Dental post for supporting dental prostheses and method for the production thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dental post for supporting dental prostheses by a screw attachment and method for the manufacture thereof which provides a customizable optimum solution for each case, both from the mechanical viewpoint and from the aesthetic viewpoint, essentially comprising an upper hole into which the retaining screw is screwed for retaining the prosthesis on the post such that the upper hole can be located at any point of the surface of the post once said post has been customized in terms of the shape thereof and type of retention to the prosthesis depending on the mechanical and aesthetic needs of the type of rehabilitation suitable for each particular case.

Claims

1. Method for the manufacture of a post for supporting dental prostheses comprising at least one upper hole into which a retaining screw is screwed for fixing a prosthesis on the post, comprising: taking an impression of a patient's mouth, simulating masticatory loads and aesthetic requirements of the patient, calculating an ideal position of the upper hole, designing the post with data of the patient obtained in the preceding steps, customizing the shape of the post and type of retention to the prosthesis, transferring a file with the design of the post obtained according to the preceding step of this method to a step of planning for the manufacture of the post; and manufacturing the post itself.

2. Method for the manufacture of a post for supporting dental prostheses according to claim 1, wherein a computer-aided design or CAD software is used in the step of designing the post.

3. Method for the manufacture of a post for supporting dental prostheses according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the information obtained in the step of designing the post is performed by a computer-aided manufacturing or CAM software and in that a database which is developed during CAD is processed by CAM to obtain a file with the data and the instructions necessary for operating and controlling manufacturing machinery, material handling equipment and automated tests and inspections for establishing product quality.

4. Method for the manufacture of a post for supporting dental prostheses according to claim 3, wherein for the manufacture of the post a rapid prototyping method, high precision machining, sintering in furnace or electric discharge machining or combinations thereof is used such that they allow a maximum level of fitting between elements of the dental prosthesis.

5. Method for the manufacture of a post for supporting dental prostheses according to claim 1, wherein for the manufacture of the post a rapid prototyping method, high precision machining, sintering in furnace or electric discharge machining or combinations thereof is used such that they allow a maximum level of fitting between elements of the dental prosthesis.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) To complement the description that is being made and for the purpose of aiding to better understand the features of the invention according to a practical preferred embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description in which the following has been depicted with an illustrative and non-limiting character:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic front elevational view of a screw-retained prosthesis where the post is a straight post.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic front elevational view of a screw-retained prosthesis where the post is an angled post.

(4) FIG. 3.1 shows a schematic front elevational view of an example of a cement-retained prosthesis.

(5) FIG. 3.2 shows a schematic front elevational view of an example of a screw-retained prosthesis where the implant inserted in the bone has an angle of 10? and where the post is a straight post.

(6) FIG. 3.3 shows a schematic front elevational view of an example of a screw-retained prosthesis where the implant inserted in the bone has an angle of 10? and where the post is an angled post.

(7) FIG. 3.4 shows a schematic front elevational view of which would be the optimal position of a screw-retained prosthesis such as those of FIGS. 3.2 and 3.3.

(8) FIGS. 4 and 5 shows partial schematic elevational sections of respective embodiments where the position of the upper hole for housing the retaining screw for retaining the prosthesis on the post can be seen.

(9) Finally, FIG. 6 shows a schematic elevational view of another possible embodiment of the invention with two possible options of positioning respective retaining screws for retaining the prosthesis on the post.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(10) A preferred embodiment of the proposed invention is described in view of the drawings, particularly FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, wherein the post (1) comprises at least one upper hole (8) into which a retaining screw (4) is screwed for fixing the prosthesis (2) on the post (1) such that said upper hole (8) can be located at any point of the surface of the post once said post (1) has been customized in terms of the shape thereof and type of retention to the prosthesis (2) depending on the mechanical and aesthetic needs of the type of rehabilitation suitable for each particular case.

(11) In terms of the method for the manufacture of the post (1) of the invention, said method comprises the following steps: the health professional taking a manual or digital impression of the patient's mouth taking into account the particularities of each case. designing the post (1) with the data previously obtained, customizing the shape thereof and type of retention to the prosthesis (2) depending on the mechanical and aesthetic needs of the patient and calculating the ideal position of the upper hole (8) by means of simulating the masticatory loads and the aesthetic requirements of the patient by means of a computer-aided design or CAD software, for example, subsequently transferring, through a suitable software such as a computer-aided manufacturing or CAM software, for example, the information from the step of designing to the step of planning for the manufacture of the end post (1) product, and wherein the database which is developed during CAD is processed by CAM for obtaining the data and instructions necessary for operating and controlling the manufacturing machinery, the material handling equipment and the automated tests and inspections for establishing product quality, thus obtaining a very high level of precision and reliability. Once the file is obtained and prepared, it is subjected to the manufacturing process using any of the known techniques, such as for example the so-called rapid prototyping or laser sintering, such as for example 2, 3, 4 or 5 grade laser machines, jack, CO.sub.2, or thermal laser machines, etc. or combinations thereof, by high precision machining, by sintering in furnace or electric discharge machining or any combination of these techniques such that the best possible fittings between all the elements are obtained. These posts (1) can be manufactured from a wide variety of metal materials, ceramic materials, plastic materials or combination thereof.