Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PALATE-FREE UPPER DENTURE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to dentures that are used to replace teeth that are
lost due to age,
accident, diseases or other reasons. In particular, to the traditional upper
denture having a full
palate modified to an upper denture without a palate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The loss of teeth can lead to speech and eating impairment. Significant tooth
loss is
considered a social stigma in a culture which places an emphasis on a smile
with a full set of
white teeth. As a result, the dental profession for centuries has worked to
develop dental
systems that replace lost teeth of its patients with a prosthesis which takes
up the main
functions of eating and aiding in talking, as well as the actual appearance of
the lost teeth.
The tireless efforts of the dental profession have given rise to three well-
accepted
methods for tooth replacement. Two of these methods, namely, the denture, i.e.
removable
prosthesis method and the bridge, i.e. non-removable prosthesis method, have
been in use for
a long time. These methods are similar in that they both utilize tooth
replacement prosthesis
to address only the replacement of a part of the missing tooth, namely the
exposed portion of
the tooth known as the crown.
The denture is a removable dental prosthesis which has artificial teeth
imbedded in a
denture base resembling the gum or gingiva of the mouth. The denture base
provides the
support for the prosthesis by resting on the gingiva. The underside or upper
surface of the
denture base is suitably shaped in having a depression receptacle that
receives at least a
portion of the gingiva so as to provide a snug, reversible fit of the denture
to the gingiva.
The denture is either a partial denture in being only a replacement for a few
teeth or a
full denture in replacing an entire set of teeth. A full denture replaces the
lower set of teeth
("lower denture") or upper set of teeth ("upper denture"). With the
traditional full upper
denture, the surface of the depression receptacle base adheres to the
appropriate
complementary gingiva surface of the denture wearer by saliva from the
wearer's mouth
causing a vacuum or suction between the surface of the depression receptacle
and the mucus
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membranes of the gingiva on the gums and palate of the wearer's mouth. In the
case of partial
dentures, these dentures are traditionally reversibly secured to the gingiva
through the use of
specially designed denture adhesive that is applied to the gingiva and the
depression
receptacle for that purpose.
A bridge prosthesis is similar to that of a denture prosthesis except the
bridge is
normally limited to being a partial denture which is non-reversibly cemented
or otherwise
affixed to the adjacent teeth.
The third and latest method for tooth loss replacement is the system of dental
implants
otherwise known as dental implantology. This field addresses the loss of the
entire tooth
including the root which is the anchoring and weight bearing structure for the
tooth.
Dental implantology embeds an artificial implant into the jawbone of the
patient to
replace or supplant the root of the patient's missing teeth. These implants
come in a wide
variety of shapes, sizes, designs and compositions.
Full upper dentures having a full artificial palate in use create
unsatisfactory
situations. For example, the artificial palate does not allow the tongue of
the wearer to feel
the roof of the mouth but only the acrylic or metal material of which the
denture palate is
typically made.
The dental palate may cause somewhat impaired speech by its presence, can
reduce
oxygen access to the skin of the mouth palate and reduce skin freshness and
also impair the
taste of food by the mouth palate. Further, there is also the possible
occurrence of developing
sores and lesions on the palate and tongue by overextended use or shifting of
the denture
during mastication. Yet further, it is also desirable that the wearer feels he
or she is more
simulating the wearing of natural teeth by having reduced amounts of metal or
plastics
material in the mouth.
Still yet further, it will be readily understood that the avoidance of the
need for a
dental implant system with its significant expense, pain and time would be
greatly
appreciated by a wearer.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved upper denture that does not
suffer from
the aforesaid drawbacks.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In on aspect, the invention provides a palate-free upper denture comprising
a denture base having (i) a lower portion bearing a plurality of downwardly
protruding teeth; and (ii) an upper portion defining an upper surface so
shaped as to receive in
retentive intimate engagement a complementary peripheral gingiva portion of
the upper
mouth.
The upper surface of the base is formed by means of a molding process from a
mold
taken of the complementary gingiva portion.
In preferred embodiments, dentures as hereinabove defined, further comprise a
suitably shaped and denture strengthening metallic strip bonded to the base at
and protruding
from a peripheral portion of the upper surface for abutment with the
complementary
peripheral gingiva portions.
Preferably the base is formed of an acrylic resin, which optionally may
embrace a
metallic mesh to provide additional strength.
The dentures, as hereinabove defined, may also be used with any suitable
dental
adhesive to provide enhanced retention on the gingiva as to provide the wearer
with
confidence that the denture will stay in place, particularly, in the event of,
for example,
sneezing, coughing or the eating of foods that are tough to bite, such as
apples.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a method of making a palate-free
upper
denture comprising forming the so-shaped upper surface of the base
complementary to
implant-free said peripheral gingiva portion of the upper mouth.
Thus, I have found that contrary to the prior art, an implant-free and/or
palate-free
denture, according to the invention, can be made and used with confidence by a
wearer and
does not suffer from the aforesaid drawbacks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be better understood, a preferred embodiment
will
now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying
drawings
wherein
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FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an upper denture according to the
prior
art;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an upper denture according to the
invention;
FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section 3-3' of the denture shown with reference to
Fig. 2;
and wherein the same numerals denote like parts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 shows generally as 10 an upper denture having an acrylic denture base
12
having a plurality of teeth 14 embedded therein at a lower portion 16 of base
12 and
protruding from lower surface 18. Base 12 at its upper portion 20 has
peripheral portion 22
defining a gingiva-receiving depression so shaped as to receive a
complementary shaped
portion of the gingiva of a wearer (not shown) in intimate abutment.
Integrally formed with
peripheral portion 22 is an artificial palate 24 of suitable shape and
thickness as to abut the
roof of the wearer's mouth in intimate engagement. Saliva in the wearer's
mouth on
installation of the denture causes a vacuum/suction between the surface of
peripheral portion
22 and the mucous membranes of the gingiva on the gums and wearer's mouth. To
enhance
retention of the denture, a dental adhesive is applied to the gingiva prior to
the installation of
the denture thereon.
Fig. 2 shows generally as 50 a palate-free upper denture having denture base
12, teeth
14, lower base portion 16, lower surface 18, upper portion 20 and gingiva
receiving
depression at peripheral portion 22.
Embedded within and protruding from base peripheral portion 22 at upper
portion 20
is a denture strengthening metallic strip 26 so suitably shaped as to also
abut adjacent
complementary peripheral gingiva portion of the wearer.
Base 12 is formed of an acrylic resin having an embedded metallic mesh to
provide
enhanced strength thereto.
Strip 26 protrudes to a suitable distance of about 1-5mm from peripheral
portion 22.
Fig. 3 shows depression 28 defined by peripheral surface 22 of base 12 at
upper
portion 20. Embedded within and inwardly protruding around upper portion into
a wearer's
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mouth for about 1-5 mm. is a metal strip 26 for abutment with complementary
portions of the
gingiva.
Palate-free upper denture 10 can be made in the standard manner for a mesh-
embedded acrylic denture base made from a mold taken of the gingiva, but
wherein an
artificial palate is absent. A metal strip 26 is suitably shaped and located
as to be embedded
in peripheral portion 22 by means of the acrylic resin.
This method is, thus, in contrast to the preparation of an upper denture for
use with an
implant, wherein a mold is taken of the combined gingiva-implant surface as
well as the
method for preparing a full artificial denture of the prior art.
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25
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