Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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't~ni+a'll'fIt)U ANll SYS'",'tti'i FO1I AtITOMAi"II~ D MASS
IVIANU'k+~'A.C:TUR[W OF
(:1~5'Y'~L1~I 'T+mt`7'1'IJE AI1: NI+(-DEI..S Vt11Ft USE IN THE
t+'Al3RICA'1'lON UV
DENTAL p'ROS T lI I;'i'rCS
BACKGROUND
'flic prescrit inve-ztian iclatcs to tttilizing digital dental models to
directly
irianu('acttyrc cListom tooth die inodels Ihat can be riscd as a pattcrt1 to
fabricate dental
prost hetios such as crowns.
In inany clerttal applications, a physical model of a naticnt's tectli is
needod that
faithiiylly -cproduccs the paticnt's teeth and ollior dents.l Sttuctures,
including the j:tw
str'ucturc Conventionally, a thru:-diincnsional negative model of the tecth
anci othcr
derita) struclures is ct'e:tted during an impression-taking session whcre one
or niorc trays
, aio filled witli a de;ital itnpression material and the tray is then placed
over the tecth to
create a ov.gativc tnold. Once the intpression niaterial lias hardened, the
tray of material
is removed troin lhc teeth trnd a plaster like material is pourcd into the
nugative n1old
forinett by tl'ic inipression. After hardening, the pourecl plaster material
is rcmoved Ei=om
tlw inipression xiiald antl, as ilccessary, ftnistt work is lacrformed on the
casting to create
thG [lnal physical model of the desrtat stnicture. 'I'ypically a phyrsical
nrodei will include
ut Ic;tst one tooth and llie adjacent region of ginl;iva. Pliysical models may
also inclt3de
alI of ttic tc..lli ol' a jaw, tlic adjacent i;iiigiva and, for the upper jaw,
the contour ot' the
palatc.
Dental laboratotie5 typically usc the physical model as a pattern for tliQ
fZlirication and iitting of a variety ol' precisiqri iitte-d dental prosthctic
devices sucli as
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crowns, bridg4sT retainers and vetlcefs. t7lten, thc technician perCot'IYIs a
significant
auzotint of work on 1he physical nlodcl to prepare it for use as the pattern
for the dental
t;il7si catian. For cxainple, when a single tUUth crown is to be inade, the
technician will
perforttt a mtiltbcr ol' operations to isolate and reniovc the tooth oF
interest from the
iTac7(lcl. First Ilie bottom of the model will bc ground flat. 'Chc:
technician will then drill a
ttolo and install a coated piti at the bottom of the tooth model (die) of
interest, The piii
provicfer- a myeans of Itandlirlg the isolated tooth die dLtrin.g the
subsequent steps involved
in the crown bciti, fabricated. "l'he pinned moclel is then plaeF:d on the top
ara base mold
(ray that ltas becn fillc3d witli unhardened plaster nYaterial. Ailer the
material hardens, the
modet is X)t>w attached to the base foran with the coated lain embedded in the
base inolcl.
'1'hc; xii:c#inicican then makes two vertieal cuts on ea.ch side of the pinned
toolli inodel being
e,4refttl x`1nt tO cLtL or rcmove matcrial from the tooth nlodel oi'interest
or the adjacent teeth
ui'thc alYt~~l~l. I3ec;tllSG tltie pin was coated, ilte plaster rtiatcrial
does not adhere to the pin
stic# the cutout tootti die crtii yiow be rccnoved from the model/basc;
assembly. The pinncd
GnOth clic c;Ln nryw be usecl ati the model to fabricate the crown.
Typically, once llie crowti has been fabricated, lhe crown will be installed
on tllc
tonth die and placed l,iack on the model/base assembly to veriry the ft of tho
crown with
IIiU adjacent teesth. As can be appreciated, the process of cutting the tooth
of interest out
of the inodeUhase asscmbly rxeates the nppcyrtLtnity to damage either the
tooth of ilitet'est
or the adjac4rll teeth in ilie moriel, vvhich results in a potentially poor
fitting crown in the
PF! tie-1t,
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AUton3att'd dcll(al strllctill'e sCill.liilng tcchT11C1t1Cs hav(: been
developed as
al[tuttitives to the rno4d casting Proc,cdure. Because thcse techniques can
create a direot
dit;iill repteycnttttion of the dental stnictures, thoy provide iltc advantagc
of creating an
"c:lt;c,[rotaic itnprestiion" that is immcdiately tra.nsmittable from the
paiicnt to a dental
t.`cyntlxI tcr Aided 1')es-gn (CAD) system and, aftcr review ttttd annotation
by a dentist, to a
ti,~tiifil lnbcti'atoiy. '1'ho diggita.l transmission potcntially diminishes
inconvcuienr,e for lho
pctticiit nr-d olimin:ttes the risk of damage to ihc intpression mold.
Fr cxample, U.S. Patent No. 6,364,660 discloses a incthocl and apparatus for
mapping the structure and topography of dental forniiitions sitch as
peridontium and
W4R h, botli ini;act atid prepared, ior diagnosis and dental prosthetics and
bridgcwork by
an intra-oral iittage scantiing lechniqrte. As claimed tftercin, the methvd
ean
provide a digital 31) model that captures details of orally situated denta]
Forntationti thtas
ena.l.iling clia.gliosis ttnd thc- preParation of precision moldinas and
fabrications that will
prc,vide grcater eomfnrt anel longcr wear to the dctttal patient.
!n parallel wil.h llic adviroceinent in the met:hods and means to create
digital dental
m+atlels, conz putor aidcd design (CAD) systcins have becn developed for use
by dental
prttc[itionecs, Nyhich utilisa these cligital rnodels. Typically, these
syslems allow the ttsux'
ity view, ;shiil aztd re?tate the digital model as weil as perform a variety
of measurements.
In aE9cli[ioti, these (;Al,) systenis caii transfcr filcs and be intcrfacecl
to Computer
Tutegr{itc;d ManuFacturitig (C11V1) ecJUip1130nt, sttcl- as a CNC milling
machine, to fabricate
a t}hyslG-a1 dei1ti31 tttodcl or t)x'osthetic Oam the digi[al nioclel li1e.
These CA'!) systems
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howcver clo not provide the reatures iYeeded by dental laboratories to
cliniinate the
manual sl.eps required to create a tQol,ls die.
S[]MM.ARY
in cay,e a,spect, a iyiolhod for using a digital dental model; allowing
authorized
tisers to specify tltc dental arc=ii of interest; isolating the specified
dental area of interest
li=otn ltrc oriAincil di~;ital riental moc3el; creating a new 3D digital model
filv for thc
isulatad tootll area of interesL; GrCating, a digital isolatcd tt?oth die
mocIel by appending to
t'ho isolated tooth 31) niodel file either 1) a 3D digital model file of a
base witli a
motynting po5t or steln, or 2) a base wiili a lrolc sized to receive a pre-
fabriodted motintitlg
post or stcm, with such motinting post, stenz or hole dimensioned to the base
o!' the
isol7tecl dental afcay crea.ting physical moclels ot' both the original
digital dctifal lilbdcl
aiid tlyL digital isolated tooth clie niodol; and arcliivin.g the digital
models.
lmplentic:ntations of tlie above aspect may include one or more of the
followiug.
A detital Comptitc;r Aid+:cl Design (CAD) system can be used to view the
digital duntal
ilxoclel and Uelcct the tcctli thrit need to be isolated. The dental CAD
system can then
c,re,ale 3D dititll tooth die riiodels for the seiected teetli. A Computer
Integrated
Mallutacturinl; (CIM) system cati create plYysical study models representative
of the
ot=iginal dii;ital dental mvdel and the dqAtal tooth dac rnodcls.
Uther aspects of the present invention are described in the following detailed
clcscriptio,n oi'tl3e itlven[iott, in the cleiiils and in the acconipanying
draNvings.
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IiR]Lst'TSESCRUX'TI()N (Yr, THE DRAWINGS
ri;;urc I is a block dia;rRm allustraLing an exemplary cnvironitiscnt for
viewing,
altering, and archiving digital niodels of dental structures and for
supporting computcr
intualaiccl 111anut'lcttlring of physical models of the dental structures
using tho digital
T110elcl 00.5,
Figure 2 shows a systenY and method for viewing tligital dental models and
1.3ifortp}jng treatfYyettt planninl;,
Figure 3$hows a process to edit a digital model of a tootli,
Fig. 4 i]{ustx.ites an e.camplc of a digiul model for an isolatecl tooth die
with a
base t1iaL iucludeti a mounting post or stern.
ri~;urc 5 illustratcs an exainplc of, a digital mode;l for an isolated lootlt
die witli a
base that inchulos a riole for receiving a prc-fabrioatecl iiiotinting post or
stein.
DESCR1f''fl(7N
Figure 1 is a block diagram that illustraie~ an oxemplary cnvironiYient for
viewing,
attcraril;, and archiving digital incidels of dont3l stnictures and for
supporting computc:r
imcl;rttitetj naa n-,il`:Lcturing of lAysical lnodels of the clenla.l
struCtUrc;s using the digital
model lilos. In the environntent of Fig. 1, clata obtaitied by an intra-oral
scanner 102 uf
(lte clant,il structurus is uscd to ct'eate a 31) digital dc tal inodcl that
is rcpresetttativc of
tl-o suifaco cotxtour of Llic scanned detYtal structures. Descriptions ol' the
method and
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apparatps to obttin this digital dental model arc describcd in U.S. Patent No.
6,364,660,
tlYt: conlents of wliich are incorporated by reference lierein.
Tho data rcpretienlit;g the digital dental working model from the scanner 102
is
tra,nsfertucl over tt wide area network 110 sticli as the Internet to a
clental lfibc>ra,tory
faoility 130 ovitit e+ottrp4ttcr aided manufacturing capabilities. 13sing the
Dental CAD
System 104 a dent<<l laboratory technician may view the digital dental rnndel
and select
tisose tc,,Ali for wltich a tooth ciie inodcl i5 desired, The Dental CAD
Sybtem 104 would
iltun crc..ttc 3X) digital isol{ilecl tonth cjie inodelS ol` the selecteri
tecth. The technician
could then selert wltich of the digital rnodcls sbvuld be fabricated into a
physiual modcl
cttiliring rtrothods attd technologies sucli a.s Stereo Lithography Apparatus
(SLA).
Typically, a C!U( I`abricated itiolatcd tooth die izuadel would be ttsed as a
pattcrn to
fitbt'iGate a prosthilic such as a crown that woul(l then be shipped directly
bach, to thc
d4siStixt 106,
ln sutXie casesy the dentist 106 may transfer the digital dental model lile to
a CIM
f4c:ility 120. The C1VI' fiteility 120 may choose tc) make dcntist-sanctioned
modifications
to tYto dsgit,il dc:ntal moclel and then fabricate the pltysical replicates of
the digitttt cleittai
inotlel ancl the digital isolated tooth die model following the processes
described
pt'c;r~iottsly for ttlo deritiRl laboratory 130. pnce the pltysical models of
tlie digital dental
ntcfdel awl tlte digital isolated tooth die inodcl are made, the physical
models wou,ld be
shipped to thc requested dental laboratory 130 for prosthetic fabrication.
"f'1io system of pigzire I integrates thc cr4ation of digital dental riiadLls
with CIM
to f;,brit;<<te :tcaurate physicat model representatiotts of tlte digital
nlodels. The iitvention
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atl<lreas;~s the CIM of physical models ranging from an individual isolated
tooth dic
iiici<icl to a dental niodal comprised of all ilic tcctli in the jaw. The CTM
teclinolUgies that
tire suitable for fabricatioti of playsical models of the digital niodc-ls
includes, but is riol
limiteii to stcreo lithUgKanhy apparatus (S1..A), computer niimeric controlled
(CNC)
msschinitig, electro-dischngo machininl; (1?nM), and Swiss Automatics
machininl;, For
exainplL, SLA cclziipniont and 3D printers such as [lie '!'lhermo3et printer
are available
li=om 31) Systents, Inc_ of Valencia, CA that allows CAD users the freedoni to
ciuickly
"uririt" and holcl -a 3-dimerasional model in their hat-ds.
Tn stuceolithognaphy, thrce-climcnsiona.l shape model data is converted into,
coiitour liiie data and scatianal sliapcs at respective contotu= lines are
su.~uentislly
laminateci to prepare a ciibic aloclel. Y?ach cubic ultraviolet-ray curable
resin layer of the
model is cured ttinder irradiliion o!' a laser l7eain before itie next layer
is deposited and
curcd. Each layer is in esscnce a thin cro;rs-section of the desired three-
dirriensional
olyjccl. Typiciily, a thin layer of viscou5 curable plastic liquid is applied
to a surFa.ce
wliicl- may be a previously ctiyred layer aid, after sLifticient tinie has
elapsed for Glie thin
layer of polylnerizAle liquid to sn1ooth out by gravity, a coniputer
cc>ntrolled heam of
racliation is 1novCd across the thin liquid laycr to sufl.'sciently cure the
plastic liqtilitl sQ that
sutnecluem layc:rs clci be rippliecl thercta
I'he tvaiting period for the tliin layer to level varies d.c;pendinl; on
several flators
;;11011 a5 the vise0sity of the polymerizable liquid, the layer thickness,
part gcornetry, and
cross-scctiUn, ztn(t the like. Typieatly, the cured layer, whieh is supported
on a vertically
irzovalile object stippait platform, is dipped below the surface of a bath ol
the viscous
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polynieriaalale 1itlrtid a distancc greater than the desired layer tliicl:ness
so that liquid
ilows over the prcvious Gross-section rapidly. Thin, the part is raised to a
position below
tl-c~ surfilo of the liclw1id cclual to the dcsirecl layer thickness, which
foriits a bolge of
c_xccss mat4rial ovur at least a substantial portion of the previous cross-
section. When tho
surface levels (timooth otit), the layer is ready for curing by radiation. An
ultraviolet laser
gumeratcs a snaall intcnsu spot of UV wliich is iiioved across the liquid
surfacc vrith a
galvanonnetcr nlirror X-Y scatine:' in a 1 -edeterntincd pattern. Tn the above
frya.nncr,
stereolithoi;aaphy equipnlLnt automatically builds complex tlucc-dimensional
pai=t5 by
successively ciiring a plLira.lity oi'thin layers of a curabae ntedium on top
of each oihor
uittil ;ill afthc tliin layers arc joined together to forni a whole part such
as a dental model.
As can bL appreciaicd, eacli patient's dental model is unique and these models
are
typically MWu.sfactured otse at a time by a skilled dental technicixn. In
contrast to this
manual i`a.brication (it` models, ihe use of SLA allows for the niass
i-tanuNctudug of patient Llental models since the platform can be sectioned
into gi-ids
whLre each grid can support a. unique set of deYytal model parts, 7n addition,
these unique
lõrid model lyarts can be serializect during manufacturing to allow tracking
of individual
parts 1i? rc,uglYnut the dental laboratory process.
For a typical siri;le tooth crown patient, three unique physical models would
be
:t:a(ie: 1) 11 physical xnodel oFall or part of tho teeth and adjacent gingiva
in the digital
ticntnl model dcrivcd fi-om scanuing the dental struc;tures in the upper jaw;
2) A physical
ijtodol of all or patt ofthc teeth and adjacr:nt gingiva in the digital
d.ezita,l model derived
1Yo111 SGailning the cle-ntal siructurea in the lower jaw; and 3) A physica.l
model of the
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di&;i~al isoluej t ootla die model for ille tooth being orqwiied. The upper
and lower jaw
l,llysiciil riloclois would be fabricated willi index marks a}lowing ihe lab
technician or
duittist to align tlre physical models in the proper occlusal rela,tion$hip.
Once tlte dental
1cohzticlan h:is fitlYCicated the crown iisir-r; the physical mclel of the
clip,ital isolated tooth
eliu tno(lcl tis a pAtcrn, tlte crown cari be checked for fit by seating it on
the cctirresponding
tooth loo{ttion of tije pltysic.al aTioclel created from the digital dental
niodel for the uppet- or
lower jaw. 'i'his allows for an accu.rat4 check of botlz adjacent tooth intet-
fcrcnce atid
occlu5a1 lit oFthC fab1'icated crowtt prostlaetic prior to shipping the crown
prosthetic to the
dentist.
Refcrri > xrow ta Fi,gure 2, a dental CAD systettia 200 for viewing dibital
dental
r od0s and pcrforniing trcatment planning is presented. Data frorrt an intra-
oral dental
;~eanner 102 is processed by a.3D image ai*icl dantal model engine 202 and
displayed as a
scaled 3D view oi'lhc: dentni strctctures.
i'lic 31) irnagc and clental rnotiel euginc 202 also astiesses the quality of
the
acquired di~;ltal dcnlal moclel and can display to the user Iiighli~htcd
regions where ihe
dil;ital Llental inodel rellects an ancrmalous surfoce cotitour, or where
uncertainties in the
calculaleti estim.tte ot'1he surfacv contour exceeds a user specitied limit.
The output of
tho 3 I) itrta,yo and ctental rnodel ongitte 202 is provided to a display
driver 203 fpr driving
a display or incnitox 205.
'1'he 3D image and dental rnodel engine 202 cointrnanicates with a user
connmand
piocr:ssor 204, whioh accepts user cnmmands gerierated loGally or over the
lntcrnet. The
riscr 4otnniaaid prowsaor 204 receives commands from a local uscr through a
mouse 206,
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a kc-yhoard 203, or a stylus pad 210 or joystick 211. Additionally, a
iiiicrophone 212 is
provided tca capturc user voice c;omtnands or voicc annolations. Sotznd
capiurcd by tlto
rcli0roplione 212 is provided to a voice proeessor 7.14 for convertitip, voice
to text. T11c
oulpttL of thv voice processor 214 is provided to the user command processor
204. The
user crnnmtuzd proce stic7r 204 is eoruiected to a data stora,f;e unit 219 for
sLoring files
aSwciCiatcd -vvith the digital denlal models.
While viewing, llse 3D rcpresetita.tion of the digital nlodel, the user m1y
use mouse
206, kcyboarr120E, stylus pad 210, joy stick 211 or voice inptits to co-ntrol
the image
tiisplay parartletcrs on Liie tllonitor 205, iiicluding, but not limited ta,
perspective, zoom,
f4ature,resohil.ion, bri~Nnvss astd contrast. Regions ofl,lic 3D
representatioti of the
digital moctel that are highlighted by i11e dental CAD systeni as anomalous
are assesscd
by tltv.tjsc,t' ancl rwsolvect as appropriate Following Lhe user assessment
of`the 31) image
ot'thc digital dUntal tnodcl, tlla dent,al CAD system provides the user wilh a
data
c;onsprctisycyn and cncryption engine 220 to process files for secure
tratlyrnission over tlle
111torilC.t.
'rhe dctital CAD systetr- 200 also provides the user with tools to perform a
vsu-icty ol' irc;attncnt planning processes Ltsing tllo dig-tal dental models.
Such planning
P}ocess.es inClude nlcasurenietrt of arah letit;tli, ineasurcniont of arch
width and
mca.tictrenicat of incliviclual tooGli ditnettsions.
In planning for a tootia crorvir procedure, convcntioiialEy, a tooth
isolat.itnt
is prcparecl by cutting, the tooth involved with thc dental treatment out of a
cast mociel
i113d0 I('(Jii1 a1] el3stor7fler impresslon. A process CliscUssed lI1Cxt
provides an alierItiativG
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prqcess tha.t trtilizas a digital deltial niodct asid the dental CAD system
200 to prepare a
3f) digiiil tttodel ot`a tooth isolation. Usi1ig this process, an operator
11tilizes thc CAD
sysl:cm 200 to iSolato the tcioth from, tliC complete digital dctital rnodel
and then creates a
clip,ital niodcl oFjiist the single toot{i.
Itefcrring now to Figtirc 3, the routinc or prooc.ss 500 to edit a digita.l
dental
mode1 is tlisc:lo,tsd in xnorc duta.il. lrpon cntry, the digitai dental
iYtodex is displayed (stcp
502). Next, tlio process ohecks if one or nrore tee,th in the digital dental
model has bcen
s,c lcctc>d (sLep 50=I). ti' nrat, tllc rotitiilc sianply exits.
,Alterwttivuly, if the user lyas
spooilicd paramcters sutlicicnt to idontiCy one tootii nlodci or tooth object
fron1 tltc rest of
thc (ecth, tho t oUtine higltligllts the t.oi)lll Inoclel (506). The
paranieters can be a sct af
points dclinGatiup., ono or niore outiinb plane.s separating one tooth from
its neighborincr
Ice.th. Alternatively, thc parameter can symply bc a selection af a particular
tooth model
whicli has alre4itly been cnibeddcd with ditziensiottal information about 1.he
tooth so that
31) data on tho,,;oloctcd tnot}- can be retrieved tirom a filc.
'Ncxt, tlt-; rout.ine determincs if tho tootPi modei or object has been move(l
or
tlip,itall,y edited (stcl) 508). I4'so, the routirie tipda,tey the
ditnensiun.s and key points O(' lhe
toutEt rnodcl, as well as thc; iiew locadon of the tooth model ir it lias bcen
inoved (step
510). 1,1sing, trte editing capability, the routinc can be used to design a
base and a
mount3ng post (-r stem oi1 the tooth mcrdel, for cKample. A1teriiatively,
again using the
cclit c:ipt-bility, the routing can be tiscd to design a base and a hole in
the base for
roccivin;; a pre-fabricated motintina post or steiu. After cc~niplcting step
510, the rotitane
tlosLlcot:; tltie tpoth trzode] and exits the edit routinc.
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lf the tonth nioclel has not bccn ntoved or slretched, the routine tests if
selectctl
tooth nulclel(s) is/are to bc copicd (step 512). if ,so, the routine creates
ncw tooih models
or tootlr object(s) ba.5ed on tho selected objcct(s) and liatiks these netiv
objects to existing
toot h objects b,46re cxiting the rouline (step 513). Alternatively, if thc
user does not
want tt) copy objectS, the rolitine checks if the user wisl]e5 to rotate
selected tooth
object(S) (slep 514). If the objects are to be rotated, lhc routine complies
with the rcctuost
(sxcl) 5 1Cf) whore the scloeted object(s) are rotated and their now positions
are noted in the
liuk4d list data stnicture. Aftirward, the ruLdine deselects the object(s) and
exits,
Frotit step 514, ir the toUth objecls are not to be rotated, the rouline
checks if thc
us+.:r wistics io t!ip the tooth objects (step 518). If so, the routine ilips
thcm in step 520
aitd ulidates lhw locotion of the seleeled objects therein before exiting thc
routinc
Altern:ttively, front step 5222, the user may wish to enter text associated
witli the selected
objects. If so, the roufin.e a11ows the user to enter text and to associttte
the text with the
xc:lectcd ohjccts (stcp 524) by adding the text to the linked list data
structure for the
()lsjerts. T}yc text 4r.tca=ed in step 524 may includc numbers as literals.
After step 524, the
roYriiric deselLcts the object(s) and e:cits.
Alternatively, t'rosn step 522, thc routine checks if the user has assigned a
number
such ti5 tlie lr;nt;th or width of the selected tooth object(s) (step 538). 1t
so, tlle routiue
1-rocccd:; wilh stop 510. 'I'ho niinibcr(s) eittcred in step 540 is/a.re
dimension7l
n9sil;n111CIlia Nvliich arc onlered as part of the dirrmensions of the tooth
object(s) and thc
size of tlle object(s) is/are 0hlnaed. t-rom step 540, the rotttino deselects
the objcct(s) mid
e:i i ts,
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WO 2007/117239 PCT/US2006/013386
lC,ront stop 539, if nittitbers arc itot entered, the routiiie checks if the
user wishes to
cr:t ilto seleutcd toolh object(s) (step 550). Yf so, tlie respectivc
object(s) are deleted aitd
tht: liitk associatu,i with tho elert:cnt immediatc:ly prior to the first
selectcd object is lixiked
to thQ, clctncnt immediately after thL last selected tooth object (step 552).
Furtlier, tlte
c1a}i struGtt.tres nssoGi:lted Nvith the deletcd objects are clca.rted-up
sucll that the mcmory
ttllocattd to ttic deleted objects is releayed back for other uses. rrorti
step 550 atzd stop
W, the routine tlesclccts tltc objeGL(S) and Cxits.
'!'lic ori p,,inal ciata stnictu!'e prior to the ctiit operation is
temporarily a.rchiv'ed in
:naittory to ertablc tho opErtttioz- of the "Undo" optioti. Tho "Uudo" option
is useful in thc;
ovciit t1vil tllc user wisltcs to change his or her niind atler secing the
edited todtl-
object(s). Voicv recotgnition is useCut for cerlain data entry a,spc:c,'is
such as Lhe entering
cif text 7nnotztion amt ihe sclcctiott ofcompottents.
In Fig. 4, ;t dis,ritsil model 600 of an isolated sinole tooth die with a
mounting post
or sl een attached to tlic totatlt base is shown. The system of l:ig. 2 is
tYsed to desil;n a base
604 aiut 4e it3o:ijttirig post or stem 602 on the digital mode1600 of Lhe
isolatecl tooth die.
Altern7lely :tq shown in .pig. 5, the systetn of 1ig. 2 is uscd to design a
base 604 witlt a
ho1e 606 shown in cross section for receiving a pre-fabricated inountiiig post
or sf.ent oit
(lio di~,ita1 xiicyclel 600 t'1`ttto isolated tooth diz. This digika.l inodcl
600 with the base 604
nnd citheX 1) the rnouittiiig post or stcm 602, or 2) the ltole 606 in tlYe
base 604, is refen=cd
tt) liarcin as a di-,ital isol:ttecl tooth clie modcl. O11eC conlpleted and
GlleckeCl by tltc dCllt'itl
icclxiyiciati if nec;deci, the cligital file for the digital isolatcd tooth
die model is transfoircrl
to a CIl4'! sy5tent whGrc a physical niodcl of the digital isolatcd toetth die
modcl is
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WO 2007/117239 PCT/US2006/013386
1'a1}ricatid tbat acoutately rei'lects tho geomctry and details of the digital
isolated tooth die
tnotiel. fabricated physical tiiodel of the dil;ital isolal.ed tootEi die
niodcl will
typically bc usca by tlsc detatalla,boratory as the pattern to prepare the
permanent crown
t`or the niod4led tcioth.
Thc prcacesi doscribf:d abovc: for a single tooth crown may be extcnded to
apply to
t;oilstrtrctioty or dii;il.al iriodels fcr restorative denta] prosthetics in
getreral and thc
tiabriiriticnn ofph5sica,l modLls of any ntiritber ofteeth.
Wliile ilitr proscnt invention has been described in connection with ccrUtitl
prkCerred cmbottirnc ts, it will be tmdcrstood that it is not limited to
ttiose embodimenls.
011 t1xC cuntrary, it is itlLended to coVei' aII alternatives, modificatrons
and eqtiivalents as
may bc inc:ltldcil witl1in thc slsirit and scope of the invention as defiiicd
in the appcnded
cla,ims,
14
