A 3D printed transitional denture suitable for multiple anterior teeth continuous or intermittent missing

Abstract

A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for multiple consecutive or discontinuous anterior teeth loss includes an anterior tooth portion corresponding to the edentulous area. The anterior tooth portion has small connectors at both ends that can be concealed in the vestibule and lingual panels of adjacent teeth located on the lingual side of the adjacent teeth. The small connectors have buccal continuous clasps, and the lingual panels of the adjacent teeth have palatal large connectors. The anterior tooth portion, small connectors, lingual panels of the adjacent teeth, buccal continuous clasps, and palatal large connectors are integrally formed using polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material through 3D printing. The lingual panels of the adjacent teeth and the palatal large connectors form a rigid clamp, while the buccal continuous clasps serve as an elastic clamp. The rigid and elastic clamps together form a clamping structure that holds multiple abutment teeth. During insertion and removal, the buccal continuous clasps can easily detach through elastic deformation, facilitating operation and preventing indirect pressure on the bone graft area due to force applied during insertion and removal. The clamping structure can hold multiple abutment teeth and offers high stability after installation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of dental prosthesis technology, specifically to a 3D-printed transitional prosthesis suitable for the continuous or intermittent loss of multiple anterior teeth. Background Technology

[0002] The loss of front teeth directly affects a patient's appearance, pronunciation, and chewing function. For patients who have lost multiple front teeth continuously or intermittently and need implant restoration (including bone grafting surgery), the transitional temporary denture not only needs to restore basic function, but also needs to focus on protecting the newly formed bone tissue in the implant area (new bone is fragile and easily resorbed due to external pressure). Therefore, the requirements for "non-damaging retention, anti-sinking stability, and implant area protection" are much higher than those for ordinary missing teeth patients.

[0003] Existing temporary dentures are mainly divided into two categories: non-implant-supported (traditional removable dentures, membrane dentures, traditional metal-free invisible dentures, etc.) and implant-supported. However, neither can meet the needs of patients with multiple missing anterior teeth for implant / bone grafting transition. The specific shortcomings are as follows: 1. Traditional removable dentures (metal clasp removable dentures) rely on "metal clasps in the labial and buccal undercut areas" and "small local frameworks on the palatal side" for positional fixation and support. These traditional removable dentures have three major problems: First, the metal clasps are exposed in the anterior tooth area, which contrasts sharply with the color of natural teeth and seriously affects aesthetics; second, tooth structure needs to be ground down to adjust the undercut depth, which damages the shape of natural teeth, and the palatal framework covers a small area (only within 1 / 2 of the edentulous area), concentrating occlusal forces locally, which can easily compress the implant area and cause bone resorption; third, in order to improve retention, the tooth structure needs to be tightly clamped in the undercut area, creating a contradiction that "the more stable the retention, the higher the risk of bone grafting".

[0004] 2. Although membrane dentures do not require tooth grinding during use, they need to be removed when eating. When multiple front teeth are missing (with bone grafting wounds), the edentulous area is exposed, affecting social appearance.

[0005] 3. Traditional metal-free invisible dentures have no metal components and rely solely on the elasticity of the plastic base to attach to the alveolar bone and the space between adjacent teeth to achieve positional fixation. In this structure, the plastic base needs to fit tightly against the alveolar bone, continuously compressing the newly formed bone and causing bone resorption. At the same time, after bone grafting, the alveolar bone morphology is in a dynamic healing period, and the plastic base cannot adjust with the changes in bone morphology, which easily leads to the problem of "excessive tightness and compression in the early stage and excessive looseness and mobility in the later stage". It is not suitable for the transitional restoration of implant and bone graft patients.

[0006] 4. Implant-supported dentures rely on implant abutments and have strict indications. First, the implant needs to achieve a certain initial stability after placement (implant torque ≥35N・cm), making them unsuitable for immediate restoration after implantation or the early stage of bone graft healing (when implant stability is insufficient). Second, the occlusal relationship needs to be perfectly matched (occlusal contact point error ≤0.5mm), which is difficult to meet when multiple anterior teeth are missing and there is malocclusion. Third, they are costly and have a long production cycle (≥7 days), which cannot meet the needs of "immediate transitional restoration" after implantation / bone grafting, thus limiting their clinical applicability.

[0007] In summary, existing temporary dentures all suffer from poor aesthetics, damage to teeth, pressure on the bone graft area, and contradictions or insufficient adaptability in terms of fixed position and protection, thus requiring improvement. Utility Model Content

[0008] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology, this utility model provides a 3D printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or intermittent loss of multiple anterior teeth.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is: A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or intermittent loss of multiple anterior teeth is characterized by: comprising an anterior tooth portion corresponding to the edentulous area; the anterior tooth portion having small connectors at both ends that can be hidden in the vestibule and lingual panels of adjacent teeth located on the lingual side of the adjacent teeth; the small connectors having buccal continuous clasps, and the lingual panels of adjacent teeth having palatal large connectors; the anterior tooth portion, small connectors, lingual panels of adjacent teeth, buccal continuous clasps, and palatal large connectors are integrally formed using polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material through a 3D printing process; the lingual panels of adjacent teeth and the palatal large connectors form a rigid clamping part, the buccal continuous clasps serve as an elastic clamping part, and the rigid clamping part and the elastic clamping part form a clamping structure that clamps onto multiple abutment teeth.

[0010] In this invention, one end of the small connector is connected to the anterior teeth, and the other end extends from the labial vestibule of the canine or premolar and connects to the first end of the buccal continuous clasp.

[0011] In this invention, the tail end of the buccal continuous retaining ring extends along the non-undercut area above the buccal observation line of the premolar and molar.

[0012] In this invention, the first end of the buccal continuous clasp is integrally formed and connected to the small connector, and the tail end is integrally formed and connected to the clasp arm tip, which corresponds to the distal abutment tooth.

[0013] In this invention, the tip of the clasp arm is elastically fitted to the undercut area below the distal end abutment tooth observation line using polyetheretherketone material.

[0014] In this invention, the lingual side panel of the adjacent tooth is closely fitted to the non-undercut area of ​​the lingual side of the adjacent tooth.

[0015] In this invention, the palatal large connector covers the edentulous area to the distal abutment tooth.

[0016] In this invention, the upper edge of the palatal large connector is located 2 mm below the occlusal surface of the tooth, and the lower edge of the palatal large connector is located 1 mm above the highest point of the lingual shape of the tooth.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention, manufactured in one piece using 3D printing technology, comprises an anterior tooth portion, lingual panels of adjacent teeth, buccal continuous clasps, and a palatal large connector. The palatal large connector forms a rigid clamp. When the 3D-printed transitional denture is in use, the rigid clamp, made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material, ensures the stability of the anterior tooth morphology, eliminating the need for metal framework reinforcement as in traditional removable dentures and thus eliminating metal exposure at its source. Simultaneously, the wide-area support structure prevents occlusal forces from concentrating on the bone graft area, protecting newly formed bone tissue. Next, the buccal continuous clasps, acting as an elastic clamp, utilize the moderate elasticity of PEEK material to fit the premolars and molars buccally, working together with the rigid clamp to hold the abutment teeth. This achieves positional fixation of the 3D-printed transitional denture, eliminating the need for the "rigid clamping of the undercut area" found in traditional removable dentures. The buccal continuous clasps can easily detach during insertion and removal due to elastic deformation, facilitating operation and preventing indirect pressure on the bone graft area caused by force applied during insertion and removal. Moreover, the clamping structure can hold multiple abutment teeth, and the stability after installation is high, making 3D printed transitional dentures particularly suitable for people with multiple consecutive missing anterior teeth (such as 2-4 consecutive missing anterior teeth with a large span of missing edentulous area) and people with multiple intermittent missing anterior teeth (discontinuous missing edentulous area).

[0018] Furthermore, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) allows for multi-color customization without metal exposure, making it particularly suitable for those with high aesthetic and natural tooth protection needs (such as people who frequently engage in social activities). Moreover, PEEK material is resistant to oral acid and alkali corrosion, and with long-term use, it does not suffer from the corrosion problems of traditional metal clasps, nor does it exhibit significant color fading. This meets the long-term wearing needs during the implant restoration period (6-12 months), effectively solving problems such as "unsightly metal, pressure on the bone graft area, and damage to the teeth" faced by patients with multiple missing anterior teeth requiring implants / bone grafts, thus ensuring a superior user experience with 3D-printed transitional dentures. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments: Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the connection of the anterior teeth section, the small connector, and the buccal continuous clasp; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection of the anterior teeth, the small connector, the lingual panel of the adjacent teeth, the buccal continuous clasp, and the palatal large connector.

[0020] Additionally, it should be noted that the dashed lines in the attached diagram represent the abutment teeth. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] It should be noted that if any directional indication (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, top, bottom, inside, outside, vertical, horizontal, longitudinal, counterclockwise, clockwise, circumferential, radial, axial, etc.) is involved in the embodiments of this utility model, the directional indication is only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0023] Furthermore, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection using welding, a detachable connection using bolts, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0024] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," such descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0025] Reference Figure 1-2A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or intermittent loss of multiple anterior teeth includes an anterior tooth portion 1 for the corresponding edentulous area. The anterior tooth portion 1 has small connectors 2 that can be hidden in the vestibule and lingual panels 3 located on the lingual side of adjacent teeth at both ends. The small connectors 2 have buccal continuous clasps 4, and the lingual panels 3 have palatal large connectors 5. The anterior tooth portion 1, small connectors 2, lingual panels 3, buccal continuous clasps 4, and palatal large connectors 5 are integrally formed using polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material through a 3D printing process. The lingual panels 3 and palatal large connectors 5 form a rigid clamp, and the buccal continuous clasps 4 serve as an elastic clamp. The rigid and elastic clamps together form a clamping structure that clamps onto multiple abutment teeth.

[0026] This invention first uses 3D printing to integrally form a rigid clamping part consisting of the anterior tooth portion 1, the lingual panel 3 of the adjacent teeth, and the palatal large connector 5. When the 3D-printed transitional denture is in use, the rigid clamping part relies on the rigidity of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material to ensure the stability of the anterior tooth portion 1, eliminating the need for the metal framework reinforcement of traditional removable dentures and eliminating metal exposure at the source. At the same time, the wide-area support structure avoids the concentration of occlusal force in the bone graft area, protecting the newly formed bone tissue. Next, the buccal continuous clasp 4 serves as an elastic clamping part, relying on the moderate elasticity of PEEK material to fit on the buccal side of the premolar and molar, and together with the rigid clamping part, clamps the abutment teeth, thereby achieving the fixed position of the 3D-printed transitional denture. It eliminates the need for the "rigid clamping of the undercut area" of traditional removable dentures. When the patient removes or inserts the denture, the clasp can be easily detached through elastic deformation, which is not only convenient to operate, but also prevents indirect pressure on the bone graft area due to the force applied during removal or insertion.

[0027] In addition, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material is resistant to oral acid and alkali corrosion, and does not have the corrosion problem of traditional metal clasps after long-term use. The color also does not fade significantly, which meets the long-term wearing needs of implant restoration (6-12 months). It effectively solves the problems faced by patients with multiple missing anterior teeth who need implants / bone grafts, such as "unsightly metal, pressure on the bone graft area, and damage to the tooth", thus ensuring the user experience of 3D printed transitional dentures.

[0028] In this embodiment, the anterior tooth portion 1 corresponds to an edentulous area with multiple consecutive or intermittent missing anterior teeth. The anterior tooth portion 1 includes up to four anterior denture portions, typically two to four anterior denture portions, with each anterior denture portion corresponding to one missing anterior tooth. During the fabrication of the anterior tooth portion 1, three-dimensional data of the "edentulous area and surrounding implant area, adjacent teeth" are obtained by scanning with an intraoral scanning device. This accurately restores the crown projection, labial texture, incisal edge transparency, and transgingival contour of the missing anterior tooth, ensuring that the printed anterior denture shape naturally connects with the anatomical shape of the adjacent teeth on both sides, and the transgingival contour fits the gingival shape around the implant area, avoiding pressure on the newly formed bone tissue. At the same time, a multi-color customization process using polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material can be used to print dentures that are similar in color to the patient's own teeth, improving aesthetics.

[0029] In this embodiment, one end of the small connector 2 is connected to the anterior tooth portion 1, and the other end extends from the labial vestibule of the canine or premolar and connects to the head end of the buccal continuous clasp 4, so that the small connector 2 is located in the vestibule and does not affect the aesthetics.

[0030] In this embodiment, the thickness of the buccal continuous clasp 4 is about 1.5 mm, and the tail end of the buccal continuous clasp 4 extends along the non-undercut area above the buccal observation line of the premolar and molar, so that the buccal continuous clasp 4 is located in the non-undercut area of ​​the tooth body. Furthermore, the first end of the buccal continuous clasp 4 is integrally formed and connected to the small connector 2, and the tail end is integrally formed and connected to the clasp arm tip 41. The clasp arm tip 41 is used to enhance the clamping stability of the clamping structure. The clasp arm tip 41 corresponds to the distal abutment tooth and can fit against the surface of the distal abutment tooth. The clasp arm tip 41 slightly fits the undercut area below the observation line of the distal abutment tooth through the moderate elasticity of the polyether ether ketone (PEEK) material. The fitting force of the clasp arm tip 41 is controlled at 5-8N to avoid excessive pressure on the distal abutment tooth. The buccal continuous clasp 4 and the clasp arm tip 41 achieve a fixed connection with the abutment tooth by relying on the elasticity of the material. There is no need to grind tooth tissue to deepen the undercut. This not only ensures that the anterior tooth 1 in the edentulous area does not loosen or tilt, but also avoids traction or pressure on the abutment tooth and the implant area.

[0031] In this embodiment, the adjacent lingual panel 3 corresponds to the lingual side of the adjacent teeth on both sides of the edentulous area and the implantation area, and the thickness of the adjacent lingual panel 3 is 1-1.5mm. Furthermore, the adjacent lingual panel 3 fits tightly against the non-undercut area of ​​the adjacent tooth's lingual side. Under precise 3D printing control, the error in fitting the adjacent lingual panel 3 against the non-undercut area of ​​the adjacent tooth's lingual side is ≤0.1mm, thus ensuring a seamless fit between the adjacent lingual panel 3 and the surface of the adjacent tooth without gaps, effectively preventing food impaction. By 3D printing the adjacent lingual panel 3, the fabrication process does not require tooth preparation of the adjacent tooth (no tooth structure is removed), avoiding damage to the natural tooth. Simultaneously, the adjacent lingual panel 3 and the palatal large connector 5 form a bidirectional support structure on both the lingual and palatal sides, which can horizontally restrict the anterior movement of the anterior teeth 1 in the edentulous area, further dispersing the occlusal force of the anterior teeth 1 and preventing concentrated force on the edentulous area (including the implantation area). In this embodiment, the thickness of the palatal large connector 5 is 1-1.5 mm. The palatal large connector 5 covers the edentulous area (including the implant area) to the distal abutment tooth. Since the coverage of the palatal large connector 5 extends from the palatal side of the edentulous area to the palatal area of ​​the distal abutment tooth, the coverage area is much larger than the local small framework of traditional removable teeth, and it avoids direct contact with the implant area throughout, thus preventing the denture from compressing the newly formed bone tissue. At the same time, the upper edge of the palatal large connector 5 is located 2 mm below the occlusal surface of the tooth, avoiding contact with the opposing tooth during occlusion. The lower edge of the palatal large connector 5 is located 1 mm above the highest point of the lingual shape of the tooth, thereby ensuring that the palatal large connector 5 conforms to the anatomical shape of the tooth without compressing the gingiva. The above structure allows the palatal large connector 5 to completely conform to the palatal morphology of the natural tooth, achieving a tight fit without the need to grind down tooth tissue. This not only protects the integrity of the natural tooth shape but also distributes the occlusal force in the edentulous area evenly to the gingiva in the non-implant area on the palatal side and the healthy abutment teeth on both sides through wide-area support. This fundamentally prevents bone resorption in the edentulous area (implant area) caused by local pressure. At the same time, relying on the high strength (flexural strength ≥150MPa) and lightweight properties (density 1.3g / cm³) of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material, the palatal large connector 5 maintains its supporting shape for a long time without any obvious foreign body sensation in the oral cavity.

[0032] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model. Any technical solution that achieves the purpose of the present utility model by essentially the same means shall fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or discontinuous loss of multiple anterior teeth, characterized in that: The device includes an anterior tooth portion (1) for corresponding edentulous areas. The anterior tooth portion (1) has small connectors (2) that can be hidden in the vestibule and lingual panels (3) on the lingual side of adjacent teeth at both ends. The small connectors (2) are provided with buccal continuous clasps (4), and the lingual panels (3) are provided with palatal large connectors (5). The anterior tooth portion (1), small connectors (2), lingual panels (3), buccal continuous clasps (4) and palatal large connectors (5) are integrally formed using polyetheretherketone material through 3D printing. The lingual panels (3) and palatal large connectors (5) form a rigid clamp, and the buccal continuous clasps (4) serve as an elastic clamp. The rigid clamp and the elastic clamp form a clamping structure that clamps multiple abutment teeth.

2. A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or discontinuous loss of multiple anterior teeth according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the small connector (2) is connected to the anterior tooth portion (1), and the other end extends from the labial vestibule of the canine or premolar and connects to the head of the buccal continuous clasp (4).

3. A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or discontinuous loss of multiple anterior teeth according to claim 2, characterized in that: The tail end of the buccal continuous clasp (4) extends along the non-undercut area above the buccal observation line of the premolar and molar.

4. A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or discontinuous loss of multiple anterior teeth according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first end of the buccal continuous clasp (4) is integrally formed and connected to the small connector (2), and the tail end is integrally formed and connected to the clasp arm tip (41), which corresponds to the distal abutment tooth.

5. A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or discontinuous loss of multiple anterior teeth according to claim 4, characterized in that: The clasp arm tip (41) is elastically bonded to the undercut area below the distal end abutment tooth observation line by the polyetheretherketone material.

6. A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or discontinuous loss of multiple anterior teeth according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The lingual panel (3) of the adjacent tooth fits tightly against the non-undercut area of ​​the lingual side of the adjacent tooth.

7. A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or discontinuous loss of multiple anterior teeth according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The palatal large connector (5) covers the edentulous area to the distal abutment tooth.

8. A 3D-printed transitional denture suitable for the continuous or discontinuous loss of multiple anterior teeth according to claim 7, characterized in that: The upper edge of the palatal large connector (5) is located 2 mm below the occlusal surface of the tooth, and the lower edge of the palatal large connector (5) is located 1 mm above the highest point of the lingual shape of the tooth.

Images