Method and apparatus for fabricating dental prosthetics

A method for fabricating three directional dental prosthetics comprising the steps of:

• (1) preparing an impression of the patient's upper or lower arches;
• (2) preparing a master model of the patient's upper or lower arches by pouring a hardening material into said impression and allowing said material to set up;
• (3) taking an impression of one or more of said master models in hydrocolloid impression material;
• (4) preparing duplicate models of the patient's upper or lower arches from one or more of the impressions prepared in step (3) by pouring a hardening material into said impression and allowing said material to set up;
• (5) preparing base plates for each of said master and duplicate models prepared in steps (2) and (4) by applying a plastic material over each of said models;
• (6) removing the base plates from each of the models prepared in step (5);
• (7) applying a layer of relatively hard wax extending to the occlusal plane to the top of each of the master base plates as prepared in step (5) to form an occlusal rim on each of said base plates;
• (8) obtaining a bite to determine centric registration by mounting the base plates in the patient's mouth and causing the patient to force the occlusal rims of the upper and lower arches together;
• (9) mounting the bite obtained in step (8) into a straight line articulator;
• (10) removing the models from the master base plates in the articulator in step (9);
• (11) preparing a master setup by setting the artificial dentures in wax on one or more of the base plates in the articulator;
• (12) trying the wax setup prepared in step (11) in the patient's mouth to determine centric registration;
• (13) making a matrix of the setup prepared in step (11) when the result in step (12) is satisfactory;
• (14) preparing a set of pumice teeth by pouring the pumice compound into the matrix formed in step (13) and allowing said compound to harden;
• (15) preparing a secondary set containing pumice teeth by transferring the pumice teeth prepared in step (14) on duplicate models of the patient's upper or lower arches;
• (16) mounting the secondary setup prepared in step (15) in the patient's mouth;
• (17) abrasively milling incisal-occlusal surfaces on the pumice teeth corresponding to the patient's natural mandibular movements by exercising the secondary setup containing the pumice teeth in the patient's mouth;
• and
• (18) reproducing the incisal-occlusal surfaces on the wax setup corresponding to the incisal-occlusal surface on the pumice teeth by mounting said master and secondary setups on the mill-in-jig and reproducing the surfaces of said pumice teeth on said artificial dentures.

A method for fabricating fixed crown and bridge restorations comprising the steps of:

• (1) preparing the teeth in the patient's mouth for restoration;
• (2) preparing a master and two duplicate models of the full arch containing the teeth to be restored;
• (3) preparing a crown and bridgework adapted to fit in the patient's mouth as prepared in step (1);
• (4) making an impression of the crown and bridge work prepared in step (3);
• (5) preparing a pumice reproduction of the crown and bridgework prepared in step (2) by pouring a pumice compound into the impression made in step (4);
• (6) preparing acrylic partials overlaying the occlusal surface of the prepared tooth on one of said duplicate models;
• (7) mounting the pumice reproduction into said acrylic partials prepared in step (6);
• (8) abrasively milling incisal-occlusal surfaces in the pumice reproduction corresponding to the patient's natural mandibular movements by exercising the appliance resulting from step (7) in the patient's mouth;
• and
• (9) mechanically reproducing the incisal-occlusal surfaces on said pumice reproduction on said crown and bridgework.