An appliance fabricated to improve the appearance of a patient's smile includes a plurality of simulated teeth. The interior surfaces of each of the teeth closely fits and conforms to the surface of a patient's real teeth while the outer surfaces of each of the simulated teeth has an ideal surface configuration. The dental appliance provides the patient with the appearance of a perfect set of teeth and an ideal smile without a need to alter the dental structure of the patient's teeth.

A method of making a prosthetic dental item comprises selecting a block having a square or rectangular cross-section along is extent, wherein said block comprises polyetheretherketone and, optionally, an apatite, wherein said polymeric material has a crystallinity of at least 25%. The method comprises machining the block in dependence upon data collated using digital technology. Since the crystallinity of the material selected is high, a post-machining step whereby crystallinity is increased can be avoided, and dental items of high precision can be formed.

The invention provides a method for creating a physical teeth model. The method comprises the following steps: providing a virtual three dimensional (3D) representation of a patient's dentition that comprises at least a region of the teeth that includes a tooth stump on which a crown is to be fitted or a region on to which a bridge is to be fitted; and preparing a physical model of the jaws of a subject from a blank, based on information from said virtual 3D image.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing at least one bone anchor and a corresponding drilling template, wherein the bone anchor has an anchor plate which is to be fixed to the surface of a bone by means of one or several screws having a screw head. The anchor plate thus has a bone side which is to connect to the surface of the bone and a free side which is opposite to said bone side. Further, the invention concerns a method for manufacturing a drilling template making it possible to make bore holes in the bone at predetermined positions and to screw the bone anchor to said bone according to predetermined orientations.

Dental devices and systems and methods for making the same are provided. In at least one embodiment, a method for fabricating an arch-shaped device for coupling to a patient's mouth is provided. The method can include adjusting a denture form device to conform to a shape and fit of a patient's mouth. The method can also include using the denture form device to obtain an impression of the patient's mouth. The method can also include selecting an arch device and adapting that arch device to conform to a model of a patient's mouth. The method can also include a denture form device that can be combined with the arch device to form a complete denture.

Dental devices and systems and methods for making the same are provided. In at least one embodiment, a method for fabricating an arch-shaped device for coupling to a patient's mouth is provided. The method can include adjusting a denture form device to conform to a shape and fit of a patient's mouth. The method can also include using the denture form device to obtain an impression of the patient's mouth. The method can also include selecting an arch device and adapting that arch device to conform to a model of a patient's mouth. The method can also include a denture form device that can be combined with the arch device to form a complete denture.

A method for fabricating a denture using, among other devices, a semi-custom thermoplastic tray. The thermoplastic tray is customized over a mold of an edentulous ridge. The thermoplastic tray has a handle that it trimmed off after its use as a tray thereby converting the thermoplastic tray into a base plate for continued fabrication of the denture. This allows the denture to be completed in only a few days with the patient making a trip to the dentist for the initial fabrication steps and then a second time to pick the finalized denture.

Disclosed is a template for forming a veneer on a tooth using a composite resin material that is curable by radiation. The template includes a tooth-contacting portion having a smooth concave surface for contacting the composite, the smooth concave surface having a shape that is complementary to a desired natural tooth shape. The tooth-contacting portion is formed of a material capable of transmitting the radiation such that the composite is curable through the tooth-contacting portion to form a veneer having a surface shape that conforms to the desired natural tooth shape. Also disclosed is a kit including a plurality of such templates and a method of using the templates to form a veneer.

A layered denture having at least one of an integrated layer, balanced occlusion, and a root approximating structure is disclosed. The resulting denture may be suitable for use without an underlying reinforcement bar and may provide enhanced aesthetics by approximating natural dentition and roots both above and below the gum line.

Disclosed herein is a workpiece unit containing a workpiece body, and a holding member which is arranged at least at a part of an outer circumferential portion of the workpiece body and directly contacts with at least a part of the outer circumferential portion.