3D Printed Dental Tray Design with Material Compensation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing dental impression trays lack material-dependent parameters in 3D design software, leading to defective impressions due to inadequate consideration of impression material properties, which are crucial for precise denture production.
Innovation Solution
The method involves modifying oral scan data with material-specific parameters to design an individual impression tray using 3D printing, accounting for properties like expansion, shrinkage, viscosity, and flow behavior of the impression material, and incorporating these parameters into CAD software to optimize the tray's geometry and structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional 3D printing software is used without material-dependent parameters, then the production process is simple and fast, but the impression quality is defective and inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the digital model with material-dependent parameters specific to impression materials. These parameters include compensation values for material shrinkage, expansion, and flow characteristics. The software allows selection of different material types (e.g., polyether, silicone, alginate), each with predefined parameter sets that automatically adjust the tray geometry to compensate for material-specific behaviors during the impression process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-calculating and pre-compensating for material-dependent distortions in the digital model before manufacturing the tray. The software performs automatic geometric corrections based on selected material properties, ensuring that the final physical tray accounts for anticipated material behavior. This preliminary adjustment prevents impression errors before the actual impression-taking process occurs.
2Manufacturing precision
If material-dependent parameters are incorporated into the design process, then impression accuracy improves, but the production time and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The software automatically adjusts geometric parameters based on selected impression material properties, performing calculations and corrections in the background without requiring manual intervention. This automated parameter adjustment streamlines the process, maintaining speed while improving accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically selecting and applying appropriate material parameters when a material type is chosen. The software independently handles the complex calculations and geometric modifications without requiring expert knowledge or manual adjustment by the operator, thus maintaining ease of use while incorporating sophisticated material compensation.
3Reliability
If uniform compensation rates are applied to digital models (as in conventional prosthesis manufacturing), then the process is simple, but it does not account for material-specific properties leading to flawed impressions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing different compensation parameters for different regions of the digital model based on local material behavior requirements. Instead of uniform compensation, the software allows region-specific adjustments where different areas of the tray receive different geometric modifications tailored to local material flow patterns, shrinkage characteristics, and pressure distribution needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from uniform compensation rates to material-specific parameter sets that can vary across different regions and material types. The software maintains a library of material-dependent parameters that are automatically applied based on the selected impression material, enabling precise, localized adjustments throughout the tray geometry.
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 enables the production of precise dental impression trays that ensure optimal material distribution and accurate representation of the tooth situation, reducing molding errors and improving the fit of dentures.
Implementation Method 1
an individual impression tray is produced using 3D printing based on the data obtained previously
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for producing an individual dental impression tray, in which, firstly, either an impression of the patient's dentition and palate is formed using a suitable impression material and a standard tray, and a plaster cast is produced as a positive model based on this impression, which is then scanned, or alternatively, an oral scan of the dentition and palate is made directly, wherein, subsequently, an individual impression tray is produced using 3D printing based on the previously obtained data, in which, according to the invention, the data obtained from the scan of the model or intraorally are modified by means of at least one parameter specific to a material property of the impression material, and the individual impression tray is designed based on these modified data.The invention provides a more accurate method for producing a customized dental impression tray in which the material properties of the impression material are taken into account during the production of an individual impression tray, thus enabling the production of a precision impression.