Imaging method for fabricating dental devices

Claim 1

A method for fabricating a dental restoration for a patient, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a dental impression tray containing a first impression material; (b) obtaining a dental impression of a patient using said impression tray and first impression material, said dental impression defining a cavity in said first impression material corresponding to the shape of the teeth, gums and palate of the patient; (c) filling said cavity with a second material distinguishable from said first material and allowing said first and second materials to harden to a solid block of said first and second material; (d) successively removing from said block thin uniform layers of predetermined known thickness of said first and second material and imaging the then remaining surface of said block after each successive layer is removed to define a contour of said second material for each said layer removed, each said contour defining the contour of the teeth, gums and palate of the patient at a corresponding known depth of removal from said block of said successive layers; (e) generating a three dimensional computer model of the teeth, gums and palate of the patient using said contours and said corresponding known depths of removal of said successive layers; and (f) machining a restoration corresponding to said three dimensional computer model.

Claim 2

A method for fabricating a dental restoration for a patient, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a dental impression tray containing a first impression material; (b) obtaining a dental impression of a patient using said impression tray and first impression material, said dental impression defining a cavity in said first impression material corresponding to the shape of the teeth, gums and palate of the patient; (c) filling said cavity with a second material distinguishable from said first material and allowing said first and second materials to harden to a solid block of said first and second material; (d) successively removing from said block thin uniform layers of predetermined known thickness of said first and second material and imaging the then remaining surface of said block after each successive layer is removed to define a contour of said second material for each said layer removed, each said contour defining the contour of the teeth, gums and palate of the patient at a corresponding known depth of removal from said block of said successive layers; (e) generating a three dimensional computer model of the teeth, gums and palate of the patient using said contours and said corresponding known depths of removal of said successive layers; and (f) machining a restoration corresponding to said three dimensional computer model.

Claim 9

A method for fabricating a dental restoration for a patient, comprising the steps of: (a) providing dental impression trays for obtaining impressions of the upper and lower teeth and gums of a patient, each said tray containing a dental impression material of a first color; (b) obtaining upper and lower dental impressions of the patient using said impression trays and said dental impression material, said dental impressions defining first and second cavities in said dental impression material corresponding respectively to the shape of the upper teeth, gums and palate and to the shape of the lower teeth and gums of the patient; (c) filling said first cavity with said dental impression material of second color different from said first color, and filling said second cavity with said dental impression material of third color different from said first and second colors, and allowing said dental material to harden to a solid block; (d) successively removing from said block thin uniform layers of predetermined known thickness and imaging the then remaining surface of said block after each successive layer is removed to define contours of said dental material of said second and third colors for each said layer removed; (e) generating a three dimensional computer model of the teeth, gums and palate of the patient using said contours; and (f) machining a restoration corresponding to a selected portion of said three dimensional computer model.

Claim 10

A method for fabricating a dental restoration for a patient, comprising the steps of: (a) providing dental impression trays for obtaining impressions of the upper and lower teeth and gums of a patient, each said tray containing a dental impression material of a first color; (b) obtaining upper and lower dental impressions of the patient using said impression trays and said dental impression material, said dental impressions defining first and second cavities in said dental impression material corresponding respectively to the shape of the upper teeth, gums and palate and to the shape of the lower teeth and gums of the patient; (c) filling said first cavity with said dental impression material of second color different from said first color, and filling said second cavity with said dental impression material of third color different from said first and second colors, and allowing said dental material to harden to a solid block; (d) successively removing from said block thin uniform layers of predetermined known thickness and imaging the then remaining surface of said block after each successive layer is removed to define contours of said dental material of said second and third colors for each said layer removed; (e) generating a three dimensional computer model of the teeth, gums and palate of the patient using said contours; and (f) machining a restoration corresponding to a selected portion of said three dimensional computer model.