DENTURE AND METHOD AND APPARATUS OF MAKING SAME
First Claim
1. A method of making a denture comprised of a base and a plurality of teeth joined to the base, the method comprising:
- a) forming a first cavity in a block of a denture base material, the first cavity formed to match the contour of natural teeth as arranged on maxillae or on a mandible;
b) filling the first cavity with a first fluid synthetic tooth material and solidifying the first fluid synthetic tooth material into a first solid synthetic tooth material;
c) forming a second cavity by removing a portion of the first solid synthetic tooth material, the second cavity formed to match the contour of natural teeth as arranged for the contour of the first cavity;
d) filling the second cavity with a second fluid synthetic tooth material and solidifying the second fluid synthetic tooth material into a second solid synthetic tooth material;
e) removing a portion of the second solid synthetic tooth material to form the plurality of teeth; and
f) removing a portion of the block of denture base material to form the denture base.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for making a denture comprising a base and a plurality of teeth joined thereto. The method comprises forming a first cavity in a block of a denture base material, the first cavity being formed to match the contour of natural teeth as arranged on maxillae or on a mandible; filling the first cavity with a first fluid synthetic tooth material and solidifying the first fluid synthetic tooth material into a first solid synthetic tooth material; removing a portion of the first solid synthetic tooth material to form the plurality of teeth; and removing a portion of the block of denture base material to form the denture base. The steps of the method may be implemented by a computer. An apparatus for making the denture according to certain embodiments of the method, and a denture comprised of a base and artificial teeth are also disclosed.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of making a denture comprised of a base and a plurality of teeth joined to the base, the method comprising:
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a) forming a first cavity in a block of a denture base material, the first cavity formed to match the contour of natural teeth as arranged on maxillae or on a mandible; b) filling the first cavity with a first fluid synthetic tooth material and solidifying the first fluid synthetic tooth material into a first solid synthetic tooth material; c) forming a second cavity by removing a portion of the first solid synthetic tooth material, the second cavity formed to match the contour of natural teeth as arranged for the contour of the first cavity; d) filling the second cavity with a second fluid synthetic tooth material and solidifying the second fluid synthetic tooth material into a second solid synthetic tooth material; e) removing a portion of the second solid synthetic tooth material to form the plurality of teeth; and f) removing a portion of the block of denture base material to form the denture base. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of making a denture comprised of a base and a plurality of teeth joined to the base, the method comprising:
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a) forming a first cavity in a block of a denture base material, the first cavity formed to match the contour of natural teeth as arranged on maxillae or on a mandible; b) filling the first cavity with a first fluid synthetic tooth material and solidifying the first fluid synthetic tooth material into a first solid synthetic tooth material; c) removing a portion of the first solid synthetic tooth material to form the plurality of teeth; and d) removing a portion of the block of denture base material to form the denture base. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for making a denture comprised of a base and a plurality of teeth joined to the base, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a material holding fixture; b) a material removal device; and c) a first fluid synthetic tooth material delivery device; wherein the material removal device is contactable with a block of denture base material held by the fixture so as to remove denture base material and form a first mold cavity in the block for receiving first fluid synthetic tooth material; wherein the first fluid synthetic tooth material delivery device is configured to deliver the first fluid synthetic tooth material into the first mold cavity; and wherein the material holding fixture and material removal device are movable with respect to each other so as to enable the material removal device to remove denture base material from the block and first solid tooth material in the first mold cavity so as to form the denture base and at least a portion of the plurality of teeth. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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- 28. A denture comprising a base and a plurality of teeth joined to the base, the teeth comprised of a posterior region of a first solid synthetic tooth material and an anterior region of a second solid synthetic tooth material.
Specification