An insert is formed within a dental model to maintain alignment of seated and removably mounted model teeth of the dental model and to guide each removable model tooth during insertion into and withdrawal from the dental model. The insert includes a plurality of alignment studs captured by each model tooth on seating of same in the dental model and a pin extending from the model tooth into slidable engagement with a passageway in the insert to guide the model tooth during insertion and withdrawal. A method for developing the dental model is also disclosed.
A tooth positioning kit in a dental model enabling the lateral and outward adjustment of a neighbor tooth on either side of a tooth being fitted with a crown. The kit comprises a receptacle fixedly positioned in the base of the dental model, interchangeable first and second adapters for insertion in and removal from the receptacle, and a tooth-support insert that is attached to the neighbor tooth and the corresponding gum segment and is insertable in and removable from either adapter. When the first adapter is in the receptacle and receives the tooth-support insert, the neighbor tooth is at the exact position of the corresponding tooth in the patient's mouth. When the second adapter is in the receptacle and receives the tooth-support insert, the neighbor tooth is farther away from the tooth being fitted with a crown and is farther out from the base of the dental mold.
Disclosed is a base plate assembly for use in mounting a die-stone dental replica, the assembly including a base plate that has a configuration commensurate with at least one dental quadrant, and having a planar upper surface characterized by an array of transverse elongate rectangular sockets. A plurality of mounting blocks are assembled in side-by-side relationship along the plate planar surface, each block having a downward projection adapted to frictionally and releasably hold the block on the base plate, and extending from the tops of the blocks are anchoring tabs designed to be embedded in the wet positive mold of a dental impression and affixed therein when the mold material cures. In a preferred embodiment, the base plate has a modular configuration and is interconnectable with an identical modular unit to form a combined base plate having a configuration commensurate with full bilateral upper or lower dental quadrants.
This invention is directed to a means and a method for making a dental stone model. The NEGATIVE or impression of the teeth and gum of an individual is made as above described with respect to a yieldable material such as plastic, rubber and the like. After the NEGATIVE has been prepared the dowel and a parting guide are positioned in the NEGATIVE. The NEGATIVE is agitated and one pour of a pourable dental casting stone is made. The pourable dental casting stone surrounds the parting guide and almost all of the dowel pin. In time, the dental stone model or replica of the stub of the tooth is removed from the dental stone model by isolating the replica of the stub of the tooth. The parting guide allows the replica to be readily removed from the dental stone model. The dowel pin is an aligning means for the replica with respect to the dental stone model so that it is possible to position the replica of the stub of the tooth correctly in the dental stone model. The replica can be removed and also positioned again, numerous times, in the dental stone model without harm to the dental stone model.
A dental articulator (10) having a first arch (12) for receiving a dental cast of teeth having a first grid pattern (30) that includes a first plurality of dowel pin holes (60) that define multiple dowel pin locations for receiving a first plurality of dowel pins (34), and a first plurality of support pin holes (62) that define multiple support pin locations for receiving a first plurality of support pins (64) where in the dowel pin locations and the support pin locations are spaced apart such that a die may be held in place within the first arch by one or more of the first plurality of dowel pins and by one or more of the first plurality of support pins to prevent movement or rotation of the die. There is a second arch (14) for receiving a dental cast of teeth having a second grid pattern (32) that includes a second plurality of dowel pin holes (60') that define multiple dowel pin locations for receiving a second plurality of dowel pins (34'), and a second plurality of support pin holes (62') that define multiple support pin locations for receiving a second plurality of support pins (64'), wherein the dowel pin locations and the support pin locations are spaced apart such that a die may be held in place within the second arch by one or more of the second plurality of dowel pins and by one or more of the second plurality of support pins to prevent movement or rotation of the die. The first arch is hingedly connected to the second arch by a hinge connection (40) to allow articulating movement of the first and second arches (12 and 14) with respect to each other.
A method of producing a working model for preparation of a clinical crown for attachment to an implant fixture in the mouth of a patient is described in which a laboratory analog, on which the crown is mounted during preparation, is formed as an assembly including a fixed sleeve and a detachable pin and wherein the crown-receiving portion of the pin element of the assembly replicates the crown-receiving portion of the implant fixture. The analog sleeve is fixedly mounted in a base segment of the model so that the analog pin bearing a crown to be prepared threadedly connected thereto can be removed from and returned to mounted installation in the model by simple sliding movement between the pin and sleeve. Also described is the resultant working model construction and the particular analog elements which also form parts of the invention.
