Technique for positioning dental crowns and inlays

Abstract

Special tools and materials are provided For the fitting and placement of artificial crowns and inlays in a patient's mouth. One version of the kit comprises test ribbons, ribbon gripping forceps, crown gripping forceps, a crown placement tool, an adhesive dispenser, expendable adhesive, an adhesive dispenser stand, an inlay/veneer placement tool, and a number of plastic or metal shims. The inlay placement tool is fitted with hot-melt adhesive on its tip for fixed attachment of an inlay or veneer for placement in the mouth. The crown placement tool is adhered with hot melt adhesive to the biting surface of a posterior crown to be used as a crown placing device. The ribbon forceps is used to grip a thin precut test ribbon and hold the ribbon in the patient's mouth vertically on either the front or back side of an artificial crown being placed. The crown placement tool is used to position an artificial crown in the patient's mouth onto the prepared tooth alongside the test-ribbon, whereby withdrawing the test ribbon with the ribbon forceps tests and marks the area of interproximal contact of the crown or inlay as well as the amount of pressure of the contact. The crown gripping forceps is also used to place an artificial crown for final cementation. The adhesive is not only used to place and remove an artificial crown or inlay for fitting, but is also used for the patient to bite on during cementation to keep the crown or inlay seated. Alternatively, the kit may be supplied with a number of ball posts and a ball post stand instead of the crown placement tool. In this version of the kit, the ball posts are adhered to the biting surface of the crown. The ball post may then be gripped with the crown gripping forceps. The forceps, while gripping the ball post, may be used to direct the crown into the mouth for marking, fitting, or cementing.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.