Dental Prosthesis Spacer Design for Undercut Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for designing dental prostheses lack flexibility and efficiency in addressing undercuts, which can complicate production and require costly advanced milling machines, and often necessitate additional checks before spacing is provided.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that allows for flexible design of dental prostheses with adjustable spacing and automatic detection of undercuts, enabling the use of less expensive 3-axis milling machines and reducing the need for additional checks by ensuring the spacing does not introduce undercuts, and allowing for optimal fit with the remaining tooth area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spacing is provided between the dental prosthesis and remaining tooth area, then the fit and comfort are improved, but undercuts may be introduced that complicate production
Solution Approach 1:
The method performs preliminary detection of undercuts in the remaining tooth area before finalizing the prosthesis design. By identifying potential undercut regions in advance and adjusting the spacing configuration accordingly, the system prevents undercut formation that would complicate manufacturing, while still maintaining the beneficial fit quality provided by spacing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts spacing parameters (such as spacing magnitude, distribution, and configuration) based on the detected geometry of the remaining tooth area. By modifying these parameters in response to the specific tooth morphology, the method optimizes the balance between achieving good fit and avoiding undercut formation that would hinder manufacturing.
2Reliability
If additional checks for undercuts are performed before spacing provision, then undercut issues are identified early, but the design time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The method merges the undercut detection function with the spacing provision step into a single integrated operation. Rather than performing separate checks before and after spacing configuration, the system simultaneously evaluates the remaining tooth area geometry and adjusts spacing in one unified process, thereby maintaining thorough undercut detection while minimizing additional design time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements an iterative feedback mechanism where the detection of undercut regions in the remaining tooth area immediately influences the spacing configuration in real-time. This feedback loop allows the design to self-adjust and optimize the spacing to avoid undercuts, reducing the need for separate verification steps and thereby decreasing overall design time while maintaining high detection accuracy.
3Ease of manufacture
If 3+1, 4 or 5 axis milling machines are used to produce undercut-free prostheses, then manufacturing capability is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By performing preliminary detection of undercut regions in the remaining tooth area and pre-adjusting the spacing configuration before final prosthesis fabrication, the method ensures that the prosthesis can be manufactured using standard 3-axis milling machines. This preliminary action eliminates the need for expensive 3+1, 4, or 5 axis machines by preventing undercut formation that would require complex machining capabilities.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for designing a tooth replacement part, which is intended to be able to be mounted on a residual tooth area and in which a spacer (1) is provided between the tooth replacement part (2) and the residual tooth area (3), and the subsequent step of testing whether one or more undercuts (4) are present in the tooth replacement part. The invention further relates to a method for working a designed tooth replacement part with one or more undercuts present, wherein a spacer is provided between the tooth replacement part and a residual tooth area and wherein a form of the spacer is modified in order to remove the undercut or undercuts of the tooth replacement part. The invention also relates to a method in which the formation of undercuts is avoided by provision or modification of a spacer. The invention moreover relates to a tooth replacement part provided with a spacer, wherein the spacer of the tooth replacement part has first and second spacer areas and between these a transition area, with no undercut present in the transition area. The invention also relates to a corresponding computer-readable medium.