Method and apparatus for processing dental models
AssigneeDental Essentials, Inc.
InventorsJohn L. Lucki, Alan B. Naha
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for processing cast models, such as dental molds and for various other applications, which comprises two separate sections, each having on its male and female seating or mating surface an assortment of geometric patterns of various sizes, depths and protrusions, prefabricated as a mating sandwich on which a hardened model, such as of teeth, gum or jaws, can be attached without the manipulation of unhardened moulding compounds, and/or mechanical aids, to obtain a working platform and precision reference apparatus essential in constructing parallel working dies.
Claims28
A device for processing hardened castings of dental models which comprises a prefabricated precision mating combination including:
- a mounting plate primarily designed for mounting said hardened castings of dental models, said mounting plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface constructed to support said castings in bonded relation thereto, and said lower surface being embossed and configured with a first complex geometric pattern including a plurality of repetitive facets;
- a lower mating plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface being embossed and configured with a second complex geometric pattern including a plurality of repetitive facets constructed to precisely mate in fixed interlocking registration with the facets of said first geometric pattern when said mounting plate and said lower mating plate are in a preselected spatial relationship, so that the principal planes of said mounting plate and said lower mating plate are locked in substantially parallel relation, whereby said dental castings can be cut and precisely realigned after removal.
A system for processing one or more hardened castings for teeth and jaws which comprises in combination:
- an articulator comprising upper and lower platforms hingedly connected to simulate the human jaw;
- a prefabricated precision molded combination including:
- a mounting plate having opposite major surfaces, one said major surface designed to support said castings in bonded relation thereto, and the other said major surface being embossed with a first complex configured geometric pattern having a plurality of repetitive facets;
- a lower mating plate having opposite major surfaces, one said major surface being embossed with a second complex configurated geometric pattern having a plurality of repetitive facets constructed to precisely mate with the facets of said first configured geometric pattern in fixed interlocking registration when said mounting plate and said lower mating plate are in a preselected spatial relationship, so that the principal planes of said mounting plate and said lower mating plate are locked in substantially parallel relation;
- the other major surface of said lower mating plate being constructed to be supported on one of the platforms of said articulator.
A method for producing and/or processing model teeth and/or jaws which comprises the steps of:
- forming a hardened casting in a preselected shape;
- attaching said casting to one of the major surfaces of a mounting plate which is one component of a prefabricated precision mating combination comprising said mounting plate and a lower mating plate;
- said mounting plate having a first complex configured prefabricated geometric pattern including a plurality of repetitive facets on its opposite major surface;
- locking said opposite major surface of said mounting plate in fixed interlocking registration with one surface of said lower mating plate which has a second complex geometric pattern including a plurality of repetitive facets which is constructed to intermesh in precise mating relation with the facets of said first complex configured geometric pattern when said mounting plate and said lower mating plate are disposed in a preselected spatial relationship to form said prefabricated precision mating combination, so that said mounting plate and said lower mating plate are locked with their principal planes in substantially parallel relation, whereby said hardened castings can be cut and precisely realigned after removal.
A device for processing dental models comprising a prefabricated combination for the precision mating of two separate rigid elements in a preselected orientation which comprises:
- a first plate having one surface thereof embossed and configured with a first complex geometric pattern having a plurality of repetitive facets, and the opposite surface of said first plate constructed to support said dental models in fixed relation for processing;
- and
- a second plate having one surface thereof embossed and configured with a second complex geometric pattern having a plurality of repetitive facets which is substantially the inverse of said first geometric pattern, wherein the facets of said geometric patterns are constructed to precisely mate in fixed registration when said first and second plates are in a preselected spatial relationship so that the major planes of said first and second plates are disposed in substantially parallel relation whereby said dental models can be cut and precisely realigned after removal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.