Method, system and mold assembly for use in preparing a dental prosthesis
First Claim
1. A method for use in preparing a dental prosthesis, comprising the steps of:
- providing an electrical signal encoding geometric specifications of a substructure of the prosthesis, said specifications including dimensions and shape of a tooth preparation at a dental site at which the prosthesis is to be affixed and configuration of said substructure;
in response to said electrical signal, providing a first mold component having a surface at least approximately conforming to said tooth preparation and a second mold component to produce, in cooperation with said first mold component, a mold cavity having dimensions and configuration corresponding at least substantially to dimensions and configuration of said substructure;
placing said first mold component and said second mold component in predetermined relative positions to form said mold cavity;
introducing into said mold cavity a quantity of a fluidic solidifiable dental material; and
removing a prosthesis substructure form from said mold cavity upon solidification of the dental material with which said mold cavity is filled.
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Abstract
A method for use in preparing a dental prosthesis comprises the step of receiving an electrical signal encoding geometric specifications of a substructure of the prosthesis, the specifications including dimensions and shape of a tooth preparation at a dental site at which the prosthesis is to be affixed and the configuration of the substructure. In a subsequent step performed in response to the electrical signal, a computer is operated to automatically select a first mold component having a surface corresponding in dimensions to the tooth preparation and to automatically select a second mold component to produce, in cooperation with the first mold component, a mold cavity having dimensions and configuration corresponding to dimensions and configuration of the substructure. The first mold component and the second mold component are placed in predetermined relative positions to form the mold cavity and the mold cavity is filled with a quantity of a fluidic solidifiable dental material, i.e., a precious metal, semi-precious metal, alloy or other usable dental material.
401 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A method for use in preparing a dental prosthesis, comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrical signal encoding geometric specifications of a substructure of the prosthesis, said specifications including dimensions and shape of a tooth preparation at a dental site at which the prosthesis is to be affixed and configuration of said substructure; in response to said electrical signal, providing a first mold component having a surface at least approximately conforming to said tooth preparation and a second mold component to produce, in cooperation with said first mold component, a mold cavity having dimensions and configuration corresponding at least substantially to dimensions and configuration of said substructure; placing said first mold component and said second mold component in predetermined relative positions to form said mold cavity; introducing into said mold cavity a quantity of a fluidic solidifiable dental material; and removing a prosthesis substructure form from said mold cavity upon solidification of the dental material with which said mold cavity is filled. - 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, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A system for use in preparing a dental prosthesis, comprising:
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signal production means for producing an electrical signal encoding geometric specifications of a substructure of the prosthesis, said specifications including dimensions and shape of a tooth preparation at a dental site at which the prosthesis is to be affixed and configuration of the substructure; robot means for placing a first mold component and a second mold component, selected in accordance with said electrical signal, in predetermined relative positions to form a mold cavity, said first mold component corresponding in shape and dimensions to said tooth preparation; filling means for introducing into said mold cavity a quantity of a fluidic solidifiable dental material; and computing means operatively connected to said receiver means, said robot means and said filling means for controlling and sequencing the operation thereof in response to said electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for manufacturing a customized dental rosthesis, comprising the steps of:
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generating electrically encoded data representing a three-dimensional surface of a tooth to be restored, said step of generating including the steps of (a) tracing a contour of said three-dimensional surfaces with a stylus-type instrument provided with an extension disposed outside of he mouth in which said tooth is located and (b) optically monitoring movements of a predetermined point on said extension; automatically feeding said data to a first computer; operating said computer to generate an electrical signal encoding specifications of a substructure of the prosthesis, said specifications including dimensions of a tooth preparation at a dental site at which the prosthesis is to be affixed and configuration of the substructure; and transmitting said electrical signal to a second computer. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification