Apparatus and methods of making denture devices

1. A method of making a functional fitting replica denture for an edentulous patient comprising

obtaining a virtual three-dimensional (3D) representation of a patient's oral anatomy;

selecting a virtual denture teeth design having a teeth set prearranged in a fixed position in an occlusal scheme from a plurality of pre-designed virtual denture teeth designs,

wherein the plurality of pre-designed virtual denture teeth designs comprise a plurality of teeth sets prearranged in a plurality of fixed arch shapes and a plurality of fixed arch sizes, and wherein the arch shapes and arch sizes of the pre-designed virtual denture teeth designs are not modifiable,

virtually applying the virtual denture teeth design to the virtual 3D representation of a patient's oral anatomy;

virtually aligning the virtual denture teeth design and the virtual 3D representation to generate a virtual denture; and

manufacturing a functional fitting replica denture corresponding to the virtual denture.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual 3D representation of the patient's oral anatomy and the virtual denture teeth design are computer generated 3D representations.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising scanning a portion of the patient's oral anatomy to obtain the virtual 3D representation of the patient's anatomy.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining a virtual 3D representation of the patient's oral anatomy comprises retrieving a digital data file corresponding to the patient's oral anatomy from the memory of a computing system.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising selecting a virtual denture teeth design having a specific arch size and a specific arch shape that corresponds to the patient's oral anatomy.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting the virtual denture teeth design comprises retrieving a digital data file corresponding to the virtual denture teeth design from the memory of a computing system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises generating a virtual gingiva from a virtual gingiva boundary line that connects points located on at least two virtual teeth of the virtual denture teeth design.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of virtual denture teeth designs comprises virtual teeth sets prearranged in fixed positions having occlusal schemes that correspond to arch shapes selected from ovoid, tapering and square arch shapes.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of virtual denture teeth designs comprises virtual teeth sets prearranged in fixed orientations selected from ideal, masculine and feminine arrangements.

10. The method of claim 1 , comprising obtaining a digital data file of the virtual denture for use an automated manufacturing system to manufacture the virtual denture.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional fitting replica denture is manufactured by an additive manufacturing process.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional fitting replica denture is manufactured by a 3D printing process.

13. The method of claim 1 , comprising recording and storing information relating to the virtual denture.

14. The method of claim 1 , comprising creating a plurality of pre-designed virtual denture teeth designs by scanning pre-designed denture set-ups to form digital data files of the pre-designed denture set-ups.

15. A computing system comprising

a processor, a memory and executable instructions stored in the memory which can be executed by the processor to cause a computing system to perform a method comprising

making a functional fitting replica denture for an edentulous patient comprising obtaining a virtual three-dimensional (3D) representation of a patient's oral anatomy from the memory;

selecting a virtual denture teeth design having a teeth set that is prearranged in a fixed position in an occlusal scheme corresponding to an arch shape and an arch size, from a plurality of pre-designed virtual denture teeth designs, from the memory, wherein the arch shape and arch size of the pre-designed virtual denture teeth designs are not modifiable;

executing the executable instructions to virtually apply the virtual denture teeth design to the virtual 3D representation of a patient's anatomy, and virtually align the virtual denture teeth design and the virtual 3D representation to generate a virtual denture stored as a digital data file; and

manufacturing a functional fitting replica denture corresponding to the virtual denture by an automated manufacturing process.

16. The computing system of claim 15 , comprising an automated manufacturing system for manufacturing the functional fitting replica denture that is connected to the computer system by a network interface.

17. The computing system of claim 15 , comprising transmitting a digital data file of the virtual denture to an automated manufacturing system to manufacture the functional fitting replica denture.

18. A method of making a functional fitting replica denture for an edentulous patient comprising

obtaining a virtual three-dimensional representation of a patient's oral anatomy;

selecting a virtual denture teeth design having a teeth set that is prearranged in a fixed position in an occlusal scheme corresponding to an arch shape and arch size that corresponds with the patient's oral anatomy, wherein the arch shape and arch size is not modifiable;

virtually aligning the virtual denture teeth design and the virtual three-dimensional representation of a patient's anatomy, and virtually forming a gingival region between the virtual denture teeth design and the virtual 3D representation of the patient's anatomy to generate a virtual denture;

manufacturing a functional fitting replica denture corresponding to the virtual denture by a 3D printing process to form a physical model of a denture;

forming a mold of a portion of the physical model that comprises recesses corresponding to a teeth region;

removing at least a portion of the physical model corresponding to a teeth region;

placing denture teeth in the recesses of the mold and assembling the mold and the physical model;

introducing a formable material into the mold to hold the denture teeth in a position on the physical model that corresponds to the virtual design; and

removing the mold to form the functional fitting replica denture.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the functional fitting replica denture is used as a try-in denture.