Occlusal adjustment system

• US 9,173,724 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2011
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Shofu
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Shofu
• Inventors: Moriyama, Takeshi, Kadobayashi, Yusei
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Cris L
• Assistant Examiner(s): NELSON, MATTHEW M
• Application Number:
  US13/168,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20120003604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 433 68- 71, 264 17- 18, 700 97- 98, 700/118
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 11/00 Dental articulators, i.e. for simulating movement of the temporo-mandibular joints; Articulation forms or mouldings
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0004 Computer-assisted sizing or machining of dental prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0006 Production methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0024 Repairing or adjusting dentures; Location of irritating zones
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/10 Fastening of artificial teeth to denture palates or the like A61C8/0048 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture

Abstract

Occlusal-surface shape data and occlusal-surface position data of dentures are acquired on a dentist side, and the occlusal-surface shape data and the occlusal-surface position data are then transmitted to a grinding data provider side. Maxillomandibular occlusal state data is reproduced from the occlusal-surface shape data and the occlusal-surface position data on the grinding data provider side. A maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion is determined by changing a maxillomandibular occlusal vertical dimension on the grinding data provider side. Cutting data including the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion and the occlusal-surface position data is prepared on the grinding data provider side, and the cutting data is transmitted to the dentist side. An occlusal adjustment is carried out on the dentist side by cutting the dentures by a grinding machine based on the cutting data.

Claims

1. A denture occlusal adjustment system, comprising:

an acquiring unit configured to acquire three-dimensional occlusal-surface shape data and occlusal-surface position data of dentures on a dentist side, the dentures being full dentures including artificial upper teeth configured to be mounted on an upper jaw and artificial lower teeth configured to be mounted on a lower jaw;

a first transmitter configured to transmit the occlusal-surface shape data and the occlusal-surface position data from the dentist side to a grinding data provider side;

a reproducer configured to reproduce a maxillomandibular occlusal state on the grinding data provider side from the occlusal-surface shape data and the occlusal-surface position data received from the dentist side;

a determining unit configured to determine a maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion by changing a maxillomandibular occlusal vertical dimension on the grinding data provider side;

a preparing unit configured to prepare cutting data on the grinding data provider side, the cutting data including the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion, the occlusal-surface position data, and data representative of a grinding surface which extends across an overlapped portion between three-dimensional data of one of the artificial upper teeth and one of the artificial lower teeth, the grinding surface crossing a center of gravity of the overlapped portion;

a second transmitter configured to transmit the cutting data from the grinding data provider side to the dentist side; and

a performing unit configured to perform an occlusal adjustment on the dentist side by cutting the dentures by a grinding machine based on the cutting data, the occlusal adjustment resulting in a ground surface on each of the artificial upper teeth and each of the artificial lower teeth that meet at a location corresponding to the grinding surface.

2. The denture occlusal adjustment system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a creating unit configured to create image data that represents the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion,

the second transmitter being configured to transmit the image data from the grinding data provider side to the dentist side; and

a confirming unit configured to confirm the image data received from the grinding data provider side to the dentist side and transmit a signal indicating whether the image data is accepted or not, wherein

when the signal indicates that the image data is not accepted, the determining unit is configured to determine the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion by further changing the maxillomandibular occlusal vertical dimension; and

when the signal indicates that the image data is accepted, the creating unit is configured to create the cutting data including the occlusal-surface position data and the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion.

3. The occlusal adjustment system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a notifying unit configured to notify of a change in the maxillomandibular occlusal vertical dimension when the signal indicates that the image data is not accepted, wherein

the determining unit is configured to determine the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion at the further changed maxillomandibular occlusal vertical dimension when the notifying unit notifies of the change in the maxillomandibular occlusal vertical dimension.

4. The occlusal adjustment system according to claim 1, further comprising:

another acquiring unit configured to acquire occlusal-surface shape data and occlusal-surface position data of occlusion-adjusted dentures on the dentist side;

the first transmitter being configured to transmit the occlusal-surface shape data and the occlusal-surface position data of the occlusion-adjusted dentures from the dentist side to the grinding data provider side;

a first creating unit configured to create confirmation image data for confirming whether a grinding-required portion is ground by, on the grinding data provider side, laying the occlusal-surface shape data and the occlusal-surface position data of the occlusion-adjusted dentures received from the dentist side on the cutting data including the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion;

a first confirming unit configured to confirm whether the grinding-required portion is ground on the grinding data provider side;

the second transmitter being configured to transmit the confirmation image data from the grinding data provider side to the dentist side when confirming that the grinding-required portion is ground;

a second confirming unit configured to confirm whether the confirmation image data received from the grinding data provider side by the dentist side has a problem;

a first notifying unit configured to notify a center side from the dentist side that no problem in the confirmation image data is confirmed;

a second creating unit configured to create cutting data of a re-occlusal adjustment portion on the grinding data provider side when confirmation that the grinding-required portion is ground is obtained;

the second transmitter being configured to transmit the cutting data from the grinding data provider side to the dentist side;

a third confirming unit configured to confirm whether re-occlusal adjustment is required based on the cutting data on the dentist side; and

a second notifying unit configured to notify that no need of re-occlusal adjustment is confirmed when the dentist side confirms no need of re-occlusal adjustment, wherein

when the third confirming unit confirms that re-occlusal adjustment is required, an occlusal adjustment is performed by cutting the dentures on the dentist side by a grinding machine based on the cutting data.

5. The denture occlusal adjustment system according to claim 1, further comprising:

another acquiring unit configured to acquire occlusal-surface shape data and occlusal-surface position data of occlusion-adjusted dentures on the dentist side;

the first transmitter being configured to transmit the occlusal-surface shape data and the occlusal-surface position data of the occlusion-adjusted dentures from the dentist side to the grinding data provider side;

a first creating unit configured to create confirmation image data for confirming whether a grinding-required portion is ground by, on the grinding data provider side, laying the occlusal-surface shape data and the occlusal-surface position data of the occlusion-adjusted dentures received from the dentist side on the cutting data including the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion;

the second transmitter being configured to transmit the confirmation image data from the grinding data provider side to the dentist side;

a diagnosing unit configured to diagnose whether the confirmation image data received from the grinding data provider side by the dentist side has a problem;

a first notifying unit configured to notify from the dentist side that no problem exists in the confirmation image data when no problem is found during the diagnosing of the confirmation image data;

a second creating unit configured to create cutting data of a re-occlusal adjustment portion on the grinding data provider side when a problem in the confirmation image data is diagnosed;

the second transmitter being configured to transmit the cutting data from the grinding data provider side to the dentist side; and

a confirming unit configured to confirm whether re-occlusal adjustment is required based on the cutting data on the dentist side; and

a second notifying unit configured to notify that no need of re-occlusal adjustment is confirmed when the dentist side confirms no need of re-occlusal adjustment, wherein

when the confirming unit confirms that re-occlusal adjustment is required, an occlusal adjustment is performed by cutting the dentures on the dentist side by a grinding machine based on the cutting data.

6. The denture occlusal adjustment system according to claim 5, wherein:

the jaw-movement data is set data of an articulator including a condylar distance, a distance between an upper arch and a lower arch, a sagittal condylar path inclination, a balancing-side lateral condyle path angle, an immediate side shift, an angle of a working side lateral condyle path, a sagittal incisal path inclination, and a lateral incisal path guide angle.

7. The denture occlusal adjustment system according to claim 5, further comprising:

a calculating unit configured to calculate artificial tooth-shape reference point data to be used as a standard by making a verification between the acquired occlusal-surface shape data of one of the artificial upper teeth and artificial lower teeth and the artificial tooth-shape data to be used as the standard, wherein

the first transmitter is configured to transmit the artificial tooth-shape reference point data as the occlusal-surface shape data, and further includes;

a reconstructing unit configured to reconstruct occlusal-surface shape data of one of the artificial upper teeth and artificial lower teeth and verify the artificial tooth-shape reference point data with a reference point of artificial tooth-shape data to be used as a standard on the grinding data provider side.

8. The denture occlusal adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein

the acquiring unit is configured to acquire, in addition to the occlusal-surface shape data and the occlusal-surface position data, jaw-movement data and reference point data that makes a connection between the jaw-movement data and the occlusal-surface shape data.

9. A denture occlusal adjustment system, comprising:

an acquiring unit configured to acquire three-dimensional maxillomandibular impression data with silicone or wax on a dentist side;

a first transmitter configured to transmit the maxillomandibular impression data from the dentist side to a grinding data provider side;

a reproducer configured to reproduce a maxillomandibular occlusal state on the grinding data provider side from the maxillomandibular impression data received from the dentist side;

a determining unit configured to determine a maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion by changing a maxillomandibular occlusal vertical dimension on the grinding data provider side;

a preparing unit configured to prepare cutting data on the grinding data provider side, the cutting data including the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion, the maxillomandibular impression data, and data representative of a grinding surface which extends across an overlapped portion between three-dimensional data of one of the artificial upper teeth and one of the artificial lower teeth, the grinding surface crossing a center of gravity of the overlapped portion;

a second transmitter configured to transmit the cutting data from the grinding data provider side to the dentist side; and

a performing unit configured to perform an occlusal adjustment on the dentist side by cutting dentures by a grinding machine based on the cutting data, the dentures being full dentures including artificial upper teeth configured to be mounted on an upper jaw and artificial lower teeth configured to be mounted on a lower jaw, and the occlusal adjustment resulting in a ground surface on each of the artificial upper teeth and the artificial lower teeth that meet at a location corresponding to the grinding surface.

10. The denture occlusal adjustment system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a creating unit configured to create image data that represents the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion,

the second transmitter being configured to transmit the image data from the grinding data provider side to the dentist side; and

a confirming unit configured to confirm the image data received from the grinding data provider side to the dentist side and transmit a signal indicating whether the image data is accepted or not, wherein

when the signal indicates that the image data is not accepted, the determining unit is configured to determine the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion by further changing the maxillomandibular occlusal vertical dimension; and

when the signal indicates that the image data is accepted, the creating unit is configured to create the cutting data including the occlusal-surface position data and the maxillomandibular occlusal adjustment portion.