Dental Prosthesis Template for Precise Tooth Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for manufacturing dental prostheses face challenges in accurately positioning and aligning prosthetic teeth with the prosthetic base, leading to misalignment and increased manual effort, especially when using digital data for CAM processes.

Innovation Solution

A method utilizing a virtual three-dimensional dental prosthesis model to create a template with a negative surface matching the prosthetic teeth and base, allowing for precise alignment and attachment of physical teeth to the base using CAM processes, ensuring a flush and stable fit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If manual techniques are used to set up and position prosthetic teeth on a wax base, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but manufacturing precision and alignment accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by creating a digital model of the patient's oral cavity and pre-positioning prosthetic teeth in the desired final configuration before manufacturing. The wax base is formed with teeth already in their correct positions, and this pre-positioned structure is then used to create the final prosthesis, ensuring alignment accuracy is achieved through advance planning rather than manual adjustment during assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If digital CAM processes are used to manufacture the prosthetic base, then productivity and consistency are improved, but ease of operation and manual adjustment capability worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidmanual adjustment capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the prosthesis manufacturing into distinct modules: a digitally manufactured prosthetic base and separately positioned prosthetic teeth. The base can be produced using automated CAM processes for high productivity, while the teeth are independently prepared and then attached to the base, allowing for manual adjustment and adaptation of individual teeth without affecting the entire manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of time

If prefabricated teeth are bonded to the prosthetic base, then manufacturing time is reduced, but manufacturing precision and alignment accuracy worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing timeVSAvoidalignment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the prosthetic teeth in their final correct alignment on the wax base before the prosthetic base is manufactured. This pre-positioned arrangement is then transferred to the final prosthesis, ensuring that when prefabricated teeth are bonded to the base, they are already in the correct positions, thus maintaining both time efficiency and alignment accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If individual teeth are manually adapted and ground to fit the oral situation, then adaptability to patient specifics is improved, but productivity and manufacturing time worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptation to oral situationVSAvoidmanufacturing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by allowing individual customization of specific teeth while maintaining standardized manufacturing processes for the overall prosthesis. Each prosthetic tooth can be individually selected, adapted, or modified based on the patient's specific oral situation and aesthetic requirements, while the prosthetic base is manufactured using efficient digital CAM processes, thus achieving both adaptability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3229724B1Method for producing a dental prosthesis using a template
Publication Date: 2018.09.19 HERAEUS KULZER GMBH
  • EP3229724B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3229724B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3229724B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing a dental prosthesis, wherein the dental prosthesis comprises a prosthetic base (3) and a plurality of prosthetic teeth (2), wherein the method is carried out using a virtual three-dimensional dental prosthetic model of the physical dental prosthesis to be generated, and wherein the virtual three-dimensional dental prosthetic model comprises virtual prosthetic teeth (2) and a virtual prosthetic base (3), comprising the steps: a virtual model of a template (1) is calculated from the outer shape of the vestibular surfaces (9) and/or the occlusal surfaces (8) of the virtual prosthetic teeth (2) and from the outer shape of the vestibular surface of the virtual prosthetic base (3) of the virtual three-dimensional dental prosthetic model, such that an area of the virtual surface of the virtual template (1) is formed by a negative of the vestibular surfaces (9) and/or occlusal surfaces (8) of the virtual prosthetic teeth (2) and of the virtual prosthetic base (2), wherein the position and the orientation of the virtual prosthetic teeth (2) relative to one another and relative to the virtual prosthetic base (3) is retained in the negative; producing a physical template (1) using a CAM method with the aid of the data of the virtual model of the template (1); applying and mounting physical prosthetic teeth (2) on the template (1), wherein the vestibular surfaces (9) and/or occlusal surfaces (8) of the prosthetic teeth (2) are applied on the surface of the template (1) moulded using the matching negative; and fixing the physical prosthetic teeth (2) on a physical prosthetic base (3), wherein the prosthetic base (3) is inserted into the template (1) populated with the prosthetic teeth (2), such that the vestibular surface (10) of the prosthetic base (3) is applied on the surface of the template (1) matchingly shaped by the negative.