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US 2010/0075273 A1Published application
Dental impression tray for use in obtaining an impression of a dental structure
AssigneeNobel Biocare Services AG
InventorsPer-Olof Karlsson, Jenny Fäldt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dental impression tray, a kit, and method of using the same are provided for taking an impression of at least a portion of a dental structure of a patient. The tray can comprise a tray portion, fiduciary markers, and can also have a holding section with two opposing sides and fasteners disposed thereon. The kit can comprise the tray and a handle portion. The handle can be removably secured to the holding section of the tray. In some embodiments, the handle can comprise a pair of handle portions. In other embodiments, a part of the handle can be aligned with a facial feature of a patient from whom a dental impression is to be obtained.
Claims34
A dental impression tray for use in obtaining an impression of at least a part of a dental structure, the dental impression tray comprising:
- a tray portion adapted to be loaded with impression material, the tray portion being contoured to fit over at least a part of both the upper and lower dental structure of a patient such that an impression can be obtained simultaneously from both the upper and the lower dental structure, the tray portion having a holding section with a first side facing in a first direction and a second side placed opposite the first side and facing in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, each of the first and second side of the holding section having at least one fastener by means of which the holding section can be locked to a holder having a part with a shape that is complementary in shape to the fasteners on the holding section, the fasteners on both sides of the holding section having the same form such that each side of the holding section can be locked to one and the same holder.
A kit for making a dental impression and holding the impression for a scanning operation, the kit comprising:
- a dental impression tray having a tray portion adapted to be loaded with impression material, the tray portion being contoured to fit over at least a part of both the upper and lower dental structure of a patient such that an impression can be obtained simultaneously from both the upper and the lower dental structure, the tray portion having a holding section with a first side facing in a first direction and a second side placed opposite the first side and facing in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, each of the first and the second side of the holding section having at least one fastener by means of which the holding section can be locked to a holder having a part with a shape that is complementary in shape to the fasteners on the holding section, the fasteners on both sides of the holding section having the same form such that each side of the holding section can be locked to one and the same holder, and the dental impression tray further comprising a handle that can be secured to the tray portion and removed from the tray portion, the handle being provided with fastening elements complementary in shape to the fasteners on at least one of the opposite sides of the tray portion such that the handle can be secured to the tray portion;
- and
- a holder having a part with a shape that is complementary in shape to the fasteners on the holding section of the tray portion and which is identical to the shape of the fastening elements on the handle.
A method for making a dental impression of an upper and a lower dental structure and scanning the impression, the method comprising:
- providing a dental impression tray with a tray portion that is contoured to fit over at least a part of both the upper and lower dental structure of a patient, the tray portion having a holding section with a first side facing in a first direction and a second side opposite to the first side and facing in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, each of the first and second side of the holding section having at least one fastener, the fasteners on both sides of the holding section having the same form;
- providing a handle that can be secured to the tray portion and removed from the tray portion, the handle being provided with fastening elements that are complementary in shape to the fasteners on at least one of the opposite sides of the holding section;
- securing the handle to the tray portion by means of the fasteners on the holding section and the fastening elements on the handle,
- loading the tray portion with impression material;
- placing the tray portion in the mouth of a patient while guiding the tray portion by means of the handle and making an impression of at least a part of the patient's upper and lower dental structure;
- removing the tray portion from the mouth of the patient,
- removing the handle from the tray portion;
- providing a holder having a part that is complementary in shape to the fasteners on the holding section and which is identical to the shape of the fastening elements on the handle;
- securing the tray portion to the holder by connecting the first side of the holding section of the tray portion to the holder;
- scanning a first side of the tray portion to obtain a scanning of one of the dental impressions obtained;
- removing the tray portion from the holder, turning the tray portion 180° and securing the tray portion to the holder by connecting the second side of the tray portion to the holder;
- and
- scanning a second side of the tray portion to obtain a scanning of the second dental impression.
10 more elements
A dental impression tray for use in obtaining an impression of at least a part of a dental structure, the tray comprising:
- a tray portion adapted to be loaded with impression material, the tray portion being contoured to fit over at least a part of the dental structure;
- and
- a handle connected to the tray portion or adapted to be connected to the tray portion, the handle having a first end at which the handle is connected to the tray portion or adapted to be connected to the tray portion and a second end that is a distal end in relation to the tray portion when the handle is connected to the tray portion, the second end of the handle having an edge that faces away from the tray portion when the handle is connected to the tray portion, the edge forming a visible straight line when it is seen from the side facing away from the tray portion, the straight line having a length of at least 30 mm.
A method of making an impression of at least a part of a patient's dental structure, the method comprising:
- providing a dental impression tray having a tray portion contoured to fit over at least a part of a dental structure, the dental impression tray further having structure that allows a user of the dental impression tray to manipulate the tray portion when the tray portion is placed in the mouth of the patient and which also defines a line that is visible when the tray portion is placed in the mouth of a patient;
- placing the tray portion in the mouth of a patient;
- comparing the line with a facial feature of the patient;
- and
- manipulating the tray portion until the line becomes aligned with said facial feature of the patient.
2 more elements
A method of making a virtual model of a patient's dental structure, the method comprising:
- providing a dental impression tray having a tray portion adapted to be loaded with impression material and contoured to fit over at least a part of an upper and a lower dental structure, the tray portion further being provided with at least one fiduciary marker;
- placing impression material in the tray portion;
- placing the tray portion in the mouth of a patient and making the patient bite into the impression material in the tray portion such that both the upper and the lower dental structure of the patient will make an impression in impression material placed in the tray portion, thereby generating a lower impression and an upper impression in impression material placed in the tray portion;
- performing a scanning operation on both the upper and the lower impression respectively and using the at least one fiduciary marker to link the scanning of the lower impression to the scanning of the upper impression and determine the position of the two impressions relative to one another;
- and
- using the result of the scanning to generate a virtual model of the patient's dental structure.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.