Flexible dental model
OwnerSue S. Leeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dental model is provided including at least one artificial flexible jaw including an arch-shaped base portion having outer and inner walls extending between first and second ends, the base portion holding a plurality of teeth. The base portion is flexible and extendable so that its first and second ends can move in three dimensions with respect to each other. Thus, the base portion can move to various configurations in which the first and second ends can be positioned in any manner with respect to each other, e.g., at different distances from each other and/or in different planes. The dental model can include one or both of hard palate and soft palate with or without uvula configured to deform when the base portion is deformed. The one or more jaws can be mounted on a holder.
Claims19
A dental model comprising:
- at least one artificial jaw including:
- a plurality of teeth;
- and
- a base portion retaining the plurality of teeth, the base portion having opposite first and second ends configured to move relative to each other in three dimensions, wherein inner and outer walls of the base portion extending between the first and second ends are arch-shaped, and wherein a contour of the inner wall follows an internal arch pattern and a contour of the outer wall follows an outline of the plurality of teeth;
- and
- a holder having first and second arms coupled thereto, wherein the at least one artificial jaw is configured to be mounted on the holder via the first and second arms.
A method of manufacturing a dental model, the method comprising:
- forming a dental arch having a plurality of teeth and a base portion holding the plurality of teeth, the base portion having opposite first and second ends being formed to be movable relative to each other in three dimensions, inner and outer walls of the base portion extending between the first and second ends are arch-shaped in a first configuration, a contour of the inner wall following an internal arch pattern, a contour of the outer wall following an outline of the plurality of teeth, the base portion being formed to be movable from the first configuration to a second configuration in which the inner and outer walls extend substantially along a same axis extending therethrough, the same axis extending between the first and second ends.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.