BLANK AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A TOOTH REPLACEMENT PART

Abstract

The invention relates to a blank (5) for producing a tooth replacement part (1) using a CAD/CAM device (10, 7), comprising a block (25) of a sintered material (26). Said block (25) of sintered material (26) has already been presintered in a sintering furnace (2) at an initial sintering temperature (33) between 1000 C. and 1250 C.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. Blank for producing a tooth replacement part using a CAD/CAM device comprising a block of a sintered material, wherein the block of sintered material has been presintered in a sintering furnace at an initial sintering temperature between 1000 C. and 1250 C., wherein the sintered material is a powder of ceramic particles with a zirconium dioxide (YZrO2) weight fraction of at least 90%, wherein a specific surface area of the powder is between 11 m.sup.2/g and 17 m.sup.2/g, wherein the sintered material of the block includes at least one dye, a combination of a number of dyes and/or at least one oxide or one chloride of a dye for coloring the block, wherein the at least one dye for a yellow coloration is terbium, which does not exhibit a change in valency during rapid cooling and therefore does not undergo a color change.

15. The blank according to claim 14, wherein the initial sintering temperature is between 1050 C. and 1200 C.

16. The blank according to claim 14, wherein the block is pressed with a pressing pressure between 130 and 250 MPa.

17. The blank according to claim 14, wherein the specific surface area of the powder is between 12 m.sup.2/g and 14 m.sup.2/g.

18. The blank according to claim 14, wherein the sintered material of the block includes an yttrium oxide weight fraction between 2% and 4.5%.

19. A method for producing a tooth replacement part from a blank according to claim 14, wherein the carved out tooth replacement part is sintered to final density in a sintering furnace according to a defined temperature profile, wherein, in the volume of the tooth replacement part, the tooth replacement part includes a largest possible sphere having a diameter under a limit value of 6 mm, wherein the temperature profile has a defined heating rate between 150 C./minute and 350 C./minute in a heating phase and/or a defined cooling rate (50) between 150 C./minute and 350 C./minute in a cooling phase.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein, in the volume of the tooth replacement part, the tooth replacement part includes a largest possible sphere having a diameter under a limit value of 3 mm, wherein the defined heating rate is between 200 C./minute and 350 C./minute.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The invention is explained with reference to the drawings. The drawings show:

[0041] FIG. 1 a sketch to illustrate the present method for producing the tooth replacement part,

[0042] FIG. 2 a temperature profile for presintering,

[0043] FIG. 3 a temperature profile 40 for sintering the produced tooth replacement part to final density.

DESIGN EXAMPLES

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a sketch for illustrating the present method for producing a tooth replacement part 1 by means of a sintering furnace 2. To regulate the furnace temperature within a furnace chamber 4, the sintering furnace comprises heating elements 3. An induction furnace which regulates the furnace temperature within the furnace chamber 4 can alternatively be used as well. In the first step, a blank 5 is presintered by means of a sintering furnace at an initial sintering temperature between 1000 C. and 1250 C. A large industrial furnace that can presinter multiple blanks at once is usually used as the sintering furnace. The presintered blank is subsequently clamped into a CAM processing machine 7 using a blank holder 6.

[0045] The tooth replacement part 1 to be produced is carved out by means of the CAM processing machine using processing tools 9 according to a planned 3D model 8 of the tooth replacement part 1. The planning of the 3D model is performed using a computer 10, to which operating elements such as a mouse 11 and a keyboard 12 are connected. The 3D model 8 is displayed by means of a display device 13, such as a monitor. A largest possible virtual sphere 14 within the volume of the 3D model 8 is sought using a computer method. A diameter 15 of the largest possible virtual sphere 14 is an essential measure for determining a temperature profile 16. To do this, the temperature 17 is plotted as a function of the time 18. The temperature profile 16 for sintering the produced tooth replacement part 1 to final density typically includes a drying phase 19 with a first heating rate, a first heating phase 20 with a second heating rate, a second heating phase 21 with a third heating rate, a holding phase 22 at a defined holding temperature 23 and a cooling phase 24 with a defined cooling rate. A suitable temperature profile 16 is selected from a database of different temperature profiles, for example, or determined individually as a function of the largest possible sphere 14. The heating rates and cooling rates for a tooth replacement part 1 having a diameter 15 of the largest possible sphere 14 above a limit value of 6 mm may not exceed a value of 150 C. per minute, for example. This is because this would lead to thermal stresses within the tooth replacement part 1 and thus to fractures. The blank 5 consists of a block 25 of a sintered material 26 and the blank holder 6.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a temperature profile 30 for presintering the blank 5 of FIG. 1. To do this, the temperature is plotted as a function of the time. In a heating phase 30 with a heating rate 32 of 50 C./hour, for example, the furnace temperature is heated to an initial sintering temperature 33 of, for example, 1100 C. In a holding phase 34, the initial sintering temperature 33 is subsequently held for a holding time 35 of, for example, 60 minutes. This is followed by a cooling phase 36 with a cooling rate 37 of, for example, 100 C./hour. The required hardness of the blank for processing in the CAM processing machine is achieved via the presintering. A too high initial sintering temperature 33 would lead to a hardness of the blank 5 that is so high that the tools 9 of the CAM processing machine of FIG. 1 would wear out more quickly.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a temperature profile 40 for sintering the produced tooth replacement part 1 to final density. In a drying phase 41, the furnace temperature is increased with a first heating rate 42 in 120 seconds to a temperature of 400 C. For a higher hardness of the produced tooth replacement part 1, the duration of the drying phase can also be decreased. In a first heating phase 43 with a second heating rate 44, the temperature is increased to a temperature of 1050 C. between 120 to 250 seconds. In a second heating phase 45 with a third heating rate 46 of 265 C. per minute, the furnace temperature is increased from a temperature of 1050 C. to a holding temperature 47 of 1580 C. in the time between 250 seconds and 370 seconds. In a holding phase 48, the holding temperature 47 is held for the time between 370 seconds and 550 seconds. The tooth replacement part 1 is then cooled in a cooling phase 49 with a cooling rate 50. The temperature profile 40 shown is for a presintered blank 5 with an initial sintering temperature 34 of 1100 C. The dash-dotted line shows a second temperature profile 51 for a tooth replacement part 1 from a presintered blank 5 that was presintered with an initial sintering temperature 34 of 960 C. The second heating phase 52 of the second temperature profile 51 has a significantly lower heating rate 53 of 45 C./minute. Due to the lesser hardness, a higher heating rate for a presintered blank with the initial sintering temperature of 960 C. would lead to mechanical stresses and fractures. The novel blank with the higher initial sintering temperature therefore makes a more rapid heating phase 45 possible, and thus decreases the duration of the sintering to final density.