A method for preparing a partial or full dental prosthesis comprising 1.1. acquiring a patient's oral situation by taking an impression or by digital recording; 1.2. if required, digitizing the patient's oral situation; 1.3. selecting the teeth forming the dental prosthesis from a library of teeth or groups of teeth to obtain a virtual set-up of the teeth, which is positioned virtually in a space that takes the acquired patient's situation into account; 1.3.1 said library contains designs of dental arches, tooth shapes, tooth sizes 1.3.2 said library contains designs of the gingiva, and 1.3.3 said library contains total set-ups and/or modular set-ups for all of Angle's bite classes; 1.4. if required, modifying the set-up obtained from the library; 1.5. virtually embedding the teeth arranged in the virtual set-up in a virtual gingiva; 1.6 producing the real prosthesis.

A system including a method and associated structures creates efficiencies in the manufacture of prosthetic tooth support frameworks. Pre-manufactured teeth with matching internal keys are used in the setup of a patient prototype. Each key includes a shaft, a cervical platform, a retention knob and preferably at least one channel for the expulsion of excess adhesive fluid. The cervical platforms are shaped to provide intimate contact with a base of their respective tooth. The same tooth/key pairs are then used to make a framework pattern from the setup positioning. The pattern can be cast or scanned for direct machining to produce the finished framework.

The present invention relates to a porous, silicate, ceramic body, possibly with different colors, with a first density, which can be sintered into a silicate, ceramic body with a second density, wherein the ratio of the first density to the second density is 2/5 to 98/100, and the three-point bending strength of the porous, silicate ceramic body with a first density, measured according to ISO 6872, amounts to 25 to 180 MPa.

A method for compact and descriptive representation of teeth shape (or other anatomic shapes) in terms of characteristic curves and its application to generation of automatic designs within dental CAD software or other software is provided. In an embodiment, a method includes capturing tooth shape by a network of characteristic curves (i.e. margin lines). In an embodiment, a method includes compactly encoding curves as strings, which then can be indexed and searched efficiently by similarity. In an embodiment, a method includes retrieving high quality crown design proposals from a case repository based on similarity of margin lines.

A dental stent for tooth restoration, comprising an acrylic outer shell and a set of metal matrix separator strips partially embedded into an inner silicon bed; a method of manufacturing a dental stent including 3D printing of a model wherein tooth forms of teeth to be restored are individually removable from a remainder of the model; a method of tooth restoration using a dental stent, and a kit of parts comprising a dental stent and a composite resin, and optionally a heater, a light cure unit, and a finishing tool kit.

Quartz solid solution glass ceramics and precursors thereof are described. which are characterized by very good mechanical and optical properties and can be used in particular as restorative materials in dentistry.

The present invention relates to an implantable medical device comprising a layer consisting of or comprising zirconia, and to a method for the preparation thereof.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an osseointegrative implant and related tools, components and fabrication techniques for surgical bone fixation and dental restoration purposes. In one embodiment an all-ceramic single-stage threaded or press-fit implant is provided having finely detailed surface features formed by ceramic injection molding and/or spark plasma sintering of a powder compact or green body comprising finely powdered zirconia. In another embodiment a two-stage threaded implant is provided having an exterior shell or body formed substantially entirely of ceramic and/or CNT-reinforced ceramic composite material. The implant may include one or more frictionally anisotropic bone-engaging surfaces. In another embodiment a densely sintered ceramic implant is provided wherein, prior to sintering, the porous debound green body is exposed to ions and/or particles of silver, gold, titanium, zirconia, YSZ, ?-tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, carbon, carbon nanotubes, and/or other particles which remain lodged in the implant surface after sintering. Optionally, at least the supragingival portions of an all-ceramic implant are configured to have high translucence in the visible light range. Optionally, at least the bone-engaging portions of an all-ceramic implant are coated with a fused layer of titanium oxide.

The invention relates to a blank for the production of a molded body, in particular a dental reconstruction. The blank has a base and at least one region that emanates therefrom and projects above the base, from which at least a part of the molded body can be derived by working.

Apparatus and methods for adjustably retaining a dental prosthesis are disclosed. In one variation, a securement assembly includes an abutment assembly comprising an upper abutment portion configured to extend beyond the gingiva of a patient. The upper abutment portion can have an abutment ledge and the abutment ledge can be defined by a receiving groove. The securement assembly can also include a coping attached to the abutment assembly. The coping can have a coping base. A seal can be positioned in the receiving groove and in between at least the abutment ledge and the coping base. The seal can elastically deform to allow the coping to translate relative to the abutment assembly.