Solid free-form fabrication methods for the production of dental restorations
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A process for manufacturing a dental article comprising:
- obtaining digital data of a patient'"'"'s tooth or teeth;
designing an enlarged die or mold based on the digital data of the patient'"'"'s tooth or teeth;
rapid-prototyping the enlarged die or mold;
applying ceramic particulate material onto or into the enlarged die or mold;
sintering the ceramic particulate material to form the dental article.
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Abstract
Solid free form fabrication techniques can be utilized indirectly to manufacture substrates, dies, models, near-net shapes, shells, and wax-ups that are then used in the manufacture of dental articles. Digital light processing is the most preferred indirect method for the production of substrates. After the substrates are produced, various coating or deposition techniques such as gel casting, slip casting, slurry casting, pressure infiltration, dipping, colloidal spray deposition or electrophoretic deposition are used to manufacture the dental article.
372 Citations
66 Claims
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1. A process for manufacturing a dental article comprising:
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obtaining digital data of a patient'"'"'s tooth or teeth;
designing an enlarged die or mold based on the digital data of the patient'"'"'s tooth or teeth;
rapid-prototyping the enlarged die or mold;
applying ceramic particulate material onto or into the enlarged die or mold;
sintering the ceramic particulate material to form the dental article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A dental article formed by the method comprising:
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obtaining digital data of a patient'"'"'s tooth or teeth;
designing an enlarged die or mold based on the digital data of the patient'"'"'s tooth or teeth;
rapid-prototyping the enlarged die or mold;
applying ceramic particulate onto or into the enlarged die or mold; and
sintering the ceramic particulate material to form the dental article.
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27. A method for producing a dental article comprising:
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obtaining three-dimensional digital data relating to a patient'"'"'s dentition;
designing an enlarged virtual prosthesis for said dentition using the three-dimensional digital data;
transmitting digital data corresponding to the virtual prosthesis to an automated prototyping system;
producing an enlarged prototype of the dental prosthesis with the automated prototyping system;
applying a material that can be hardened or cured on the prototype;
allowing the material to harden partially or completely to form an enlarged shell around the prototype;
removing the prototype from within the shell to produce an enlarged die or mold for the dental prosthesis;
filling the enlarged mold with a ceramic particulate material to produce a green body in a shape of the dental article;
removing the enlarged mold; and
sintering the green body to produce the dental article. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A dental article formed by the method comprising:
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obtaining three-dimensional digital data relating to a patient'"'"'s dentition;
designing an enlarged virtual prosthesis for said dentition using the three-dimensional digital data;
transmitting digital data corresponding to the virtual prosthesis to an automated prototyping system;
producing an enlarged prototype of the dental prosthesis with the automated prototyping system;
applying a material that can be hardened or cured on the prototype;
allowing the material to harden partially or completely to form a shell around the prototype;
removing the prototype from within the shell to produce a mold for the dental article;
filling the mold with a ceramic particulate material to produce a green body in a shape of a dental article;
removing the mold material; and
sintering the green body to produce the dental article. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A process for the mass production dental articles comprising:
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obtaining digital data of a number of patients'"'"' tooth or teeth;
designing enlarged substrates, dies or molds based on the digital data of the patients'"'"' tooth or teeth;
concurrently rapid-prototyping a multiplicity of the enlarged substrates, dies or molds;
preparing the enlarged substrates, dies or molds for coating, deposition, casting, pressing or a molding process;
simultaneously applying ceramic particulate material onto a multiplicity of the substrates or into a multiplicity of the enlarged dies or molds;
sintering a multiplicity of green bodies to form the dental articles. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. Dental articles formed by the method comprising:
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obtaining digital data of a number of patients'"'"' tooth or teeth;
designing enlarged substrates, dies or molds based on the digital data of the patients'"'"' tooth or teeth;
concurrently rapid-prototyping a multiplicity of the enlarged substrates, dies or molds;
preparing the enlarged substrates, dies or molds for coating, deposition, casting, pressing or a molding process;
simultaneously applying ceramic particulate onto a multiplicity of the substrates or into a multiplicity of the enlarged dies or molds;
sintering a multiplicity of green bodies to form the dental articles.
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Specification