Prosthodontia system
View Patent ↗A processor implemented prosthodontia system employs digital imaging of a restoration site and surrounding areas of an oral cavity and digital sampling of colorimetric values of tooth surfaces. The processor selects digital image data representative of a tooth surface configuration corresponding to the tooth number of the tooth to be restored and generates a three dimensional image of the restoration, with colorimetric values. Data comprising the shape and colorimetric values of the restoration is transmitted to a fabrication station for processor controlled fabrication through implementation of, for example, a three dimensional jet printing system employing particulate porcelain, polymeric dental composite, etc., and a binder, solvent or reactant and which builds a preform in successive layers of incremental cross sectional heighths. The shaped and colored preform is then hardened to produce a restoration having the specified size, shape and colorimetric values.
1. A method of fabricating a restoration preform with a prosthodontia system comprising an imaging scanner for generating digital signals, corresponding to three dimensional images of a site in an oral cavity, a colorimetric value sampler for generating digital signals corresponding to colorimetric values of at least one tooth surface in the oral cavity, a processor operatively connected to the imaging scanner and to the colorimetric value sampler, a memory associated with the processor storing a tooth shape library comprising data representative of a plurality of tooth configurations, the system further including a fabrication station, the preform comprising a particulate material adhered with a binder, the method comprising the steps of:
a) generating digital signals corresponding to three dimensional images of the site in the oral cavity with the imaging scanner,
b) generating digital signals corresponding to colorimetric values of at least one tooth surface in the oral cavity,
c) retrieving data representative of a preferred tooth configuration corresponding to the site,
d) generating a signal defining the three dimensional shape and colorimetric values of a restoration as a function of the imaging scanner signals, the colorimetric value sampler signals and the retrieved preferred tooth configuration data,
e) fabricating the restoration preform at the fabrication station by stacking a plurality of cross sectional incremental layers as a function of the signal defining the three dimensional shape and colorimetric values of the restoration.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein step e) is performed with a three-dimensional jet printing system.
3. A method in accordance with claim 2 , the three dimensional jet printing system including at least one jet for depositing the binder in the configuration of a cross sectional layer of the restoration, step e) further including depositing the binder on successive layers of particulate material.
4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the binder includes a coloring agent.
5. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the particulate material comprises porcelain.
6. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the binder comprises a solvent.