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US 8,070,485 B2Granted
Notched pontic and system for fabricating dental appliance for use therewith
AssigneeDENTSPLY International Inc.
InventorsDann A. Schwartz, John J. Sheridan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pontic (10) having a prefabricated notch, channel or slot (11) to physically engage and ensure a secure mechanical lock with the dental appliance (30). The invention also pertains to a method of fabricating a dental appliance (30) and a kit for facilitating the same. The invention has particular application to thermoformed, removable appliances.
Claims3
A method of constructing an orthodontic postioning appliance incorporating a pontic, comprising the steps of:
- a) making an impression of a patient's dentition;
- b) constructing a dental impression cast from said impression, the cast having an edentulous area;
- c) providing a pontic having a notch pre-formed therein;
- d) fitting the pontic having the notch pre-formed therein to the edentulous area of the cast;
- e) temporarily adhering the pontic to the cast;
- f) thermoforming a plastic sheet over the cast to form a plastic orthodontic positioning appliance, wherein a portion of the plastic sheet physically engages the pre-formed notch of the pontic to mechanically lock the pontic to the plastic orthontic postioning appliance;
- and
- g) removing the plastic orthodontic possition appliance with the mechanically locked pontic therein from the cast.
5 more elements
A method of constructing a an orthodontic positioning appliance incorporating a pontic, comprising the steps of:
- a) making an impression of a patient's dentition;
- b) constructing a dental impression cast from said impression, the cast having an edentulous area;
- c) providing a pontic having a notch pre-formed therein;
- d) fitting the pontic having the notch pre-formed therein to the edentulous area of the cast;
- and
- e) thermoforming a plastic sheet over the cast to form a plastic orthodontic positioning appliance, wherein a portion of the plastic sheet physically engages the pre-formed notch of the pontic to mechanically lock the pontic into the plastic orthodontic positioning appliance while allowing the pontic to dislodge from the cast;
- and
- (f) removing the plastic orthodontic positioning appliance with the mechanically locked pontic therein from the cast.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.