Device and method for manufacturing dental prosthesis

1. A device for the manufacture of a dental prosthesis comprising:

(a) a scanning or recording apparatus that produces a digital 3-dimensional recording of an oral situation, on a patient or on a model;

(b) a processing device that produces from said recording a virtual model of the oral situation;

(c) a 3-dimensional data record for prefabricated dental prostheses;

(d) a processing module that fits data for prefabricated dental prostheses into the virtual model and thereby creates a virtual model with integrated dental prosthetic teeth;

(e) a simulation module that simulates mandibular movements on the virtual model and tests and optimizes positions of the integrated dental prosthetic teeth in the virtual model; and

(f) a device that manufactures a positioning template or a denture base from the virtual model with the integrated dental prosthetic teeth.

2. A method for manufacturing a dental prosthesis, said method comprising the following steps:

(a) scanning fabricated teeth to produce 3-dimensional data records of fabricated teeth;

(b) recording and digitizing 3-dimensional, anatomical relationships in an oral cavity;

(c) optionally recording and digitizing 3-dimensional data on bite rims;

(d) optionally recording mandibular data;

(e) processing data obtained from step (b) and optionally steps (c) and/or (d) in such a way that relevant anatomical structures for virtual placement of teeth are securely affixed, and a virtual model data record is obtained;

(f) selecting 3-dimensional data records of fabricated teeth;

(g) virtual placing of the teeth into the virtual model;

(h) simulating in/on a computer mandibular movements on the virtual model and testing and optimizing positions of the integrated dental prosthetic teeth in the virtual model; and

either

(k) transferring the virtual placing of the teeth to a model either by a positioning template, or direct placement of the teeth on the model;

(l) affixing the teeth to the model; and

(m) attaching a denture base to the model;

or

(n) without carrying out steps (k), (l) and (m), directly manufacturing a denture base, according to data for a virtual denture placement, with positioning aids for a final correct positioning and affixing of the teeth.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein step (b) comprises recording 3-dimensional, anatomical relationships in an oral cavity with the aid of a 3-dimensional camera.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein step (b) comprises scanning a plaster model.

5. The method according to claim 2 , which comprises following step (h) the following step:

(i) inspecting function and occlusion in/on the computer.

6. The method according to claim 5 , which comprises following step (i) the following step:

(j) manually correcting the placing of teeth, and performing a new calculation to adapt the placing of teeth to determined bite data and optimal occlusion.

7. The method according to claim 2 , wherein step (k) is carried out, and in step (k) the positioning template is milled or rapid prototyped.

8. The method according to claim 2 , wherein step (c) is carried out, and in step (c) the bite rims are occlusion rims.

9. The method according to claim 2 , said method comprising the following steps:

(a) scanning fabricated teeth to produce 3-dimensional data records of fabricated teeth;

(b) recording and digitizing 3-dimensional, anatomical relationships in an oral cavity;

(c) optionally recording and digitizing 3-dimensional data on bite rims;

(d) optionally recording mandibular data;

(e) processing data obtained from step (b) and optionally steps (c) and/or (d) in such a way that relevant anatomical structures for virtual placement of teeth are securely affixed, and a virtual model data record is obtained;

(f) selecting 3-dimensional data records of fabricated teeth;

(g) virtual placing of the teeth into the virtual model;

(h) simulating in/on a computer mandibular movements on the virtual model and optionally testing and optimizing positions of the integrated dental prosthetic teeth in the virtual model; and

(n) manufacturing a denture base directly after carrying out step (g), according to data for a virtual denture placement, with positioning aids for a final correct positioning and affixing of the teeth.

10. The method according to claim 2 , which comprises following step (h) the following step:

(i) inspecting function and occlusion in/on the computer.

11. The method according to claim 10 , which comprises following step (i) the following step:

(j) manually correcting the placing of teeth, and performing a new calculation to adapt the placing of teeth of to bite data and optimal occlusion.