Apparatus and methods of making denture devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9707061-B2
Application number	US-201514792545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2015
Priority date	Dec 27, 2013
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

The present application describes a method for designing and manufacturing an implant-supported denture device for a patient. A method is described for designing a virtual denture and manufacturing an implant-supported functional fitting replica denture from the virtual denture. An apparatus comprising a functional fitting replica denture is prepared having denture teeth having a fit substantially similar to the final denture. The methods and apparatus described herein reduce the number of visits required to manufacture the final denture.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making an implant-supported functional fitting replica denture device for a patient comprising
a. obtaining a physical model of an implant-supported denture device that comprises
a teeth region,
a gingival region, and
at least one hole through a thickness of the physical model that corresponds to a position and orientation of an implant of the patient;

b. removing a portion of the physical model comprising, removing a portion of the teeth region to form a gap in the physical mode;
c. selecting a plurality of denture teeth that corresponds to teeth in the portion of the teeth region removed from the physical model;
d. positioning the denture teeth into the gap of the physical model; and
e. substantially filling the gap with a formable material and securing the denture teeth in position in the gap with the formable material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the physical model further comprises at least one abutment interface surrounding the at least one hole on a surface of the physical model that is adjacent a patient's jaw when installed in the mouth of a patient.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the at least one hole with a diameter that can accommodate an implant insert for insertion within the hole through which an attachment means can pass.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical model of a denture is a unitary structure formed by a three-dimensional (3D) printing process.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the denture teeth positioned in the gap comprise at least two denture teeth selected from central incisors, lateral incisors, and cuspids.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of removing a portion of the physical model further comprises removing a portion of the gingival region and forming a gingiva indentation adjacent the gap.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming a mold of the physical model prior to the step of removing at least a portion of the teeth region.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising assembling the mold, the denture teeth and the physical model after the step of removing at least a portion of the physical model, wherein the step of filling the gap with the formable material further comprises substantially filling the gingiva indentation and replicating a portion of a patient's natural gingiva.

9. A method of making a denture device for a patient comprising
a. obtaining a physical model of an implant-supported denture device that comprises
a teeth region,
a gap in a portion of the teeth region that corresponds to at least a portion of
an anterior teeth region,
a gingival region, and
at least one hole that aligns with an implant location of the patient, and

b. selecting a plurality of anterior denture teeth that corresponds to the teeth region of the gap in the physical model;
c. positioning the denture teeth into the gap of the physical model; and
d. substantially filling the gap with a formable material and securing the denture teeth in position in the gap.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the gap is between two posterior teeth regions.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the anterior denture teeth positioned in the gap comprise at least two denture teeth selected from central incisors, lateral incisors, and cuspids.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the physical model comprises a ridge adjacent the gap.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the physical model comprises a gingival indentation adjacent the ridge.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of substantially tilling the gap with formable material comprises filling the gingival indentation and forming a uniformly level surface between the formable material and the gingival region.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the formable material comprises a hydroplastic or thermoplastic material.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the formable material comprises a wax.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the physical model is comprised of polymeric material that was shapeable into the physical model by an automated additive manufacturing process.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one hole that aligns with an implant location accommodates an attachment means.

19. The method of claim 9 wherein the denture device further comprises an attachment means.

20. The method of claim 9 wherein the denture device further comprises an attachment means comprising a screw.

21. The method of claim 9 wherein the denture device further comprises an attachment means comprising a denture clip.

Assignees

• Glidewell James R Dental Ceramics Inc

Inventors

• Morales David
• Truong Nhung Tieu
• Rivera Gilbert A

Classifications

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• A61C13/0013

  using stereolithographic techniques · CPC title

• A61C13/0006

  Production methods · CPC title

• A61C9/0046

  Data acquisition means or methods · CPC title

• A61C8/0048

  Connecting the upper structure to the implant, e.g. bridging bars (A61C8/0028 takes precedence) · CPC title