PROSTHESIS BASE AND METHOD FOR INTEGRALLY BONDING AT LEAST ONE ARTIFICIAL TOOTH TO A PROSTHESIS BASE

Abstract

The invention relates to a prosthesis base, which is made entirely or partially of a prosthesis material and/or wax and has on its top face at least one substantially custom-fit recess (3) for zonally receiving an artificial tooth (1). According to the invention at least one channel (5) is formed in the prosthesis base (2), which opens into said recess (3).

Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for the substance-to-substance bond of an artificial tooth (1) to a prosthesis base (2), which is made entirely or partially of a prosthesis material and/or wax and has at least one substantially custom-fit recess (3) for zonally receiving said artificial tooth (1).

Claims

1. A prosthesis base which on its top face has at least one substantially custom-fit recess for zonally receiving an artificial tooth, wherein in the prosthesis base at least one channel is formed, which opens into the recess.

2. The prosthesis base according to claim 1, wherein a) said channel runs, optionally straight, angled or bent, from said recess to the bottom face of said prosthesis base, b) said channel runs, optionally straight, angled or bent, from said recess to a vestibular side of said prosthesis base, or c) said channel runs, optionally straight, angled or bent, from said recess to a lingual side of said prosthesis base.

3. The prosthesis base according to claim 1, wherein said channel opens substantially centrally with respect to the recess into said recess and/or has a widening at least in the area where it opens into said recess.

4. The prosthesis base according to claim 1, wherein said recess has an inner contour which is adapted at least partially to the outer contour of the artificial tooth.

5. The prosthesis base according to claim 1, wherein said prosthesis base has been produced by means of a CAD/CAM process.

6. The prosthesis base according to claim 1, wherein said custom-fit recess of said prosthesis base has a maximum dimensional deviation of 100 m with respect to a corresponding recess of a casting model or a virtual model.

7. The prosthesis base according to claim 1, which is made entirely or partially of a prosthesis material and/or wax.

8. The prosthesis base according to claim 1, wherein the prosthesis material comprises a plastic or a polymerised prosthetic material, which can be obtained by polymerisation of a liquid monomer component and a powder component.

9. A process for the substance-to-substance bond of an artificial tooth to a prosthesis base having on its top face at least one substantially custom-fit recess for zonally receiving an artificial tooth, said process comprising establishing the substance-to-substance bond by means of a curing or hardening material, which is introduced into a channel formed in the prosthesis base and which opens into said recess, so that said material contacts said artificial tooth inserted or still to be inserted into said recess.

10. The process according to claim 9, wherein said curing or hardening material is introduced into said channel before or after inserting said artificial tooth into said recess of said prosthesis base, wherein introducing from the bottom face of said prosthesis base (2) is optional.

11. The process according to claim 9, wherein said curing or hardening material is introduced by means of an injection device into said channel.

12. The process according to claim 10, wherein said curing or hardening material is pressed into said channel.

13. The process according to claim 9, wherein an adhesive, polymerisable monomers, or liquefied wax is used as curing or hardening material.

14. A prosthesis, wherein said prosthesis is at least one tooth, optionally an artificial tooth, said tooth having at least one undercut at its outer contour.

15. A prosthesis obtainable by a process according to claim 9.

16. A wax model, which is present in the form of a prosthesis base according to claim 1.

Description

[0042] Preferred embodiments of the prosthesis base according to the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the process according to the invention is explained with reference to the drawings using a prosthesis base according to the invention. In the drawings:

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section of a prosthesis base according to the invention,

[0044] FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of the prosthesis base of FIG. 1,

[0045] FIG. 3 shows the cross section of FIG. 1 with artificial teeth inserted into the prosthesis base during the substance-to-substance bond by means of an injection device, and

[0046] FIG. 4 shows the cross section of FIG. 1 with artificial teeth inserted into the prosthesis base during substance-to-substance bond by means of pressing into a material bed.

[0047] FIG. 5 depicts a prosthesis base in accordance with the prior art that preferably can be provided with recesses 3 and channels according to the invention.

[0048] FIG. 6 depicts a prosthesis base having two exemplary channels 5, which run to the vestibular side of the prosthesis base where they have their respective channel opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The prosthesis base 2 which is made of plastic and is schematically illustrated in cross section in FIG. 1 was prepared on the basis of a virtual tooth set-up by means of a CAD/CAM process. It has a curved bottom face 6, which is adapted to the actual situation of the upper jaw of the patient. The top face has recesses 3, each serving to receive an artificial tooth 1 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The inner contour of recesses 3 is adapted to the outer contour of each artificial tooth 1 to be received. Accordingly, recesses 3 represent custom-fit seats for the artificial teeth 1 to be inserted. A channel 5 that serves reception of a curing or hardening material 4 for the substance-to-substance bond of the artificial tooth 1 to the prosthesis base 2 opens in each case into recesses 3 substantially centrally. The material 4 may be, in particular, an adhesive. Channels 5 each run straight such as vertical, slanted, angled or bent, preferably straight, from the base of the respective recess 3 to bottom face 6 of the prosthesis base 2, so that it is possible to introduce the curing or hardening material 4 from the bottom face into the respective channel 5. Correspondingly, FIG. 6 shows channels 5 running to the vestibular sides of the prosthesis base. According to a particularly preferred alternative the at least one channel 5 runs preferably straight, angled or bent from recess 3 to a vestibular side of prosthesis base 2, as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, according to this alternative, the at least one channel 5 ends in the prosthesis base preferably in the area of the cheek or lip. After introducing the hardening material 4 and curing of the material the original vestibular opening of the channel can be post-treated, particularly polished, in order to ensure a homogeneous surface of the prosthesis base with little irritation at this position. A similar procedure is applied to filled openings originally present at the bottom face.

[0050] As exemplified on the right side of the drawing of FIG. 1 the channel 5 may have a widening 8 in the area where it opens into recess 3. In the present case, the widening 8 is conically shaped and widens towards the recess 3. When introducing the curing or hardening material 4 into the channel 5, the area of widening 8 is completely filled with the material 4. Thus, the contact area of material 4 with the artificial tooth 1 inserted into recess 3 increases, so that an even better adhesion is achieved.

[0051] FIG. 2 illustrates a highly simplified top view of prosthesis base 2 of FIG. 1. The top view shows recesses 3 and channels 5 opening substantially centrally into recesses 3. As apparent from FIG. 2 recesses 3 including channels 5 are arranged along the dental arch.

[0052] An artificial tooth 1 can be connected to prosthesis base 2 as shown in FIG. 3. First, artificial tooth 1 is inserted into the custom-fit recess 3 of prosthesis base 2. Then, the curing or hardening material is introduced through the associated channel 5 by means of an injection device 7. For this purpose the injection device 7 is inserted into channel 5, in order to ensure that material 4 contacts artificial tooth 1. When introducing material 4 into channel 5, the injection device 7 is then withdrawn, so that channel 5 is filled completely with material 4.

[0053] Alternatively, an approach as shown in FIG. 4 can be used. Here, prosthesis base 2 with artificial teeth 1 inserted therein is pressed against a plate 9 with tubular applicators 10 dipping into channels 5. The curing or hardening material 4 is located below plate 9 and is pushed or pressed into channels 5 by the downward movement of prosthesis base 2 and plate 9 via applicators 10. Once channels 5 are completely filled with material 4, prosthesis base 2 is removed.

[0054] A further variant (not shown) for the substance-to-substance bond of artificial teeth 1 to the prosthesis base 2 is the direct pushing of prosthesis base 2 in a bed of the curing or hardening material 4. In this case no tool for introducing material 4 in a channel 5 is required. However, any material 4 still adhering to bottom face 6 of prosthesis base 2 may subsequently need to be removed.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0055] 1 Artificial tooth [0056] 2 Prosthesis base [0057] 3 Recess [0058] 4 Curing or hardening material [0059] 5 Channel [0060] 6 Bottom face of prosthesis base [0061] 7 Injection device [0062] 8 Widening [0063] 9 Plate [0064] 10 Applicator