Peroxide Gel Compositions

What is this patent about?

’445 is related to the field of dental bleaching, specifically addressing the problem of effectively delivering peroxide-based bleaching agents to teeth. Traditional methods involve liquids or gels in trays or strips, which suffer from issues like run-off, dilution by saliva, messiness, and uneven contact with teeth. The background highlights the challenge of finding thickeners that are stable in the presence of peroxides and can maintain a gel consistency for effective application.

The underlying idea behind ’445 is to create a formable dental treatment tray using a combination of a peroxide bleaching agent and a specific type of thickener. This tray, instead of relying on a fluid gel, utilizes a gelatinous, visco-elastic composition that, when hydrated, becomes adhesive and can be molded directly onto the user's teeth. The key insight is that this solid-like, yet deformable, material can overcome the limitations of traditional gels and liquids, providing better contact and reduced mess.

The claims of ’445 focus on a dental bleaching device comprising a flexible, planar strip of backing material with a gelatinous, non-coalescent, visco-elastic dental composition attached to one side. The dental composition includes a peroxide bleaching agent, a solvent, and a thickening agent selected from either polyethyloxazoline or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) . The claims emphasize the device's ability to flex and conform to the user's dental arch without cracking or breaking, both during storage and during application.

In practice, the user wets the dried, gelatinous composition on the backing strip, which rehydrates and becomes adhesive. The user then presses the strip onto their teeth, and the material molds to the unique contours of their dental arch, ensuring close contact between the bleaching agent and the tooth surface. This customizable fit is a significant departure from pre-formed trays or strips, which may not adequately conform to individual variations in tooth alignment.

The use of polyethyloxazoline or PVP as the thickening agent is crucial because these polymers are stable in the presence of peroxides, allowing for higher peroxide concentrations and longer shelf life compared to traditional thickeners like CARBOPOL. The resulting gelatinous consistency provides a balance between rigidity (to prevent run-off) and flexibility (to allow for molding), addressing the limitations of both liquid/gel-based and rigid bleaching products. This approach aims to deliver a more effective and user-friendly teeth whitening experience.