Milling Machine and Blank for a Dental Component

Abstract

The invention relates to a milling machine for producing a dental component, such as a crown or an abutment for example, from a blank. The milling machine includes a stop and a holder for the blank. The invention is characterized in that the holder is designed such that the holder can be surrounded by a mounting, which surrounds the holder, of the blank, and the surrounding mounting of the blank can be brought into contact with the stop for positioning purposes. The invention further relates to a corresponding blank.

Claims

1. A milling machine for producing a dental component from a blank, wherein said milling machine comprises a stop and a holder for said blank, wherein said holder is designed such that it can be surrounded by a mounting, which surrounds said holder, of said blank, and the surrounding mounting of said blank can be brought into contact with said stop for positioning purposes.

2. The milling machine according to claim 1, wherein devices are provided on said holder for a detachable connection to said surrounding mounting.

3. The milling machine according to claim 2, wherein said devices comprise at least one thread for a screw.

4. The milling machine according to claim 3, wherein said holder comprises two threads for screws, where a connecting line of said threads extends through the longitudinal axis of said holder.

5. The milling machine according to claim 1, wherein said stop defines a plane and said holder has a longitudinal axis perpendicular to said plane, where said holder is shaped symmetrically or asymmetrically with respect to said longitudinal axis.

6. The milling machine according to claim 5, wherein said holder is shaped asymmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis and has at least one flat surface parallel to said longitudinal axis.

7. The milling machine according to claim 5, wherein the orientation of said blank with respect to said stop is defined by the shape of said holder.

8. A blank, from which a dental component can be milled, where said blank on one side comprises a pin which defines a connection geometry of said dental component, wherein said blank on the opposite side comprises a surrounding mounting with which a holder of a milling machine can be surrounded, and where said surrounding mounting can be brought into contact with a stop of said milling machine, where said surrounding mounting comprises two openings.

9. The blank according to claim 8, wherein said surrounding mounting has a substantially cylindrical outer shape, where said mounting has a substantially cylindrical inner shape or an inner shape which is not symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis of said blank.

10. The blank according to claim 9, wherein connecting elements can be passed through said openings in order to establish a detachable connection to said holder of said milling machine.

11. The blank according to claim 10, wherein the position of said openings depends on the connection geometry prescribed by said pin.

12. The blank according to claim 10, wherein said openings are designed as a recess on the end of said surrounding mounting facing away from said blank.

13. The blank according to claim 8, wherein the end of said surrounding mounting facing away from said blank is substantially designed as a flat ring or comprises ring segments which can be brought into contact with said stop of said milling machine.

14. The blank according to claim 8, wherein said blank is arranged in a milling machine, wherein said milling machine comprises a stop and a holder for said blank, and where said surrounding mounting surrounds said holder and said surrounding mounting is at the end facing away from said blank brought into contact with said stop of said milling machine.

15. The milling machine according to claim 1, wherein the dental component is a crown or an abutment.

16. The milling machine according to claim 8, wherein the dental component is a crown or an abutment.

17. The blank according to claim 10, wherein the connecting elements are screws.

18. The blank according to claim 11, wherein said openings are designed as a recess on the end of said surrounding mounting facing away from said blank.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0041] FIG. 1 Schematic representation of a milling machine.

[0042] FIG. 2 Enlarged schematic view of the holding region and a blank.

[0043] FIGS. 3a and b Schematic representation of two embodiments of the holder and the surrounding mounting.

[0044] FIGS. 4a and b Schematic representation of two embodiments of the holder and the surrounding mounting with different cross-sectional areas.

[0045] FIGS. 5a and b Schematic representation of the orientation of the blank with respect to the connection geometry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] FIG. 1 schematically shows the basic structure of a milling machine 100, as it is also known, for example, from prior art. This milling machine can comprise a cover 101 in which the remaining components of the milling machine are arranged. The cover can be divided into several individual regions and in particular comprise an inspection region through which the component can be observed during production. Furthermore, a hatch or the like can be provided in order to introduce a blank from which a toothed technical component, such as a crown, is to be produced, into milling machine 100. In addition, but not necessarily, an operating terminal 104 can be provided on milling machine 101, which, for example, allows data input with regard to the manufacture of the dental component. Milling machine 100 further comprises one or more cutting tools 102 with which a blank inserted into milling machine 100 can be machined. Furthermore, a holding device 103 is provided in a holding region in which the blank can be arranged or clamped in.

[0047] The blank, from which the dental component is to be fabricated, can there either be fixedly mounted in holding device 103 or can be rotatably arranged relative to the holding device. In the first case, one or more tools mounted to be rotatable and movable in the direction of the blank are used for machining the blank. If the blank itself is rotatably mounted with respect to the cutting tools, then the cutting tool is in dependence of the contour of the dental component to be produced from the blank commonly moved toward or away from the blank while the blank is rotated, for example, about its longitudinal axis.

[0048] The blank can there in principle have any desired shape. It can be a cylinder but also a cuboid or a cuboid with rounded or flattened edges. A geometrical structure that basically corresponds to the dental component can like wise be used, such as a cone or an ellipsoid. The size of the blank can vary depending on the later size of the dental component. It can there extend in all directions over several millimeters, but also up to 2 or 4 cm in one or more directions.

[0049] A ceramic compound can commonly be used as the starting material for the blank. However, plastic materials or metal alloys can also be used. Materials are basically used which can be machined using cutting methods. Not only mechanical tools can there be used, but also lasers can be employed. Milling machine 100 therefore comprises not only embodiments which remove material layers from the blank by use of mechanical force, but can also comprise laser tools that evaporate material from the blank in order to produce the dental component.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a more detailed schematic view of the holding region with holding device 103 of the milling machine. The parts of holding device 103 which are crucial for the invention are there shown having solid lines, whereas the remaining components of the holding device are there indicated as a dashed cuboid. The dashed structure is not to be understood as being restrictive of the shape of holding device 103, but is intended to serve only as a reference point for holder 232 and stop 231.

[0051] It is according to the invention provided that a stop 231 is arranged in the holding device. This stop can be configured as shown, for example, as an elevation having a cylindrical shape. However, the shape of the stop is basically arbitrary. In addition to a cylindrical shape, a cuboid shape or other structures can there also be used. Irregular shapes are also conceivable. Stop 231 according to one embodiment defines a plane facing away from holding device 103. A holder 232 is arranged in this plane. According to the invention, the blank can be arranged in this holder 232. The holder is preferably arranged perpendicular to the stop so that a longitudinal axis of the holder extends through the stop and forms a normal of the stop, in particular of the plane, or runs parallel thereto, respectively. The longitudinal axis there extends parallel to an at least partially curved surface area of the holder. If the holder is formed, for example, as a cylinder or as a body with a partially cylindrically shaped outer surface, then the longitudinal axis runs parallel to the cylindrically shaped outer surface.

[0052] The blank is also shown in FIG. 2. Blank 240 consists, firstly, of the actual blank material 242 from which the dental component is to be produced, and beyond that comprises an element 243. This element 243 can be configured, for example, as a pin or as a screw thread. In principle, element 243 defines a connection geometry for the dental component to be produced from blank 240.

[0053] Connection geometry is understood as being a direction or orientation being prescribed by element 243 in which the dental component can be inserted into the jaw of a patient. This connection geometry therefore represents the predetermined orientation of the dental component. In order to ensure proper functioning and correct installation of the dental component, the dental component being milled from blank 240 must in shape and orientation match the connection geometry.

[0054] An incisor tooth can as an illustrative example be fabricated from blank 240 as a dental component. Incisors have a certain orientation in the jaw of a patient. In order to replace the original incisor tooth of the patient with a dental component, the original tooth can have been removed and a corresponding thread or connecting elements can be connected to the jaw in the free space, into which the dental component can then be inserted.

[0055] The orientation of the dental component with respect to the connecting elements is then defined by element 243, for example, by a corresponding screw or a pin. It is therefore clear that the structure of the dental component fabricated from blank 240 must be produced in dependence of the connection geometry in order to ensure that the replacement incisor is not slanted or twisted relative to the actually intended position. FIG. 2 schematically by way of example shows the shape of an incision tooth 244 as a dental component to be fabricated from blank 240.

[0056] Furthermore, blank 240 on the side opposite to the connection geometry or element 243, respectively, comprises a surrounding mounting 241. This surrounding mounting is configured such that it can be brought into contact with holder 232 or can surround holder 232, respectively, when the blank is inserted into the milling machine. For this purpose, surrounding mounting 241 is at least in part configured as a hollow cylinder, where the free area within the hollow cylinder corresponds to the outer shape of holder 232 on milling machine, so that holder 232 can be inserted into surrounding mounting 241.

[0057] The longitudinal axis of holder 232 there extends in the same direction in which the surrounding mounting can be moved along the holder while surrounding it.

[0058] It is further provided that the surrounding mounting can at the end facing away from the blank be brought into contact with stop 231 on the milling machine. When the blank is correctly seated in the milling machine, it is there in particular provided that surrounding mounting 241 is arranged on holder 232 or surrounds the latter and is brought into contact with stop 231. A positive-locking fit of the blank in the milling machine can be ensured as, in particular, tilting of surrounding mounting 241 relative to holder 232 is prevented by stop 231.

[0059] In order to ensure a detachable positive-locking and force-locking connection of the blank to the milling machine, additional elements can be provided both on the surrounding mounting as well as, for example, complementary thereto, on holder 232 of the milling machine.

[0060] FIG. 3a shows an exemplary embodiment. It is there provided that at least one device 353 is formed in holder 232 for establishing a detachable connection to the surrounding mounting. It is in one embodiment provided that this device 353 comprises an opening or a thread for a screw 351. Correspondingly, surrounding mounting 241 of the blank comprises an opening 354 through which screw 351 can be guided and connected, in particular screwed, to holder 232. By screwing screw 351 through the surrounding mounting of the blank to holder 232, a detachable positive-locking and force-locking connection of the blank to holder 232 in the milling machine can be ensured.

[0061] By suitable selection of the distance between the opening in the holder and the respective opening in surrounding mounting 241 of the blank in relation to stop 231, it can furthermore be ensured that the screw connection can only be effected if the surrounding mounting has been brought into contact with stop 231. The distance of the actual material 242, from which the dental component is to be formed, in relation to stop 231 is thereby defined exactly. Furthermore, tilting of the blank relative to holder 232 is thereby prevented, since the surrounding mounting is brought into contact with stop 231.

[0062] It can for this purpose be provided, for example, that the part of surrounding mounting 241 facing away from the blank comprises a cross-section which is substantially configured as a ring and can be brought into contact with the stop of the milling machine. Examples of the cross-section are shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b. In order to increase the contact surface, it can also be provided that the surrounding mounting in this region has a larger diameter than in the remaining region.

[0063] In order to—possibly entirely—prevent the blank from tilting, both the surface on the surrounding mounting, which is brought into contact with the stop, as well as stop 231 itself must be as flat as possible. It is there provided that deviations of stop 231 from a plane are at most 10 μm, preferably 5 μm, particularly preferably less than 3 μm. It is likewise preferred if the region of surrounding mounting 241, which is brought into contact with stop 231, deviates from a plane only by a few micrometers, particularly preferably less than 5 μm. This deviation is there to be understood such that, relative to an imaginary plane representing the mean value of the real plane defined by the stop, the deviations of the real plane defined by the stop amount to at most the stated values. The same applies to the surrounding mounting.

[0064] The distance of the opening in holder 232 from stop 231 as well as opening 354 from the end of surrounding mounting 241 facing away from the blank should to the degree possible be the same so that the surrounding mounting is actually brought into contact with stop 231 when screw 351 is screwed through the openings. In order to further promote this, it can be provided that the distance of the opening in holder 232 from stop 231 is slightly smaller than the distance from opening 354 to the end of the surrounding mounting facing away from the blank. If the surrounding mounting is then connected to the holder, for example by way of a screw, then the resulting tightening force of the surrounding mounting in the direction of stop 231 causes reliable abutment of the surrounding mounting against stop 231. The distance of the opening in holder 232 from stop 231 can there be, for example, 0.1 mm, preferably 50 μm, particularly preferably 20 μm smaller than the distance of opening 354 from the end of the surrounding mounting facing away from the blank. Though large differences in the distances increase the resulting tightening force of the surrounding mounting in the direction of the stop, they also lead to increased stresses in the material, which can lead to deformations and misalignments. Differences in the distances of the openings are therefore preferred which, though ensuring a tightening force of the surrounding mounting in the direction of the holder, do not cause any deformations of the material.

[0065] In order to further improve the positive-locking and force-locking fit of the surrounding mounting on holder 232, it can be intended that at least two screws or two elements 351 and 352 are provided which can be screwed into one another, and accordingly two openings in holder 232 and two openings in surrounding mounting 241. It is particularly preferred if a screw 351 is used and a sleeve 352 which comprises an opening with a thread for screw 351. The openings in holder 232 and surrounding mounting 241 are then formed to be disposed opposite to one another. This means that the connecting line between the centers of the openings intersect the longitudinal axis L of surrounding mounting 241 and the longitudinal axis of holder 232. Since an additional mechanical coupling is created by use of the sleeve and the screw, the positive-locking and force-locking seat of the surrounding mounting on holder 232 is further improved.

[0066] In order to prevent the blank from accidentally being mounting rotated by 180° relative to the actually intended position, it can be provided that screw 351 and sleeve 352 can be screwed onto the holder only in the correct orientation of the surrounding holder. This can be realized, for example, by openings of different sizes in surrounding mounting 241 and the holder, where the insertion of screw 351 or of sleeve 352, respectively, is enabled only in the correct orientation of opening 354 or 355, respectively, above the corresponding opening 353 or 356, respectively, of the holder.

[0067] When two screws are used, this can also be ensured by having the openings in the holder or the mounting be provided at a certain angle relative to one another that differs from 180°. For example, opening 354 and opening 355 in the surrounding mounting can be rotated by 90° with respect to the longitudinal axis L (the same applies for openings 353 and 356, respectively, in the holder), so that only with appropriate alignment of the surrounding mounting with respect to holder 232 is it at all possible to insert the screws.

[0068] FIG. 3b shows a further embodiment in which surrounding mounting 241, instead of a complete opening, comprises a recess at the end of the surrounding mounting facing away from the blank, through which corresponding screw 351 or—as described with reference to FIG. 3a—sleeve 352, can be inserted. The surrounding mounting in this case does not comprise a complete ring on the side facing away from the blank, but two or more ring segments which are separated from one another by the recesses. These ring segments as well are brought into contact with the stop in the same way like the complete ring and fulfill respective requirements regarding the accuracy with respect to deviations from an imaginary plane.

[0069] It can in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b be provided that the openings in the holder and in the surrounding mounting have no thread but a smooth limiting surface. Furthermore, screw 351 can preferably be designed as a countersunk head screw and sleeve 352 as a countersunk nut with an internal thread.

[0070] In order to prevent undesirable rotation of sleeve 352 (in particular of the countersunk nut) when the screw is being screwed in, it can in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3b be provided that the sleeve has a flattened region which can be brought into contact with stop 231. A positive lock with respect to a degree of freedom of rotation of sleeve 352 can thereby be obtained and co-rotation is prevented when the screw is screwed in.

[0071] Alternatively or in combination therewith, it can be provided that the outer shape of holder 232 and surrounding mounting 241 is not symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis. This is illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0072] It is according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4a provided that the holder is in principle formed to be cylindrical, where the longitudinal axis L extends through the imaginary axes of symmetry of a respective cylinder. Holder 232, however, comprises at least one flat point 470 at one location. Several flat points can there also be provided and distributed, for example, equidistantly on the circumference of holder 232. In the case of non-equidistant distribution of these flat points on the circumference of holder 232, it can in connection with the surrounding mounting be ensured that the surrounding mounting can only be placed on holder 232 in precisely one orientation.

[0073] A cross-section through surrounding mounting 241 of blank 240 is for this further shown in FIG. 4a. The longitudinal axis L runs perpendicular to the paper plane. While the outer shape of surrounding mounting 241 can be cylindrical or approximately cylindrical, but can in principle also be arbitrarily shaped in order to ensure abutment against stop 231, the inner shape is shaped to be complementary to the outer shape of holder 232. This means in particular that the inner shape of surrounding mounting 241 comprises a region 471 in the form of a flat point which corresponds in size and shape to flat point 470 on holder 232.

[0074] It can alternatively also be provided that holder 232 is configured having a different geometric shape, for example, like a prism, as shown in FIG. 4b. The longitudinal axis of holder 232 there runs perpendicular to stop 231 on the milling machine. The cross-section of surrounding mounting 241 can in analogy perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L have a respective inner cross-sectional shape of a prism, so that blank 240 can be made to engage with holder 232 via surrounding mounting 241 on the milling machine and brought into contact with stop 231.

[0075] FIGS. 5a and 5b show the orientation of opening 354 in surrounding mounting 241 in relation to a connection geometry 580 prescribed by pin 243. For the sake of simplicity, connection geometry 580 is presently schematically illustrated as a strip. The orientation is represented by dashed line 243′. Determination of this orientation 243′ is there basically arbitrary but in FIGS. 5a and 5b done on the same basis. For example, a connecting line between connection geometry 580 on the surface of the pin and the longitudinal axis L can be selected, where this connecting line is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The resulting line can be understood as being characteristic of the orientation of the connection geometry 580. Similarly, the orientation of opening 354 can be determined such that a connecting line is from the center of the opening formed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L so that orientation 354′ is defined.

[0076] In FIG. 5 a, the opening is rotated by an angle a with respect to connection geometry 580, so that orientations 243′ and 354′ enclose a corresponding angle a relative to one another. Dental component 244 to be produced from blank 240 would therefore have a specific first orientation with respect to connection geometry 580, which is by way of example presently shown in dashed lines.

[0077] In FIG. 5b, opening 354 and therefore the prescribed orientation of the surrounding mounting relative to the holder of the milling machine is rotated by an angle B with respect to connection geometry 580. This results in a different orientation of dental component 244 to be produced from blank 240, as is there also shown in a dashed manner.

[0078] The selection of the openings or generally of the connecting elements of the surrounding mounting, which enable establishing a detachable connection to the holder of the milling machine, relative to connection geometry 580 allows for orientation with high accuracy of the dental component to be produced from the blank in relation to this connection geometry. Blank 240 as such is oriented as precisely as possible on the milling machine by way of the surrounding mounting and the connecting elements for establishing the detachable connection to the holder and the stop, so that the dental component can also be milled according to the prescribed connection geometry with only minimal deviations.