Design and manufacture of dental implant restorations
First Claim
1. A method of creating a dental restoration customized to the clinical needs of a patient comprising the steps of:
- preparing a patient'"'"'s existing dental structures for digital modeling wherein the existing dental structures may comprise implant anchors, soft tissue, jawbone, existing teeth, and an existing denture;
making a first three-dimensional digital model of the dental restoration wherein the first three-dimensional digital model comprises the implant anchors, soft tissue form, any existing teeth, and the planned position of one or more artificial teeth;
creating a second three-dimensional digital model of the dental restoration wherein the second three-dimensional digital model comprises a substructure for attaching to the patient'"'"'s existing dental structures and for retaining the artificial teeth;
producing the substructure from the second three-dimensional digital model;
positioning and securing the artificial teeth on the substructure; and
securing the substructure to the patient'"'"'s existing dental structures.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method of making and aligning digital images from oral tissues, dental implants, healing components, and dental restorations to design and manufacture dental implant retained restorations. Image data about the space available for the planned restoration, orientation of dental implants or abutments and aesthetic contour and occlusion of the prosthesis are all integrated into a virtual three-dimensional model of the prosthesis that can be sent to the clinician or laboratory to validate design intent and to manufacture the prosthesis. The virtual model is used by either a conventional rapid prototyping machine to produce a castable pattern or a number controlled mill to machine the restoration.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of creating a dental restoration customized to the clinical needs of a patient comprising the steps of:
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preparing a patient'"'"'s existing dental structures for digital modeling wherein the existing dental structures may comprise implant anchors, soft tissue, jawbone, existing teeth, and an existing denture;
making a first three-dimensional digital model of the dental restoration wherein the first three-dimensional digital model comprises the implant anchors, soft tissue form, any existing teeth, and the planned position of one or more artificial teeth;
creating a second three-dimensional digital model of the dental restoration wherein the second three-dimensional digital model comprises a substructure for attaching to the patient'"'"'s existing dental structures and for retaining the artificial teeth;
producing the substructure from the second three-dimensional digital model;
positioning and securing the artificial teeth on the substructure; and
securing the substructure to the patient'"'"'s existing dental structures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification