Crown form and method

Claim 1

A dental crown form, which comprises; a tubular shell corresponding generally in configuration and dimension to a natural tooth, fabricated from a flexible, synthetic, polymeric resin and having i. a closed first end, the exterior thereof defining an occlusal surface corresponding in configuration and dimension to the occlusal surface of a natural tooth; ii. a restricted, open second end which is festooned in a contour to correspond generally to the cervical line of a natural tooth; iii. sidewalls flaring outwardly from said open second end and integral with said closed first end, said sidewalls corresponding in configuration and dimension to the mesial, distal, lingual and buccal surfaces, respectively, of a natural tooth; and iv. means for fluid communication between the interior and the exterior of said shell, in the sidewall at points on the surfaces corresponding to said mesial and said distal surfaces; said sidewall having a plurality of slits therein, at least two of which are positioned in surfaces opposite to each other, said slits being substantially uniform in width throughout their length and originating at the open second end and terminating at a point in the sidewall; provided that when said shell corresponds to the configuration and dimension of a tooth selected from the group consisting of a pre-molar, a canine and an incisor, said surfaces opposite each other are the mesial and distal surfaces and when said shell corresponds in configuration and dimension to a molar tooth, said surfaces opposite to each other are the lingual and buccal surfaces, respectively, .

Claim 11

A method of protecting a natural tooth with a dental crown form, which comprises; a. shaping said tooth to receive a dental crown form; b. providing a dental crown form which comprises a tubular shell corresponding generally in configuration and dimension to a natural tooth, fabricated from a flexible, synthetic, polymeric resin and having i. a closed first end, the exterior thereof defining an occlusal surface corresponding in configuration and dimension to the occlusal surface of a natural tooth; ii. a restricted, open second end which is festooned in a contour to correspond generally to the cervical line of a natural tooth; iii. sidewalls flaring outwardly from said open second end and integral with said closed first end, said sidewalls corresponding in configuration and dimension to the mesial, distal, lingual and buccal surfaces, respectively, of a natural tooth; and iv. means for fluid communication between the interior and the exterior of said shell, in the sidewall at points on the surfaces corresponding to said mesial and said distal surfaces; said sidewall having a plurality of slits therein, at least two of which are positioned in surfaces opposite to each other, said slits being substantially uniform in width throughout their length and originating at the open second end and terminating at a point in the sidewall; provided that when said shell corresponds to the configuration and dimension of a tooth selected from the group consisting of a pre-molar, a canine and an incisor, said surfaces opposite each other are the mesial and distal surfaces and when said shell corresponds in configuration and dimension to a molar tooth, said surfaces opposite to each other are the lingual and buccal surfaces, respectively. c. applying a dental cement filler to the inside surfaces of said shell; d. forcing said crown form onto the shaped tooth so that a portion of said filler is expressed through said means for fluid communication, to the exterior of said shell and into contact with adjacent teeth; e. allowing said dental cement filler to set, whereby said crown form is held engaged to said shaped tooth and is supported to the adjacent teeth.

Claim 12

A method of protecting a natural tooth with a dental crown form, which comprises; a. shaping said tooth to receive a dental crown form; b. providing a dental crown form which comprises a tubular shell corresponding generally in configuration and dimension to a natural tooth, fabricated from a flexible, synthetic, polymeric resin and having i. a closed first end, the exterior thereof defining an occlusal surface corresponding in configuration and dimension to the occlusal surface of a natural tooth; ii. a restricted, open second end which is festooned in a contour to correspond generally to the cervical line of a natural tooth; iii. sidewalls flaring outwardly from said open second end and integral with said closed first end, said sidewalls corresponding in configuration and dimension to the mesial, distal, lingual and buccal surfaces, respectively, of a natural tooth; and iv. means for fluid communication between the interior and the exterior of said shell, in the sidewall at points on the surfaces corresponding to said mesial and said distal surfaces; said sidewall having a plurality of slits therein, at least two of which are positioned in surfaces opposite to each other, said slits being substantially uniform in width throughout their length and originating at the open second end and terminating at a point in the sidewall; provided that when said shell corresponds to the configuration and dimension of a tooth selected from the group consisting of a pre-molar, a canine and an incisor, said surfaces opposite each other are the mesial and distal surfaces and when said shell corresponds in configuration and dimension to a molar tooth, said surfaces opposite to each other are the lingual and buccal surfaces, respectively. c. applying a dental cement filler to the inside surfaces of said shell; d. forcing said crown form onto the shaped tooth so that a portion of said filler is expressed through said means for fluid communication, to the exterior of said shell and into contact with adjacent teeth; e. allowing said dental cement filler to set, whereby said crown form is held engaged to said shaped tooth and is supported to the adjacent teeth.