A denture-securing device is provided that is usable to substantially secure a denture within a mouth. The denture-securing device may be used with top dentures, bottom dentures, or other configurations of dentures. The denture-securing device may advantageously secure dentures without requiring use of adhesives. The denture-securing device may also reduce the likelihood of food getting under dentures, provide a firm yet soft and comfortable fit, and minimize rocking of lower dentures. The denture-securing device may advantageously be secured to gums using a suction fit through saliva or other sources of moisture.

A single denture model that includes both tooth and soft tissue portions (e.g., gums and palate) may be provided in a computer-aided design (CAD) or computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) modeling environment. By cutting back soft tissue surfaces of the virtual denture model within the modeling environment, cutback volumes are formed that provide space for the subsequent application of a soft tissue insert that mimics soft tissue. A denture base including these cutback volumes can be fabricated from the virtual denture model, e.g., by milling or three-dimensional printing, and soft tissue inserts (e.g., custom-fabricated or prefabricated inserts) can be assembled onto the denture base to form a complete denture.

A removable denture for an oral cavity of a human is disclosed. The removable denture includes a denture body and a supporting base. The supporting base is attached to mucosa on an edentulous alveolus and on palatine bones in the oral cavity. The denture body is joined to the supporting base. The denture body comprises a denture teeth for chewing. A central region of the supporting base is less flexible than a periphery region of the supporting base so as to maintain a high adhesion of the periphery region to the mucosa when the oral cavity is in chewing. The supporting base comprises an on-way venting device capable of improving the negative pressure effect between the supporting base and the mucosa so as to prevent the supporting base from falling off.

Apparatus and method for installing a multi-tooth dental prosthesis in one session are shown and described. A first tool attaches to the jawbone, and serves as a foundation for subsequently used guides. Existing teeth and dental fixtures are removed, and the bone tissue is removed to accommodate the prosthesis. Subsequently, a drill guide is used to drill implant holes. An abutment guide is then used to place abutments. Copings are then installed. Next, the prosthesis may be installed and cemented to the copings. A resinous filler material may be applied to fill gaps and holes in and between the copings and the prosthesis, and is sanded smooth.

A dental bridge system (10) is provided, comprising a superstructure (14) having a teeth-mimicking portion at a distal end thereof, and at least one receiving cavity formed on a proximal side thereof, at least one support arrangement (12) configured for being fixedly secured, at a proximal side thereof, to an alveolar ridge of an individual, and being formed so as to be received, at a distal side thereof, within one of the receiving cavities to facilitate carrying of the superstructure (14), and a buffering arrangement (16) disposed between the superstructure (14) and the support arrangement (12), the buffer arrangement (16) being configured to damp shock impulses between the support arrangement (12) and the superstructure (14).

A method of damping compressive, tensile, and lateral compressive and tensile forces on one or more prosthetic teeth and an implant recessed into jawbone through use of synthetic periodontal ligament fibers in the form of a damping membrane within a dental bridge assembly. An arcuate damping membrane positions on a full bar and a half-bar positions over the membrane; whereby the damping membrane is sufficiently resilient to enable lateral and axial movements by the prostheses affixed to the half-bar.

A force damping dental bridge assembly which damps compressive, tensile, and lateral forces on a prosthetic tooth and jawbone through use of synthetic periodontal ligament fibers in the form of a damping membrane. Multiple layers of arcuate components and Morse taper interconnections secure the assembly. A threaded implant that penetrates the jawbone defining a tapered, conical inner cavity which receives a shank protruding downwardly from a full bar. An arcuate damping membrane positions on the bar and a half-bar positions over the membrane; whereby the damping membrane is sufficiently resilient to enable lateral and axial movements by the prostheses affixed to the half-bar. A plurality of protuberances extend from an upper surface of the half-bar to enable sculpting and affixation of prostheses thereon; and whereby a plurality of fasteners detachably connect the prostheses to the bar and/or implants in a snap-fit relationship that can be detached with an implement adapted to unsnap the assembly from a patient's mouth.

Apparatus and method for installing a multi-tooth dental prosthesis in one session are shown and described. A first tool attaches to the jawbone, and serves as a foundation for subsequently used guides. Existing teeth and dental fixtures are removed, and the bone tissue is removed to accommodate the prosthesis. Subsequently, a drill guide is used to drill implant holes. An abutment guide is then used to place abutments. Copings are then installed. Next, the prosthesis may be installed and cemented to the copings. A resinous filler material may be applied to fill gaps and holes in and between the copings and the prosthesis, and is sanded smooth. The first tool, the guides, and the prosthesis are predesigned and prefabricated based on images taken of the patient anatomy.

A dental prosthesis and a process for design and manufacturing, incorporating an overdenture and a dental implant framework that will be designed and manufactured simultaneously.

Disclosed is a method for scanning an edentulous patent who has a denture, where an impression material arranged at the gum-facing surfaces of the dentures is shaped by the patient's gums and both the teeth side and the gum-facing surface of the denture is scanned and the obtained digital 3D representations are used to determine the relative arrangement of the patient's edentulous jaws in a bite determined by the dentures.