Artificial teeth

Abstract

An artificial tooth has a length of its buccal side substantially equal to that of a natural tooth and a length of its lingual side in the range of 4.0 mm to a length shorter than the length of its buccal side by at least 2.5 mm. A basal surface is of a concave shape in engagement with a more convex shape than the shape in cross-section of the alveolar ridge. One or two proximal surfaces of the basal surface is or are provided at the substantial center with an occlusally inclined smooth groove having a width of 1.5 to 5.0 mm, a maximum depth of 0.5 to 3.0 mm, and an proximal upper end located away from the highest position. The occlusal surface has a mesiodistal length substantially equal to that of a natural tooth and a W.sub.2 /W.sub.1 ratio falling in the range of 55 to 95% of that of a natural tooth, wherein W.sub.1 is the mesiodistal length and W.sub.2 is the buccolingual length.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.