Thermally accelerated dental imressions

A dental impression tray comprising:

• a body having a channel for receiving a quantity of thermoset dental impression material, wherein the channel includes an interior surface that faces the teeth when the body is in a mouth of a patient;
• an electrically resistive heating element provided on at least a portion of the interior surface of the channel;
• and
• a liner positioned on the heating element in the channel, wherein the liner comprises a liner material, wherein the liner material is a thermal insulator.

A system for forming a dental impression comprising:

• (a) a quantity of thermoset dental impression material, wherein the dental impression material is capable of being irreversibly cured and for which the curing process is accelerated by heat;
• (b) a tray comprising:
• (i) a body having a channel for receiving the quantity of dental impression material, wherein the channel includes an interior surface that faces the teeth when the body is in a mouth of a patient;
• and
• (ii) a heating element provided on at least a portion of the interior surface of the channel.

A method of curing dental impression material comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a dental impression tray comprising a body having a channel and a heating element provided on at least a portion of a interior surface of the channel;
• (b) placing a quantity of curable dental impression material in the channel;
• (c) placing the tray in a patient's mouth;
• and
• (d) after placing the tray in the patient's mouth, heating the heating element to speed the curing of the dental impression material.