DENTAL PROSTHESES

Abstract

A blank for producing dental prostheses by particularly material-removing processing comprises a tooth element and a jaw element. These elements are preferably differently colored layers of a blank produced from the same material. In order to cover a dividing line between the differently colored regions, a gum element is arranged especially in a recess of the finished dental prosthesis.

Claims

1. A method of producing dental prostheses, comprising: producing a gingiva-colored layer from a first mixture of gingiva-colored plastic particles with plastic monomers; producing a tooth-colored layer from a second mixture of a tooth-colored plastic particles with plastic monomers; arranging the first and second mixtures one above the other in a mold; polymerizing the first and second mixtures to form a single piece blank having a dividing line between the gingiva-colored layer and the tooth-colored layer; and removing the single piece blank from the mold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dividing line is a substantially straight, clearly discernible dividing line.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second mixtures comprises a radical chain starter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the single piece blank is circular.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the single piece blank is sized and configured to produce a partial dental prostheses.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the single piece blank is sized and configured to produce a full dental prostheses.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the tooth-colored layer has a greater surface hardness than the gingiva-colored layer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the tooth-colored layer has a greater abrasion resistance than the gingiva-colored layer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic monomer of the first and/or the second mixtures is/are selected from a group consisting of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyamide, polycarbonate, and any combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second mixture further comprises filler selected from a group consisting of a silanized filler, a silanized silicon dioxide, and a quartz powder.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: removing material from the gingiva-colored layer to define a jaw element; and removing material from the tooth-colored layer a tooth element having at least two teeth.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising covering the dividing line between the tooth-colored layer and the gingiva-colored layer with a gingiva element.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the gingiva element is gingiva-colored.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming the gingiva element from a region of the gingiva-colored layer removed from the single piece blank.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising: removing material from the gingiva-colored and/or tooth-colored layers to define a receiving portion; and covering the dividing line between the tooth-colored layer and the gingiva-colored layer by fixing the gingiva element to the receiving portion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the covering step comprises adhesive bonding of the gingiva element to the receiving portion.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the gingiva element has a wedge-shaped or pointed protrusion shaped and configured, the gingiva element being fixed to the receiving portion with the wedge-shaped or pointed protrusion arranged between the at least two teeth.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving portion is a recess into which the gingiva element is received to provide a substantially smooth transition between the receiving portion and the gingiva-colored and/or tooth-colored layers.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiving portion is a recess into which the gingiva element is received to provide a substantially smooth transition between the receiving portion and the gingiva-colored and/or tooth-colored layers.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing another layer in addition to the tooth-colored layer and the gingiva-colored layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In the Figures:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of a circular cylindrical round blank for producing a dental prosthesis;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a front view of a dental prosthesis produced from the circular cylindrical round blank;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a dental prosthesis produced from the circular cylindrical round blank; and

[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematical top plan view of a gingiva element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] A full prosthesis may be produced from a round blank which, in the embodiment illustrated, is a two-layered, circular cylindrical blank. In the embodiment illustrated, the round blank comprises two layers 10, 12 which are in particular made from the same material, but are colored differently. An upper layer 10 in FIG. 1 serves to form the jaw element and is preferably gingiva-colored. This layer is adjoined by a lower layer 12 in FIG. 1 which serves to form the tooth element that, in a full prosthesis, imitates the entirety of the teeth.

[0024] The jaw element 14 and the tooth element 18 (FIG. 2), which forms the individual teeth 16, are formed for the individual patient by material-removing processing such as milling, grinding and the like. Due to the different coloring of the tooth element 18 and the jaw element 14, a possibly distinct dividing line 20 is obtained between these two elements. This creates an unnatural appearance especially in the region of the visible teeth.

[0025] Therefore, according to the disclosure, a receiving portion 22 in the form of a recess is provided. The same is preferably also made by material-removing processing. The recess 22 extends along the visible teeth e.g. up to the molars as schematically shown in FIG. 3.

[0026] In order to cover the dividing line 20 between the tooth element 18 and the jaw element 14, a gingiva element 24 (FIG. 4) is inserted into the recess 22 and is fixed therein in particular by adhesive bonding.

[0027] In the particularly preferred embodiment illustrated, the gingiva element is formed such that it has a plurality of protrusions 26 which, in the mounted state of the gingiva element 24, are arranged between adjacent teeth 16 and thus imitate the natural course of the gingiva. The individual protrusions 26 are connected by means of a connecting element 28, with the entire gingiva element 24 being preferably produced as a single piece.

[0028] The production of the gingiva element 24 is preferably also performed by material-removing processing such as milling, grinding and the like. It is possible to produce the gingiva element, which has the color of the layer 10, from a region of the round blank that would be removed during the production of the dental prosthesis. In this regard, it is not necessary to provide another blank for the production of the gingiva element.