Arrangement and system for production of dental products and transmission of information

• US 6,821,123 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nobel Biocare Services AG (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nobel Biocare AB (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Törnquist, Anders, Andersson, Matts
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Ralph A.
• Application Number:
  US09/950,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20020018981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 433/215, 433/223, 433/213, 433/214
• US Class Current: 433/215
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0004 Computer-assisted sizing or machining of dental prostheses

Abstract

An operating site is used to assemble individually designed dental products, for example spacers, abutments, bridges, etc. Each product consists of two or more structural elements. The operating site is provided with computer equipment which can reproduce a simulated model of the jaw, jawbone, implant, etc., and structural elements applied to the model. The operating site is arranged to collate data in a profile relating to part of the assembly. Members are included for transmitting profile data via the network to the central unit. The central unit supplies information relating to the part in question. The information is sent to the operating site or to a production unit connected to the central unit for production of the part. A debiting system is arranged to indicate to the central unit or to the production site that the information or production, respectively, has been paid for.

Claims

1. A system to assist in production of a dental assembly, such as a bridge or spacer, where the assembly is made from a plurality of elements, the system comprising:

a plurality operating sites each including;

a computer display to reproduce a representation of a jaw, jawbone or dental implant and structural elements to be applied thereto for user interaction to control product design,

means to assemble data relating to only a portion of the dental assembly into a profile, and

means to transmit the profile to a central site,

the central site including;

means responsive to receipt of the profile for identifying stored information and supplying the stored information to a recipient location,

accounting means for recording billing data related to supply of the stored information, and

a telecommunications network connecting the operating site and the central site,

wherein a profile associate with each of the operating sites relates to a different portion of the dental assembly.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 which further includes a production subsystem connected to receive the stored information.

3. A system as recited in claim 2 wherein the production subsystem is located at the central site.

4. A system as recited in claim 2 wherein the production subsystem is located remote from the central site.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the recipient location is the operating site.

6. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the profile describes a dental situation for application of the product.

7. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein the product is an angled spacer for an implant having one or more parameters selected for the dental situation of a particular patient.

8. A system as recited in claim 7 wherein the parameters are selected based on interaction between the profile and the stored data.

9. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the plural operating sites subscribe to a particular service which is a subset of the services available from the central site.

10. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the stored information relates to a program or program information item.

11. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the stored data includes data for setting or controlling components at a user site.

12. A subsystem used at a dental user site to assemble reconstructions for particular dental situations applying dental information and products, the subsystem sending data to a central site and receiving related factual information therefrom, said subsystem comprising:

means to assemble data into a profile relating to only a portion of the reconstruction,

means to transmit the profile to the central site,

means responsive to the factual information from the central site,

presentation means responsive to the profile data and to the factual information, and

accounting means for indicating to the central site payment for the factual information.

13. A subsystem as recited in claim 12 wherein the factual information relates manufacturing processes and/or statistics relating to dental products and/or situations.

14. A system including the subsystem of claim 12, a central site and one or more production units for the production of dental products and/or instruments, the central site including

means for receiving profile data from a user site and for selecting, based on the received profile data, related factual data,

means for transmitting the selected factual data to the user site, and

wherein the production unit includes:

means to manufacture, analyze and store characteristic data on dental products wherein the characteristic data may be interrogated by the profile data.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the profile data and the returned factual infornmation involve construction information on different types of crown configurations where the types form main types which may be supplemented by one or more variants of the main types.

16. A manufacturing system for manufacturing a dental or dental related assembly including a subsystem employed at two or more manufacturing sites for the manufacture of the dental or dental related assembly, wherein the manufacturing procedure can be effected in stages at each or the two or more manufacturing sites by:

(a) reading or scanning data related to only a portion of the assembly,

(b) transforming and transmitting the data from stage (a),

(c) representing the data from stage (b) in a computer environment,

(d) input of adjustments or additions to the representation of stage (c),

(e) physical production of portion of the assembly from or with a blank, and

(f) testing the portion of the assembly, the system comprising;

a central unit for supplying information corresponding to the two or more manufacturing sites,

a telecommunications medium connecting the central site and the two or more manufacturing sites,

transmission means for transmitting the information over the telecommunications medium, and

accounting means for billing for the time or information resources employed.

17. A manufacturing system as recited in claim 16 wherein the information is categorized by category of customers.

18. A manufacturing system as recited in claim 16 wherein the information is control information for operating manufacturing equipment for one or more of the stages of manufacture.

19. A manufacturing system for manufacturing a dental or dental related product including subsystems employed at each of two or more manufacturing sites for the manufacture of the dental or dental related product, wherein the manufacturing procedure at each of the two or more manufacturing sites can be effected in stages including:

(a) reading or scanning data related to a portion of the product,

(b) transforming and transmitting the data from stage (a),

(c) representing the data from stage (b) in a computer environment,

(d) input of adjusts or additions to the representation of stage (c),

(e) physical production of a portion of the product from or with a blank, and

(f) testing the portion of the product,

the system comprising;

means for extracting control information for equipment effecting one or more of the procedures of the manufacturing stages from a data bank remote from the equipment,

means for initiating the extraction by a selection made at the site of the equipment.

means for transferring, via a telecommunication medium, t selection to the data bank,

means for transferring the selected control information to the equipment, and

accounting means for billing for the time and information resources employed,

wherein each of the two or manufacturing sites produces a different portion of the product.

20. A system for supplying dental products and information, the system including:

plural user sites connected to one or more central units via a first computer network and where a user site is provided with computer equipment for assembling a profile representing only a portion of one or more of the dental products,

a central unit comprising

one or more coordinating units which, via the first computer network or a second computer network is connected to one or more production units,

the coordinating units direct information from user sites via the first computer network, and

the production units receive orders for respective different portions of the dental products from user sites.

21. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein a user site includes:

means for scanning or measuring a model, jaw, or jawbone,

means for applying the data from the scanning or measuring to the user site computer equipment, and where the computer equipment produces a profile allowing for further input of dental data patient identification, tooth identification, or type of work,

means for processing the data further input, and

means for transmitting and order containing some of the further input data over the first computer network.