US 7735542 B2
Dental appliances including multiple components and a system and method for constructing the same are disclosed herein. The dental components are designed to fit together to form the dental appliance. The components of the dental appliance are electronically modeled, printed, and pressed sequentially, separately, or as a unitary piece. Forming the dental appliance from multiple components enables each component of the dental appliance to be formed from a different material, each material having different features associated with it. In various embodiments, different materials have different colors, textures, opacities, and transformation factors associated with them. Furthermore, each component can be formed from multiple components. In some other embodiments, a support structure is designed and constructed in order to minimize deformation of a dental component during fabrication of the component.
1. A wax model comprising:
a printed model of a dental apparatus, the printed model being formed of a material; and
a support structure for the printed model,
the printed model having an inner surface and an outer surface,
the support structure including at least one spacer contacting the printed model at a first location and a second location on one of the inner surface and the outer surface, the support structure being formed with the printed model as a unitary piece of wax.
2. The support structure of
3. The support structure of
4. The support structure of
5. The support structure of
6. The support structure of
7. The support structure of
8. A wax model comprising:
a dental pattern of a dental apparatus to be manufactured, the dental pattern including a body defining a curvature; and
a support structure monolithically formed with the body of the dental pattern, the support structure including a support member and at least two spokes, each spoke extending from the support member to a distal end that connects to the body of the dental pattern to support the curvature of the body.
9. The support structure of
10. The support structure of
11. The support structure of
12. A method of manufacturing a dental apparatus comprising:
generating an electronic model of the dental apparatus including a body defining a curvature including a dental apparatus to be manufactured and a support structure for the dental apparatus, the support structure including a support member and at least two spokes, each spoke extending from the support member to a distal end that connects to the body of the dental apparatus to support the curvature of the body;
printing a unitary wax pattern of the dental apparatus based on the electronic model of the dental apparatus, the unitary wax pattern including a dental apparatus portion and a support structure portion; and
fabricating the dental apparatus using the unitary wax pattern.
13. The method of
14. The method of
15. The method of
16. The method of
This is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 11/186,391, filed on Jul. 20, 2005 entitled MULTI-COMPONENT DENTAL APPLIANCES AND A METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING THE SAME, which claims the benefit of Provisional Ser. No. 60/631,897, filed Nov. 30, 2004, and which applications are incorporated herein by reference.
This application relates generally to a dental appliance having multiple components and a method and system for constructing the dental appliance using electronic models; more particularly to a method and system for creating dental appliances that include components formed from different materials; and still more particularly to a method and system for creating personally tailored dental restorations, bridges, and implants using electronic modeling, rapid prototyping, and lost-wax techniques.
Computer based systems that allow the creation and use of electronic models of teeth impressions to design some types of dental appliances have been developed over time. Dental appliances include, by way of illustration, restorations, bridges, and implants. Restorations include, by way of illustration, replacements for single teeth including incisors, molars, and pre-molars. Dental appliances are designed to mount to either natural teeth or implanted teeth substitutes. For the sake of convenience, this disclosure will use the term “abutment” to refer to both natural teeth and implanted teeth substitutes.
In some prior systems, an electronic model for a dental restoration is designed to complement an electronic image of an abutment. The electronic image of the abutment can be generated based on a patient's actual abutment or a study cast thereof. The electronic image is then printed in wax using a rapid prototyping machine and cast or pressed using a standard lost-wax manufacturing process. However, these systems generally construct dental restorations as single-piece physical objects fabricated using a single type of material such as gold or ceramic. Furthermore, the wax models are susceptible to warping and deformation when exposed to high temperatures or physical force.
In some other prior systems, dental appliances are constructed by hand from multiple components. These components are designed, sculpted, and fabricated as separate items that are then mated into a single physical structure. Creating these components as separate items makes mating and matching these components difficult. The ability to mate these separate components into a single structure depends upon the skill of the designer or fabricator to construct complimentary components.
An anterior restoration (i.e., a restoration of an incisor or pre-molar) is one example of a dental appliance made by hand in previous systems. Anterior restorations are more visible to onlookers and so greater care is generally taken in their creation to ensure the restoration resembles a natural tooth as much as possible. For example, color may vary over the length or width of a natural tooth. Teeth are generally darker in color closer to the gums. Furthermore, calcium deposits or staining may cause discoloration on the enamel of the tooth. In addition, color striations, often referred to as the Stria of Retzius, are caused by grooves or other such recesses formed in the enamel of the tooth during development. The resulting variation in thickness of the enamel causes an onlooker to see variations in color in the enamel of the tooth. One current solution for creating anterior restorations relies generally on hand painting each restoration to match the patient's other teeth.
The present invention addresses the above and other limitations of prior dental electronic modeling systems.
The invention relates to dental appliances including multiple components and a system and method for constructing the same. Dental components are designed to fit together to form a dental appliance configured to mount onto one or more of a patient's abutments. The components of the dental appliance are electronically modeled, printed, and pressed sequentially, separately, or as a unitary piece. Forming the dental appliance from multiple components enables each component of the dental appliance to be formed from a different material, each material having different features associated with it.
In various embodiments, different materials have different colors, textures, opacities, and transformation factors associated with them. Furthermore, each component can be formed from multiple components. Non-limiting examples of dental components include a coping substructure, a pontic, an abutment, a crown, a crown shell, and a post.
In some embodiments, a dental component, such as a crown or crown shell, includes geometric shapes or cutouts forming color striations.
In some other embodiments, a support structure is designed and constructed in order to minimize deformation of a dental component during fabrication of the component. The support structure acts as a spacer holding the walls of a printed component wax model in place. The support structure is typically unitary in construction with the printed wax model. In various examples, the support structure includes spokes, a hub, and/or a frame.
The method for constructing dental appliances having multiple components includes generating a first electronic model of a first dental component, printing a first wax model of the first dental component based on the electronic model, and casting or pressing the first wax model to form a first cast dental component. The method further includes generating a second electronic model of a second dental component designed to mate with the first dental component, printing a second wax model of the second dental component, and casting or pressing the second wax model onto the first cast dental component.
In some embodiments, the method further includes transforming an electronic model of a dental component such that dimensions of the transformed electronic model differ from desired dimensions of the dental component by a transformation factor, and fabricating the dental component using a material that changes in dimension during fabrication according to the transformation factor. This feature allows the invention to account for deficiencies in the casting materials.
In some embodiments, the method further includes electronically modeling and printing a support structure for minimizing deformation to the printed wax models. The support structure is typically unitary in construction with the printed wax model.
Example methods of generating electronic models include designing, selecting, transforming, and merging various polygonal meshes. Methods of printing component wax models include rapid prototyping wax models based on the electronic models. Methods of casting or pressing these wax models include lost-wax manufacturing techniques.
These and various other features and advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings.
Referring now to the drawings:
This application relates in general to a method and system for creating dental appliances using electronic modeling; and more particularly to a method and system for constructing restorations, bridges, implants, and other such dental appliances including a coping substructure using electronic modeling, rapid prototyping, and lost-wax manufacturing processes.
The electronic models 100, 102 consist of polygonal meshes. According to one embodiment, the electronic models 100, 102 are created using the processes described in commonly assigned U.S. Provisional Patent Application, “Method and Apparatus for Computer Generation of Electronic Model Images” Ser. No. 60/351,270, filed Jan. 27, 2002, now U.S. patent application, “Method and Apparatus for Computer Generation of Electronic Model Images” Ser. No. 10/305,302, filed Jan. 22, 2003, incorporated herein by reference. However, any suitable method for generating electronic models may be used.
Additionally, the electronic models 100, 102 may also be created using computed tomography (CT) scans of dental impressions, using commercially available CT scanning processes such as a process developed by Hytec Corp. of Los Alomos, N. Mex. Other methods of generating electronic models include optical system scanning, physical touch scanning, and any other such method. The generated polygonal meshes are used in subsequent processing independent of the source of the electronic models.
The electronic model 100 for the restoration (i.e., or any such dental appliance) is designed to mate with the surface of the electronic model 102 of the abutment. According to one embodiment the dental appliance includes a crown and coping substructure. Once designed, these components are fabricated and installed on the abutment of the patient. In one embodiment, a dental appliance fabrication process includes specifying the dental appliance in a standard Stereo lithography (STL) specification file, printing a wax model of the dental appliance using rapid prototyping processes, and casting or pressing the dental appliance using lost wax manufacturing techniques. One example of a rapid prototyping machine used to print wax models is the Patternmaster wax printer from Solidscape of Connecticut. However, any type of rapid prototyping process may be used without deviating from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Example embodiments will now be illustrated using the generation of various dental appliances.
With reference to
The personal computer 300 further includes a hard disk drive 338 for reading from and writing to a hard disk (not shown), a magnetic disk drive (not shown) for reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk, and an optical disk drive 326 for reading from or writing to a removable optical disk such as a CD ROM, DVD, or other optical media. The hard disk drive 338, magnetic disk drive, and optical disk drive 326 are connected to the system bus 322 by a hard disk drive interface (not shown), a magnetic disk drive interface (not shown), and an optical drive interface (not shown), respectively. The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, programs, and other data for the personal computer 300.
Although the exemplary environment described herein employs a hard disk drive 338, a removable magnetic disk, and removable optical disk drive 326, other types of computer-readable media capable of storing data can be used in the exemplary system. Examples of these other types of computer-readable mediums that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), and read only memories (ROMs).
A number of program modules may be stored on the hard disk drive 338, magnetic disk drive, optical disk drive 326, ROM 332 or RAM 316, including an operating system 320, one or more application programs 330, other program modules 334, and program (i.e., application) data 336. A user may enter commands and information into the personal computer 300 through input devices such as a keyboard and/or mouse 350 (or other pointing device). Examples of other input devices may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, and scanner. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 312 through a I/O port interface 324 that is coupled to the system bus 332. Nevertheless, these input devices also may be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port, or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor 351 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 332 via an interface, such as a video adapter 314. In addition to the monitor, personal computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers.
The personal computer 300 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers. The remote computer may be another personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the personal computer 300. The network connections include a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN). Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, and the Internet.
When used in a LAN networking environment, the personal computer 300 is connected to the local network 352 through a network interface or adapter 310. When used in a WAN networking environment, the personal computer 300 typically includes a modem or other means for establishing communications over the wide area network, such as the Internet 353. The modem 356, which may be internal or external, is connected to the system bus 332 via the I/O port interface 324. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the personal computer 300, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary, and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used.
A scanner 354 is connected to the computer 300 via an appropriate scanner interface 355. The scanner interface 355 is connected to the bus 322 such that the scanned data may be stored in the appropriate or desired memory location, manipulated by the CPU 312, displayed on the display 351, etc. Preferred scanners include a laser line scanner arranged and configured for scanning dental study casts. However, any suitable scanner may be used and a number of other methodologies might be employed to generate the scanned image data.
Portions of the preferred embodiment constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention utilize a computer and are described herein as implemented by logical operations performed by a computer. The logical operations of these various computer implemented processes are generally performed either (1) as a sequence of computer implemented steps or program modules running on a computing system and/or (2) as interconnected machine modules or hardware logic within the computing system. The implementation is a matter of choice dependent on the performance requirements of the computing system implementing the invention. Accordingly, the logical operations making up the embodiments of the invention described herein can be variously referred to as operations, steps, or modules.
The coping offset mesh 501 is designed to mate with the abutment 505. In particular, the offset mesh 501 is designed to create a cement gap 506 having a width G between an upper surface 508 of the abutment 505 and a central portion 511 of the offset mesh 501. The cement gap 506 generally ranges between 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm. In some embodiments, the offset mesh 501 is further designed to leave a margin offset 507 between the surface 509 along the perimeter of the abutment 505 and a margin seal 512 along the perimeter of the offset mesh 501. The margin seal generally extends over a distance K of 1 mm inward from the margin curve. In general, the margin offset ranges between 0 and 0.1 mm. Typically, the margin offset ranges from 0 to 0.02 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the margin offset is 0 mm.
The exterior mesh 502 is designed so as to create a coping substructure 500 having a thickness H. According to one embodiment, the exterior mesh 502 of the coping substructure 500 is designed based on the shape and boundaries of the offset mesh 501 (i.e., the margin curve). According to another embodiment, the exterior mesh 502 is designed to mate with the inner surface of a restoration as shown in
In some embodiments, the exterior mesh 502 includes a collar 504 for further supporting the crown component to be installed on the coping 500. The collar 504 is formed when the exterior mesh 502 extends outward past the offset mesh 501. According to one embodiment, the collar 504 encircles the entire coping 500. According to another embodiment, the collar 504 only partially encircles the coping 500. Typically, this partial collar 504 extends outward on the lingual side of the coping 500 and recesses on the facial side of the coping 500 so that the collar 504 and coping 500 are not visible on the facial side of the restoration.
The crown top 601 includes an occlusal surface designed to mate with the surface 655 of the antagonistic tooth 650. Typically, the crown top 601 is selected from a library of dental models stored within a computer-based dental modeling system. This library includes models that represent surfaces of various human teeth. Some of these models include molars, pre-molars, incisors, and portions thereof. The particular model chosen from the library depends upon the type of dental appliance to be created.
In a preferred embodiment, each model in this library includes an electronic polygonal mesh representation that has been scanned using a process similar to the one described above to generate the electronic models of the maxillary dentition 203 and mandibular dentition 202 shown in
Once a crown top 601 is selected, sized, and positioned appropriately, crown sides 602 are constructed to define the outer shape of the crown 625. The dotted line 614 represents the area where the crown sides 602 intersect the crown top 601. In particular, the crown sides 602 are designed to connect the crown top 601 to the margin curve 607, thereby forming axial walls without interfering with adjacent teeth 610, 620. Example methods for forming the crown sides 602 will be discussed in further detail herein. In one embodiment, crown sides 602 include a single polygonal mesh. In another embodiment, crown sides 602 include multiple polygonal meshes.
A crown offset surface 603, which is also represented by a polygonal mesh, corresponds to the inner surface of the crown 625 and is designed to provide a mating surface between the crown 625 and the top surface contours of the abutment 604 or the coping substructure 605. In an alternative embodiment, the crown offset surface 603 forms the mating surface with an opaque layer 606 covering the coping substructure 605. The area between the crown top 601, crown side 602, and the crown offset mesh 603 represents the region of space to be filled by a dental material, such as gold or ceramic, during fabrication of the crown 625.
The crown offset mesh 603 is checked to identify and eliminate any undercut shapes that would prevent the insertion of the crown 625 onto to the coping substructure 605 along a path of an insertion vector 630. Likewise the inner surface 612 of the coping substructure 605 is checked against the surface of the abutment 604. Typically the cement gap, which is best seen in
According to one embodiment, the crown top 601 polygonal mesh, crown side 602 polygonal mesh, and the crown offset 603 polygonal mesh are converted into an electronic specification (e.g., an STL file) that is used to print a wax model of the crown 625 using rapid prototyping processes. This wax model can be used to press the crown 625 using a lost wax processing technique. This approach enables the crown 625 to be fabricated from a first dental material such as ceramic. The polygonal mesh representing the coping substructure 605 may also be translated into an electronic specification, printed, and cast as described herein. In one embodiment the coping substructure 605 is fabricated using a second dental material such as gold or other such metal. In some embodiments, the two fabricated components 605, 625 are pressed together to create a dental restoration 600 ready for installation on the abutment 604.
According to another embodiment, the crown side 702 is formed based on an occlusal surface perimeter curve 714, a curve to control tangency 716, and the margin curve 707. The occlusal surface perimeter curve 714 and the margin curve 707 define the edges of the crown side 702. The amount by which the crown side 702 arcs or curves outward between the occlusal surface perimeter 714 and the margin curve 707 depends on the location and shape of the tangency curve 716. In one embodiment, the tangency curve 716 is defined by point positions initially selected by computer software. A user modifies these point positions as needed to create adequate separation from the restoration 700 and the adjacent teeth (not shown). In another embodiment, a user initially selects the point positions defining the tangency curve 716. Generally, this method is used to generate crown sides 702 for posterior restorations (e.g., molars).
According to another embodiment, the crown side 702 is formed based on the occlusal surface perimeter 714, the margin curve 707, and a series of control curves (not shown). Various embodiments of these control curves extend longitudinally between the occlusal surface perimeter 714 and the margin curve 707 and/or latitudinally around the perimeter of the restoration 700. In one embodiment, these control curves are defined based on similar curves from adjacent teeth. In another embodiment, these control curves are defined based on curves found on models from a library similar to the model library discussed above. Each of the curves can be transformed and manipulated by a user or by computer software to create an asymmetrical or non-cylindrical restoration. Generally, this method is used to generate side surfaces 702 for anterior restorations.
The margin curve processing module 801 performs the processing associated with the definition and use of a margin curve of an abutment. The margin curve defines the boundary of the offset mesh of a coping or restoration. Generally, the margin curve follows the perimeter of the gingival surface of the abutment. The margin curve processing module 801 includes a define initial curve module 811, a calc refined point module 812, and a generate refined curve module 813.
The define initial curve module 811 defines an initial margin curve around an abutment. In one embodiment, a user manually chooses one or more initial points on the margin curve. Computer software is used to draw a curve through these points. In another embodiment, computer software chooses the initial points on the margin curve.
The calc refined point module 812 is used to select refined margin points to create a smoother, more useable margin curve. In one embodiment, the computer software determines an apex point (i.e. a point of maximum curvature furthest from the center of the abutment) in the same longitude as the initial margin point. The generate refined curve module 813 generates a modified margin curve by translating each of the points along the initial margin curve to the refined margin points.
The margin curve processing module 801 further includes an interactive editing module 814. The interactive editing module 814 is used to interactively transform either the modified or the initial margin curve. In one embodiment, a section of the refined margin curve is deformed to extend to a different area of the abutment. For example, the refined margin curve of a coping may be deformed away from the Gingiva so that the coping will not be visible near the gingival surface of the abutment.
The mesh generation module 802 and the mesh library 805 are used to generate a mesh that represents the dental appliance. For example, the mesh generation module 802 can be used to generate electronic models representing the crown components and the coping substructure of a restoration as discussed above. The mesh generation module 802 includes an occlusal mesh module 821, a side mesh module 822, an offset mesh module 823, a combine mesh module 824, and a coping mesh module 825. In one embodiment, the mesh generation module 802 further includes a support structure mesh module 826.
The occlusal mesh module 821 generates an occlusal mesh using pre-defined library meshes that are obtained from the mesh library 805. The side mesh module 822 generates a side mesh surface extending from the perimeter of the occlusal mesh to the refined margin curve. The offset mesh module 823 generates an offset mesh based on the surface of the abutment or coping substructure. The offset mesh is generated so as to provide an offset space needed to install the appliance onto the abutment. The combine mesh module 824 stitches the occlusal, side, and offset meshes together into a combined crown mesh. The coping module 825 generates a coping mesh representing the coping substructure separate from the crown components. The support structure module 826 generates a support structure mesh, which will be described in more detail herein.
The transformation module 803 permits an operator to manipulate and view various meshes on a computer display device. In one embodiment, this module 803 includes a position and view module 831 to position and orient occlusal, side, offset, coping, and other such meshes on a display relative to each other. In another embodiment, this module 803 further includes a scale and size module 832 to modify the size and dimensions of each mesh during the manipulation process. In yet another embodiment, this module 803 includes an interactive transformation module 833 for interactively deforming sections of each mesh. In one embodiment, the separate occlusal, side, and offset meshes are modified before being combined in the combined mesh module 825. In another embodiment, the meshes are combined into a restoration mesh and then modified in the restoration transformation module 803.
The mesh output module 804 contains a generate STL spec file module 841 for converting the crown, coping, and support structure meshes into a format readable by a rapid prototyping machine. In particular, the meshes are converted into a Stereo lithography (STL) file. As discussed above, the rapid prototyping machine generates a wax impression based on the STL file. The wax impression is usable in a lost-wax fabrication process to manufacture the dental appliance.
While the above description applies mainly to restorations, the invention is not so limited. Applicants note that various embodiments of these processing modules 801-805 are used to model and fabricate other dental components. Examples of other such dental components include bridge frameworks, implant posts, tooth substitutes, and the like.
Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10A-10H, the principles of the present invention are utilized to create a two-piece restoration 1000.
After scanning, the scanned data is used to create a coping substructure 1007 at block 904. The coping substructure 1007 is generally designed to abut the margin curve 1013 in an appropriate manner as will be discussed in greater detail herein. The resulting coping substructure 1007 is shown in
At block 906, an STL file for the designed coping substructure 1007 is generated by the computer system 300 and output to a rapid prototype machine. The machine prints out a physical wax version 1007′ of the coping substructure 1007 designed at block 904. Moving to block 908, the coping substructure 1007′ is cast using a lost wax technique.
After casting, the method moves to block 910 where the resulting cast coping substructure 1017 may optionally have an opaque layer 1015 placed on it. In various embodiments the opaque layer 1015 is painted by hand, manually or automatically sprayed, and manually or automatically dipped onto the coping substructure 1017.
At block 912, the physical study cast is preferably scanned again with the combined coping substructure 1017 and the opaque layer 1015 in place on the abutment 1009. After scanning, the crown portion 1005 of the restoration 1000 is designed at block 914 as discussed herein. An electronic model of the crown portion 1005 is superimposed over the electronic model of the coping substructure 1007 and opaque layer 1015.
At block 918, the wax print 1025 of the crown portion 1005 is pressed onto the combination coping substructure 1017 and opaque layer 1015.
Applicants note that lost-wax fabrication is only one exemplary means of dental appliance fabrication. In another embodiment, an electronic model of a coping or crown may be rapid prototyped directly. For example, a metal coping could be prototyped using direct metal printing using a process such as ProMetal® 3D printing used by Ex One. A restoration or portions thereof could also be printed directly from ceramic, plastic, metal, or other such material.
The margin curve is processed in module 1106 to generate the refined margin curve. This refined margin curve provides a more accurate definition for the bottom surface of the restoration while permitting the proper generation of an offset space between the abutment and the offset mesh. The offset mesh is generated in module 1108. The offset mesh provides a mating surface to the abutment with allowance for offset space. This offset space may be a uniform distance of a predetermined value or may be a varying distance depending upon the location over the abutment.
In a preferred embodiment, the offset spacing is shown to a dental professional using a color mapping mechanism that illustrates a distance between the inner and outer surfaces using a set of colors. The colors, each of which corresponds with a particular range of distances, are superimposed on the electronic model of the offset mesh. However, the invention is not limited to using color to depict offset distance and any suitable means to depict offset distance may be used. The processing then continues to module 1110 where undercuts in the offset mesh are removed relative to an insertion vector along which the dental appliance will be installed on the abutment.
The process 1100 flows through modules 1102-1110 whether a crown portion or a coping substructure portion is being designed. However, the process splits at module 1112 depending on which portion is being created. Module 904 of
Proceeding now to module 1120, the exterior mesh of a coping substructure is generated. In one embodiment, the exterior mesh is generated at least in part based on the offset mesh. In another embodiment, the exterior mesh is generated at least in part based on a model mesh from a library of model meshes. In module 1122, the collar style of the coping substructure is designed. For example, in varying embodiments, the collar style is feathered and/or is designed to accommodate chamfer, shoulders, and feather style abutments. In one embodiment, the collar fully encircles the coping substructure. In another embodiment, the collar only partially extends around the coping substructure. In some embodiments, generating the exterior mesh includes designing the collar.
The exterior mesh is then transformed to a desired shape, size, and position in module 1124. For example, in some embodiments the exterior mesh is smoothed out to allow a better fit with the offset mesh of a crown. In other embodiments, bumps or other deformities are added to the exterior mesh to provide a firmer attachment between the coping substructure and the crown portion. The exterior mesh and the interior mesh are then merged into a coping substructure mesh in module 1126 and converted to an STL mesh and fabricated in module 1128. The process ends at 1150.
In the alternative, when creating a crown portion, the process 1100 proceeds from the module 1112 to the module 1130. In module 1130, a normalized crown top mesh is selected from a library of mesh specifications. The crown top mesh is then transformed in module 1132. Transformation of the mesh includes the selection of crown top scaling match points for scaling the normalized crown top mesh to the size needed for a given patient. The crown top mesh is also placed above the abutment, positioned, and oriented so as not to interfere with adjacent and antagonistic teeth. In one embodiment, the module 1132 also simulates the interaction of the crown top mesh with antagonistic teeth, thereby enabling a determination of the optimal placement and orientation of the crown top mesh.
Next, the side mesh surfaces are generated between the perimeter of the crown top mesh and the refined margin curve in module 1134. This process attempts to define a smooth, curved surface. The crown top mesh, the side mesh, and the offset mesh are merged together in module 1136 to create a combined electronic model for a solid object representing the dental appliance.
In module 1138, the shape, size, and orientation of the dental appliance may be further transformed as discussed above. Similar modifications, if desired, may be made to all or part of the crown top mesh, the offset mesh, or the side mesh individually to create an aesthetically pleasing shape and to correct the interaction of the crown top surface with the adjacent and antagonistic teeth. For example, in one embodiment, the restoration is deliberately undersized to enable the outer surface to be created from Feldspathic ceramic one layer at a time.
Once the combined mesh for the dental appliance is complete, module 1140 generates an output file containing the dental appliance specification in an STL format. The process ends 1150.
Bridges and Implants
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
The electronic model 1320 further includes a pontic 1303, which functions as an abutment 1311, 1312, coupled between the first and second copings 1301, 1302 over the pontic site 1313. In an alternative embodiment that does not utilize coping substructures, the pontic 1303 is coupled between the first and second crowns 1306, 1307. The pontic 1303 is typically formed of metal, but can be formed of any desired material. In another embodiment (not shown), a dental bridge 1300 includes two or more consecutive pontics between the two copings 1301, 1302. In yet another embodiment (not shown), a dental bridge includes two pontics and a first, second, and third coping. In one example of this embodiment, the first pontic is coupled between the first and second copings and the second pontic is coupled between the second and third copings.
Referring still to
The two copings 1301, 1302 have been fitted with dental crowns 1306, 1307, which are similar to the dental crowns described above with reference to
According to another embodiment, the wax shell of the dental crown 1308 includes a first and second section 1308 a, 1308 b that are pressed as a unitary piece. According to yet another embodiment, the first and second sections 1308 a, 1308 b are pressed separately and fastened together by adhesive, welding, or other such means. According to still yet another embodiment, the first shell 1308 a is invested and pressed onto the crown 1308 first and then the second shell 1308 b is invested and pressed onto the crown 1308. In one embodiment, the first piece 1308 a includes an occlusal section and the second piece 1308 b includes a gingival section as shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Because a dental professional typically grinds down the abutments 1511, 1512 by hand, each abutment 1511, 1512 tends to have a different shape and orientation. The orientations of the first and second abutments 1511, 1512 in
In order to fit the bridge 1500 on the abutments 1511, 1512 in a manner that is both functional and cosmetically pleasing, the bridge 1500 is electronically designed to accommodate the individual orientation and shape of each abutment 1511, 1512. In particular, the bottom surfaces 1521, 1522 of the copings 1504, 1505 are designed to mate with the exterior surfaces 1516, 1517 of the abutments 1511, 1512 to enable the bridge 1500 to be installed along an insertion vector VI. To fit properly, the bottom surfaces 1521, 1522 of the copings 1504, 1505 do not include any undercuts relative to the insertion vector VI (e.g., the bottom surfaces 1521, 1522 continuously extend away from the insertion vector VI).
Next, in operation 1615, a user selects an insertion vector VI, which is the vector indicating the path the bridge 1500 will follow when installed on the abutments 1511, 1513. In one embodiment, a user selects the insertion vector VI. In another embodiment, a software program selects the insertion vector VI. Once the insertion vector VI is chosen, an electronic model of each coping 1504, 1505 is generated, superimposed over the electronic model 1510 of the respective abutments 1511, 1512, and adjusted to fit the surfaces 1516, 1517 of the abutments 1511, 1512 in operation 1620. Any undercuts in relation to the insertion vector VI from the bottom surfaces 1521, 1522 of the copings 1504, 1505 are eliminated. In some embodiments, the pontic 1503 is transformed to better fit the pontic site 1513. However, the invention is not limited to this method order, which is meant to be merely illustrative. For example, the copings 1504, 1505 may be designed before an insertion vector VI is chosen and modified later based on the insertion vector VI.
Operation 1625 includes generating electronic models of a pontic 1503 and connectors 1506, 1507 and merging them with the electronic models of the copings 1504, 1505. The result of operation 1625 is a framework 1501 of the bridge 1500. In operation 1630, the framework 1501 is rapid prototyped and cast using the methods described above with reference to
Next, electronic models of crowns 1541-1543 are generated in operation 1640. These crowns 1541-1543 are designed to install onto the framework 1501. According to one embodiment, each of these crowns 1541-1543 is designed using the techniques described with respect to
Anterior Restorations and the Stria of Retzius
The restoration model 1705 shown in
According to one embodiment, the pressed first shell 1706 is formed of the same material as the pressed second shell 1707. Examples of possible pressed shell material include translucent ceramic, opaque ceramic, plastic, glass, and metal. In some embodiments, the pressed third shell 1708 is formed of a different material than the pressed first and second shells 1706, 1707. According to another embodiment, all of the pressed shells 1706-1708 are formed of the same material. According to yet another embodiment, each of the pressed shells 1706-1708 is formed of a different material and each of the materials has a different corresponding color.
Referring now to
According to one embodiment, the first shell 1906 of the restoration 1900 includes a series of color striations 1911 to mimic the Stria of Retzius of a natural tooth. These striations 1911 are variations in the thickness in the surface of the restoration 1900 that cause color variations in linear patterns (e.g., bands or grooves) over one or more of the outer surfaces 1918-1920 of the restoration 1900. The patterns caused by the striations 1911 are best seen in
According to one embodiment, the series of color striations 1911 is formed by generating a hollow shell 1906 including only the attachment surface 1915 and the outer surface 1918. The thicknesses of these surfaces 1915, 1918 are an implementation detail and limited only by the structural limitations of the fabrication materials. Three-dimensional shapes 1913 are then placed within the first shell 1906. According to one embodiment, these shapes 1913 extend between the attachment surface 1915 and the outer surface 1918. According to another embodiment, the shapes 1913 extend up from the attachment surface 1915, but terminate before reaching the outer surface 1918, leaving a gap 1914. In an alternative embodiment, a complete shell (nor shown) is generated and a user or computer software deletes sections from the shell to form a series of striations 1911.
In one embodiment, the three-dimensional shapes 1913 are coupled together. In another embodiment, the shapes 1913 are each separately connected to the attachment surface 1915 of the first shell 1906. In yet another embodiment, the shapes 1913 extend up from the second shell 1907. The attachment surface 1915 of the first shell 1906 is configured to allow the series of shapes 1913 to penetrate the surface 1915. According to another embodiment, the first shell 1906 does not include a bottom surface 1915 and instead includes only the outer surface 1918 to function as a cap over the second shell 1907 and the shapes 1913. According to yet another embodiment, the first shell 1906 is designed to have a first series of color striations 1911 and the second shell 1907 is designed to have a second series of color striations (not shown).
According to some embodiments, each shell 1906-1908 is sequentially rapid prototyped and fabricated using the techniques described above with respect to
Material Expansion/Contraction Compensation
Referring now to
The electronic model 2110 includes a first side 2112 having a length B and a width C, a second side 2114 having a length A and a width C, and a third side 2116 having a length B and a width A. The electronic model 2110 is used to generate an STL file and rapid prototype a wax print of the brick, which is used in lost-wax casting processes. The resulting brick illustrated in dashed lines, is cast or pressed from a material 2100. The resulting brick 2120 includes a first side 2122 having a length B′ and width C′, a second side 2124 having a length A′ and a width C′, and a third side 2126 having a length B′ and a width A′. The first, second, and third sides 2122, 2124, and 2126 are displaced by a distance D, E, and F, respectively.
In order to fabricate a cast brick having the desired dimensions A, B, and C, the electronic model of the brick 2110 must first be transformed. To determine the amount by which the electronic model 2110 must be transformed, the dimensions A′, B′, and C′ of the cast brick 2120 are compared with the dimensions A, B, and C of the electronic model 2110. If the material 2100 is found to expand or contract as a function of thickness, such that D≠E, E≠F, or D≠F, then a transformation factor d, e, f, is determined for each dimension x, y, z, respectively, of the electronic model 2110.
An x-component, y-component, and z-component of each position point on the electronic model 2110 is multiplied by the x-dimension transformation factor, y-dimension transformation factor, and z-dimension transformation factor, respectively, thereby transforming the electronic model 1210 into a second electronic model (not shown). This second electronic model, when cast, results in a cast brick having the desired specifications A, B, and C.
In the alternative, if the material 2100 is found to expand evenly over all sides of the brick, such that D=E=F, then an offset distance J is calculated and applied to the x-component, y-component, and z-component of each point on the electronic model 2110.
In one embodiment, the inner surface 2222 of the crown 2220 does not expand during the investment process and so the transformation factors d, e are not applied to the inner surface 2212 of the electronic model 2210. In another embodiment, the transformation factors d, e are applied to every point on the electronic model 2210. According to one embodiment, a section 2215 of the exterior surface 2214 of the electronic model 2210 is not displaced according to the transformation factors d, e. This section 2215 is characterized as the base of the crown and is designed so that the dimensions of the surface 2214 on the electronic model 2210 are equal to the dimensions of the external surface 2224 of the desired crown 2220. Therefore, pressing the electronic model 2210 results in excess material located around the base 2225 of the crown 2220, providing extra material with which to perform manual touch-ups.
Referring now to
In some embodiments, the spacer 2400 includes a hub 2401 and spokes 2402. Each spoke 2402 of the spacer 2400 has a first and second end 2403 a, 2403 b. Each spoke 2402 attaches to the hub 2401 at the first end 2403 a and to a portion of the inner surface of the walls 2404 of the wax model 2405 at the second end 2403 b. Generally, the spacer 2400 includes between two and twelve spokes 2402. Typically, the spacer 2400 includes eight spokes 2402 as shown in
Referring now to
Referring back to
According to one embodiment, the placement of the spokes 2402, 2502, 2602 is selected by computer software. According to another embodiment, an operator may use computer software to manually select the position points of the spokes 2402, 2502, 2602 on an electronic image displayed on a display device (e.g.,
Generally, the spokes 2402, 2502, 2602 have a thickness T of between 0.25 and 1 mm. Typically, the spokes are 0.5 mm thick. Generally, the second ends 2403 b, 2503 b, 2603 b of the spokes 2402, 2502, 2602 taper to a thickness L of between 0.1 to 0.5 mm. Typically, the second ends 2403 b, 2503 b, 2603 b taper to a thickness L of 0.25 mm.
The spacers 2400, 2500, 2600 are electronically modeled, printed out, and placed in solution along with the wax model 2405, 2505, 2605. In one embodiment, the spacers 2400, 2500, 2600 are removed prior to casting or pressing. Methods of removing the spacers 2400, 2500, 2600 include breaking off or cutting the wax spokes 2402, 2502, 2602 at the second ends 2403 b, 2503 b, 2603 b. However, the invention is not limited to these methods and any suitable method may be used. In another embodiment, the spacers 2400, 2500, 2600 are removed after casting. In this case, the spacers 2400, 2500, 2600 are cast or pressed along with the wax models 2405, 2505, 2605. The cast spacers are then removed from the cast model.
While the above embodiments of the present invention describe a system and method for constructing dental restorations, bridges, and implants using a lost-wax process, one skilled in the art will recognize that other methods of manufacture of the dental devices are possible. The present invention allows fabrication of fixed and removable prosthodontic prosthesis such as copings, crowns, inlays, onlays, veneers, bridges, frameworks, implants, abutments, surgical stents, full or partial dentures and other hybrid fixed prosthesis for dental applications. Other dental and orthodontic appliances may also readily be constructed in accordance of the present invention. As such, as long as the manufacturing process utilizes electronic models for impressions of patient's teeth and corresponding electronic models for the dental appliances, the present invention would be useable in other manufacturing methodologies. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and operational changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not with this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.