US 4,380,435 A · Permanent one visit bonded bridge no drilling, and kit therefor

Abstract

A dental prosthesis and process of making and installing the same, wherein a plurality of individual artificial teeth are assembled on an arched contoured longitudinal support, are disclosed, as well as a kit containing detailed instructions and necessary supplies and equipment for carrying out the process. The artificial teeth are made of an acrylic resin, other composites or plastics or porcelain. Anterior natural teeth adjacent the space to be filled are step shaped lingually and etched to provide a base for bonding. Posterior teeth adjacent the space have the fossae deepened if needed. The arched contoured longitudinal support carrying the proper number of artificial teeth integrated with the support and each other is placed in the formed steps or deepened fossae on opposite sides of the space and bonded in place, lapped and smoothed. The procedure permits assembly of the prosthesis from separate teeth by the dentist and permits virtually all operations to be performed by the dentist--even on a one-visit basis. The margins of the prosthesis do not infringe on the crevicular space; therefore no irritating factors affect the gingival sulcus and no periodontal disease will result from the prosthesis. Flossing can be fully performed for hygiene purposes. This prosthesis performs all the functions of natural teeth including: mastication, speech, spatial support, facial contour and aesthetics.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A kit for making and inserting a dental bridge in a gap between natural teeth in a human mouth, said kit comprising:

a generally arch-shaped piece of a rigid material having approximately the shape of a geometric curve defined by the central fossae of the posterior teeth and the lingual surfaces of the anterior teeth of one jaw of a human mouth;
said piece being adapted to have at least one artificial tooth mounted thereon and having such a cross-sectional shape that a length of said piece can be secured to at least one natural tooth to each side of said gap by means of being received in a groove formed in the surface of each of said natural teeth, and
a sufficient quantity of copolymer usable for forming an ultraviolet light transmissive matrix for aligning said at least one artificial tooth.

The process of making and inserting a dental bridge between adjacent teeth, comprising the steps of:

arranging a sufficient number of artificial teeth on an arched contoured longitudinal support to fill the space between said adjacent teeth and securing said artificial teeth on said longitudinal support:
forming an ultraviolet light transmissive matrix having first portions corresponding to the natural tooth anatomy and second portions corresponding to the arranged artificial teeth, said first and second portions being aligned with respect to one another;
forming a step in the lingual surface of an anterior tooth adjacent to the area in which the bridge is inserted;
the step being defined by a single surface extending in the buccal direction and a single surface extending in the inclusive direction with respect to the anterior tooth;
the depth of said step being such that the longitudinal support may be substantially submerged therein;
etching the formed step surface to release any interprismatic cement which is exposed after the step is formed:
applying bonding material which cures upon being exposed to ultraviolet light to said step;
aligning said artificial teeth with said adjacent teeth using said matrix by placing said matrix over said artificial and adjacent teeth so that an end of said longitudinal support is disposed in said step;
and
exposing said matrix to ultraviolet light, whereby said bonding material is cured by ultraviolet light passing through said matrix and said longitudinal support bonded in said step.

7 more elements

The process of making and inserting a dental bridge between adjacent teeth, comprising the steps of:

arranging a sufficient number of artificial teeth on an arched contoured longitudinal support to fill the space between said adjacent teeth and securing said artificial teeth on said longitudinal support;
forming an ultraviolet light transmissive matrix having first portions corresponding to the natural tooth anatomy and second portions corresponding to the arranged artificial teeth, said first and second portions being aligned with respect to one another;
forming a step in the lingual surface of an anterior tooth adjacent to the area in which the bridge is inserted;
the depth of said step being such that the longitudinal support may be submerged therein;
etching the formed step surface to release any interprismatic cement exposed after the step is formed;
applying a boding material to said etched step which cures upon being exposed to ultraviolet light;
aligning said artificial teeth with said adjacent teeth using said matrix by placing said matrix over said artificial and adjacent teeth;
and
bonding said longitudinal support extensions in said step by exposing said matrix to ultraviolet light, whereby said bonding material is cured by ultraviolet light transmitted through said matrix.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Permanent one visit bonded bridge no drilling, and kit therefor

Life of this patent

Permanent one visit bonded bridge no drilling, and kit therefor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29