Impression tray

Claim 2

A dental impression tray conforming to the anatomy of a usual patient''s maxillary dentition, the tray including a substantially flat floor of arched plan shape, an anterior wall forming an acute angle of substantially 75* with the tray floor, having a maximum height ranging substantially from 0.63 inches to 1.00 inches and reaching from the tray floor to the roof of the patient''s upper anterior vestibule, thereby covering the maxillary anterior alveolar process, a central cleft provided in the anterior wall having a minimum height measured at the cusp cleft ranging substantially from 0.50 inches to 0.75 inches sufficient to closely accommodate the maxillary labial frenum, lateral walls of a height less than the anterior wall to accommodate the maxillary buccal frena, a bead formed at the upper edges of the lateral walls and following the contours thereof, posterior ridges of a relatively low height sufficient to contain the maxillary tubercles, and central walls having a height ranging substantially from 0.37 inches to 0.67 inches reaching from the tray floor to the hard palate and sloping downward, at their posterior ends, to the posterior ridges to avoid contacting the soft palate and gagging the patient.

Claim 3

A dental impression tray conforming to the anatomy of a usual patient''s mandibular dentition, the tray including a floor of arched plan shape and following the Curve of Spee in elevation, an anterior wall having a maximum height ranging substantially from 0.63 inches to 0.87 inches and reaching from the tray floor substantially to the bottom of the patient''s lower vestibule, thereby covering the mandibular alveolar process, a central cleft provided in the anterior wall having a minimum height measured at the cusp cleft ranging substantially from 0.50 inches to 0.75 inches sufficient to accommodate the mandibular labial frenum, lateral walls of a height less than the anterior walls to accommodate the mandibular buccal frena, and sloping at their posterior ends to the tray floor, a bead at the free edges of the lateral walls and following the contours thereof, central walls having a height ranging substantially from 0.37 inches to 0.70 inches reaching from the tray floor to substantially the bottom of the patient''s sublingual vestibule, thereby covering the most lingual surface of the alveolar process, and a bead at the free edge of the central wall and following the contours thereof around both posterior ends of the floor.

Claim 4

A dental impression tray conforming to the anatomy of a usual patient''s mandibular dentition, the tray including a floor of arched plan shape and following the Curve of Spee in elevation, an anterior wall having a maximum height ranging substantially from 0.63 inches to 0.87 inches and reaching from the tray floor substantially to the bottom of the patient''s lower vestibule, thereby covering the mandibular alveolar process, a central cleft provided in the anterior wall having a minimum height measured at the cusp cleft ranging substantially from 0.50 inches to 0.75 inches sufficient to accommodate the mandibular labial frenum, lateral walls of a height less than the anterior walls to accommodate the mandibular buccal frena, and sloping at their posterior ends to the tray floor, a bead at the free edges of the lateral walls and following the contours thereof, central walls having a height ranging substantially from 0.37 inches to 0.70 inches reaching from the tray floor to substantially the bottom of the patient''s sublingual vestibule, thereby covering the most lingual surface of the alveolar process, and a bead at the free edge of the central wall and following the contours thereof around both posterior ends of the floor.

Claim 5

A set of dental impression trays conforming to the anatomy of a usual patient''s maxillary dentition, the tray set including a deciduous dentition tray, a mixed dentition tray, and a permanent dentition tray, each tray including a substantially flat floor of arched plan shape, an anterior wall forming an acute angle with the tray floor and reaching from the tray floor substantially to the roof of the patient''s upper vestibule, thereby covering the maxillary alveolar process, a central cleft provided in the anterior wall of a depth sufficient to accommodate the maxillary labial frenum, lateral walls of a height less than the anterior walls to accommodate the maxillary buccal frena, a bead formed at the upper edges of the lateral walls and following the contours thereof, posterior ridges of a low height sufficient to contain the maxillary tubercules, the lateral walls sloping at their posterior ends to the posterior ridges, and central walls reaching from the tray floor to the hard palate and sloping at the posterior ends to the posterior ridges to avoid contacting the soft palate and gagging the patient, the trays having substantially the respective dimensions given in the following table: PermanentMixedDeciduous DentitionDentitionDentition TrayTrayTray Maximum Height of Anterior Wall, in.l.000.870.63 Minimum Height of Anterior Wall at Cusp of Cleft, in.0.750.630.50 Height of Inner Walls, in.0.670.500.37

Claim 6

A set of dental impression trays conforming to the anatomy of a usual patient''s maxillary dentition, the tray set including a deciduous dentition tray, a mixed dentition tray, and a permanent dentition tray, each tray including a substantially flat floor of arched plan shape, an anterior wall forming an acute angle with the tray floor and reaching from the tray floor substantially to the roof of the patient''s upper vestibule, thereby covering the maxillary alveolar process, a central cleft provided in the anterior wall of a depth sufficient to accommodate the maxillary labial frenum, lateral walls of a height less than the anterior walls to accommodate the maxillary buccal frena, a bead formed at the upper edges of the lateral walls and following the contours thereof, posterior ridges of a low height sufficient to contain the maxillary tubercules, the lateral walls sloping at their posterior ends to the posterior ridges, and central walls reaching from the tray floor to the hard palate and sloping at the posterior ends to the posterior ridges to avoid contacting the soft palate and gagging the patient, the trays having substantially the respective dimensions given in the following table: PermanentMixedDeciduous DentitionDentitionDentition TrayTrayTray Maximum Height of Anterior Wall, in.l.000.870.63 Minimum Height of Anterior Wall at Cusp of Cleft, in.0.750.630.50 Height of Inner Walls, in.0.670.500.37

Claim 7

A set of adjustable dental impression trays compatIble with the anatomy of a usual patient''s maxillary dentition according to claim 3, the tray set including a tray for use with deciduous dentition having a substantially flat, semi-circular shaped floor, a tray for use with mixed dentition having a substantially flat floor of semi-circular shape with relatively short tangential extensions at both posterior ends, and a tray for use with permanent dentition having a substantially flat floor of semi-circular shape with relatively long diverging tangential extensions.

Claim 8

A set of dental impression trays conforming to the anatomy of a usual patient''s mandibular dentition, the tray set including a deciduous dentition tray, a mixed dentition tray, and a permanent dentition tray, each tray including a floor of arched plan shape and following, in elevation, the Curve of Spee, an anterior wall forming an acute angle with the tray floor and reaching from the tray floor substantially to the bottom of the lower vestibule, thereby covering the mandibular alveolar process, a cleft provided in the anterior wall of a depth sufficient to accommodate the mandibular labial frenum, lateral walls of a height less than the anterior walls to accommodate the mandibular buccal frena, and sloping at their posterior ends to the curving tray floor, a bead formed at the upper edges of the lateral walls and following the contours thereof, central walls reaching from the tray floor substantially to the bottom of the patient''s sub-lingual vestibule, and a bead formed at the upper edge of the central walls and following the contours thereof, the trays having substantially the respective dimensions given in the following table: PermanentMixedDeciduous DentitionDentitionDentition TrayTrayTray Maximum of Anterior Wall in.0.870.750.63 Minimum Height of Anterior Wall and Cusp of Cleft, in.0.750.620.50 Height of Inner Walls, in.0.700.620.37

Claim 9

A set of dental impression trays conforming to the anatomy of a usual patient''s mandibular dentition, the tray set including a deciduous dentition tray, a mixed dentition tray, and a permanent dentition tray, each tray including a floor of arched plan shape and following, in elevation, the Curve of Spee, an anterior wall forming an acute angle with the tray floor and reaching from the tray floor substantially to the bottom of the lower vestibule, thereby covering the mandibular alveolar process, a cleft provided in the anterior wall of a depth sufficient to accommodate the mandibular labial frenum, lateral walls of a height less than the anterior walls to accommodate the mandibular buccal frena, and sloping at their posterior ends to the curving tray floor, a bead formed at the upper edges of the lateral walls and following the contours thereof, central walls reaching from the tray floor substantially to the bottom of the patient''s sub-lingual vestibule, and a bead formed at the upper edge of the central walls and following the contours thereof, the trays having substantially the respective dimensions given in the following table: PermanentMixedDeciduous DentitionDentitionDentition TrayTrayTray Maximum of Anterior Wall in.0.870.750.63 Minimum Height of Anterior Wall and Cusp of Cleft, in.0.750.620.50 Height of Inner Walls, in.0.700.620.37

Claim 10

A set of adjustable dental impression trays compatible with the anatomy of a usual patient''s mandibular dentition according to claim 5, the tray set including a tray for use with deciduous dentition having a substantially flat, semi-circular shaped floor, a tray for use with mixed dentition having a substantially flat floor of semi-circular shape with relatively short tangential extensions at both posterior ends, and a tray for use with permanent dentition having a substantially flat floor of semi-circular shape with relatively long diverging tangential extensions.