Precision-milled denture teeth and method and devices for making same
AssigneeCMP Industries LLC
InventorDevon O. HOWE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for making artificial teeth for a denture. The device is comprised of a nest comprised of a lower portion formed of a rigid material and having an upper planar surface, and an upper portion contiguous with the upper planar surface of the lower portion, and formed of an elastomeric material and configured to receive a plurality of the artificial teeth and hold the teeth in predetermined positions relative to the upper planar surface. A method for making artificial teeth using the nest and a fixative applied thereto is also disclosed. The method may include milling of the artificial teeth by a CAD-CAM operated mill.
Claims19
A device for making artificial teeth for use in a dental prosthesis, the device comprising a nest comprised of a lower portion formed of a rigid material and having an upper planar surface, and an upper portion contiguous with the upper planar surface of the lower portion, and formed of an elastomeric material and configured to receive a plurality of the artificial teeth and hold the teeth in predetermined positions relative to the upper planar surface.
A method for making artificial teeth for use in a dental prosthesis, the method comprising:
- a) inserting a plurality of artificial teeth into an elastomeric material of a nest, and contacting respective distal edges of each of the teeth with an upper planar surface of a rigid bottom of the nest that is contiguous with the elastomeric material of the nest;
- b) forming a rigid fixative contiguous with the elastomeric material of the nest, thereby embedding a central region of each of the plurality of teeth in the rigid fixative and rendering each of the plurality of teeth in a fixed position;
- c) separating the nest from the rigid fixative and from the plurality of teeth;
- d) securing the rigid fixative with the plurality of teeth in fixed positions on a milling machine;
- and
- e) milling each of the plurality of teeth to desired dimensions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.