Patents Represented by Attorney Ann M. Knab
  • Patent number: 8042358
    Abstract: Lithium silicate materials are described which can be easily processed by machining to dental products without undue wear of the tools and which subsequently can be converted into lithium silicate products showing high strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Marcel Schweiger, Volker M. Rheinberger, Harald Burke, Wolfram Holand
  • Patent number: 8034264
    Abstract: The invention relates to compositions based on ZrO2, and single- and multi-colored blanks made from oxide ceramics, and a process for their preparation, in which oxide ceramic powder is coated with a coloring substance, the coated powders are preferably graded and at least one colored powder is filled into a compression mould, the colored powder or powders are compressed to produce a shaped body, and the compressed shaped body is sintered to produce a blank, and to the use of these blanks for the preparation of dental restorations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Christian Ritzberger, Elke Apel, Wolfram Höland, Frank Rothbrust, Harald Kerschbaumer, Volker M. Rheinberger
  • Patent number: 8025992
    Abstract: The invention relates to a block (10) made of ceramic compounds, in particular dental compounds, of at least one ceramic compound (15) with predetermined first optical properties and at least a second ceramic compound (17) with predetermined second optical properties, and of a transition area between the two ceramic compounds, which transition area is composed of changing mixtures of the at least two ceramic compounds, the variation gradient of the mixtures being substantially constant. The invention further relating to a process for making such a block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Alexander Engels, Alfred Hämmerle
  • Patent number: 8002885
    Abstract: Dental articles are produced using relatively low sintering temperatures to achieve high density dental articles exhibiting strengths equal to and greater than about 700 MPa. Ceramic powders comprised of nanoparticulate crystallites are used to manufacture dental articles. The ceramic powders may include sintering agents, binders and other similar additives to aid in the processing of the ceramic powder into a dental article. The ceramic powders may be processed into dental articles using various methods including, but not limited to, injection molding, gel-casting, slip casting, or electroforming, hand, cad/camming and other various rapid prototyping methods. The ceramic powder may be formed into a suspension, pellet, feedstock material or a pre-sintered blank prior to forming into the dental article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Pentron Ceramics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitri Brodkin, Moisey Y. Gamarnik
  • Patent number: 7995195
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for optically monitoring the progression of a physical and/or chemical process taking place on a surface of a body in which the surface radiation which emanates from part of the surface during the physical and/or chemical process, is measured with the aid of a measuring device, in particular a sensor. In order to develop a method of this kind such that sintering processes can also be monitored in a firing furnace having thermal radiation equilibrium, the invention proposes to emit the radiation (14) having a radiation spectrum that differs from the surface radiation, to the surface (10) by means of a radiation source (15) and to measure the radiation with the aid of a measuring device (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Heinrich Feichtinger, Gottfried Rohner, Rudolf Jussel
  • Patent number: 7993137
    Abstract: Lithium silicate materials are described which can be easily processed by machining to dental products without undue wear of the tools and which subsequently can be converted into lithium silicate products showing high strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Elke Apel, Wolfram Holland, Marcel Schweiger, Christian Ritzberger, Harald Burke, Volker Rheinberger
  • Patent number: 7988626
    Abstract: A lip and cheek expander for use when performing dental medicine, dental hygiene or dental-documenting activities has two tensioning frames (1, 2) and non-profiled film-like means (3) connecting the tensioning frames (1, 2). When the expander is fitted, the inner tensioning frame (1) inside the oral cavity and the outer tensioning frame outside lies against the lips and cheeks. The film-like means (3) are connected at one end to the inner tensioning frame (1) and at the other end to the outer tensioning frame (2). The film-like means (3) oppose forces (5) to the closure and contraction forces of the lips and cheek muscles and conduct them away onto the tensioning frames (1, 2). The mouth opening is thereby kept open and the lips and cheeks held back from the rows of teeth. A closing of the mouth is also possible when the lip and cheek expander is fitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventor: Domonkos Horvath
  • Patent number: 7981531
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-colored shaped body having layers arranged on top of one another for producing dental restorations, a process for its production and its use for the manufacture of dental restorations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Volker M. Rheinberger, Marcel Schweiger, Robert Kruse, Harald Kerschbaumer
  • Patent number: 7955159
    Abstract: Milling strategies for machining dental ceramic materials are provided that reduce milling time while maintaining strength, accuracy and marginal integrity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Markus Heinz, Klaus Rinner, Georg Gorfer, Marius Aster, Marcel Schweiger, Dmitri Brodkin
  • Patent number: 7943068
    Abstract: Blocks of material are prepared in a variety of shapes and sizes to be used in the fabrication of models for dental restorations. The material comprises a partially sintered ceramic material. The blocks are used to manufacture molds using CAD/CAM methods and equipment. The molds are useful in the manufacture of dental restorations using ceramics, metals, alloys, or powders thereof, and composite materials. The models milled from the blanks may be used to manufacture a variety of dental restorations including, but not limited to, crowns, bridges, space maintainers, tooth replacement appliances, orthodontic retainers, dentures, posts, jackets, inlays, onlays, facings, veneers, facets, implants, abutments, splints, partial crowns, teeth, cylinders, pins, and connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent, Inc.
    Inventor: Carlino Panzera
  • Patent number: 7935972
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light emission device, comprising at least two light-emitting semiconductor chips and a substrate. At least one first semiconductor chip (12) is fitted on the substrate and a second semiconductor chip (14) is fitted on the first semiconductor chip (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Plank
  • Patent number: 7932304
    Abstract: Filler based on glass particles which contain a homo- or copolymer of vinyl chloride on the surface, process for its preparation and its use as a dental material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Norbert Moszner, Jorg Angermann, Volker Rheinberger, Dieter Voser, Karin Vogel, Simone Klapdohr
  • Patent number: 7932303
    Abstract: A material contains at least a polymerizable N,O-functionalized acrylic acid hydroxyamide of the Formula (I) in which A is an n+m-valent linear or branched aliphatic C1 to C50 radical, in which the carbon chain can be interrupted by O, S, —CO—O—, CO—NH, O—CO—NH or NH—CO—NH, an n+m-valent aromatic C6 to C18 radical or an n+m-valent cycloaliphatic or heterocyclic C3 to C18 radical, wherein the radicals can carry one or more substituents, Y is not present, or is O, S, an ester, amide or urethane group, R1 is hydrogen, an aliphatic C1 to C20 alkyl or C3 to C8 cycloalkyl radical which can carry one or more substituents, R2 is H or a C1 to C10 alkyl radical, R3 is not present or is a C1 to C16 alkylene radical which can be interrupted by O, HG is not present, is —COOH, —P?O(OH)2; —P?O(OH)(OR4); —O—P?O(OH)2, —SO2OH or —O—P?O(OH)(OR4), R4 is a C1 to C15 alkyl radical, phenyl or benzyl radical and n is a number from 1 to 5 and m a number from 0 to 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Norbert Moszner, Iris Lamparth, Urs Karl Fischer, Frank Zeuner, Armin de Meijere, Volker M. Rheinberger
  • Patent number: 7927538
    Abstract: Slip based on a polyreactive binder, polymerization initiator and filler, which contains (A) 5-65 wt.-% polymerizable binder, (B) 0.001-1.0 wt.-% photoinitiator and (C) 35-90 wt.-% surface-modified ceramic and/or glass ceramic particles relative to the overall mass of the slip, and process for the preparation of ceramic mouldings by rapid prototyping processes using the slip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Technische Universitat Wien
    Inventors: Norbert Moszner, Wolfgang Wachter, Christoph Appert, Volker M. Rheinberger, Robert Liska, Jurgen Stampfl, Johannes Patzer
  • Patent number: 7871948
    Abstract: Lithium silicate materials are described which can be easily processed by machining to dental products without undue wear of the tools and which subsequently can be converted into lithium silicate products showing high strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Elke Apel, Wolfram Holand, Marcel Schweiger, Christian Ritzberger, Harald Burke, Volker M. Rheinberger
  • Patent number: 7867930
    Abstract: Lithium silicate materials are described which can be easily processed by machining to dental products without undue wear of the tools and which subsequently can be converted into lithium silicate products showing high strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Elke Apel, Wolfram Holand, Marcel Schweiger, Christian Ritzberger, Harald Burke, Volker M. Rheinberger
  • Patent number: 7867931
    Abstract: Lithium silicate materials are described which can be easily processed by machining to dental products without undue wear of the tools and which subsequently can be converted into lithium silicate products showing high strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Elke Apel, Wolfram Holand, Marcel Schweiger, Christian Ritzberger, Harald Burke, Volker M. Rheinberger
  • Patent number: 7867933
    Abstract: Lithium silicate materials are described which can be easily processed by machining to dental products without undue wear of the tools and which subsequently can be converted into lithium silicate products showing high strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Elke Apel, Wolfram Holand, Marcel Schweiger, Christian Ritzberger, Harald Burke, Volker M. Rheinberger
  • Patent number: 7845924
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for preparing dental restorations from ceramic or polymeric material to achieve color and opacity gradients simulating natural dentition, wherein an ingot of ceramic or polymeric material is entirely or partially forced through a system of channels in a press mold into a mold cavity in the press mold, wherein the mold cavity corresponds to a dental restoration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Vittorio Cadario, Harald Bürke, Marcel Schweiger, Volker Rheinberger
  • Patent number: 7816291
    Abstract: Lithium silicate materials are described which can be easily processed by machining to dental products without undue wear of the tools and which subsequently can be converted into lithium silicate products showing high strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Marcel Schweiger, Volker M. Rheinberger, Harald Burke, Wolfram Holand