Abstract: The invention relates to glass-ceramics based on the lithium disilicate system which can be mechanically machined easily in an intermediate step of crystallisation and, after complete crystallisation, represent a very strong, highly-translucent and chemically-stable glass-ceramic. Likewise, the invention relates to a method for the production of these glass-ceramics. The glass-ceramics according to the invention are used as dental material.

Abstract: A method for determining the color perception of multi-layer dispersive materials or biological materials for layer thicknesses that are respectively selective, by the determination of the diffuse reflectance based on the respective intrinsic optical parameter using Monte Carlo simulations and taking into consideration the measurement geometries, anisotropy and the dispersion phase function in order to correctly take into account the multiple internal dispersion of the material. The color effect is calculated from the diffuse reflectance based on the various color systems in accordance with different algorithms.

Abstract: A method for determining a combined data record for an object using individual data records based on individual scans of the object, the scans being measured using at least one sensor. To avoid accumulating errors and allow individual data to be rectified or corrected, first partial scans of the object are measured using at least one first sensor and are aligned relative to one another and/or corrected using second partial scans performed by at least two second sensors that are stationary relative to one another, and the individual data records for the combined data record are determined from the aligned and/or corrected partial scans.

Abstract: Method for measuring the shape of a section of a semi-transparent object such as one section of a tooth, using a light source for generating light with a broadband spectrum in a device for generating a multifocal illumination pattern, a lens with a large chromatic aberration for imaging foci of the illumination pattern onto the object, and a detection device for determining the wavelength spectra of the foci confocally imaged onto the object via the lens, wherein a spectral peak position of each focus is determined from the respective wavelength spectrum, from which position the extent of the object in the direction of the imaging beam (Z coordinate) is calculated.

Abstract: The invention relates to generating a total data set of at least one segment of an object for determining at least one characteristic by merging individual data sets determined by means of an optical sensor moving relative to the object and of an image processor, wherein individual data sets of sequential images of the object contain redundant data that are matched for merging the individual data sets. In order that the data obtained by scanning the object are of sufficient quantity for performing an optimal analysis, but without being too great an amount of data for processing, the invention proposes that individual data sets determined per unit of time be varied as a function of the relative motion between the optical sensor and the object.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a shaped body, comprising creating a mixture of a metal powder and binding agent, compacting the mixture to form a green compact, heating the green compact to a debinding start temperature T1, debinding the green compact by controlled heating of the green compact from start temperature T1 to end temperature T2 at a heat-up rate R1, presintering the debindered green compact to the presinter end temperature TVS at a heat-up rate RHVS, cooling the green compact from the presinter end temperature TVS at a cool-down rate RKVS, whereby at least the heat-up rate RHVS, the presinter end temperature TVS, and the cool-down rate RKVS are tuned relative to each other in such a way that the presintered green compact forming a blank has a surface porosity of 16% to 22% after presintering, and machining and sintering of the blank to form the shaped body.

Abstract: A palladium-dominated dental alloy, in particular a ceramic-bonding dental alloy for the manufacture of dental prostheses such as crowns, bridges, inlays, or onlays, containing at least gold, palladium, and silver, as well as a grain-growth inhibitor in the form of ruthenium. In order to achieve a fine-grained separation without the formation of agglomerates to obtain a dental alloy with high mechanical stability and excellent polishing characteristics, it is proposed that the dental alloy contain—in addition to ruthenium as grain-growth inhibitor—at least one element of the group tantalum, niobium, yttrium, zirconium, chromium, and molybdenum as grain-refinement control element.

Abstract: A method for detecting contour data of a three-dimensional object, where a grid of illumination points of a multi-point illumination is projected onto the object using an optical device and the illumination points are then projected back onto a sensor containing pixels. In order to improve signal-noise ratio and reduce background signal, it is proposed that a grid of illumination points of at least two multi-point illuminations are projected onto the object, that the beams of the illuminating points of are modulated in intensity and that a frequency-selective and/or phase-selective detection is performed of mutually associated first and second illumination points back-projected onto the sensor. The first illumination points derive from a first of the multipoint illuminations and the second illumination points derive from a second of the multipoint illuminations.

Abstract: A device (10) for the dosed discharge of a powder-form medium, in particular ceramic powder for dental purposes, including a storage container (12) with a first outlet (40), as well as a slider (20) with a receptacle (18) for a quantity of medium to be dosed, which can be selectively aligned with a first outlet or a second outlet (50), through which the medium can be discharged. In order to achieve reproducible discharge of a defined quantity of free-flowing medium in an uncomplicated design, and since there is no requirement for re-usability after emptying the storage container, the invention proposes that the slider (20) be connected to at least one spring element (26, 28), which admits a force upon the slider to align the receptacle (80) with the first receptacle (40), and that the receptacle can be secured by a lock element (34) in a position aligned with the second outlet (50).

Abstract: A process for determining 3-D data of at least one prepared jaw area, such as a prepared tooth stump, by mechanically scanning the jaw area and digitizing the measured values determined during the scanning. The jaw area is prepared with a dental instrument having positions which are optically measured during the preparation, and the 3-D data is determined from the positions of the dental instrument that are associated with the prepared jaw area.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for determining the form a duplicate of a residual tooth area, which is to be fitted with a dental restoration whereby the duplicate sections to be fitted with the restoration are removed from the duplicate and the form data to be allocated to their forms has to be determined and stored in a computer, by means of which the form of the restoration is calculated taking into consideration the spatial allocation of the duplicate sections. In order to be able to determine the shape of the residual tooth area to be fitted with the restoration, and thereby determine the shape of the restoration itself with high precision, it is proposed that the duplicate sections are or are being individually referenced to each other in their spatial allocation to each other according to a referencing stored in the computer.

Abstract: A method and device for detecting the contour data and/or optical characteristics of an object, such as a tooth or a tooth restoration, based on an interference and/or autocorrelation measurement using an image sensor. To permit an exact surface detection in addition to a determination of the optical characteristics of the object, individual light beams strike the object, which are located at a distance from one another in such a way that no impact of reflected individual light beams takes place on immediately adjacent pixels of the image sensor.

Abstract: A dental color system having primary and mixed colors with assigned coordinates in the CIElab color space, in which the colors of natural teeth are essentially located on coordinates within an ellipsoid-shaped space, which is assigned a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an individual abutment for a dental prosthesis for use in an implant anchored in an area of the jaw with an implant attachment running on the abutment side, using a working model molded by the jaw area equipped with the implant. For this, the sulcus area of the gum uncovered above the implant and shaped by a sulcus-former extending from the implant attachment is reproduced in the working model. The abutment to be fabricated includes a sulcus section running within the sulcus area and an adjoining head section to admit a part of a dental prosthesis. So that the area of the abutment running below the gum line is geometrically adapted to it, it is proposed that the sulcus area of the working model having an auxiliary implant attachment corresponding to the implant attachment be measured, and on the basis of the data obtained by the measurement, a sulcus section model be determined with a circumferential surface and a de-facto sulcus line limiting it on the implant side.

Abstract: A method for determining the position of an intraoral measuring device which is to be moved relative to an organ of mastication of a patient and with which positions in the organ of mastication or areas of the organ of mastication are measured. To be able to carry out measurements without a fixed reference, it is proposed that, independently of a reference that is independent of the patient, the position of the measuring device is measured by means of a position-determining sensor that is in a fixed relationship to the measuring device.

Abstract: A method for designing a connector between a first and a second element of a dental restoration, such as a connector between coping and coping, or coping and pontic, or pontic and pontic of a bridge, which is characterized by the steps of computing a (first) model of the first element and a (second) model of the second element, defining a connecting straight line between the first model and the second model, computing edge curves (?0, ?4) on the first model and the second model, whereby the edge curves are defined by origins of surface normal vectors of the models, which satisfy boundary conditions relative to the connecting line, computing offset curves (?1, ?3) on the first model and the second model from the first edge curves, and connecting the first edge curves and the offset curves of the first model and of the second model and computing the connector on the basis of the course of the connection between the curves.

Abstract: A measuring arrangement and a method for the three-dimensional measurement of at least part of an object includes a light source with a continuous spectrum, a device for generating a multifocal lighting pattern, a lens with a large chromatic aberration for imaging foci of the lighting pattern on the object, a detection unit for generating the wavelength spectrum of the foci that are confocally imaged on the object via the lens, and a spectrum-dispersive device disposed between the confocally imaged foci and the detection device. In order to create a highly accurate surface profile in a relatively short time even in the case of moving objects, the invention proposes that a first hole pattern including first holes be disposed in the plane of the confocally imaged foci, the geometric arrangement of the first holes corresponding to the geometric arrangement of the foci of the multifocal lighting pattern.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dental restoration, including: determining an external form and dimensions available for a completed restoration; obtaining an image of a natural tooth to be replaced with the restoration or a tooth corresponding therewith, wherein the image comprises at least the external surface visible in use of the to be replaced or corresponding tooth, with variations in the appearance therein; defining locally on and at least to visible depth below the surface of appearance-determining properties of at least one material to be applied for the restoration in accordance with the obtained image and the variations in the appearance therein; constructing the restoration, including the steps of: providing at least one material to be applied in non-cohesive form; and providing cohesion to the material in accordance with the available form and dimensions.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a multipart assembly of sintered oxide ceramic material, including one first component which at least partially surrounds one second component in such a manner that detaching the first component from the second component is not possible without destroying the first and/or second component. The assembly is produced by producing a single-part first shaped part and a single-part second shaped part from an oxide ceramic blank, whereby the first shaped part and the second shaped part are enlarged to compensate for the shrinkage during sintering, and assembling the sintered shaped part as second component with the first shaped part and subsequently sintering them together.

Abstract: A procedure for dimensionally accurate sintering of a shaped piece manufactured from a blank of porous ceramic material, in which during the sintering, the shaped piece remains connected via at least one first connection like a rib, with a support that is manufactured from the blank. To ensure with simple procedural steps and simple design measures that the geometry does not change during sintering, the invention provides that the support is manufactured as a section of the blank that at least in sections surrounds the shaped piece by materials removal processing from the blank, and after the manufacture, the support, for one, is connected via the at least one first connection with the shaped piece, and for another, via at least one second connection with the residual blank that in sections is separated from the support.