Polycrystalline Diamond Dental End Mill for Smooth Prosthesis Milling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dental end mills face issues with tool wear, surface roughness, and manual polishing requirements, leading to inconsistent processing quality and plaque adhesion on dental prostheses, especially for complex and diverse shapes.
Innovation Solution
A dental end mill with a neck lower portion made of polycrystalline diamond, having a specific average particle diameter and shape, is used to enhance wear resistance and surface smoothness, allowing for automated high-precision processing without manual polishing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a surface layer of the neck lower portion is coated with diamond fine particles, then wear resistance is improved, but the coating film wears and peels early during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite structure where diamond fine particles are embedded within a resin material matrix in the neck lower portion, rather than applying a surface coating. This composite approach allows the diamond particles to be integrally combined with the resin, preventing peeling while maintaining wear resistance. The diamond particles act as reinforcement within the composite material, creating a durable neck lower portion that resists both wear and coating failure.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual polishing is performed after processing, then surface smoothness is improved, but processing time increases and quality consistency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs the smoothing action during the machining process itself by using the diamond-coated neck lower portion to polish the workpiece surface as it cuts. This preliminary polishing action eliminates the need for separate post-processing steps, achieving smooth surfaces directly during manufacturing. The diamond particles on the neck lower portion continuously polish the workpiece surface, ensuring consistent quality without additional time-consuming manual polishing operations.
3Productivity
If a diamond coating is applied to the neck lower portion, then cutting performance is improved, but the surface of the processed dental prosthesis becomes rough
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different functional properties to different parts of the end mill. The neck lower portion contains diamond fine particles embedded in resin, providing cutting and polishing functions, while the cutting edges use separate diamond coatings or structures optimized for cutting performance. This local differentiation allows the neck lower portion to polish the surface smoothly during cutting, rather than creating roughness. The diamond particles in the neck lower portion act as a polishing medium that smooths the workpiece surface as the tool rotates and advances.
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
The end mill achieves a smooth dental prosthesis surface, reduces plaque adhesion, and ensures high accuracy and efficiency in processing complex shapes, eliminating the need for manual polishing and maintaining quality over time.
Implementation Method 1
the end mill is used widely as a tool for a dental processing machine since it is applicable to a wide range of to-be-cut materials because of its lower frictional heat than the grinding tool
Implementation Method 2
a technique for coating a surface layer of a neck lower portion of a base material with diamond fine particles or the like
Data Source
AI summary
A dental end mill for processing a workpiece includes a shank portion held by a dental processing machine; a neck lower portion including a cutting edge; and a neck portion that is configured to connect the shank portion and the neck lower portion. The neck lower portion is formed of polycrystalline diamond.