Apparatus, system, and method for readapting a dental appliance

An apparatus for use in a procedure of readapting a dental appliance to closely conform to the contours and embrasures of a model representative of a patient's teeth, wherein the dental appliance has first been heated to attain a predetermined level of plasticity, the apparatus comprising:

• a. a vacuum forming table provided with a vacuum pump for generating a negative pressure on a surface of the vacuum forming table;
• b. an elastic membrane;
• c. a drum head adapter, the drum head adapter comprising:
• i. a substantially planar rim surface for uniformly contacting the vacuum forming table, and
• ii. a substantially annular side wall extending from the substantially planar rim surface, the substantially annular sidewall having a top suitable for being received within a human hand;
• and
• d. a clamp fitted around the substantially annular sidewall, proximal to the substantially planar rim surface, with the elastic membrane interposed between the clamp and the substantially annular sidewall in a manner exerting a low tension on the elastic membrane, such that the elastic membrane will respond to the negative pressure by pressing the dental appliance to the model, causing the dental appliance to closely conform to the contours and embrasures of the teeth represented on the model.

A system for use in readapting a previously formed dental appliance to closely conform to the contours and embrasures of a model representative of a patient's teeth, wherein the dental appliance has first been heated to attain a predetermined level of plasticity, the apparatus comprising:

• a. means for generating a negative pressure:
• b. a support surface on which the model and dental appliance can be supported and exposed to the negative pressure:
• and
• c. elastic membrane means responsive to the negative pressure liar pressing the dental appliance against the model with sufficient force to cause the dental appliance to conform to the contours and embrasures of the model and the maintaining the dental appliance in close contact with the model until the dental appliance cools an amount sufficient to retain its shape and the negative pressure is released.

A system for readapting a dental appliance to closely conform to the contours and embrasures of a model representative of a patient's teeth, wherein the dental appliance is first heated to a level of plasticity, the system comprising:

• a. means for generating a negative pressure;
• b. a vacuum forming table having a surface on which the model and dental appliance can be supported and exposed to the negative pressure;
• c. a heating element disposed a predetermined distance from the vacuum forming table;
• d. means for positioning the model and dental appliance in a first predetermined location, the first predetermined location being a given distance from the heating element;
• e. means for relocating the positioning means from the first predetermined position to a second predetermined position in close proximity to the surface of the vacuum forming table;
• and
• f. an elastic membrane for pressing the dental appliance to the model in response to the negative pressure.

A system for readapting a dental appliance to closely conform to the contours and embrasures of a model representative of a patient's teeth, wherein the dental appliance is first heated to a level of plasticity, the system comprising:

• a. a vacuum forming device, comprising:
• i. a vacuum pump for generating a negative pressure;
• ii. a body section, with the vacuum pump being disposed within the body section;
• iii. a vacuum forming table located at the top of the body section, the vacuum forming table having a surface linked in negative pressure communication with the vacuum pump;
• iv. a heating element capable of heating the dental appliance to a level of plasticity;
• v. a hood disposed above the body section, with the heating element being contained in the hood;
• vi. a clamping frame dynamically displacable between a first predetermined position a given distance from the hood and a second predetermined position in close proximity to the vacuum forming table, the clamping frame comprising:
• (1) an upper frame;
• (2) a lower frame;
• (3) at least one hinge connecting the upper frame to the lower frame;
• and
• (4) at least one S-shaped clamp, wherein the upper frame and lower frame are securable together with the at least one S-shaped clamp;
• vii. a retaining screen for being clampably held within the clamping frame, the retaining screen being suitable for holding the model in position on the clamping frame and for allowing negative pressure from below to reach the model and dental appliance when the clamping frame rests on the support surface;
• viii. a glide rail extending between the body section and the hood, with the clamping frame being displacably connected to the glide rail;
• ix. a guide rod having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the clamping frame and the second end being displacably inserted into a sleeve in the body section, the guide rod having a surface with at least one indentation formed therein;
• and
• x. a spring-loaded ball mechanism for being received into the at least one indentation, and of being held in the at least one indentation with a sufficient force to temporarily maintain the clamping frame in the first predetermined position;
• and
• b. a readaptation device, comprising:
• i. an elastic membrane, the elastic membrane being adapted for being placed over the model and dental appliance when the model and dental appliance are located on the vacuum forming table;
• and
• ii. a drum head adapter, comprising:
• (1) a substantially planar rim surface, with the outer periphery of the elastic membrane being connected to the substantially planar rim surface;
• (2) a substantially annular sidewall extending from the substantially planar rim surface, the substantially annular sidewall having a top portion suitable for being received within a human hand;
• and
• (3) a clamp fitted around the outer periphery of the substantially planar rim surface, with the elastic membrane being interposed between the damp and the substantially planar rim surface, such that the outer periphery of the elastic membrane is capable of being held to the vacuum forming table, and wherein the tension on the elastic membrane is sufficiently low that the elastic membrane will respond to the negative pressure by closely conforming the dental appliance to the contours and embrasures of the representative teeth of the model.

A method for readapting a dental appliance to closely conform to the contours and embrasures of a model representative of a patient's teeth, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. adapting the dental appliance from a thermoplastic sheet that has been heated at a first position close to a heating element of the vacuum forming device;
• b. removing the dental appliance from the model;
• c. trimming the excess material of the thermoplastic sheet from the dental appliance;
• d. placing the dental appliance on the model;
• e. attaching a retaining screen to a clamping frame of the vacuum forming table;
• f. placing the model and dental appliance on the screen,
• g. heating the dental appliance to a predetermined state of plasticity at a second position, the second position being located further away from the heating element than the first position;
• h. relocating the clamping frame from the second position to a third position resting on a surface of a vacuum forming table in order to place the model and dental appliance in close contact with negative pressure generated by a vacuum pump linked in negative pressure communication with the surface of the vacuum forming table;
• i. positioning an elastic membrane over the model and dental appliance, with the edges of the elastic membrane sealed to the surface of the vacuum forming table in order to sustain a negative pressure around model and the dental appliance;
• j. enabling the vacuum pump and allowing the vacuum pump to operate for a period of time until the dental appliance cools and conforms closely to the model;
• and
• k. removing the dental appliance from the model.