CAD-CAM AGP splint- A method of automatically producing or reproducing a customized AGP (Anterior Guidance Package) equipped splint for a patient with/without a severe malocclusion via one time dentist visit

A method of automatically producing, including reproducing, a customized AGP (Anterior Guidance Package) equipped splint for a patient with various malocclusion, whenever needed without visiting the dentist again and again, comprises of;

• the first step of gathering 3D information of maxillary and mandibular teeth using traditional methods of making impressions of the patients teeth and pouring in stone to make models and convert to digital by scanning the models and collecting a centric relation record at first contact using traditional methods and converting to digital by scanning the mounted models,
• and
• the second step of gathering TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) records using traditional methods, wherein the records are not limited to but could include:
• facebow transfer, intercondylar distance, condylary inclination and Bennet angle and border limits,
• and
• the third step of setting the patients' virtual 3D maxillary and mandibular teeth in centric relation at first contact data into a virtual articulator-CAD program, which is already instored in a computer and virtually position the digital models of the patient's maxillary and mandibular teeth on the Virtual Articulator to set up a screen visualizing a Virtual Articulator with patient's virtual models,
• and
• the fourth step of setting the patients' TMJ/condylar records into the virtual articulator-CAD program,
• and
• the fifth step of virtually opening the distance between the virtual models along the appropriate arc of opening according to the TMJ data to an adequate distance to virtually apply the retentive piece material at a thickness of 1 mm per arch and virtually apply a maxillary retentive piece, which is a regular retention piece, and a mandibular retentive piece, which is a special retention piece of the current invention, for a patient with class a II malocclusion, at a thickness of 1 mm,
• and
• the sixth step of animating and measuring the jaw movements to include laterotrusion to all border limits of the mandible on the Virtual Articulator with the virtual retentive pieces in place and the jaw position beginning in virtual centric relation at first contact,
• and
• the seventh step of detecting collision (interference) in order to identify the movement restrictions of contact points and depths,
• and
• the eighth step of identifying a point, where the mandibular guidance component sits at rest in the maxillary guidance component when the condyles of the temporo-mandibular joints (TMJ's) of the mandible are in their centric relation (CR) position, in space that is posterior to the most anterior maxillary tooth, along the occlusal plane mid-sagitally and virtually construct an AGP package of any design around the point including placement of lateral guidance and protrusive guidance and defining the overall size of the AGP and control depth and steepness of the AGP,
• and
• the ninth step of verifying operators' goals of creating a superior anterior guidance bruxism splint via a virtual functional simulation on the virtual articulator of the anterior guidance provided by the virtual AGP by confirming the elimination of all interferences posterior to the AGP with minimal vertical dimension increase at rest,
• and
• the tenth step of virtually applying material as a bridge between the retentive trays and the virtual AGP taking care to remain inside the envelope of function of the AGP on both the maxillary and mandibular aspects of the AGP splint while maintaining the vertical dimension of the AGP splint remain minimized irrespective of the Class of the malocclusion by fixing the relative position of the virtual shelf on the frontal surface of the special retentive piece of the current invention that receives the appropriate component of the AGP,
• and
• the eleventh step of transferring data and information, collected from the above steps, to a manufacturer who has CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) or CNC technology and equipment to automatically produce a two-piece CAD-CAM AGP splint that is customized for a specific patient, which is comfortable to wear, consisting of a maxillary aspect and a mandibular aspect, whenever needed.

A method of automatically producing, including reproducing, a customized AGP (Anterior Guidance Package) equipped splint for a patient with various malocclusion, whenever needed without visiting the dentist again and again, comprises of;

• the first step of gathering 3D information of maxillary and mandibular teeth using traditional methods of making impressions of the patients teeth and pouring in stone to make models and convert to digital by scanning the models and collecting a centric relation record at first contact using traditional methods and converting to digital by scanning the mounted models,
• and
• the second step of gathering TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) records using traditional methods, wherein the records are not limited to but could include:
• facebow transfer, intercondylar distance, condylary inclination, Bennet angle and border limits,
• and
• the third step of setting the patients' virtual 3D maxillary and mandibular teeth at a point of the operators choosing data, which is different than centric relation at first contact, into a virtual articulator-CAD program, which is already instored in a computer and virtually position the digital models of the patient's maxillary and mandibular teeth on the Virtual Articulator to set up a screen visualizing a Virtual Articulator with patient's virtual models,
• and
• the fourth step of setting the TMJ/condylar records into the virtual articulator-CAD program with average measures,
• and
• the fifth step of virtually opening the distance between the virtual models along the appropriate arc of opening according to the TMJ data to an adequate distance to virtually apply the retentive piece material at a thickness of 1 mm per arch and virtually apply a maxillary retentive piece, which is a special retention piece of the current invention, and a mandibular retentive piece, which is a regular retention piece, for a patient with class III malocclusion, at a thickness of 1 mm,
• and
• the sixth step of animating and measuring the jaw movements to include laterotrusion to all border limits of the mandible on the Virtual Articulator with the virtual retentive pieces in place and the jaw position beginning in virtual centric relation at first contact,
• and
• the seventh step of detecting collision (interference) in order to identify the movement restrictions of contact points and depths,
• and
• the eighth step of identifying a point, where the mandibular guidance component sits at rest in the maxillary guidance component when the condyles of the temporo-mandibular joints (TMJ's) of the mandible are in their centric relation (CR) position, in space that is much further anterior to the most anterior maxillary tooth, along the occlusal plane mid-sagitally and virtually construct an AGP package of any design around the point including placement of lateral guidance and protrusive guidance and defining the overall size of the AGP and control depth and steepness of the AGP,
• and
• the ninth step of verifying the operators' goals of creating a superior anterior guidance
• bruxism splint via a virtual functional simulation on the virtual articulator of the anterior guidance provided by the virtual AGP by confirming the elimination of all interferences posterior to the AGP with minimal vertical dimension increase at rest,
• and
• the tenth step of virtually applying material as a bridge between the retentive trays and the virtual AGP taking care to remain inside the envelope of function of the AGP on both the maxillary and mandibular aspects of the AGP splint while maintaining the vertical dimension of the AGP splint remain minimized irrespective of the Class of the malocclusion by fixing the relative position of the virtual shelf on the frontal surface of the special retentive piece of the current invention that receives the appropriate component of the AGP,
• and
• the eleventh step of transferring data and information, collected from the above steps, to a manufacturer who has CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) or CNC technology and equipment to automatically produce a two-piece CAD-CAM AGP splint that is customized for a specific patient, which is comfortable to wear, consisting of a maxillary aspect and a mandibular aspect, whenever needed.