Methods, systems and accessories useful for procedures relating to dental implants

• US 20100021859A1
• Filed: 07/16/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cadent Ltd (Align Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kopelman, Avi
• Granted Patent: US 8,509,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0004 Computer-assisted sizing or machining of dental prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0022 Blanks or green, unfinished dental restoration parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/34 Making or working of models, e.g. preliminary castings, trial dentures; Dowel pins [4]
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/00 Means to be fixed to the jaw-bone for consolidating natural teeth or for fixing dental prostheses thereon; Dental implants; Implanting tools fastening of peg-teeth in the mouth A61C13/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0001 Impression means for implants, e.g. impression coping
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/00 Impression cups, i.e. impression trays; Impression methods computer-assisted sizing A61C13/0004; instruments for determining occlusion A61C19/05
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/002 Means or methods for correctly replacing a dental model, e.g. dowel pins; Dowel pin positioning means or methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/0053 Optical means or methods, e.g. scanning the teeth by a laser or light beam

Abstract

A method and system are provided for manufacturing a physical dental model. A virtual model is provided representative of at least a portion of the intra-oral cavity including at least one dental implant implanted therein, and the virtual model includes a virtual portion representative of each dental implant. The virtual spatial disposition of each such virtual portion is determined with respect to the virtual model, corresponding to a real spatial disposition of the respective implant with respect to the intra oral cavity. A physical model is then manufactured based on the virtual model, the physical model including a physical analog corresponding to each implant at a respective physical spatial disposition with respect to the physical model corresponding to the respective virtual spatial disposition of the respective virtual portion with respect to the first virtual model as already determined. In some embodiments, a jig is provided configured for maintaining a desired physical spatial disposition between the physical analog and a cavity of the physical dental model at least until the physical analog is affixed in the cavity.

Claims

1. A jig configured for maintaining a desired physical spatial disposition between a physical analog and a cavity of a physical dental model at least until the physical analog is affixed in said cavity.

2. Jig according to claim 1, comprising a strut having a first end configured for being mounted with respect to the dental model at a first spatial disposition with respect thereto, and a second end configured for enabling the physical analog to mounted to the second end at a second spatial disposition with respect thereto, wherein said first end is at a third spatial disposition with respect to said second end, and wherein said first spatial disposition, said second spatial disposition and said third spatial disposition are chosen to provide said desired physical spatial disposition between the physical analog and the cavity when said strut is mounted with respect to the dental model and the physical analog is mounted to said strut.

3. Jig according to claim 2, further comprising a spacer member, wherein said strut comprises an elongate arm comprising said first end and said second end at opposed longitudinal ends of said elongate arm, wherein said first end comprises a strut base portion configured for being mounted to the dental model via said spacer member wherein to provide said first spatial disposition between said first end and the dental model.

4. Jig according to claim 3, wherein said strut base portion is configured for enabling said spacer member to be mounted to said strut by engagement to the strut base portion.

5. Jig according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the strut base portion and said spacer member comprises a first engagement arrangement to ensure that the spacer may be mounted to the strut base portion in a spatial disposition with respect thereto that is fixed in six degrees of freedom.

6. Jig according to claim 5, wherein said first engagement arrangement comprises at least two laterally spaced pins projecting from a second spacer end of said spacer member and corresponding complementary wells formed in the strut base portion for receiving each said pin.

7. Jig according to claim 3, wherein the dental model includes a model base portion configured for enabling said spacer member to be mounted to the dental model by engagement to the model base portion.

8. Jig according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the model base portion and said spacer member comprises a second engagement arrangement to ensure that the spacer may be mounted to the model base portion in a spatial disposition with respect thereto that is fixed in six degrees of freedom.

9. Jig according to claim 8, wherein said second engagement arrangement comprises at least two laterally spaced pins projecting from a first spacer end of said spacer member and corresponding complementary wells formed in the model base portion for receiving each said pin.

10. Jig according to claim 3, wherein said spacer comprises a first spacer end and a second spacer end, wherein said first spacer end is configured for being mounted to said first end via said strut base portion in a spatial disposition with respect thereto that is fixed in six degrees of freedom, and wherein said second spacer end is configured for being mounted to the dental model via a model base portion of the dental model in a spatial disposition with respect to the model base portion that is fixed in six degrees of freedom.

11. Jig according to claim 1, integrally produced from a suitable blank via a material removal operation or integrally produced via a suitable rapid prototyping operation.

12. A jig particularly useful for dental implant procedures, comprising:

an arm having a first arm end and a second arm end spaced from said first arm end, said first arm end having a first engagement arrangement, and said second arm end being configured for releasably holding a physical analog;

a spacer element having a first spacer end and a second spacer end spaced from said first spacer end, said first spacer end being configured for engagement to said first arm end via said first engagement arrangement, and said second spacer end being configured for being mounted to a physical dental model representative of at least a portion of the real dentition of a patient, said dental model comprising a cavity

wherein in operation to maintain a desired physical spatial disposition between the physical analog and said cavity of the physical dental model, wherein the physical analog is at least partially received within the cavity, at least until the physical analog is affixed in said cavity.

13. Jig according to claim 12, wherein said desired physical spatial disposition of the physical analog with respect to the dental model corresponds to a spatial disposition of a dental implant corresponding to the analog with respect to the real dentition that is being represented by the dental model.

14. A kit particularly useful for dental implant procedures, comprising:

a physical dental model comprising a model dentition representative of a first real dentition of a patient, and further comprising a cavity configured for accommodating therein via a fillable gap a physical analog in a model spatial disposition with respect to said model dentition corresponding to a real spatial disposition of an implant with respect to said real dentition;

a jig configured for holding said physical analog in said model spatial disposition with respect to said cavity at least until the physical analog is affixed in said cavity.

15. Kit according to claim 14, said jig comprising a spacer member and a strut, said strut comprising a strut base portion configured for being mounted to said dental model via said spacer member, and a strut end configured for holding the physical analog thereat.

16. Kit according to claim 15, wherein said dental model comprises a model base portion configured for enabling said spacer member to be mounted to the dental model by engagement to the model base portion.

17. Kit according to claim 16, wherein said spacer comprises a first spacer end and a second spacer end, wherein said first spacer end is configured for being mounted to said strut via said strut base portion in a spatial disposition with respect thereto that is fixed in six degrees of freedom, and wherein said second spacer end is configured for being mounted to the dental model via said model base portion of the dental model in a spatial disposition with respect to the model base portion that is fixed in six degrees of freedom.

18. Kit according to claim 14, wherein said model dentition comprises a set of model teeth corresponding to a set of real teeth of at least a portion of a first dental arch of a patient, and wherein said cavity is located adjacent at least one said model tooth at a position corresponding to a missing tooth in the real dentition.

19. Kit according to claim 18, further comprising an auxiliary dental model representative of a second real dentition of at least a portion of a second dental arch of the patient, wherein the second real dentition is occlusally opposed with respect to the first real dentition.

20. Kit according to claim 19, wherein said auxiliary dental model is configured for being mounted with respect to said dental model in an occlusal relationship corresponding to that between said first real dentition and said second real dentition.