Assisted dental implant treatment

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods for planning and / or delivering an oral or facial endosseous implantation in a patient are described. In certain embodiments, systems according to the invention include a processing module; a bone imaging module that communicates bone data about the patient to the processing module; a surface imaging module that communicates surface data about the patient to the processing module; and the processing module processes the bone data and the surface data into an output that includes three-dimensional (3-D) representation data indicative of at least one of an oral structure and a facial structure of the patient. In certain embodiments, a system includes a fabrication module that produces a physical model based on the 3-D representation data and indicating a planned location of an endosseous implant. In certain embodiments, a system includes a surgical module that guides implantation of an endosseous implant based on the 3-D representation data.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 977,368, filed Oct. 3, 2007, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002]Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for use in the production and / or delivery of dental prostheses.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003]The practice of replacing missing teeth with man-made prosthetics dates to at least as early 700 BC, when the Etruscans made dentures from human or animal teeth. The first truly artificial teeth, made using porcelain, were first devised around 1770, and a British Patent for artificial teeth was granted in 1791 to De Chemant.[0004]Since then, improvements in the design and manufacture of dental prosthetics have included the use of new materials, such as synthetic polymers and carbon fiber materials, as well as new methods of treatment planning. More recently, prosthetics have advanced from the trad...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]Production of guides by sterolithography is also relatively slow. Thus, using currently available methods and materials, an extended period of time is required to go from a first visit, the treatment planning, ordering of the surgical guide, and finally the surgical procedure and delivery of the prosthesis. This increases the cost, and reduces the attractiveness of dental implants as a prosthetic solution.

[0011]What would be desirable is a system that coordinates treatment planning, manufacture of the prosthesis, and the surgery and delivery of the prosthesis in such a way that the entire process could be accomplished within a relatively brief time period, for example within the course of a single day.

Problems solved by technology

The use of prior art methods and devices for planning, manufacturing, and delivering dental prosthesis comes with certain limitations.

For example, traditional dentures are often ill-fitting or uncomfortable for extended wear in many users.

Slipping of the denture when chewing certain foods can also be problematic for patients with this kind of dental replacement.

While this problem has been partially overcome by the use of newer implant-based prosthetic systems, current implant technologies provide a less than optimal solution.

While it is possible to fashion surgical guides having acceptable fidelity with respect to the patient's oral surfaces and the virtual treatment plan, the use of these guides presents other problems.

The resins used for sterolithography are also generally not stable at temperatures commonly used for heat sterilization.

Production of guides by sterolithography is also relatively slow.

This increases the cost, and reduces the attractiveness of dental implants as a prosthetic solution.

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