Dental blank

Abstract

To provide a dental blank enabling efficient and smooth recovery of scraps of the dental blank generated by cutting work and regeneration process by horizontal recycling.SOLUTION: A dental blank 10 has an information tag 12 including at least specific information associated with material information, the specific information, the information determined between a manufacturer of a dental blank raw material and a manufacturer of the dental blank, and the information tag, the information medium from which the specific information is read when scraps of the dental blank are collected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a dental blank, and more particularly to a dental blank made of a ceramic green body, and even more particularly to a dental blank made of a ceramic green body that enables smooth recovery and recycling of the end material generated after cutting.

Background Art

[0002] Sintered bodies (ceramic materials) such as alumina and zirconia with excellent biocompatibility are widely used as dental materials. Among ceramics, sintered bodies of zirconia are frequently used as dental prostheses such as crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays, and abutments because they have both aesthetics close to natural teeth and high mechanical strength.

[0003] In the method for producing a dental prosthesis made of a sintered body, first, raw material powder is formed into a formed body (compacted body), and this is calcined to produce a green body (dental blank). Next, the green body is subjected to cutting in a dental laboratory or the like, and a shape of a dental prosthesis considering thermal shrinkage due to sintering is imparted. Thereafter, the green body is sintered to form a sintered body (dental prosthesis), and fine adjustment is performed, and finally it is worn by a patient.

[0004] By the way, from the viewpoints of reducing industrial waste and environmental load, the demand for recycling of ceramic materials is increasing. As a recycling method of ceramic materials, for example, a technique for recycling an electrolyte sheet for a fuel cell made of a sintered body of zirconia (Patent Document 1) and a technique for recycling a grinding ball made of a sintered body of zirconia (Patent Document 2) are known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Since the green body including the dental blank has not been sintered, it is considered suitable for recycling (especially horizontal recycling and closed-loop recycling). However, both Patent Documents 1 and 2 relate to the recycling technology of sintered bodies, and not to the recycling technology of dental blanks, particularly the end materials of dental blanks generated after cutting.

[0007] In addition to this, multiple types of dental blanks corresponding to the characteristics of the intended dental prosthesis are used. Since the end materials of dental blanks generated after cutting are a mixture of different compositions and types, it is difficult to collect them on the premise of recycling. Therefore, at present, there is only the possibility of cascade recycling such as disposal by processing businesses such as dental laboratories or diversion to cement raw materials. Even if the end materials of dental blanks could be recovered, in horizontal recycling, it would be essential to separate them after analyzing the composition of the recovered individual end materials. For this reason, it has been practically impossible to horizontally recycle the end materials of dental blanks.

[0008] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a dental blank that can efficiently and smoothly perform the recovery of the end materials of dental blanks generated by cutting and the regeneration treatment by horizontal recycling.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] That is, the present invention is as described in the claims, and the gist of the present disclosure is as follows. [1] A recovery step of recovering end materials generated by cutting a dental blank with an information tag attached thereto, the information tag including at least specific information associated with material information, from a processing company, and a selection step of selecting a specific end material from which specific information associated with the material information of the dental blank, which has been determined between the raw material manufacturer and the manufacturer of the dental blank, can be read from the information tag attached to the end material. A method for recovering end materials of a dental blank, including the above steps. [2] The method for recovering end materials of a dental blank according to [1] above, including a supply step of supplying raw materials for the dental blank to the blank manufacturer prior to the recovery step. [3] The method for recovering end materials of a dental blank according to [2] above, including a specific information determination step of determining the specific information prior to the supply step. [4] The method for recovering end materials of a dental blank according to any one of [1] to [3] above, including a regeneration step of subjecting the specific end material to regeneration processing based on the specific information after the selection step. [5] The method for recovering end materials of a dental blank according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the specific information includes one or more selected from the group consisting of the raw material ratio, composition, average composition, contained elements, color tone, color tone code, average color tone, and average color tone code of the dental blank. [6] The method for recovering end materials of a dental blank according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the specific information includes one or more selected from the group consisting of the production lot, production location, production year, and recovery deadline of the dental blank. [7] The method for recovering end materials of a dental blank according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the specific information includes at least one of the model number and the name of the manufacturer of the dental blank. [8] The method for recovering end materials of a dental blank according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein two or more information tags are attached to the dental blank. [9] The method for recovering end materials of a dental blank according to any one of [1] to [8] above, wherein the information tag is attached to a non-cutting part of the dental blank.

[10] The method for recovering end materials of a dental blank according to any one of [1] to [9] above, wherein the dental blank is a semi-fired body of ceramics.

[11] The method for recovering the end material of the dental blank according to any one of [1] to

[10] above, wherein the dental blank is a biscuit fired body of zirconia.

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a dental blank that can efficiently and smoothly recover the end material of the dental blank generated by cutting and perform a regeneration process by horizontal recycling.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the dental blank of the present disclosure will be shown and described. In addition, each of the various configurations disclosed in the following description can be arbitrarily combined, and the upper limit, lower limit, and range of the numerical values disclosed in this specification can also be arbitrarily combined. [Dental Blank] Hereinafter, an example in which the dental blank is a dental blank (ceramics blank) made of a biscuit fired body of ceramics, and further a dental blank (zirconia blank) made of a biscuit fired body of zirconia will be given, and the dental blank of this embodiment will be described.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a dental blank according to the present embodiment, particularly a dental blank having a disc shape (hereinafter also referred to as a "dental disc"). Further, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a dental blank 10 composed of a plurality of layers. In FIG. 2, the dental blank shows a dental disc having a structure in which two or more layers (for example, two or more and 15 or less layers, further two or more and 10 or less layers, and still further three or more and 8 or less layers) with different compositions are laminated, and the dental blank 10 is a dental disc having a layer structure in which at least one of the color tone and translucency inclines along the thickness direction.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a view showing a columnar dental blank (dental block) 20. Thus, the dental blank 10 only needs to have a shape that can be machined by cutting using CAD / CAM, and examples thereof include a disc shape, a columnar shape, a flat plate shape, or a columnar shape.

[0015] The dental blank 10 is not limited to having a pair of peripheral grooves 11. The information tag 12 is not limited to being attached to the side peripheral surface 10s. The information tag 12 may be attached to other non-cutting parts (parts remaining as the end material 15).

[0016] When the dental blank 10 is a dental disc, the size is arbitrary, but it can be exemplified that the diameter is 10 mm or more and 100 mm or less, and the thickness is 3 mm or more and 30 mm or less. It is preferably that the diameter is 80 mm or more and 110 mm or less, and the thickness is 12 mm or more and 20 mm or less, and more preferably that the diameter is 98 mm and the thickness is 16 mm.

[0017] To facilitate fixation to a CAD / CAM device, the dental blank 10 preferably has a gripping portion (clamping portion) on its side peripheral surface 10s that is gripped by the CAD / CAM device during cutting. In this case, the dental blank 10 preferably has a pair of peripheral grooves 11 at its periphery 10e. Using this pair of peripheral grooves 11, the dental blank 10 can be gripped by the CAD / CAM device. Since the side peripheral surface 10s is sandwiched between the pair of peripheral grooves 11, it becomes a non-cutting portion. However, if the dental blank has a structure that enables fixation to the CAD / CAM device during cutting, it may not have the peripheral grooves 11.

[0018] The dental blank 10 is a zirconia blank, which is a dental blank whose main component is zirconia and which also contains a stabilizing element and a coloring element as secondary components.

[0019] The dental blank 10 may have a structure consisting of a single layer, that is, it may have a uniform composition throughout the dental blank. On the other hand, for dental prostheses, harmony in aesthetics with the surrounding dentin (the patient's natural teeth) is required. Therefore, the dental blank 10 may have two or more layers 13 along the thickness direction. In this case, each layer 13 is not limited to being clearly demarcated, and also includes those in which two or more regions (for example, regions of 2 or more and 15 or less, further regions of 2 or more and 10 or less, and still further regions of 3 or more and 8 or less) are formed, and may have a structure in which two or more layers 13 are laminated so as to form a gradation. The gradation may be a gradation formed by at least either the color tone or the translucency. Between the regions, there may or may not be a clear interface. When the dental blank has a structure in which two or more layers are laminated, the coloring element may be included in at least one layer.

[0020] The dental blank 10 is a calcined body obtained by calcining a molded body that can be molded from the raw material of the dental blank. The dental blank 10 is manufactured by a dental blank manufacturer (disk maker; hereinafter also referred to as "blank manufacturer"). The raw material of the dental blank is zirconia (ZrO 2, which is a powder of zirconium dioxide, is a powder of zirconia containing metal elements such as a stabilizing element and a coloring element. As the stabilizing element, one or more selected from the group of yttrium (Y), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) can be mentioned, and more preferably yttrium. As the coloring element, one or more selected from the group of titanium (Ti), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), erbium (Er), and ytterbium (Yb) can be mentioned respectively. Further, as other metal elements, one or more selected from the group of aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), and germanium (Ge) can be mentioned. Here, the zirconia powder is a powder containing zirconia as the main component (so-called zirconia powder), and is not limited to a powder consisting only of zirconia. The raw material of the dental blank is manufactured by the manufacturer of the raw material of the dental blank (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "raw material manufacturer") and provided to the blank manufacturer. The blank manufacturer manufactures a dental blank 10 having a predetermined composition (raw material ratio) by molding and pre-firing the raw material (powder) supplied from the raw material manufacturer according to the aesthetics of the target dental prosthesis. If necessary, a plurality of raw materials may be mixed to form a mixed powder and then molded and pre-fired. Also, prior to pre-firing, a solution containing a coloring element may be mixed with the molded body.

[0021] The dental blank 10 is a precursor of a dental prosthesis and is subjected to cutting using a CAD / CAM device (not shown) by a processing company such as a dental laboratory (dental technician). By the cutting process, the dental blank 10 is cut into the shape of a dental prosthesis such as a crown. Since the shape after cutting takes into account the thermal shrinkage during sintering, it is larger than the shape of the dental prosthesis to be loaded into the patient.

[0022] The dental blank 10 is provided with an information tag (described later) including at least specific information linked to material information. The "specific information" is information that can be linked to the material information, and the "material information" is information that enables the identification of the dental blank 10, and preferably includes at least composition information, and more preferably includes one or more selected from the group of composition information, product information, and manufacturing information (all described later). By attaching specific information to the dental blank 10, selection and recovery can be efficiently carried out.

[0023] The specific information preferably includes one or more selected from the group of raw material ratio, composition (chemical composition), average composition, contained elements, color tone, color tone code, average color tone, and average color tone code (hereinafter also referred to as "composition information"). The nature of the dental blank 10 can be directly confirmed by the composition information. The specific information preferably includes one or more selected from the group of raw material ratio, composition, contained elements, color tone, and color tone code, and preferably includes at least one of the composition and the color tone code. Further, when the dental blank 10 has a structure composed of two or more layers, the composition information, in addition to or instead of the composition, color tone, and color tone code, preferably includes one or more selected from the group of average composition, average color tone, and average color tone code, or one or more selected from the group of representative composition, representative color tone, and representative color tone code that enables linking to the most contained component, etc. The "raw material ratio" is information regarding the type (for example, the product name of the powder) and the usage amount of each raw material used in the production of the dental blank 10, and the "color tone" is the target color tone of the dental prosthesis obtained by sintering the dental blank 10. For example, it is the value of lightness L * a * b * shown in the L * value of the a * color system, and the hue a * and b

[0024] When the compositional information cannot be grasped, it becomes necessary for the raw material manufacturer to perform component analysis for each end material 15. For component analysis of the end material 15, it is necessary to take a part of each of them, dissolve it, and perform component analysis by instrumental analysis of the resulting sample solution, or perform component analysis by instrumental analysis using an electron beam or X-ray. In this case, performing component analysis for all end materials not only requires an enormous amount of labor, but also requires additional time and labor for identifying components when unexpected elements are included. Therefore, even if such end materials can be recovered, it is substantially impossible to perform recycling treatment by horizontal recycling.

[0025] The specific information preferably includes at least one of the model number of the dental blank and the name of the manufacturer (hereinafter, also referred to as "product information"), and preferably includes at least the name of the manufacturer. The "model number" is the product name of the dental blank at the blank manufacturer. By including the specific information in the product information, rough sorting becomes possible after recovery. That is, the end materials recovered from a dental laboratory or the like may contain products of different block manufacturers mixed together. In this case, first, sorting can be performed for each manufacturer or for each manufacturer and each product, and sorting for horizontal recycling can be efficiently performed.

[0026] The specific information preferably includes one or more selected from the group of the manufacturing lot, manufacturing location, manufacturing year, and recovery deadline of the dental blank (hereinafter, also referred to as "manufacturing information"), more preferably includes at least one of the manufacturing year and the recovery deadline, and even more preferably includes the recovery deadline. By including the manufacturing information, not only recycling but also traceability becomes possible. As will be described later, the specific information is determined in advance between the raw material manufacturer and the blank manufacturer. Therefore, by attaching the recovery deadline determined by both parties, it becomes possible to trace not only the dental blank but also the raw materials used. Note that the "manufacturing year" is information that can specify the manufacturing time, and instead of the manufacturing year, it may be the manufacturing month or the manufacturing date.

[0027] The specific information linked to the material information is the information used when recovering the end material 15 of the dental blank 10 and recycling it. That is, the specific information linked to the material information includes information necessary and important for recycling the end material 15.

[0028] In processing businesses such as dental laboratories, a plurality of different types of dental blanks are machined. Therefore, the manufacturers, compositions, contained elements, color tones, etc. of the generated end materials 15 vary widely. If the specific information linked to the material information of the end material 15 (and the dental blank 10) cannot be grasped, the recycling process of the end material 15 (dental blank) by a person different from the raw material manufacturer or the blank manufacturer becomes very complicated, and horizontal recycling becomes very difficult.

[0029] 〔Information tag〕 FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the information tag 12. The information tag 12 is an information medium from which specific information is read when the end material 15 of the dental blank 10 is recovered. The information tag 12 is attached to the side circumferential surface 10s of the dental blank 10. The information tag 12 may be any information medium capable of grasping the specific information linked to the material information, and is preferably an information medium capable of mechanical reading, such as a code symbol. Further, the information tag 12 may include one or more selected from the group of letters, numbers, and symbols. The type, size, display format, etc. of the code symbol may be appropriately selected according to the amount of information attached to the information tag 12, the shape of the dental blank 10, etc. For example, at least one of one-dimensional and two-dimensional code symbols, specifically, at least one of a barcode and a QR code (registered trademark) may be used. The information tag 12 may include its own code or the like. Further, it is preferable that the code symbol can read information even when a part of it is missing.

[0030] The information tag 12 is preferably composed of at least one of printing and engraving, and may be attached by at least one of printing and embossing. It is preferably made of a material that can be removed by a reproduction process, such as ink printing, for example, an organic component, or by means that can be removed by a reproduction process.

[0031] The information tag 12 may be attached to the dental blank 10 in one or more numbers, but it is preferably attached in two or more numbers. This makes it easier to grasp the specific information of each divided object by the remaining information tag 12 even when some tags are missing, or when the end material 15 is damaged and separated (divided) into multiple pieces. The number of information tags 12 assigned to the dental blank 10 may be 2 or more and 50 or less, or 2 or more and 10 or less. The plurality of information tags 12 may all be the same code symbol, or may use a combination of barcodes and QR codes or other types, or a combination of two or more different code symbols.

[0032] The information tag 12 is preferably attached to a non-cutting part of the dental blank. This makes it less likely for the information tag 12 to be damaged by cutting. The non-cutting part is the part of the dental blank 10 that remains after cutting. For example, in the dental disk, it is the side circumferential surface 10s, and in the dental block 20, it is the bottom side of the block body. Therefore, in the dental disk, the information tag 12 is preferably arranged at least on the side circumferential surface 10s, more preferably arranged on the side circumferential surface 10s, and even more preferably arranged at equal intervals on the side circumferential surface 10s. For example, when there are two information tags 12 attached to the side circumferential surface 10s, they are arranged at 180° intervals, when there are three, at 120° intervals, and when there are four, at 90° intervals. The information tag 12 only needs to be attached to at least the non-cutting part, and may be attached to the main surface 10a of the dental blank 10, or may be attached to at least one of the side circumferential surface 10s and the main surface 10a. When the information tag 12 is attached to the main surface 10a, the information tag 12 is preferably disposed at a site remaining after multiple cutting processes, such as at least either the outer peripheral edge or the center of the main surface 10a.

[0033] 〔End material 15〕 FIG. 5 is a view showing the end material 15 of the dental blank 10. By cutting using a CAD / CAM apparatus, a shape (not shown) of a dental prosthesis taking into account thermal shrinkage is cut from the dental blank 10. Therefore, after cutting, the part of the dental blank left in the CAD / CAM apparatus corresponds to the end material 15. That is, the end material 15 is at least either a dental blank having one or more holes (perforations) in the shape of a dental prosthesis, or a divided product thereof.

[0034] 〔End material recovery method〕 FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an end material recovery method. The end material recovery method of the dental blank in the present embodiment includes a recovery step S30 of recovering the end material 15 generated by cutting the dental blank 10 to which the information tag 12 including at least specific information linked to material information is attached, from a processing company, and a selection step S40 of selecting a specific end material 15K from which specific information linked to the material information of the dental blank 10 determined between the raw material manufacturer of the dental blank and the manufacturer of the dental blank can be read, from the information tag 12 attached to the end material 15. Further, before the recovery step S30, a supply step S20 of supplying the raw material of the dental blank to the blank manufacturer may be included, and before the supply step S20, a specific information determination step S10 of determining specific information linked to the composition information of the dental blank between the raw material manufacturer and the blank manufacturer may be included. Further, after the selection step S40, a regeneration step S50 of subjecting the specific end material 15K to regeneration processing based on the specific information may be included.

[0035] The specific information determination step S10 is a step of determining specific information associated with the composition information of the dental blank between the raw material manufacturer and the blank manufacturer. In this step, decisions are made regarding the content of the specific information associated with the material information of the dental blank 10, its assignment rules, the format of the information tag 12, etc., and the assignment of specific information required for the selection and recovery of the end material 15. Since it may include the product lineup of the blank manufacturer and other confidential information related to the production of the blank manufacturer, it is preferable that the specific information be managed as each other's business confidential information between the raw material manufacturer and the blank manufacturer, and it is preferable to manage and protect it as non-public information.

[0036] The supply step S20 is a step of supplying the raw material of the dental blank to the blank manufacturer, and includes a raw material supply step S21, a dental blank manufacturing step S22, a tagging step S23, and a provision step S24.

[0037] The raw material supply step S21 is a step in which the raw material manufacturer supplies the raw material of the dental blank to the blank manufacturer. The raw material manufacturer supplies one or more raw materials, preferably zirconia powder, to the blank manufacturer. The powder preferably contains zirconia as the main component and stabilizing elements and coloring elements as the secondary components.

[0038] In the dental blank manufacturing step S22, the blank manufacturer manufactures the target dental blank using the raw material (zirconia powder) supplied from the raw material manufacturer. In manufacturing the dental blank, if necessary, the blank manufacturer may mix two or more raw materials, or may use coloring components such as coloring solutions other than the powder.

[0039] In the tagging step S23, the blank manufacturer attaches the information tag 12 including specific information to the dental blank 10 or the like. The information tag 12 is attached to the dental blank 10 or the like by means such as at least one of printing and engraving. The information tag 12 may be attached to the dental blank 10 according to the content specified by the above-mentioned specific information determination step S10, such as the format, number, and location of attachment of the information tag 12.

[0040] The providing step S24 is a step of providing a dental blank, such as a dental blank 10 having an information tag 12, from a blank manufacturer to a dental laboratory or other processor that performs cutting.

[0041] The recovery step S30 is a step of recovering the end material 15 generated by cutting the dental blank 10 with an information tag 12 attached thereto, which includes at least specific information linked to material information, from the processor, and includes a cutting process S31 and an end material recovery step S32.

[0042] The cutting process S31 is a process of cutting the dental blank 10. A processor such as a dental laboratory cuts out the dental blank 10 into the shape of a dental prosthesis using a processing device such as a CAD / CAM device based on the information provided by the dentist. As a result, a precursor of the dental prosthesis and the end material 15 are generated.

[0043] In the end material recovery step S32, the end material 15 is recovered from a processor such as a dental laboratory. The recovery of the end material 15 may be performed so that the end material 15 is finally delivered to an operator who performs recycling treatment (recycling) of the end material 15. At least one of the blank manufacturer and the raw material manufacturer may recover it, or the raw material manufacturer may further recover the end material 15 recovered by the blank manufacturer. Also, a recovery operator who performs primary recovery from the processor, for example, a recovery operator designated by at least one of the blank manufacturer and the raw material manufacturer, may recover it. Therefore, the recovery in the recovery step S30 may be performed directly from the processor, but may also be performed via a recovery operator who performs primary recovery from the processor, instead of or in addition to the processor.

[0044] On the other hand, the processor may send the end material 15 to at least one of the blank manufacturer and the raw material manufacturer to recover it.

[0045] Since the end material 15 is a calcined body having perforations, it is very brittle and easily damaged. Therefore, in transportation or the like in the end material recovery step S32, the end material 15 may be damaged (broken) and divided into two or more divided objects (end material pieces, fragments).

[0046] The selection step S40 is a step of selecting a specific end material 15K from which specific information associated with the material information of the dental blank 10 determined between the raw material manufacturer of the dental blank and the manufacturer of the dental blank can be read from the information tag 12 attached to the end material 15, and includes a tag reading step S41 and an end material selection step S42.

[0047] In the tag reading step S41, the information tags 12 of all the recovered end materials 15 are read. When the end material 15 is a divided object, it is only necessary to read the information tag 12 for the divided object to which the information tag 12 is attached.

[0048] The reading of the information tag 12 may be performed by any means by which specific information can be grasped. For example, it may be performed by a code symbol reading means, specifically, at least one of a barcode reader and image analysis.

[0049] In the end material selection step S42, an end material (hereinafter, also referred to as a "specific end material") 15K from which specific information can be read from the information tag 12 is selected and sorted. Since the attributes such as the material composition of the specific end material 15K are clear, it can be recovered and suitably used for horizontal recycling.

[0050] The specific end material 15K may be selected and sorted based on its attributes, and it is particularly preferable to select and sort based on at least one of the contained elements and the composition. This enables more convenient application to recycling processing.

[0051] On the other hand, for the end material 15 and its divided objects from which specific information cannot be read due to the loss or disappearance of the information tag 12, etc., their material information cannot be grasped. Such end materials can also be selected and sorted separately after obtaining composition information by means of equipment analysis, etc., but from the perspective of disposal efficiency, they may be treated as objects for cascade recycling or waste disposal.

[0052] The recycling process S50 is a process of recycling (reusing) the specific end material 15K based on specific information, and it suffices to perform the recycling process on the specific end material 15K based on the specific information. Since the attributes such as the material composition of the specific end material 15K are clear, it is possible to set suitable recycling conditions for each group of the selected specific end materials 15K based on the specific information.

[0053] As a recycling method in the recycling process S50, there is a recycling method (hereinafter, also referred to as the "grinding recycling method") of obtaining powder (recycled powder) by pulverizing the specific end material 15K. If necessary, the recycling process S50 may include, prior to grinding, a process of washing at least one of the specific end material 15K and its ground product to remove impurities, a particle size adjustment process for adjusting the particle size of the ground product of the specific end material 15K after grinding, and a process of drying at least one of the specific end material 15K and its ground product (all not shown).

[0054] The powder (recycled powder) obtained by the grinding recycling method can be directly used as a raw material for the green body and the sintered body. The recycled powder has a composition derived from the dental blank 10. Therefore, the recycled powder is particularly suitable as a raw material for dental blanks (recycled dental blanks).

[0055] Also, the recycling method in the recycling process S50 may be a recycling method (hereinafter, also referred to as the "dissolution recycling method") of obtaining a solution (recycled solution) by dissolving the specific end material 15K. Dissolution can be performed by bringing the specific end material 15K into contact with a solution such as an acid that dissolves it. Prior to dissolution, the specific end material 15K may be ground, washed, and dried. Also, the solution (recycled solution) obtained by the dissolution recycling method can be used as a raw material solution for powder synthesis, preferably as a raw material solution for zirconia powder synthesis, and can also be used as a raw material for one or more powder production methods selected from the group of neutralization coprecipitation, hydrolysis, and hydrothermal treatment. The raw material obtained thereby is more suitable as a raw material for dental blanks.

[0056] Furthermore, the recycling solution may purify the elements contained therein by ion exchange or the like, and can also be used for desired applications as various metal ion solutions including zirconium.

[0057] Thus, according to the dental blank of the present embodiment, the end material 15 of the dental blank 10 can be efficiently recovered so that it can be horizontally recycled as the material of the dental blank.

[0058] As described above, the zirconia block has been described as a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. However, the dental blank in the present disclosure may be a green body of ceramics, and can also be applied to a dental blank made of a green body of a metal oxide including alumina.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0059] 10 Dental disk (dental blank) 10e Periphery 10s Side peripheral surface (non-cutting part) 11 Peripheral groove 12 Tag (code symbol) 15 End material 15K Specific end material 20 Dental block (dental blank)

Claims

1. A method for recovering dental blank scraps, comprising: a recovery step of recovering scraps produced by cutting dental blanks from a processing business operator, the scraps being dental blanks attached with an information tag containing at least specific information linked to material information, the specific information being information agreed upon between a manufacturer of dental blank raw materials and the manufacturer of the dental blank, and the information tag being an information medium from which the specific information can be read when the dental blank scraps are recovered; and a selection step of selecting specific scraps from which specific information linked to the dental blank material information agreed upon between the manufacturer of dental blank raw materials and the manufacturer of the dental blank can be read from the information tag attached to the scraps.

2. 2. The dental blank scrap recovery method according to claim 1, further comprising a supply step of supplying raw materials for dental blanks to the blank manufacturer prior to the recovery step.

3. 3. The dental blank scrap recovery method according to claim 2, further comprising a specific information determination step of determining the specific information prior to the supply step.

4. The dental blank scrap recovery method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a recycling step of recycling the specific scrap based on the specific information after the selection step.

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