Dental Bridge Sintering Support via Retaining Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing dental bridges lack precision due to inadequate support during the sintering process, leading to potential deformation and reduced accuracy in fitting specific patient anatomy.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a pre-sintered blank that undergoes machining to form an intermediate product with retaining sections, which supports the bridge structure during a second sintering operation, allowing for precise shaping and minimizing deformation by distributing gravitational and frictional forces effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a dental bridge structure is sintered without adequate support during the sintering operation, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the bridge structure deforms and precision is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A support body with retaining sections is introduced as an intermediary element during the second sintering operation. The retaining sections extend from the support body to the bridge structure, providing mechanical support and distributing gravitational and frictional forces. This intermediary support arrangement prevents deformation of the bridge structure during sintering while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The support body and retaining sections are prepared in advance before the second sintering operation. The intermediate product is machined to include the support body and retaining sections that will provide support during sintering. This preliminary preparation ensures that the support structure is in place before the bridge structure is subjected to sintering forces, preventing deformation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the bridge structure is supported during the second sintering operation, then deformation is reduced and precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is segmented into a support body and multiple retaining sections. The retaining sections are distributed from the support body to different locations on the bridge structure, providing localized support where needed. This segmentation allows the support arrangement to be integrated with the bridge structure geometry without requiring a completely separate complex support system.
Solution Approach 2:
The support body and retaining sections are combined with the bridge structure to form an intermediate product. The retaining sections are integrated into the overall structure, serving both as support elements and as part of the final bridge geometry. This merging reduces the need for separate support devices and simplifies the overall manufacturing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the precision and accuracy of dental bridges by reducing deformation and ensuring a high-density, well-fitting final product that aligns with patient-specific anatomy.
Implementation Method 1
providing a blank in the form of a pre-sintered product that has been formed in an initial first sintering operation. The pre-sintered product may have been formed in a process where a green body is subjected to an elevated temperature.
Implementation Method 2
A sintering operation is then performed on the intermediate product. In some embodiments, the retaining section or retaining sections still link(s) the bridge structure to the support body during the second sintering operation, thereby supporting the bridge structure during the second sintering operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain embodiments of the invention relate to a method of manufacturing a dental bridge. In certain embodiments of the method, a pre-sintered blank made from a green body of ceramic material is subjected to a machining operation that transforms the blank into an intermediate product with a bridge structure and a support body linked to the bridge structure by one or several retaining sections that extend from the support body to the bridge structure. In certain embodiments, a sintering operation is then performed on the intermediate product while the retaining section(s) still link(s) the support body to the bridge structure.