the other components with hydrogen peroxide. The main advantage of a two-part system is that it allows much higher concentrations of active peroxide that can not exist stably with a one-part system to be incidental in normal use. This results in faster bleaching of the patient's teeth due to the higher concentration of peroxide. Faster bleaching is desired, especially when the patient complains that longer bleaching regimens are problematic or if only a few teeth need bleaching.

Another example of a two-part system is the microencapsulation of the bleaching agent and a stabilizer. The microcapsules can separate the bleaching agent from the carrier and other materials and could break only under physical shear stress caused by a toothbrush. The dental bleaching effect of the microencapsulation system is only visible after prolonged use due to its low concentration of peroxide or low activation speed. Although positive results have been reported using the above techniques, the effectiveness of the techniques depends on factors such as the type and intensity of the stain, the contact time of the bleaching agent on the tooth, the amount of active bleach available in the agent. of bleaching and the persistence of the individual to apply the treatment until the desired result is achieved. Notwithstanding the above advantages, there are some major disadvantages for the current part and two part systems. A disadvantage of the two-part system is that the bleaching composition must be mixed at the site where it is operated immediately before application to the patient's tooth. The mixer requires additional time on the part of the dental professional, which reduces the efficiency and represents an extra preparation procedure. Mixing in appropriate amounts is also important in order to produce consistent results. Another disadvantage with the two-part bleaching compositions is that, once blended, the bleaching compositions should be used rapidly, as they are unstable and tend to decompose through the release of oxygen from the peroxide portions. In general, the constituents of the bleaching compositions by themselves accelerate the rates of composition. Although such accelerators are useful for promoting faster bleaching, they produce a composition that has a very short lifespan. Since known accelerators are chemical in nature, they can not be added "until the bleaching is about to begin, otherwise premature release of active oxygen will quickly reduce the strength of the bleaching composition, and some accelerators or peroxide indicators. they are unstable since they are consumed by the peroxide themselves The tendency of the accelerators or indicators of the prior art to be consumed by themselves has the effect of reducing the concentration of both the peroxide and the accelerator for a short period, thus reducing the effectiveness of each one.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that there is a need in the art for viscous / gelled whitening compositions, pre-blended, on the one hand, and methods for treating tooth surfaces that permit greatly increased bleaching rates compared to existing one-part systems. . In addition, it could be a significant advance in the art to provide stable, one-part, premixed, viscous / gelled dental bleaching compositions for treating tooth surfaces that include means for accelerating the release of active oxygen from the bleaching agent when needed. , but which do not cause premature decomposition of the active dental bleaching agent or destruction of the bleaching agent activator. It may be a further advance in the art to provide viscous / geleficated dental whitening compositions, premixes, on the one hand, stable, which include higher concentrations of the bleaching agent compared to. existing part compositions that are made at the same time of manufacture. It could be an additional advance in the art to provide ingredients that more efficiently convert radiant energy to heat to avoid the need for light sources that are uncomfortable or unpleasant in operation or are slow and cause the release of active oxide. Said dental bleaching compositions, premixes, on the one hand, stable and methods for whitening tooth surfaces are described and claimed here. The present invention comprises bleaching compositions, dental, premixed, on the one hand, stable, made with a bleaching agent and a radiant energy absorbing constituent that acts as a whitening agent activator. The dental bleaching compositions of the present invention are as premixed compositions, on the one hand, with a sufficient life duration to allow storage in the office of a dental professional to be used when necessary. Preferred bleaching agents include peroxide such as hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide (which is a complex between urea and hydrogen peroxide). Preferred bleach activators include radiant energy absorbing substances, preferably substantially conjugated hydrocarbons such as aromatic rings or conjugated chains, which are stable in the presence of the bleaching agent in varying concentrations and which do not cause premature decomposition of the bleaching agent before the composition has been irradiated with radiant energy.

A thickening agent can be used to give the dental bleaching composition a desired consistency, thickness and viscosity. Preferred thickening agents include PEMULEN®, a compound owned by B.F. Goodrich, or a compositional or chemical equivalent thereof. An important advantage of the preferred bleaching compositions of the present invention is that they are stable over time. A major cause of premature degradation of the bleaching agent is the existence of errant or residual metal ions that can act as -catalysts of the bleaching agent. In this way, it is possible to create stable whitening compositions even at high concentrations (greater than 20% by weight) by avoiding, removing or trapping errant or residual metal ions. The scanning of wandering or residual metal ions can be achieved through a bleaching agent stabilizer. The bleach agent stabilizer comprises disodium edetate, EDTA, oxine EDTA, disodium calcium EDTA, adipic acid, succinic acid, citric acid, tin nitrates, tin phosphates, their respective salts, combinations thereof, and the like. Activation of the dental bleaching composition of the present invention is achieved with a bleach activator which preferably is a radiant energy or thermal energy absorbing substance. Examples of such substances include substantially conjugated hydrocarbons, radiant energy absorbers such as aromatic hydrocarbons, multiple double bond hydrocarbon chains, aromatic chain mixtures, reacted combinations thereof and equivalents. Specific examples include carotenoids such as bixin, lycoxanthin, licofilo, canthaxanthin, capsatin, triptoxanthin, carotene isomers, and lycopene. Other specific examples include aromatics such as coronenne, fluoranthene, naphthol [2, 3-a], pyrene, trans-4,4'-diphenylethylbenzene, 9,10-diphenyl-anthracene, 5,12-bis (phenylethyl) naphthalene, 9, 10-bis (phenylethynyl) anthracene and perylene. The above compounds may optionally include one or more carboxyl groups. The only limitations are (1) that the radiant energy absorbing substance does not cause the decomposition of the substantial peroxide with time and (2) that the radiant energy absorbing substance is substantially resistant to peroxide in the presence of the bleaching agent over time. Preferred bleaching agent activators include 9, 10-bis (phenylethynyl) anthracene, perylene, and carotene isomers and substituted carboxyl variations thereof. The bleaching compositions preferably include an inert or non-problematic carrier. The carrier may include, but is not limited to, water, polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, propylene glycol, glycerol, stearyl alcohol, large molecular weight polyols, mixtures of the foregoing and equivalents. Since the bleaching compositions of the present invention are both stable in a one-part, premixed system, as they include the radiant energy absorbing substance, the bleaching process is greatly simplified.The dental bleaching compositions advantageously can be either pre-filled or manually loaded and suspended from a syringe into the patient's tooth.The dentist simply places the desired amount of the dental bleaching composition on a patient's tooth and then activates the accelerated bleaching either by irradiating the bleaching composition with radiant energy such as light visible and / or UV, or applying, for example, energy, conductive heat to the composition, before, during or after application to the tooth Depending on the desired bleaching speed and the sensitivity of the patient to the bleaching agents, a Whitening composition that has the optimal amount of bleaching agent can be selected before the bleaching begins or can be determined regardless of the results of the first bleaching treatment.

In view of the above, the present invention is to provide viscous / gelled premixed bleaching compositions, on the one hand, stable, and methods for treating tooth surfaces to allow enormously high bleaching rates compared to existing one-part systems. It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide stable, one-part, viscous / gelled premixed dental bleaching compositions for treating tooth surfaces which includes means for accelerating the release of oxygen from the bleaching agent when necessary but not causing premature decomposition of the active dental bleaching agent or destruction of the bleaching agent activator. These aspects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description and the appended claims, or may be taught through the practice of the invention as set forth above. The viscous / geleficated preblended dental bleaching compositions of a part of the present invention are comprised of several components which, working together, provide a pre-blended dental whitening composition of a stable and effective viscous / gelled part. The bleaching compositions of the invention are stable over time but may cause the acceleration of bleaching through radiant or thermal energy. The components include a bleaching agent, a thickening agent or gelling agent, a neutralizing agent, a vehicle, a bleaching agent stabilizer and a bleaching agent activated. Each component contributes to the dental bleaching composition in different ways. A. Bleaching Agents Preferred bleaching agents include hydrogen peroxide and complexes containing hydrogen peroxide, such as carbamide peroxide (NH 2) 2CO-H 2 - The peroxides can provide an easy source of active oxygen in effective concentrations. Hydrogen peroxide is the preferred bleaching agent in some cases, especially where it is desired to include a relatively high concentration of bleaching agent concentrations. Due to the nature of hydrogen peroxide, it is only available as an aqueous solution. Aqueous hydrogen peroxide solutions of 3% to 90% by weight of hydrogen peroxide are commercially available. On the other hand, carbamide peroxide can provide a non-aqueous form of available hydrogen peroxide. Carbamide peroxide in its pure form is a crystalline substance consisting of a urea molecule complexed with an individual molecule of hydrogen peroxide. Carbamide peroxide is generally more stable than aqueous hydrogen peroxide and is usually preferred for that reason. However, due to the existence of the urea molecule, the pure crystalline urea peroxide contains about 36% available hydrogen peroxide. This means that the upper limit of the peroxide available for bleaching when only carbamide peroxide is used is less than 36% when significant amounts of other components such as water, propylene glycol, or glycerol, and the like are included in the bleaching composition. The type and amount of hydrogen peroxide that will be used will depend on the desired peroxide concentration in the final dental bleaching composition. In general, it is preferred to use concentrated hydrogen peroxide solutions when it is desired to manufacture a bleaching composition having high concentrations of bleaching agent. The lower concentrated hydrogen peroxide solutions and / or carbamide peroxide and / or sodium perborate are generally used when it is desired to manufacture a bleaching composition having lower concentrations of the bleaching agent. The solutions of carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide solutions can be mixed together in varying concentrations to produce bleaching compositions having a broad spectrum of bleaching agent concentrations. further, sodium perborate alone can be used or can be mixed with each or both of hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. Since hydrogen peroxide is generally less stable with increasing pH, many hydrogen peroxide solutions include acidifying agents such as mineral agents in order to make a more stable hydrogen peroxide solution. However, after mixing such solutions with other constituents to produce the dental composition of the invention, it will generally be desired to adjust the pH to an acceptable pH scale in order to protect the teeth of the patient and the surrounding tissues. The concept of pH adjustment will be discussed later. B. Thickening Agents Thickening agents or gelling agents help to increase viscosity, to facilitate easy placement, and to ensure that the composition remains in place during treatment. In this way, the thickening agents help the composition to remain in place during the treatment. The thickening agents preferably have the quality of being substantially inert in the presence of, and not readily decomposing through, the bleaching agent. It has been found that thickening agents that are substantially hydrophilic, but have a relatively small lipophilic moiety, are preferred in the present invention. For example, a preferred thickening agent is an emulsifier comprising a polymer or copolymer of high molecular weight polyacrylic acid. As an example of a preferred thickening agent, it has been found that PEMULEN® or a compositional or chemical equivalent thereof possesses the qualities required for the composition of the invention. A more preferred thickening agent is PEMULEN®TR-1NF. PEMULEN® is a proprietary formula that includes a significant amount of a polyacrylic copolymer having a slightly hydrophobic end and a strongly hydrophilic end. In addition to PEMULEN® or a compositional or chemical equivalent thereof, it has been found that silicates can be used; however, the composition loses its gel-like qualities that are preferred during application. When such gel-like qualities are lost, the composition becomes sticky to be extruded through, for example, a syringe hole that may otherwise be used to extrude compositions of the present invention. It has also been found that the composition of the present invention can be used with concentrations of hydrogen peroxide well below 20%, and that the thickening agent is present in sufficient amounts to make the composition, a thick, sticky and viscous gel . Said concentrations of hydrogen peroxide can be as low as 0.1%. C. Neutralization Agents In view of the acidity of hydrogen peroxide supply solutions and some solutions of polyacrylic acid thickeners, such as PEMULEN or a compositional or chemical equivalent thereof, it is usually desired to use a neutralizing agent to adjust the pH within an acceptable pH scale. The elevation of pH causes some thickeners to become more viscous. In addition, whitening compositions that are too acidic can chemically attack the patient's teeth and cause irritation to the surrounding dental tissues. In most cases, the pH is on the scale of about 2 to about 9, preferably on a scale of about 3 to about 7, and more preferably about 4 to 6. Preferred neutralizing agents include alkali hydroxides, such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, amines such as diisopropanolamine and triethanolamine, ammonium hydroxide and the like. The preferred neutralizing agent is sodium hydroxide, 50% in distilled or deionized water. D. Vehicles The vehicle is used to supplement the other components of the dental bleaching composition and effect a good dispersion and stability of the resulting compositions. By adjusting the amount of vehicle the concentration of bleaching agent can be adjusted to a selected level. The use of a vehicle or vehicle combinations together with a thickening agent allows achieving a selected bleaching agent concentration and a selected consistency. Sometimes water, or water, is used in combination with other components, including other vehicles. Other vehicles include polyols such as polypropylene glycol and polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, propylene glycol, glycerol, stearyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, high molecular weight polyols and the like, and mixtures thereof. Although ethylene glycol can work with a vehicle, it is not used since it is toxic. E. Bleaching Agent Stabilizers The bleaching agent stabilizers act as impurity scavengers that hide errant or residual metal ions and other impurities that could cause the decomposition of the bleaching agent. 1S The stabilizer must also not be itself, a source of bleaching agent instability. When an excess of stabilizer is in solution so that all the impurities have been. bound through the stabilizer, the excess stabilizer by itself must be inert to the bleaching agent. At least two kinds of bleaching agent stabilizers are part of the present invention. One class comprises carboxylic acid chelators, such as edetate disodium, EDTA, oxina EDTA, disodium calcium EDTA, adipic acid, succinic acid, citric acid and the like and mixtures thereof, their respective salts or derivatives. Another class of bleaching agent stabilizers consists of tin-containing salts, such as tin nitrates, tin phosphates and the like. F. Bleach Agent Activators Various bleach agent activators are described in the present invention, such as bleach activators that absorb radiant or thermal energy. The preferred qualities of the bleach activator activators include inertia to the bleaching agent and the ability to absorb energy and heat, thus activating. the bleaching agent. The "inert particles that act as a heat collector can also be used." These particles can absorb radiant or conditioned thermal energy in such a way that they do not react substantially and chemically with the peroxide during the application.These particles can include metals coated with inert films or metal-filled plastic resins It has been found that substantially conjugated hydrocarbons, which absorb radiant energy, are the preferred bleach activators, since they appear to be significantly stable in the presence of peroxide. oxidation or bleaching in the presence of the bleaching agent Preferred bleaching agent activators are defined as substantially conjugated hydrocarbons, such as multiple benzene structures, conjugated hydrocarbon chains and combinations thereof that absorb portions of the electromagnetic spectrum and which they have simple groups of hydrogen, hydroxyl or carboxylics attached to the structures that can act as energy absorbing substances. Preferred multiple benzene structures can be as simple as naphtha-based structures or anthracene-based structures. Useful substantially conjugated hydrocarbons which are benzene structures which are radiant energy absorbers include 9,10-diphenyl-anthracene, 5,12-bis (phenylethyl) naphthalene, 9,10-bis (phenylethynyl) -anthracene, perylene, naphtho [ 2, 3-a] pyrene, trans-4, 4 '-diphenylethylbenzene, 9,10-diphenylanthracene, 5,12-bis (phenylethynyl) -naphthacene, coronenne, fluoranthene, and equivalents. The substantially conjugated linkage hydrocarbon chains known to include carotenoids, such as bixin, lycoxanthin, licofila, canthaxanthin, capsanthin, cryptoxanthin, carotene isomers and lycopene. Of the known substantially conjugated hydrocarbons, 9, 10-bis (phenylethynyl) -anthracene, perylene, and carotene isomers are preferred. Of the known substantially conjugated hydrocarbons, substituted carboxyl hydrocarbons are also preferred. Less preferred aromatic compositions such as 7-diethylamino 4-methylcoumarin, henna, and alizarin are less stable compared to the substantially conjugated hydrocarbons defined above. Henna, a known red dye for at least the last 4,000 years, is a double-boosted naphtha hydroxide. Alizarin, a red dye, is a double-ketone metaanthracene hydroxide. Although 7-diet.ylamino-4-ethylcoumarin, henna and alizarin are • less preferred, to the extent that if these substances are used within a premixed bleaching composition, on the one hand, stable, said composition could certainly be within the scope of the invention. Other substantially conjugated hydrocarbon structures that resist oxidation by peroxides are within the skill of routine in the art to be encountered during routine experimentation after consultation with the description of the present invention or practicing the invention. The bleach agent activators in the dental bleaching composition of the present invention will preferably not efficiently absorb radiant energy, but preferably will contribute significantly to the decomposition of the bleaching agent while the composition remains in storage. In this way, the bleaching composition of the invention will have the same substantial storage life as one. bleaching composition that does not include the bleach activator when stored at an appropriate temperature, for example 4 ° C. In addition to storage inertia, it is also preferred that after the application of radiant energy, the same bleach activator itself does not substantially react with the oxidant. The effect of a bleach activator that resists oxidation during the treatment of the patient is an increase in the available activator relative to the remaining unreacted bleaching agent. As the radiant energy is applied to the dental bleaching composition, the bleach activator starts to heat up and accelerates the release of the active oxygen from the bleaching agent. In addition, the bleach activators of the present invention, particularly the preferred bleach activator activators, can be used as colorants in hydrogen peroxide compositions such as dentifrices. Due to the stable quality of the. preferred bleach activators, these can be used as dyes for aesthetic reasons in otherwise colorless hydrogen peroxide compositions. G. General Properties To make the dental bleaching composition of the present invention, a storage product for dental professionals, the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide should be minimized during storage. Since the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is accelerated by increasing the temperatures, it is appropriate to store the dental bleaching composition of the invention on an appropriate temperature scale, for example, about 4 ° C. A preferred storage life is at least about one month, when the amount of bleaching agent available is at least about 95% of the original concentration. For about 2 months, it is preferred that at least about 90% of the original available bleaching agent remains. For about 3 months it is preferred that at least about 80% of the original available bleaching agent remains. Obviously, in general, it will always be preferred to have more stable systems where the majority, if not all, of the bleaching agents remain active during the term of storage life. It has been observed that in the tooth whitening compositions of the present invention they remain substantially undisturbed for about 3 months. For example, samples of the dental bleaching composition of the invention were stored under refrigeration for 92 days and remained around 99% of the original hydrogen peroxide available. Samples of the dental bleaching composition of the invention were stored and refrigerated for 127 days and remained around 98% of the original available hydrogen peroxide. In addition, samples of the dental bleaching composition of the invention were stored without refrigeration for 92 days and remained around 95% of the original available hydrogen peroxide. Since the periodic test of the available hydrogen peroxide revealed a slow decomposition of the bleaching agent after about three times, it is within the scope of the present invention that if it is refrigerated, it is not contaminated and the dental bleaching composition of the tooth is protected from light. the invention will contain about 50%, preferably about 90% and more preferably about 95% of the available, original hydrogen peroxide for about one year. The stability of a dental bleaching composition in approximately 35% available hydrogen peroxide, wherein the dental bleaching agent remains at least about 85% of its original strength about one month • after manufacture, it is understood that it is a composition that could contain about 30% available hydrogen peroxide. The dental bleaching compositions of the present invention can be made to include from about 0.1% to about 90% available hydrogen peroxide; about 0.05% to 5% thickening agent; about 0 to 10% neutralizing agent; around 5% to 80% of vehicle; about 0.01% to about 5% stabilizer; and about 0.001% to 3% bleach activator.

The most preferred dental bleaching compositions of the present invention can be made to include about 10% to 80% of available hydrogen peroxide; about 0.5% to 4% thickening agent; about 0.5% to 5% neutralizing agent; about 10% to about 75% of vehicle, about 0.1% to 3% of stabilizer; and about 0.02% to about 2% bleach activator. The most preferred dental bleaching compositions of the present invention can be made to include about 20% to 60% of the available hydrogen peroxide; about 1% to 3% thickening agent; about 0.6% to 3% neutralizing agent; around 15% to 65% of vehicle; around 0.5% to 2% stabilizer; to about 0.05% to 1% bleach activator. H. Methods of Use In view of the above inventive features of the dental compositions of the present invention, the method of whitening teeth is performed in the dental office under ordinary conditions. The dentist applies a layer of the dental bleaching composition of the invention on the labial surfaces of many of the teeth according to whitening.

Then, rapid whitening is performed by irradiating the tooth with radiant energy, such as visible and / or UV radiant energy, to accelerate the decomposition of the bleaching agent. Radiant energy excites the tooth whitening activator, which causes the molecular bonds within the activator to vibrate vigorously and warm the composition. The heated composition causes the accelerated release of free radical oxygen from the dental bleaching agent. The heating rate can be controlled by the amount of light used. The dental bleaching compositions can advantageously be charged to and dispersed from a syringe onto a patient's tooth. I. Examples of the Preferred Modalities In order to teach more concretely the present invention, the following examples are presented. The examples are intended to be illustrative only and certainly are not intended to imply that other unspecified embodiments are not within the scope of the present invention. Bleaching compositions according to the present invention were prepared and the components and quantities set forth as examples 1-28 were included, which are set forth below in Table 1. With "in order to illustrate an illustrative way of mixing the components together, attention should be given to Example 4, where 254 g of propylene glycol were placed in a vessel and mixed with 12 g of PEMULEN® TR-1NF until homogenous, then stabilizers were mixed comprising 8 g each of disodium edetate. and citric acid with water and were added as stabilizers to the glycol-PEMULEN mixture to sweep the errant or residual metal ions, then 4 g of beta-carotene was added as the bleach activator after the addition of the bleach agent activator. , 705 g of aqueous hydrogen peroxide were added in. To the mixture was added 9 g of sodium hydroxide, 50% in water and the resulting mixture it stirred until it became homogeneous. The other examples were mixed together in a similar manner, although the concentrations and identities of the components were altered in order to form the composition achieved. Table 1 represents 28 illustrative compositions that were prepared according to the present invention and identified as Examples 1-28. In each sample, the bleaching agent was added in the form of aqueous hydrogen peroxide; therefore, the number under the heading "H202" represents the net amount of hydrogen peroxide in the composition. In this way, the remainder of the aqueous hydrogen peroxide was water. The thickener was PEMULEN® TR-1NF unless otherwise indicated. The neutralizing agent was sodium hydroxide in 50% water. Other components are noted at the bottom of Table 1. Table 1 1 Propylene glycol; 2 adipic acid: succinic acid 1: 1; 3 distilled water; 4 Glycerin; Disodium acetate: citric acid 1: 1 6 Polyethylene glycol 300; 7bis (phenylethynyl) -anthracene 8edetate disodium: adipic acid: succinic acid 0.8: 1: 1 Disodium disodium: adipic acid: succinic acid 1: 1: 1, 10; "Disodium edetate: adipic acid: succinic acid 1. 6: 1: 1; Disodium edetate: citric acid 1: 1; 13 Disodic edict; Disodium edetate: adipic acid: succinic acid: citric acid 1: 6: 1: 1: 1; 15 Disodium edetate: EDTA 1: 1 16 citric acid: EDTA 0.8: 1; 17 Disodium acetate: citric acid 1. 75: 1. From the above, examples Nos. 2, 3, 5-7, 27 and 28 were prepared without using any stabilizer and without any bleach activator after measuring the concentration of the active hydrogen peroxide with time it was found that the hydrogen peroxide in these examples was not as stable as those formed with a stabilizer.

The rate of decomposition was observed to increase as the concentration of hydrogen peroxide increased. This increased decomposition rate demonstrates the importance of the bleaching agent stabilizer in the case that a preblended bleaching composition, on the one hand, is desired, particularly at higher concentrations of peroxide. These less stabilizer compositions were also slower to react when irradiated with radiant energy and / or UV light from a standard dental cure light, as they did not include any bleach activator. Therefore, in those cases where accelerated bleaching is desired, as opposed to slower but stable bleaching, it is important to include the whitening agent activator. _ From the previous examples set out in the Table 1, Examples Nos. 1, 8-11 and 13-14 were made without any bleach activator, but included a stabilizer, or a combination of stabilizers according to the present invention. After measuring the concentration of the active hydrogen peroxide over time it was found that the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in these Examples remained above 90% of the original concentration after 28 days of storage. As in Examples 2, 3, 5-9, 27 and 28, these compositions were slow to activate when irradiated with visible light and / or UV using a commercial dental cure light. However, after the irradiation of the compositions with thermal energy using a heat lamp that emitted on the infrared scale, the accelerated decomposition of the bleaching compositions was observed in one minute. From the above examples set forth in Table 1, Examples Nos. 4, 12 and 15-26 were made to contain both a stabilizer and a bleach activator according to the present invention. After measuring the concentration of active hydrogen peroxide over time it was found that the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in these examples remained above 90% of the original concentration after 28 days of storage. After measuring the activator concentration over time it was found that the color concentration of the bleach activator remained virtually unchanged after 28 days of storage at an appropriate temperature, for example 4 ° C. After irradiating these compositions with visible and / or UV-light using a commercial dental cure lamp, the compositions were activated. Since the concentration of the activator remained stable over time, the slight drop in the apparent stability of hydrogen peroxide compared to compositions where no activator was used was apparently due to the fact that the compositions were not prepared or stored in a dark total. Although the use of a heat chamber caused the whitening compositions to be activatedIt is not particularly reliable to place a heat lamp near or inside a patient's mouth. Doing this can cause discomfort or damage. On the other hand, the use of visible and / or UV light emitting lamps caused little discomfort, since the heat that was generated was limited within the bleaching composition as a result of the activator of radiant energy absorbing substance, and although the heat it was moderate, compared to the heat generated by a heat lamp. In order to fully understand the invention, the following hypothetical examples are presented. Although the compositions of the following examples were not actually physically mixed together, they were derived or extrapolated from actual mix designs and were based on the results determined by observing the behaviors of actual mixing designs. Examples 29-42 were made according to the mixing sequence established for Example 4, except that the identities and concentrations of the various components were altered as set forth in Table 2 below ~~~ Table 2 1 Propylene glycol; 2 adipic acid: succinic acid 1: 1; 10Perilene. From the above compositions, Examples Nos. 29, 32, 34 and 36-42 -include both a stabilizer and a bleach activator according to. the present invention. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide in these examples remains at a level of at least about 80% of the original concentration after 28 days of storage. Although the color of the bleach activator remains virtually unchanged after 28 days of storage. When irradiated, each of the compositions of these examples was activated. The present invention can be modalized in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics. The described modalities should be considered in all aspects only as illustrative and not as a restriction. The scope of the invention, therefore, is indicated by the appended claims and their combination as a whole or in part instead of the foregoing description. All changes that fall within the meaning and scale of equivalency of the claims will be encompassed within its scope.

Claims (40)

1. Claims 1. A dental bleaching composition activated with radiant energy or heat energy for whitening a person's teeth, characterized in that it comprises a bleaching agent and a bleaching agent activator, wherein the bleaching composition maintains a substantial portion of its resistance Original bleaching with time before being used to whiten a person's teeth but which releases substantially increased amounts of active oxygen after irradiation of the dental bleaching composition with radiant energy.
2. 2. The whitening dental composition for whitening a person's teeth according to claim 1, characterized in that the bleaching agent is sold premixed with a thickening agent and a whitening agent activator.
3. 3. The whitening composition for tooth whitening of a person according to claim 1, characterized in that the bleaching agent remains at least about 90% of its original concentration for about a month.
4. 4. The whitening dental composition for whitening a person's teeth according to claim 1, characterized in that the whitening agent activator maintains at least about 90% of its original concentration for approximately one month.
5. The whitening dental composition for whitening a person's teeth according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a thickening agent.
6. 6. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the bleach activator includes a substantially conjugated hydrocarbon.
7. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the bleach activator includes a particle that absorbs radiant or conductive energy that is substantially inert to the bleach activator.
8. 8. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 6, characterized in that the bleaching agent activator comprises 9, 10-bis (phenylethynyl) anthracene.
9. 9. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 6, characterized in that the bleaching agent activator comprises perylene.
10. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 6, characterized in that the bleaching agent activator comprises at least one isomer of carotene.
11. 11. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 67, characterized in that the bleach activator is selected from the group consisting of naphtha-based structures, anthracene-based structures, carotenoids, mixtures thereof and derivatives thereof.
12. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 6, characterized in that the bleach activator is selected from the group consisting of coronen, fluoranthene, lycopene, naphtho [2,3-ajpyrene, trans-4,4'-diphenylethylbenzene, 9, 10-diphenylanthracene, 5, 12-bis (phenylethynyl) naphthacene, bixin, lycoxanthin, lyophilic, canthaxanthin, capsanthin, cryptoxanthin, mixtures of the foregoing and derivatives thereof.
13. 13. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the bleaching agent includes an active oxygen source.
14. 14. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the bleaching agent includes a source of hydrogen peroxide that produces an available hydrogen peroxide.
15. 15. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the bleaching agent includes aqueous hydrogen peroxide.
16. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 14, characterized in that the available hydrogen peroxide has a concentration on the scale from about 0.1% to about 90% by weight of the dental bleaching composition.
17. 17. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 14, characterized in that the available hydrogen peroxide has a concentration on the scale of about 10% to about 80% by weight of the dental bleaching composition.
18. 18. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 14, characterized in that the available hydrogen peroxide has a concentration on the scale from about 20% to about 60% by weight of the dental bleaching composition, the dental bleaching composition further includes a stabilizer of bleaching agent.
19. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 5, characterized in that the thickening agent comprises a polyacrylic acid polymer or copolymer having a lipophilic portion and a hydrophilic portion.
20. 20. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it also includes a vehicle.
21. 21. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 19, characterized in that the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of water, polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, propylene glycol, glycerol, sterile alcohol, high molecular weight polyols, mixtures of the previous ones and derivatives of these.
22. 22. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it further includes a neutralizing agent.
23. 23. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 22, characterized in that the neutralizing agent is included such that the dental bleaching composition has a pH in the range from about 2 to 9. The dental bleaching composition in accordance with Claim 22, characterized in that the neutralizing agent is included so that the dental bleaching composition has a pH in the range of about 7 to 7. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 22, characterized in that the neutralizing agent is included so that the dental bleaching composition has a pH on the scale of about 4 to 6. 26. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it also includes a bleaching agent stabilizer. 27. A whitening dental composition for whitening the teeth of a person characterized in that it comprises a bleaching agent, a thickening agent, a vehicle and a whitening agent activator which is sensitive to radiant energy, so that the activator of bleaching agent causes the bleaching agent releases substantially high amounts of active oxygen after irradiation of the dental bleaching composition with radiant energy, wherein the bleaching composition maintains substantially all of its original bleaching resistance over time before being used to whiten a person's teeth and that it only releases significant amounts of active oxygen after irradiation of the dental bleaching composition with radiant energy. A method for whitening the teeth of a person characterized in that it comprises the steps of: applying a bleaching composition to one or more of a person's teeth to be bleached, the bleaching composition includes a bleaching agent, and a whitening agent activator which is sensitive to radiant energy so that the whitening agent activates the bleaching agent '(releases significantly elevated amounts of active oxygen after irradiation of the dental bleaching composition with thermal or radiant energy, and applies thermal or radiant energy to one or more of the teeth of the person in order to accelerate the release of the active oxygen from the bleaching agent 29. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 27, characterized in that the bleaching agent maintains at least about 90% of the its original concentration for about a month. dental whitening agent according to claim 27, characterized in that the bleach activator includes a substantially conjugated hydrocarbon. 31. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 27, characterized in that the bleach activator is selected from the group consisting of 9, 10-bis- (phenylethynyl) anthracene, perylene, and at least one isomer of carotene. 32. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 27, characterized in that the bleach activator is selected from the group consisting of naphtha-based structures, anthracene-based structures, carotenoids, mixtures of the foregoing and derivatives thereof. 33. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 27, characterized in that the bleach activator is selected from the group consisting of coronen, fluoranthene, lycopene, naphtho [2,3-a] pyrene, trans-4, 4'-diphenylethylbenzene, 9,10-diphenylanthracene, 5, 12- bis (phenylethynyl) naphthacene, bixin, lycoxanthin, licofilo, canthaxanthin, capsanthin, cryptoxanthin, mixtures of the foregoing and derivatives of the foregoing. 34. The bleaching composition. "according to claim 27, characterized in that the bleaching agent includes aqueous hydrogen peroxide." 35. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 27, characterized in that the bleaching agent includes a source of hydrogen peroxide and produces hydrogen peroxide. hydrogen available. 36. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 35, characterized in that the available hydrogen peroxide has a concentration on the scale from about 0.1% to about 90% by weight of the dental bleaching composition. 37. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 35, characterized in that the available hydrogen peroxide has a concentration in the scale from about 10% to about 80% by weight of the dental bleaching composition. 38. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 35, characterized in that the available hydrogen peroxide has a concentration on the scale of from about 20% to about 60% by weight of the dental bleaching composition, wherein the dental bleaching composition furthermore Includes a ~ bleach agent stabilizer. 39. The dental bleaching composition according to claim 27, characterized in that it also includes a bleaching agent stabilizer. 40. A teeth whitening composition for whitening a person's teeth comprising a bleaching agent, a bleach activator and a bleach stabilizer, wherein the bleaching agent includes available hydrogen peroxide at a concentration on the scale of about 20. % to about 60% by weight of the dental bleaching composition, wherein the dental bleaching composition maintains a substantial portion of its original bleaching strength over time before being used to whiten a person's tooth, but which releases substantially elevated amounts of active oxygen after irradiation of the dental bleaching composition with radiant energy. SUMMARY Dental bleaching compositions are made with a bleaching agent and a stable radiant energy absorbing compound which acts as a whitening agent activator. The dental bleaching compositions of the present invention can be one-part, premixed compositions that do not require mixing at the time of treatment of a patient's tooth, but which remain stable over time. The bleaching agent may consist of hydrogen peroxide, either in aqueous form or in complex with urea (carbamide peroxide) or sodium perborate. The bleach activator includes hydrocarbons which are stable in the presence of the bleaching agent, which do not prematurely accelerate the release of the bleaching agent, but which allow the selective activation of the bleaching agent through the irradiation of the bleaching composition with radiant energy. The bleaching composition optionally may include a neutralizing agent to adjust the pH, a vehicle to help provide an appropriate consistency and potency, and a stabilizing agent to maintain a maximum potency of the bleaching agent over time. The bleaching composition may also include a thickening agent to obtain a selected viscosity. The dental bleaching compositions can be adapted to be charged to and delivered from a syringe.