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US 10,470,853 B2Granted
Continuous custom dental restoration manufacturing process and system
AssigneeJames R. Glidewell Dental Ceramics, Inc.
InventorsDavid Christopher Leeson, James Fidel Zamora, Dong Hee Phee, Nicolas Ziegler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system is disclosed for processing a plurality of customized dental restorations in an automated process that comprises a milling center, a carrier for holding a plurality of customized dental restorations, and a transfer system for transferring the customized restorations between processing units. Processing units may comprise one or more of a separating unit, a scrap disposal unit, a heating unit and a cooling unit. A multi-compartment tray and a material block are disclosed for use in the system.
Claims20
A method for processing a plurality of customized, patient-specific dental restorations, comprising
- a. forming a plurality of workpieces from a plurality of individual millable, material blocks to make the plurality of patient-specific dental restorations wherein forming each workpiece comprises
- i. for each customized, patient-specific dental restoration, obtaining an individual, millable, material block from the plurality of millable, material blocks and a computerized dental restoration design designed for a patient;
- ii. shaping a first portion of a dental restoration from the material block according to a first set of machining instructions corresponding to the computerized dental restoration design, and forming a recess within the material block by removing a portion of material block during shaping;
- iii. adding a volume of support material within the recess of the material block formed by shaping the first portion;
- and
- iv. shaping a second portion of the dental restoration from the material block according to a second set of machining instructions that corresponds to the computerized dental restoration design,
- wherein each workpiece comprises a remnant of the individual material block, the dental restoration and the support material, wherein the dental restoration is supported by the support material within the recess of the workpiece;
- b. transferring each workpiece into a compartment of a multi-compartment tray;
- and
- c. within the tray, removing the support material from each workpiece within the tray and separating the remnants of the material blocks from the plurality of patient-specific dental restorations.
7 more elements
A method for processing a plurality of customized, patient-specific dental restorations, comprising
- a. forming a plurality of workpieces to make the plurality of patient-specific dental restorations wherein forming each workpiece comprises
- i. obtaining a millable, material block and a computerized dental restoration design designed for a patient;
- ii. shaping a first portion of a dental restoration from the material block according to a first set of machining instructions corresponding to the computerized dental restoration design, and forming a recess within the material block by removing a portion of material block during shaping;
- iii. adding a volume of support material within the recess of the material block formed by shaping the first portion;
- and
- iv. shaping a second portion of the dental restoration from the material block according to a second set of machining instructions that corresponds to the computerized dental restoration design,
- wherein each workpiece comprises a remnant of the material block, the dental restoration and the support material, wherein the dental restoration is supported by the support material within the recess of the workpiece;
- b. transferring each workpiece into a compartment of a multi-compartment tray,
- wherein each compartment of the multi-compartment tray comprises first and second compartment areas, and transferring comprises aligning the first portion of the material block for shaping the dental restoration within the first compartment area, and aligning a mandrel connected to the first portion of the material block within a second compartment area,
- wherein the first compartment area and the second compartment area are separated by a wall having an opening and the mandrel fits within the wall opening;
- c removing the support material from each workpiece within the tray;
- and
- d. separating the remnants of the material blocks from the plurality of patient-specific dental restorations.
10 more elements
A method for forming a plurality of workpieces from a plurality of millable blocks to make a plurality of patient-specific dental restorations, comprising:
- a. for each workpiece, obtaining a millable, material block from the plurality of millable blocks and obtaining machining instructions for shaping a computerized dental restoration design designed for a patient and for dispensing a volume of a liquid support material specific to the dental restoration design;
- b. forming each workpiece within a milling system, comprising
- i. shaping a first portion of a dental restoration from the material block corresponding to the computerized dental restoration design, and forming a recess within the material block by removing a portion of material block during shaping in a milling unit;
- ii. dispensing the volume of the liquid support material within the recess of the material block-that is in a milling unit;
- iii. allowing at least a portion of the liquid support material to harden to form a hardened support material;
- and
- iv. shaping a second portion of the dental restoration from the material block corresponding to the computerized dental restoration design,
- wherein each workpiece comprises a remnant of the material block, the dental restoration and the hardened support material,
- wherein the dental restoration is supported by the hardened support material within the recess of the workpiece;
- and
- c. for each workpiece, separating the dental restoration from the remnant by melting the hardened support material with a hot liquid having a temperature greater than a melt temperature of the support material.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.