Apparatus and Method to Design Dentures
OwnerStephen A. Wagnerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the design and manufacture of dentures wherein the number of office visits that a patient must attend in order to develop and obtain dentures is reduced. In one embodiment, during a first visit, final impressions and a measurement of the patient's upper lip is obtained. In one embodiment, a lab then creates a denture base and applies tooth replicas. In one embodiment, this is done using a physical fabrication aid of an embodiment of the present invention. Alternatively, the denture base can be created from a digital representation, and the denture base is then preferably sized and adjusted during the patient's second visit before final dentures are created and provided to the patient during the patient's third visit.
Claims20
A method for providing dentures to a patient in three visits, the method comprising:
- obtaining final impressions and a measurement of an upper lip of the patient during a first visit;
- sizing and adjusting the denture base during a second visit;
- and
- delivering the dentures to the patient during a third visit.
A fabrication apparatus comprising:
- an inclined platform having a top surface that is inclined at an angle of from 14 degrees to 20 degrees from horizontal when disposed in its intended operating position;
- a papilla pin extending through said inclined platform;
- and
- a tube movably positionable with respect to said inclined platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.