Method for the manufacture of dental restorations

• US 6,613,273 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentron Alloys, LLC
• Original Assignee: Jeneric/Pentron Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: North, Denise L., Prasad, Arun, Daskalon, Gregg, Zammarieh, Elie
• Primary Examiner(s): Jenkins, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/757,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20020009380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 419/5, 419/9, 264/19, 433/206, 433/207, 433/208, 433/209
• US Class Current: 419/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0003 Making bridge-work, inlays, implants or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 5/77 Methods or devices for making crowns

Abstract

Dental restorations are fabricated using metal powder. Preferably, the metal powder is a high fusing metal and preferably, the metal powder comprises a non-oxidizing metal. The metal powder is applied to a die and is covered with a covering material such as a refractory die material preferably in the form of a flowable paste. A second covering material may be sprinkled or dusted onto the paste. The model is then dried prior to firing. After drying, the model is sintered to provide a high strength metal restoration. After sintering, the outer shell can be broken off easily with one'"'"'s hand to expose the sintered coping.

Claims

1. A method for making a dental restoration comprising:

forming a model of one or more teeth;

coating the model with metal or alloy powder;

applying a covering material onto the model coated with metal or alloy powder wherein the covering material is applied at a thickness equal to or less than about 8 mm;

sintering the model coated with metal or alloy powder and covering material in a furnace to form a coping; and

removing the covering material from the coping.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the covering material comprises a refractory die material.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal powder comprises a mixture of coarse and fine particles.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the covering material comprises a refractory powder and a liquid vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the liquid vehicle is selected from alcohol and acetone.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising coating the covering material with a high temperature refractory material.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the high temperature refractory material is selected from a refractory oxide.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the refractory oxide is selected from alumina and silica.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the coarse particles comprise particles in the range of from about 5 to about 50 microns.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the fine particles comprise particles less than about 5 microns in size.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal or alloy powder comprises a non-oxidizing metal.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the non-oxidizing metal is selected from one or more precious metals, non-precious metals and alloys thereof.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein the metal or alloy powder is selected from one or more of gold, platinum, silver and alloys thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein a binder is mixed with the metal or alloy powder prior to coating the model.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the metal or alloy powder is present in an amount of about 90 to about 99 percent by weight and the binder is present in an amount of about 1 to about 10 percent by weight.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the binder is selected from wax, ammonium caseinate, ammonium stearate, pectin, hexamine, ethyl cellulose, anthracene, triacetyl starch, dulcin, carbazole and tetraphenyl ethylene.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the coarse particles comprise an average particle size of about 25 microns and wherein the fine particles are less than about 5 microns.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a die spacer material to the model prior to application of the metal or alloy powder.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the covering material onto the model coated with metal or alloy powder comprises painting the covering material onto the metal powder with a brush.

20. The method of claim 6 whereincoating the covering material with a high temperature refractory material comprises dusting the high temperature refractory material onto the covering material.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the coarse particles comprise atomized particles and the fine particles comprise precipitated particles.

23. A dental restoration formed by the process of claim 1.

105. The method of claim 1 wherein the model is dried prior to sintering.

106. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a porcelain or composite material to the coping.

107. The method of claim 106 wherein the porcelain or composite is pressed onto the coping.

108. The method of claim 106 wherein a bonder coat is applied to the coping prior to application of the porcelain or composite material.

109. The method of claim 108 wherein the bonder coat comprises a metal or alloy.

110. The method of claim 109 wherein the metal or alloy from the bonder coat comprises gold, copper, indium, tin, rhodium, palladium, gallium, platinum, iridium or mixtures thereof.

111. The method of claim 1 wherein sintering is carried out in a reducing atmosphere.

112. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing a graphite cover over the covering material prior to sintering.

113. The method of claim 2 wherein the covering material further comprises a carbonaceous material.

115. The method of claim 14 wherein the refractory oxide comprises alumina or silica.

22. A method for making a dental restoration comprising:

forming a model of one or more teeth;

coating the model with metal or alloy powder;

covering the model coated with metal powder with a covering material;

covering the covering material with a high temperature refractory material;

sintering the model coated with metal powder and covering material in a furnace to form a coping; and

removing the covering material with the high temperature refractory material from the coping.

24. A dental restoration formed by the process of claim 22.

114. The method of claim 22 wherein the high temperature refractory material comprises a refractory oxide.

25. A method for making a dental restoration comprising:

forming a model of one or more teeth;

coating the model with metal or alloy powder;

covering the model coated with metal powder with a covering material;

allowing the metal powder and covering material to dry to form a unit;

removing the dried metal powder and covering material unit from the model;

filling the understructure of the unit with covering material;

sintering the unit in a furnace to form a coping; and

removing the covering material from the coping.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the covering material comprises a refractory die material.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the refractory die material is applied at a thickness equal to or less than 8 mm.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the covering material comprises a refractory powder and a liquid vehicle.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the liquid vehicle is selected from alcohol and acetone.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising coating the covering material with a high temperature refractory material.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the high temperature refractory material is selected from a refractory oxide.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the refractory oxide comprises alumina or silica.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein the metal or alloy particles comprise a mixture of coarse and fine particles.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the coarse particles comprise particles in the range of from about 5 to about 50 microns.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the fine particles comprise particles less than about 5 microns in size.

36. The method of claim 25 wherein the metal or alloy powder comprises a non-oxidizing metal.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the non-oxidizing metal is selected from one or more precious metals, non-precious metals and alloys thereof.

38. The method of claim 25 wherein the metal or alloy powder is selected from one or more of gold, platinum, silver and alloys thereof.

39. The method of claim 25 wherein a binder is mixed with the metal or alloy powder prior to coating the model.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the metal or alloy powder is present in an amount of about 90 to about 99 percent by weight and the binder is present in an amount of about 1 to about 10 percent by weight.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein the binder is selected from wax, ammonium caseinate, ammonium stearate, pectin, hexamine, ethyl cellulose, anthracene, triacetyl starch, dulcin, carbazole and tetraphenyl ethylene.

42. The method of claim 33 wherein the coarse particles comprise an average particle size of about 25 microns.

43. The method of claim 25 wherein a die spacer material is applied to the model prior to application of the metal powder.

44. A dental restoration formed by the process of claim 25.

45. The method of claim 25 wherein the model is a master die.

116. The method of claim 25 further comprising applying a porcelain or composite material to the coping.

117. The method of claim 116 wherein the porcelain or composite is pressed onto the coping.

118. The method of claim 116 wherein a bonder coat is applied to the coping prior to application of the porcelain or composite material.

119. The method of claim 118 wherein the bonder coat comprises a metal or alloy.

120. The method of claim 119 wherein the metal or alloy from the bonder coat comprises gold, copper, indium, tin, rhodium, palladium, gallium, platinum, iridium or mixtures thereof.

121. The method of claim 25 wherein sintering is carried out in a reducing atmosphere.

122. The method of claim 25 further comprising placing a graphite cover over the covering material prior to sintering.

123. The method of claim 26 wherein the covering material further comprises a carbonaceous material.

46. A method for making a dental restoration comprising:

forming a model of a dental part to be produced;

coating the model with metal or alloy powder;

applying a covering material onto the model coated with metal or alloy powder wherein the covering material is applied at a thickness equal to or less than about 8 mm;

sintering the model coated with metal or alloy powder and covering material in a furnace to form a dental part; and

removing the covering material from the dental part.

47. A dental restoration formed by the process of claim 46.

55. The method of claim 47 wherein a die spacer material is applied to the model prior to application of the metal or alloy powder.

48. A method for making a dental restoration comprising:

forming a model of one or more teeth;

coating the model with metal or alloy powder;

applying a first porcelain material on the metal or alloy powder;

sintering the model coated with metal or alloy powder and porcelain in a furnace to form a coping having a first porcelain thereon; and

applying a second porcelain material on the first porcelain material and sintering the coping.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the metal or alloy powder comprises a non-oxidizing metal.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the non-oxidizing metal is selected from one or more precious metals, non-precious metals and alloys thereof.

51. The method of claim 48 wherein the metal or alloy powder is selected from one or more of gold, platinum, silver and alloys thereof.

52. The method of claim 48 wherein a binder is mixed with the metal or alloy powder prior to coating the model.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the metal or alloy powder is present in an amount of about 90 to about 99 percent by weight and the binder is present in an amount of about 1 to about 10 percent by weight.

54. The method of claim 52 wherein the binder is selected from wax, ammonium caseinate, ammonium stearate, pectin, hexamine, ethyl cellulose, anthracene, triacetyl starch, dulcin, carbazole and tetraphenyl ethylene.

56. The method of claim 48 wherein the first porcelain material is applied at a thickness in the range of about 0.1 to about 1.5.

57. A dental restoration formed by the process of claim 48.

124. The method of claim 48 wherein the first porcelain comprises an opaque porcelain.

58. A method for making a dental restoration comprising:

forming a model of one or more teeth;

coating the model with powder of a first metal or alloy;

placing a reservoir of a second metal or alloy onto the model coated with the powder of the first metal or alloy, wherein the second metal or alloy has a fusing temperature lower than the fusing temperature of the first metal or alloy;

covering the model coated with the powder of first metal or alloy and the reservoir of the second metal or alloy with covering material; and

sintering the model to form a coping.

59. The method of claim 58 wherein the reservoir comprises a solid piece of metal or alloy.

60. The method of claim 58 wherein the reservoir comprises a metal or an alloy powder held together by a binder.

61. The method of claim 58 wherein the reservoir is in the shape of a sphere, bar, oval, or block.

62. The method of claim 58 wherein the reservoir comprises pure gold.

63. The method of claim 58 wherein the reservoir comprises a gold alloy.

64. The method of claim 58 wherein the reservoir is placed proximate the top of the model.

65. The method of claim 58 wherein the powder of the first metal or alloy is in the form of a sheet.

66. The method of claim 63 wherein the gold alloy comprises gold in combination with an oxidizing element.

67. The method of claim 58 wherein a die spacer material is applied to the model prior to application of the powder of the first metal or alloy.

68. The method of claim 58 wherein a die spacer material is applied onto the powder of the first metal or alloy and reservoir after placement of the reservoir of the second metal or alloy onto the model.

69. The method of claim 58 wherein the covering material comprises a refractory die material.

70. The method of claim 69 wherein the refractory die material is applied at a thickness equal to or less than 8 mm.

71. The method of claim 58 wherein the covering material comprises a refractory powder.

72. The method of claim 58 further comprising coating the covering material with a high temperature refractory material.

73. The method of claim 72 wherein the high temperature refractory material is selected from a refractory oxide.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein the refractory oxide comprises alumina or silica.

75. The method of claim 58 wherein the powder of a first metal or alloy comprises a mixture of coarse particles and fine particles.

76. The method of claim 75 wherein the coarse particles are equal to or below −

270 mesh.

77. The method of claim 76 wherein the fine particles comprise particles less than about 5 microns in size.

78. The method of claim 58 wherein the first metal or alloy comprises a non-oxidizing metal.

79. The method of claim 58 wherein the first metal or alloy is selected from one or more precious metals, non-precious metals and alloys thereof.

80. The method of claim 58 wherein the first metal or alloy comprises gold, platinum, silver or alloys thereof.

81. The method of claim 58 wherein a binder is mixed with the powder of the first metal or alloy prior to coating the model.

82. The method of claim 81 wherein the powder of the first metal or alloy and binder are in the form of a sheet.

83. The method of claim 82 wherein the powder of the first metal or alloy is present in an amount of about 90 to about 99 percent by weight and the binder is present in an amount of about 1 to about 10 percent by weight.

84. The method of claim 83 wherein the binder is selected from wax, ammonium caseinate, ammonium stearate, pectin, hexamine, ethyl cellulose, anthracene, triacetyl starch, dulcin, carbazole, tetraphenyl ethylene and mixtures thereof.

85. The method of claim 58 wherein the powder of the first metal or alloy comprises atomized powder and precipitated powder.

86. A dental restoration formed by the process of claim 58.

125. The method of claim 58 wherein the reservoir is bonded, melted or mechanically adhered to the powder of the first metal or alloy.

126. The method of claim 58 wherein the reservoir has a mass equal to about the weight of the powder of a first metal or alloy.

127. The method of claim 58 further comprising removing the covering material from the coping.

128. The method of claim 127 further comprising applying a porcelain or composite material to the coping.

129. The method of claim 128 wherein the porcelain or composite is pressed onto the coping.

130. The method of claim 128 wherein a bonder coat is applied to the coping prior to application of the porcelain or composite material.

131. The method of claim 130 wherein the bonder coat comprises a metal or alloy.

132. The method of claim 131 wherein the metal or alloy from the bonder coat comprises gold, copper, indium, tin, rhodium, palladium, gallium, platinum, iridium or mixtures thereof.

133. The method of claim 58 wherein sintering is carried out in a reducing atmosphere.

134. The method of claim 58 further comprising placing a graphite cover over the covering material prior to sintering.

135. The method of claim 69 wherein the covering material further comprises a carbonaceous material.

87. A method for making a dental restoration comprising:

forming a model of one or more teeth, wherein the model comprises a margin area;

coating the model with powder of a metal or alloy to a point above the margin area;

covering the model coated with powder with a covering material;

sintering the model coated with powder in a furnace to form a metal coping;

removing the covering material from the metal coping;

applying a first porcelain material on the metal coping;

applying a second porcelain material on the model along the margin area; and

firing the coping and die coated with first and second porcelain material in a furnace.

88. The method of claim 87 wherein the powder comprises a non-oxidizing metal.

89. The method of claim 88 wherein the non-oxidizing metal is selected from one or more precious metals, non-precious metals and alloys thereof.

90. The method of claim 87 wherein the metal or alloy powder is selected from one or more of gold, platinum, silver and alloys thereof.

91. The method of claim 87 wherein a binder is mixed with the metal or alloy powder prior to coating the model.

92. The method of claim 91 wherein the metal or alloy powder is present in an amount of about 90 to about 99 percent by weight and the binder is present in an amount of about 1 to about 10 percent by weight.

93. The method of claim 91 wherein the binder is selected from wax, ammonium caseinate, ammonium stearate, pectin, hexamine, ethyl cellulose, anthracene, triacetyl starch, dulcin, carbazole and tetraphenyl ethylene.

94. The method of claim 87 wherein a die spacer material is applied to the model prior to application of the metal or alloy powder.

95. The method of claim 87 wherein the metal or alloy powder comprises atomized powder and precipitated powder.

96. A dental restoration formed by the process of claim 87.

97. The method of claim 87 wherein the powder of the metal or alloy is in the form of a sheet.

98. The method of claim 87 wherein the covering material comprises a refractory die material.

99. The method of claim 87 wherein the refractory die material is applied at a thickness equal to or less than 8 mm.

100. The method of claim 87 wherein the covering material comprises a refractory powder and a liquid vehicle.

101. The method of claim 100 wherein the liquid vehicle is selected from alcohol and acetone.

102. The method of claim 87 further comprising coating the covering material with a high temperature refractory material.

103. The method of claim 102 wherein the high temperature refractory material is selected from a refractory oxide.

104. The method of claim 103 wherein the refractory oxide comprises alumina.

136. A method for making a dental restoration comprising:

forming a model of one or more teeth;

placing a bar or pontic on the model;

coating the model and bar or pontic with metal or alloy powder;

applying a covering material onto the model coated with metal or alloy powder;

sintering the model coated with metal or alloy powder and covering material in a furnace to form a coping; and

removing the covering material from the coping.

137. The method of claim 136 wherein the bar or pontic is manufactured by extrusion, casting, shaping metal powder into a shape, or shaping sheets of metal powder into a shape.

138. The method of claim 136 wherein the covering material comprises a refractory die material.

139. The method of claim 136 wherein the metal powder comprises a mixture of coarse and fine particles.

140. The method of claim 136 wherein the covering material comprises a refractory powder and a liquid vehicle.

141. The method of claim 136 wherein the liquid vehicle is selected from alcohol and acetone.

142. The method of claim 136 further comprising coating the covering material with a high temperature refractory material.

143. The method of claim 142 wherein the high temperature refractory material is selected from a refractory oxide.

144. The method of claim 143 wherein the refractory oxide is selected from alumina and silica.

145. The method of claim 139 wherein the coarse particles comprise particles in the range of from about 5 to about 50 microns.

146. The method of claim 139 wherein the fine particles comprise particles less than about 5 microns in size.

147. The method of claim 136 wherein the metal or alloy powder comprises a non-oxidizing metal.

148. The method of claim 147 wherein the non-oxidizing metal is selected from one or more precious metals, non-precious metals and alloys thereof.

149. The method of claim 136 wherein the metal or alloy powder is selected from one or more of gold, platinum, silver and alloys thereof.

150. The method of claim 136 wherein a binder is mixed with the metal or alloy powder prior to coating the model.

151. The method of claim 150 wherein the metal or alloy powder is present in an amount of about 90 to about 99 percent by weight and the binder is present in an amount of about 1 to about 10 percent by weight.

152. The method of claim 150 wherein the binder is selected from wax, ammonium caseinate, ammonium stearate, pectin, hexamine, ethyl cellulose, anthracene, triacetyl starch, dulcin, carbazole and tetraphenyl ethylene.

153. The method of claim 139 wherein the coarse particles comprise an average particle size of about 25 microns and wherein the fine particles are less than about 5 microns.

154. The method of claim 136 further comprising applying a die spacer material to the model prior to application of the metal or alloy powder.

155. The method of claim 136 wherein the step of applying the covering material onto the model coated with metal or alloy powder comprises painting the covering material onto the metal powder with a brush.

156. The method of claim 142 wherein the step of coating the covering material with a high temperature refractory material comprises dusting the high temperature refractory material onto the covering material.

157. The method of claim 139 wherein the coarse particles comprise atomized particles and the fine particles comprise precipitated particles.

158. A dental restoration formed by the process of claim 136.