Abstract: A method for the making of a tooth mold which includes the steps of scanning the surface of a model of a tooth to obtain data on the three-dimensional surface locations of the model, processing the data in a CAD/CAM computer, and using the processed data to fabricate a tooth mold. The scanning step involves subjecting a rotating tooth model to radiant energy from a laser beam, receiving and translating reflections of the radiant energy into electronic signals, and digitizing the signals into data of the three-dimensional surface locations of the tooth model. The processing step involves translating the data, editing the data, creating a three-dimensional surface pattern of the tooth model, evaluating the surface pattern by visual analysis and comparison to known geometric values of the tooth model, and creating a tooth path program.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a method and apparatus to fabricate economical full arch unitary upper and lower sets of artificial teeth for use in preparing dentures for edentulous dental patients and attaching said sets of teeth to denture base material by a process developed for the purpose of utilizing these sets of teeth and converting them into finished upper and lower dentures by the use of a specialized apparatus. The process and apparatus, per se, are the subject of another related application and eliminates the conventional procedure of mounting individual artificial teeth in the normal process of fabricating dentures.