Method for Defining a Dental Framework Design Volume

• US 20120088208A1
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cagenix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cagenix Incorporated
• Inventors: Schulter, Carl Walter, Diangelo, Denis John, Schulter, Andrew, Fraysur, Kyle
• Application Number:
  US13/329,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20120088208A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0004 Computer-assisted sizing or machining of dental prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0001 Impression means for implants, e.g. impression coping
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0048 Connecting the upper structure to the implant, e.g. bridging bars A61C8/0028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/006 with polygonal positional means, e.g. hexagonal or octagonal
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0068 with an additional screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0095 Total denture implant
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/004 Means or methods for taking digitized impressions
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture

Abstract

An improved method of a dental framework design and manufacturing, incorporating a dental framework design volume to eliminate framework or denture teeth modification post framework manufacturing.

Claims

1. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework that does not impinge a mouth'"'"'s soft tissues or require modification of stock dental teeth, said dental framework designed within an outer limit boundary represented by a digitally created dental framework design volume, said dental framework design volume having a lower limit surface, an upper limit surface, a lingual limit surface and a facial limit surface, the method comprising the steps:

defining said lower limit surface representing a surface boundary of said dental framework design volume nearest the soft tissues of the arch for which said dental framework is manufactured for;

defining said upper limit surface representing a surface boundary of said dental framework design volume nearest the lower surface of said stock teeth;

defining said lingual limit surface extending from said lower surface to said upper surface representing a surface boundary on the lingual side of said dental framework design volume;

defining said facial limit surface extending from said lower surface to said upper surface representing a surface boundary on the facial side of said dental framework design volume;

designing said framework within said dental framework design volume'"'"'s surfaces; and

generating a toolpath for manufacturing said dental framework.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said lower limit surface represents said soft tissues of said mouth and said upper limit represents said lower surface of said stock teeth.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage a plurality of anchors embedded in said mouth, method of further comprises the steps of:

digitally scanning a plurality of surface extensions, said surface extensions representing the spatial orientations of said mating surfaces, to generate a point cloud dataset;

deriving the relative positions and orientations of said mating surfaces from said point cloud dataset;

deriving the position and orientations of said bridging structures from said dental framework design volume, wherein said bridging structures lie within said dental framework design volume.

4. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework that does not impinge a mouth'"'"'s soft tissues or require modification of stock denture teeth, said dental framework to support a finished denture within a patient'"'"'s mouth, said finished denture constructed using said stock denture teeth, said stock denture teeth having a lower portion embedded in said denture, said patient'"'"'s mouth comprising a plurality of anchors embedded in the patient'"'"'s mandible or maxilla, said framework being made from a digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth and a dental framework design volume, said dental framework design volume having a lower limit surface, an upper limit surface, a lingual limit surface and a facial limit surface, wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage said plurality of anchors, said framework further comprising a bridging structure that extends between and couples said plurality of mating surfaces together, the method comprising the steps of:

defining said lower limit surface representing a surface boundary of said dental framework design volume between said upper limit surface and the surface of said soft tissues;

defining said upper limit surface representing a surface boundary of said dental framework design volume between said lower limit surface and the lower surface of said stock denture teeth;

defining said lingual limit surface extending from said lower surface to said upper surface representing a surface boundary on the lingual side of said dental framework design volume;

defining said facial limit surface extending from said lower surface to said upper surface representing a surface boundary on the facial side of said dental framework design volume; and

digitally scanning a plurality of surface extensions, said surface extensions representing the spatial orientations of said mating surfaces, to generate a point cloud dataset;

deriving the relative positions and orientations of said mating surfaces from said point cloud dataset;

deriving the position and orientations of said bridging structures from said dental framework design volume, wherein said bridging structures lie within said dental framework design volume;

generating a toolpath that is configured to generate said framework including said bridging structure and mating surfaces in their relative positions and orientations, permitting a computer controlled machine to manufacture said framework.

5. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework to support a finished denture within a patient'"'"'s mouth, said finished denture constructed using denture teeth, the patient'"'"'s mouth comprising a plurality of anchors embedded in the patient'"'"'s mandible or maxilla, said framework being made from a stone cast with embedded analogs and a diagnostic wax-up, said diagnostic wax up replicating said finished denture, said diagnostic wax up utilizing denture teeth having the same occlusal and underside contours and dimensions as said denture teeth, said stone cast being made from an impression having embedded copings, said impression being taken directly from said patient'"'"'s mouth, wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage the plurality of anchors, said framework further comprising a bridging structure that extends between and couples said plurality of mating surfaces together, the method comprising the steps of:

attaching alignment posts having surface extensions to each of said analogs;

digitally scanning said surface extensions including surfaces of said stone cast which represent surfaces of said mouth to generate a first point cloud dataset;

digitally scanning said surfaces of said diagnostic wax up which represent surfaces of said finished denture to generate a second point cloud dataset;

deriving the relative positions and orientations of said mating surfaces from said point cloud datasets;

aligning the digital representations of said denture teeth to said second point cloud dataset;

deriving the position and orientations of the bridging structures from said point cloud datasets, wherein said bridging structures lie within the volume defined by the diagnostic wax up and not within the volume defined by the denture teeth;

generating a toolpath that is configured to generate said framework including said bridging structure and mating surfaces in their relative positions and orientations, permitting a computer controlled machine to manufacture said framework.

6. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework to support a finished denture within a patient'"'"'s mouth, said finished denture constructed using denture teeth, the patient'"'"'s mouth comprising a plurality of anchors embedded in the patient'"'"'s mandible or maxilla, said framework being made from a first stone cast with embedded analogs and a second stone cast of the opposing arch, said first stone cast being made from a first impression having embedded copings, said first impression being taken directly from said patient'"'"'s mouth, said second stone cast being made from a second impression of the patient'"'"'s opposing arch, said opposing arch including portions of the occlusal surfaces of the existing dentition, said second impression being taken directly from said patient'"'"'s mouth, wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage the plurality of anchors, said framework further comprising a bridging structure that extends between and couples said plurality of mating surfaces together, the method comprising the steps of:

attaching alignment posts having surface extensions to each of said analogs;

digitally scanning said surface extensions including surfaces of said first stone cast which represent surfaces of said mouth to generate a first point cloud dataset;

digitally scanning said second stone cast to generate a second point cloud dataset;

scanning said first stone cast and said second stone cast in a predetermined aligned orientation to generate a third point cloud dataset;

aligning said first point cloud dataset and said second point cloud dataset with said third point cloud dataset;

aligning the digital representations of said denture teeth to said occlusal surface portions of said second point cloud dataset;

deriving the relative positions and orientations of said mating surfaces from said first point cloud dataset;

deriving the position and orientations of the bridging structures from said point cloud dataset wherein said bridging structures lying within a dental framework design volume defined by the a volume above said surfaces of the mouth and below the lower surfaces of said denture teeth; and

generating a toolpath that is configured to generate said framework including said bridging structure and mating surfaces in their relative positions and orientations, permitting a computer controlled machine to manufacture said framework.

7. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework to support a finished denture within a patient'"'"'s mouth, said finished denture constructed using denture teeth, said patient'"'"'s mouth comprising a plurality of anchors embedded in the patient'"'"'s mandible or maxilla, said framework being made from a digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth, digital representations of said denture teeth and a dental framework design volume, wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage the plurality of anchors, said framework further comprising a bridging structure that extends between and couples said plurality of mating surfaces together, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a radiographic stent, said radiographic stent representing the soft tissue boundaries of said patient and facial and occlusal contours of said denture teeth;

obtaining computed tomography scan data of the patient with the radiographic stent;

processing said computed tomography scan data and generating a digital model of the patient'"'"'s bone, soft tissue and radiographic stent;

aligning the digital representations of said denture teeth to said digital model;

deriving the position and orientations of the bridging structures from said digital model and said digital representations of said denture teeth, wherein said bridging structures lie within a dental framework design volume defined as the volume between said soft tissue surface and the surface of said digital representations of said denture teeth; and

generating a toolpath that is configured to generate said framework including said bridging structure and mating surfaces in their relative positions and orientations, permitting a computer controlled machine to manufacture said framework.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said digital model includes the location and orientation of the dental implant mating surfaces.

9. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework to support a finished denture within a patient'"'"'s mouth, said finished denture constructed using denture teeth, said patient'"'"'s mouth comprising a plurality of anchors embedded in the patient'"'"'s mandible or maxilla, said framework being made from a digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth, digital representations of said denture teeth and a dental framework design volume, wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage said plurality of anchors, said framework further comprising a bridging structure that extends between and couples said plurality of mating surfaces together, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining computed tomography scan data;

processing said computed tomography scan data and generating said digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth including anatomical structures and landmarks;

aligning said digital representations of said denture teeth to said digital model utilizing said anatomical structures and landmarks;

defining said dental framework design volume as a volume between the surface contours of said digital model of said patient'"'"'s mouth and the surface of said digital representations of said denture teeth;

deriving the position and orientations of the bridging structures from said digital models, wherein said bridging structures lie within said dental framework design volume; and

generating a toolpath that is configured to generate said framework including said bridging structure and mating surfaces in their relative positions and orientations, permitting a computer controlled machine to manufacture said framework.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said digital model includes the location and orientation of the dental implant mating surfaces.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising creating a radiographic stent, obtaining computed tomography scan data of said radiographic stent, wherein said digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth further includes use of computed tomography data obtained from a scan of said radiographic stent to obtain the soft tissue surface contours of said patient.

12. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework to support a finished denture within a patient'"'"'s mouth, said finished denture constructed using denture teeth, said patient'"'"'s mouth comprising a plurality of anchors embedded in the patient'"'"'s mandible or maxilla, said framework being made from a digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth, digital representations of said denture teeth and a dental framework design volume, wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage said plurality of anchors, said framework further comprising a bridging structure that extends between and couples said plurality of mating surfaces together, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a first computed tomography scan data of said patient'"'"'s mouth with the natural dentition;

obtaining a second computed tomography scan data of said patient'"'"'s mouth lacking some of the natural dentition

processing said first computed tomography scan data and generating a first digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth;

processing said second computed tomography scan data and generating a second digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth;

aligning said first digital model with said second digital model using shared anatomical contours;

aligning said digital representations of said denture teeth relative to the surface contours of said natural dentition of said first digital model and said second digital model;

defining said dental framework design volume as a volume between the surface contours of said second digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth and the surface of said digital representations of said denture teeth;

deriving the position and orientations of the bridging structures from said digital models, wherein said bridging structures lie within said dental framework design volume; and

generating a toolpath that is configured to generate said framework including said bridging structure and mating surfaces in their relative positions and orientations, permitting a computer controlled machine to manufacture said framework.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising creating a radiographic stent, obtaining computed tomography scan data of said radiographic stent, wherein said second digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth further includes use of computed tomography data obtained a scan of said radiographic stent to obtain the soft tissue surface contours of said patient.

14. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework to support a finished partial denture within a patient'"'"'s mouth having remaining natural dentition, said finished partial denture constructed using denture teeth, said patient'"'"'s mouth comprising a plurality of anchors embedded in the patient'"'"'s mandible or maxilla, said framework being made from a diagnostic wax up, a digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth, digital representations of said denture teeth and a dental framework design volume, wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage said plurality of anchors, said framework further comprising a bridging structure that extends between and couples said plurality of mating surfaces together, the method comprising the steps of:

attaching a plurality of surface extensions to said plurality of anchors in said patient'"'"'s mouth;

scanning said patient'"'"'s mouth including said remaining natural dentition to generate a first set of scans;

creating a first digital impression from said first set of scans of said patient'"'"'s mouth;

removing said surface extensions;

placing said diagnostic wax up in said patient'"'"'s mouth;

scanning said patient'"'"'s mouth including said remaining natural dentition to generate a second set of scans;

creating a second digital impression from said second set of scans of said patient'"'"'s mouth;

aligning said first digital impressions, said second digital impression and said digital representations of said denture teeth using shared surface contours;

defining said dental framework design volume as a volume between the surface contours of said first digital impression and the surface of said digital representations of said denture teeth;

deriving the position and orientations of the bridging structures from said digital models, wherein said bridging structures lie within said dental framework design volume; and

generating a toolpath that is configured to generate said framework including said bridging structure and mating surfaces in their relative positions and orientations, permitting a computer controlled machine to manufacture said framework.

15. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework to support a finished partial denture within a patient'"'"'s mouth having remaining natural dentition, said finished partial denture constructed using denture teeth, said patient'"'"'s mouth comprising a plurality of anchors embedded in the patient'"'"'s mandible or maxilla, said framework being made from a diagnostic wax up, a digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth, digital representations of said denture teeth and a dental framework design volume, wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage said plurality of anchors, said framework further comprising a bridging structure that extends between and couples said plurality of mating surfaces together, the method comprising the steps of:

attaching a plurality of surface extensions to said plurality of anchors in said patient'"'"'s mouth;

scanning said patient'"'"'s mouth to generate a first set of scans;

creating a first digital impression from said first set of scans of said patient'"'"'s mouth;

scanning said diagnostic wax up including the surface contour representing the soft tissue contours to generate a second set of scans;

creating a digital model of said diagnostic wax up from said second set of scans;

aligning said first digital impressions, said digital model of said diagnostic wax up and said digital representations of said denture teeth using shared surface contours;

defining said dental framework design volume as a volume between the surface contours of said first digital impression and the surface of said digital representations of said denture teeth;

deriving the position and orientations of the bridging structures from said digital models, wherein said bridging structures lie within said dental framework design volume; and

generating a toolpath that is configured to generate said framework including said bridging structure and mating surfaces in their relative positions and orientations, permitting a computer controlled machine to manufacture said framework.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the alignment of said first digital impression with said digital model of said diagnostic wax up is accomplished by aligning the soft tissue contours of the first digital impression with the bottom surface of the diagnostic wax up model intended to mate with the soft tissue contours;

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said digital representations of said denture teeth are aligned to the facial and occlusal surfaces of the teeth found in said diagnostic wax up;

18. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework to support a finished denture within a patient'"'"'s mouth, said finished denture constructed using denture teeth, said patient'"'"'s mouth comprising a plurality of anchors embedded in a first arch of the patient'"'"'s mandible or maxilla, said framework being made from a digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth, digital representations of said denture teeth and a dental framework design volume, wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage said plurality of anchors, said framework further comprising a bridging structure that extends between and couples said plurality of mating surfaces together, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning said first arch of said patient'"'"'s mouth to generate a first set of scans;

creating a first digital impression from said first set of scans of said patient'"'"'s mouth;

aligning said digital representations of said denture teeth relative to the digital impression;

defining said dental framework design volume as a volume between the surface contours of said first digital impression and the surface of said digital representations of said denture teeth;

deriving the position and orientations of the bridging structures from said digital models, wherein said bridging structures lie within said dental framework design volume; and

generating a toolpath that is configured to generate said framework including said bridging structure and mating surfaces in their relative positions and orientations, permitting a computer controlled machine to manufacture said framework.

19. A method of generating a toolpath for manufacturing a dental framework to support a finished denture within a patient'"'"'s mouth, said finished denture constructed using denture teeth, said patient'"'"'s mouth comprising a plurality of anchors embedded in the patient'"'"'s mandible or maxilla, said framework being made from a digital model of the patient'"'"'s mouth, digital representations of said denture teeth and a dental framework design volume, wherein said framework further comprises a plurality of mating surfaces that are configured to engage said plurality of anchors, said framework further comprising a bridging structure that extends between and couples said plurality of mating surfaces together, the method comprising the steps of:

attaching a plurality of surface extensions to said plurality of anchors in a first arch of said patient'"'"'s mouth;

scanning said first arch of said patient'"'"'s mouth to generate a first set of scans;

creating a first digital impression from said first set of scans of said patient'"'"'s mouth;

scanning a second arch of said patient'"'"'s mouth to generate a second set of scans;

creating a second digital impression from said second set of scans of said patient'"'"'s mouth;

aligning said first and second arches;

scanning the first and second arches to generate a recorded relative position;

aligning said first digital impression and said second digital impression using said recorded relative position;

aligning said digital representations of said denture teeth to the occlusal surface portions of said second digital impression;

defining said dental framework design volume as a volume between the surface contours of said first digital impression and the surface of said digital representations of said denture teeth;

deriving the position and orientations of the bridging structures from said digital models, wherein said bridging structures lie within said dental framework design volume; and

generating a toolpath that is configured to generate said framework including said bridging structure and mating surfaces in their relative positions and orientations, permitting a computer controlled machine to manufacture said framework.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said first and second arches are aligned by use of a modified bite rim positioned between said first arch and said second arch

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said modified bite rim possessing a plurality of voids enabling portions of the upper surface of said first arch to be scanned.