# US 8,770,975 B2 · Method of making a dental restoration from a frame and a veneer

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- Number: US 8,770,975 B2
- Document ID: US8770975B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/139,692
- Filed: 2009-12-01
- Published: 2011-10-06
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-15
- Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company
- Applicants: Josef A. Waizenegger; Till Meurer; Thomas B. Hiebel; Bastian P. Kirchner; Michael A. Kraemer
- Inventors: Josef A. Waizenegger; Till Meurer; Thomas B. Hiebel; Bastian P. Kirchner; Michael A. Kraemer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770975B2

## CPC

- A61C 5/77: Methods or devices for making crowns
- A61C 13/08: Artificial teeth; Making same (kilns for artificial teeth F27B)
- A61C 13/083: Porcelain or ceramic teeth {(A61C13/081 takes precedence; preparations A61K6/80)}
- A61C 13/09: {Composite teeth, e.g. front and back section (A61C13/0835, A61C13/1023 take precedence)}; Multilayer teeth
- Y10T 29/49567: Dental appliance making
- A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method of making a dental restoration is provided. The dental restoration comprises a frame and a veneer. An inner veneer surface and an outer frame surface are adapted to be mated with one another to form the dental restoration. The method in particular comprises steps of (a) providing an outer veneer surface; (b) determining an outer frame surface, based on the outer veneer surface; (c) determining an inner veneer surface, based on the outer frame surface; and (d) providing an inner frame surface, based on a natural tooth surface. The method may be advantageous for rapid, precise and inexpensive manufacturing of a dental restoration.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of making a dental restoration from a frame and a veneer, the frame and the veneer having inner and outer surfaces, wherein the inner frame surface corresponds to an inner surface of the dental restoration, and the outer veneer surface corresponds to an outer surface of the dental restoration, with the inner veneer surface and the outer frame surface being adapted to be mated with one another to form the dental restoration, the method implemented with a computer system with one or more processors and memories, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an outer veneer surface in the form of surface data;
(b) determining, by the one or more processors, an outer frame surface in the form of surface data, based on the outer veneer surface;
(c) determining, by the one or more processors, an inner veneer surface in the form of surface data, based on the outer frame surface; and
(d) providing an inner frame surface in the form of surface data, based on a natural tooth surface prepared to receive the dental restoration.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising the step of shaping the outer frame surface and/or the step of shaping the inner veneer surface to account for at least one intermediate layer arranged between the frame and the veneer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising the step of providing the veneer with an inner surface that is proportionally scaled relative to the outer frame surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising the step of shaping the frame to account for at least one fixation layer for connecting the frame and the prepared natural tooth.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising the step of providing the frame with an inner surface that is proportionally scaled relative to the prepared natural tooth surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:
(aa) providing a predefined standard tooth surface in the form of surface data;
(ab) providing an option to manually modify the standard tooth surface; and
(ac) accepting the standard tooth surface or modified standard tooth surface to provide the outer veneer surface in the form of surface data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising the step of machining a frame precursor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, comprising the steps of:
sintering of the frame precursor to provide a frame;
providing a slurry comprising a glass ceramic material, water, and optionally colorants;
combining the veneer precursor and the frame with the slurry in between to provide a dental restoration precursor; and
sintering the dental restoration precursor to provide the dental restoration.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method claim 7, wherein the frame precursor is made from a pre-sintered ceramic material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising the step of machining a veneer precursor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the veneer precursor is made from a pre-sintered glass-ceramic material.