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 method for the three-dimensional determination and digitization of a plaster- or positive-model, in particular for the production of replacement teeth, with improved handling and costs. According to the method, a plaster- or positive-model is clamped in a mounting with a defined orientation and irradiated by means of a radiation source; the radiation reflected by the plaster- or positive-model is recorded and evaluated by a scanning unit. Separation information is generated, and defined movement of the plaster- or positive-model relative to the radiation source takes place along an axis (y), approximately perpendicular to the direction of radiation and linking the displacement with the separation information. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting properties or alterations in at least one semitransparent layer of a body of a tooth by applying light escaping from at least one light guide via the front thereof to the body, as well as for recording at least one area of the body by means of a camera and subsequently assessing the image determined by the sensor. In order to be able to detect alterations or properties with high accuracy and a high image quality, it is proposed to place the front of the light guide on the body in order to subject the body to the light of the light guide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for three-dimensional shape measurement of a body or of a part thereof, in particular of a dental object such as a model, by scanning non-contact distance measurement using an optical sensor device comprising a beam source, where the shape of the body subjects reproducing areas to a beam at various incidence angles (impinging beam), and the reflected beam (measuring beam) is measured, with the body being adjusted relative to the optical sensor device. To permit measurement with high precision of the body and undercuts thereof, without tilting being necessary, it is proposed that for shape measurement of the respectively measured area the beam (measuring beam) reflected therefrom, which describes an angle ? to a surface normal corresponding to the respective area, is taken into account, said angle being equal to or smaller than a predefined critical angle ?GR relative to the surface normal.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a head piece (1) of a tooth implant from an individually produced positive model (27). The head piece (1) is fitted with a plug-in type connection shaped with form-closure (7) as an anti-twist feature and can be inserted into the base (3) which in turn can be embedded in the jawbone. On either head piece or base there is a lug (5) which fits snugly into a socket on the other part. The process calls for copy-milling (V) in which the outer surface of the positive model (27) is three-dimensionally scanned. The data from the scan are used to guide a milling machine which creates the head piece (1) from a ceramic blank (29). In accordance with the invention, before the copy-milling (V) of the blank (29), a preparatory step (I) in the production process is conducted.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a cobalt-chromium alloy in the manufacture of a dental prosthesis. The alloy contains: 43-68% by weight cobalt, 12-30% by weight chromium, 8-25% by weight tungsten, 0-13% by weight iron, 0-30% by weight manganese, 0-10% by weight molybdenum, 0-5% by weight of at least one of the elements aluminum, tantalum, rhenium, titanium and less than 0.1% by weight carbon. A dental prosthesis with favorable workability and a low corrosion rate is obtained by manufacturing the dental prosthesis by means of a laser melting and/or sintering process.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the polishing of metallic dental prostheses, such as frames. In order to reproducibly obtain a defined surface roughness with no need for additional finishing, it is proposed for the dental prosthesis to be polished by means of plasma polishing.

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 dental alloy with a high gold content that is devoid of palladium and copper. To achieve high mechanical stability, the dental alloy contains between 75 and 95 wt. % Au, between 5 and 20 wt. % Pt, between 0.5 and 3.5 wt. % Zn and/or Sn and/or In, between 0.1 and 0.8 wt. % of an element of a group I, in addition to a single particle refiner of a group II. The weight fraction of the element of group I is between 2 and 6 times that of the single particle refiner of group II, and one element of group I is represented by Nb or Ta or Ti or V and the particle refiner of group II is represented by Ir or Rh.

Abstract: The invention relates to an opaque dental ceramic for burning on a rack or implant of dental restoration at least comprising SiO2, Al2O3, B2O3, Na2O, K2O as well as TiO2. To cover the non-dental-coloured implant material sufficiently the invention provides that the opaque dental ceramic is clouded by precipitation of one or more crystalline TiO2 phases.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dental restoration for at least one section of a dental arch on the basis of digital overall data which are calculated in relation to individual data, which are based on three-dimensional optical individual measurements that are performed intra-orally of an area that contains at least one section of the dental arch. In order to ensure that the overall data, which have been received from individual measurements, represent the measured section of the dental arch and/or the dental arch in its entirety without any distortions, it is proposed that at least one area of the dental arch be measured together with a reference, which supplies three-dimensional information, and calculated from the individual data while considering the reference of the overall data.

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 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: An opalescent glass-ceramic product, especially for use as a dental material or as an additive to or component of dental material, including SiO2, Al2O3, P2O5, Na2O, K2O, CaO and Me(IV))O2. In order to obtain improved opalescence with improved transparency, in addition to fluorescence, thermal expansion and a combustion temperature adapted to other materials, the opalescent ceramic product is completely or substantially devoid of ZrO2 and TiO2, such that the Me(II)O content in the glass ceramic is less than approximately 4 wt % and the Me(IV)O2 content amounts to approximately 0.5-3 wt %. The invention also relates to a method for the production of the opalescent glass-ceramic product.

Abstract: A method for the production of replacement teeth (5) from a three-dimensionally determined and digitized model, whereby for improved handling, cost and quality of the produced replacement tooth (5) a method including the following steps is carried out: inputting the data for the digitized model, treating the inner surface (9) of the surface model with a given offset value to generate a cement gap (7, 8) between the tooth replacement (5) to be made and tooth stump (1, 2) and calculation of a program for machining the blank or a mold by means of a machine tool.

Abstract: An articulated milling arm for a milling instrument, which includes a milling arm support movably attached to a frame to allow vertical displacement of the milling arm support; a first vertical axle, rotatably connecting the first milling arm support to a middle portion of the milling arm to allow swiveling of the middle portion of the milling arm horizontally about a vertical axis of the first vertical axle, the first vertical axle being provided with a braking surface; a second vertical axle, rotatably connecting the middle portion of the milling arm to a milling unit support to allow swiveling of the milling unit support horizontally about a vertical axis of the second vertical axle, the second vertical axle also being provided with a braking surface. The milling arm is provided with a movable braking plate, on the middle portion of the milling arm, which movably contacts the braking surface of the first vertical axle and the breaking surface of the second vertical axle.