Abstract: A photo enhancer device is provided that includes a mirrored plate and a transparent plate connected with a stiff, resistant, or resilient living hinge that opens up the plates automatically with force when located within an open mouth. The disclosed method and appliance determines sizes and positions of dentition of arches, and more particularly relates to photographing dentition and arches using a mirrored plate.

Abstract: A partial connection full arch artificial connects and fixes in an appropriate occlusal relationship in advance and appropriately defines a region that should be separated and a region that may be standardized, appropriately defines a combination of regions of adjacent surfaces constituting a contact region, an angle of the denture with respect to the virtual occlusal plane, and an area thereof in a region where artificial teeth are brought into contact with each other.

Abstract: The present application discloses implementations relate to automated generation of interlocking joint features. An example method involves obtaining a virtual model of an object. The virtual model specifies dimensions of a first element, dimensions of a second element, and a spatial relation between the first element and the second element that defines a joint angle. The example method also involves obtaining a relationship that correlates element dimensions and joint angles with cut dimensions. The example method further involves determining cut dimensions for the first element the second element based on the relationship, the dimensions of the first element, the dimensions of the second element, and the joint angle. Modifying the first element and the second element according to the cut dimensions produces interlockable features on the first element and the second element. Additionally, the method involves providing an output signal indicative of the cut dimensions.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a model of a patient's mandible and any teeth supported from the mandible and manipulating the mandible relative to anatomical features of the patient's maxilla. The system uses markers positioned on the mandible and on the maxilla to create a functional mandibular axis that approximates an axis through the condyles of the patient. The functional mandibular axis and geometric and anatomical information about the patient's upper and lower jaw are then used to create prostheses for the patient. The system is also used for making corrections to the prosthesis.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for extracting a broken fragment of a dental abutment screw from a dental implant. One system includes an extractor tool having a tubular outer body and a conductor positioned within the tubular outer body, and an applicator that receives and end of the extractor tool and also includes a heating element that converts electrical energy into heat that is conducted to the extractor tool to melt a thermoplastic adhesive in a cavity at the distal end of the extractor tool, such that the melted thermoplastic adhesive can conform to and engage with a broken fragment of a dental abutment screw within a dental implant when the adhesive cools. The extractor tool can then be rotated to unscrew the broken fragment from the dental implant.

Abstract: Methods for aligning a digital 3D model of teeth represented by a 3D mesh to a desired orientation within a 3D coordinate system. The method includes receiving the 3D mesh in random alignment and changing an orientation of the 3D mesh to align the digital 3D model of teeth with a desired axis in the 3D coordinate system. The methods can also detect a gum line in the digital 3D model to remove the gingiva from the model.

Abstract: An artificial tooth where an occlusal surface is formed by grinding has a reference point that represents a position and an angle of the artificial tooth when an occlusal surface of the artificial tooth is obtained by an occlusal-surface form measuring apparatus. The reference point is a convexed spherical surface or a concaved spherical surface arranged on the occlusal-surface. The spherical surface has three or more reference points. The convexed spherical surface is fit to the concaved spherical surface when the maxillary artificial tooth and mandibular artificial tooth are occluded. The occluding portion of the artificial tooth has a grinding portion.

Abstract: A method for preparing a partial or full dental prosthesis comprising 1.1. acquiring a patient's oral situation by taking an impression or by digital recording; 1.2. if required, digitizing the patient's oral situation; 1.3. selecting the teeth forming the dental prosthesis from a library of teeth or groups of teeth to obtain a virtual set-up of the teeth, which is positioned virtually in a space that takes the acquired patient's situation into account; 1.3.1 said library contains designs of dental arches, tooth shapes, tooth sizes 1.3.2 said library contains designs of the gingiva, and 1.3.3 said library contains total set-ups and/or modular set-ups for all of Angle's bite classes; 1.4. if required, modifying the set-up obtained from the library; 1.5. virtually embedding the teeth arranged in the virtual set-up in a virtual gingiva; 1.6 producing the real prosthesis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for modeling a digital design of a denture for a patient, said denture comprising a gingival part and a teeth part comprising a set of denture teeth, where the method comprises: obtaining a digital 3D representation of the patient's gum; obtaining virtual teeth models corresponding to the denture teeth; virtually arranging the virtual teeth models in relation to the digital 3D representation of the patient's gum; and generating a virtual outer gingival surface of the gingival part of the denture

Abstract: For producing dentures, a new method and a device render it possible to evaluate and shape movements generated by the individual jaw joints of the patient such that work with appropriate articulators becomes possible, which employ the individual jaw joints as articulation joints and thus carry out the identical movements. The known articulators are equipped with joint-space duplicates such that they can be employed with optimal equipment for the respective patient. The support pin is moved back as fixing pin in the retral space of the articulator such that it does not constitute an impediment when working on and when inspecting the jaw models arranged on the frame upper part and the frame base part. Moreover, setting different biting positions is made significantly easier, because the frame upper part is fixed to a swivel arch of the frame base part by an adjustable position stabilizer but can also be detached.

Abstract: A surgical template positioning device is provided, and has a template and a dental mold. The template has a first surface formed with at least three spherical recesses, a second surface, and a guiding hole. The dental mold has at least three spherical portions partially embedded in the at least three spherical recesses and an implanted hole having an axis the same as the guiding hole. The at least three spherical recesses have three spherical centers as being three vertices of a triangle, the axis passes through the triangle, and the at least three spherical portions have spherical centers corresponding with the three vertices of the triangle. A method of manufacturing the surgical positioning device is also provided.

Abstract: Artificial teeth are arranged in plates capable of being attached in an oral cavity as a dental prosthetic appliance, in which one or more linear arrangement direction indication parts showing the arrangement direction in the plates are provided on an occlusal plane of each of the molar teeth. At least one set of arrangement direction indication parts of the adjacent molar teeth is configured so as to extend generally in parallel direction. At least one set of arrangement direction indication parts of the antagonist upper molar teeth and lower molar teeth is configured so as to extend generally in parallel direction. The artificial molar teeth are arranged at an appropriate position according to the oral cavity environment of each patient, without requiring advanced skills and experiences, and are applicable to various arrangements of artificial teeth.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques methods, systems, devices, and computer-readable storage media for library selection in dental prosthesis design. Embodiments include presenting two or more dental morphology libraries for use in a dental plan and receiving a selection of one or more tooth morphologies from one of the presented dental morphology libraries. The selected tooth morphologies can then be placed in the dental plan at particular tooth positions. An operator can also replace all tooth morphologies in a dental plan with those of a particular library or “mix and match” tooth morphologies from multiple libraries in a dental plan.

Abstract: The method includes the steps of: a) providing a surgical template (10) having a bushing (12) positioned and orientated so as to define the axis of the hole, the bushing (12) being adapted to receive drill guide sleeves with which drills of progressively increasing diameter are to be guided for the making of the hole; b) performing a CT scan of the portion of the patient's cranium in which the hole is to be made, with the surgical template (10) positioned thereon; c) removing the surgical template (10) from the patient's mouth; d) performing a CT scan on the surgical template (10) only; and e) generating, from the CT scan obtained in steps b) and d), a three-dimensional model of the aforesaid portion of the patient's cranium, in which the surgical template (10), and therefore the axis of the aforesaid hole, are placed in the same position as that in which they were placed in step b).

Abstract: Creating a denture by using the patient's mouth as an intra-oral articulator by use of an upper and/or lower dental impression tray for creating the impression of the edentulous mouth, the trays having platforms or support surfaces which magnetically hold a main frame therebetween. The orientation of the main frame is adjustable and lockable with respect to the lower tray all while within the mouth. Once the main frame is located and locked in place, artificial teeth formed with holding wax and a rearwardly extending fork are slid into a slot of the main frame and also locked. The wax holding the artificial teeth is then melted to integrate the teeth with formed respective upper and lower custom trays.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for digital dental modeling. One method embodiment includes receiving a three-dimensional data set including a first jaw and a second jaw of a three-dimensional digital dental model and receiving a two-dimensional data set corresponding to at least a portion of the first jaw and the second jaw. The method includes mapping two-dimensional data of the two-dimensional data set to the three-dimensional digital dental model by transforming a coordinate system of the two-dimensional data to a coordinate system of the three-dimensional data set. The method includes positioning the first jaw with respect to the second jaw based on the two-dimensional data mapped to the three-dimensional data set. The method includes using at least a portion of the two-dimensional data mapped to the three-dimensional data set as a target of movement of the first jaw with respect to the second jaw in the three-dimensional digital dental model.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for exceeding a dental restoration whereby the method includes measurement of the distance between a restoration and an adjacent tooth, resizing the restoration as needed, and permanently affixing the restoration in the mouth of the patient.

Abstract: Provided is a dental prosthesis formed as artificial molars designed for a lingualized occlusion, comprising the total of four teeth including a first premolar, a second premolar, a first molar and a second molar in a maxilla or a mandible, which are interconnected in a single prosthesis. An artificial maxillary molar is configured to have a blade form in a lingual cusp thereof, and a protrusion is formed in buccal cusps of a mandibular second premolar and a mandibular second molar so as to define a gap for gliding movement to take place between said artificial mandibular molar and oppositely-located artificial maxillary molars. A groove is formed in a bottom side of the four interconnected artificial molars, said groove extending throughout said four teeth and open at an end of the first premolar and an end of the second molar.

Abstract: Method and kit for producing implant drilling guides positioned at the proper orientation to avoid inadvertent damage to critical regions of the patient's jaw when drilling to place dental implant screws. The method works by placing a small post device with x-ray visible depth markers in the root socket of the patient's tooth immediately after tooth extraction. The post device may additionally be configured to guide the drill at a position and angle that is different from that of the original tooth socket. This post device is used to construct a removable guide that anchors to the patient's adjacent teeth, and preserves the location and orientation of the extracted tooth root. Once the root socket is filled in with new bone, the guide, in conjunction with the X-ray post depth information, can be used to direct drilling along the same route as the old tooth root, thus avoiding critical structures.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for virtually designing the attachment of a manufactured dental model of a patient's set of teeth in a physical dental articulator by means of one or more kinds of spacer elements, where the method comprises: obtaining a virtual 3D dental model of the patient's set of teeth, where the virtual 3D dental model is provided by means of 3D scanning; providing a virtual dental articulator type corresponding to a physical dental articulator, where the dental articulator comprises an upper arm and a lower arm and has a known articulator height, which is the distance between the upper arm and the lower arm in the static position of the dental articulator; providing a minimum height of the dental model, where the height of the dental model is the height of an upper part and the height of a lower part of the dental model; providing one or more kinds of virtual spacer elements with predetermined heights, where each kind of virtual spacer element corresponds to a physical spacer element; determini

Abstract: A dental implantation system is provided, comprising an implantation device adapted to prepare a site within a mouth of a patient for receiving a dental implant. A guidance device is operably engaged with the implantation device and is adapted to operably engage the mouth of the patient. The engagement between the guidance device and the mouth of the patient provides a fiducial marker for guiding the implantation device to prepare the site for receiving the dental implant. An associated method of implanting a dental implant, and associated devices, are also provided.

Abstract: An insertion post for transferring onto a model a location and orientation of at least one implant introduced in a jaw of a patient includes an insert piece which is configured for insertion in the implant and to realize a fixed rotative connection with an interface of an internal opening of the implant. An end piece is arranged adjacent to the insert piece and tapers towards an apical end of the implant while substantially maintaining an outer contour of the insert piece.

Abstract: A system for dental implant restoration is provided. It includes universal aligning adaptors and prosthetic components having co-operable indices, which together form a translational, integrating system which aligns, synchronizes, and references the prosthetic components about an implant's central axis of rotation. Rotation of an adaptor about a prosthetic component, with its reference point becoming aligned to a predetermined reference point on the prosthetic component, followed by the rotation of the adaptor/prosthetic component assembly about the implant, situates the prosthetic component in a predetermined position such that all other prosthetic components become synchronized to the adaptor's reference point. The prosthetic component is mechanical for clinical or lab bench use, or is virtual for restoration design in a software program, prior to milling prosthetic abutments or devices.

Abstract: Artificial teeth arranged in plates attachable in an oral cavity as a dental prosthetic appliance, in which arrangement direction indication parts showing a directivity of arrangement in the plates extending in an apical-cervical direction or in a mesiodistal direction are provided at a vestibular side or an oral side. The arrangement direction indication parts extending in the apical-cervical direction are positioned linearly as seen from the vestibular side in an occluded state of mandibular teeth and maxillary teeth. The arrangement direction indication parts extending in the mesiodistal direction are positioned linearly as seen from the vestibular side in the state in which the teeth are arranged in the plates. The artificial teeth are arranged at an appropriate position according to an oral environment of each patient, without requiring advanced skill and experience.

Abstract: A method of obtaining and merging volumetric data and surface data of a patient's dentition for use in designing and/or manufacturing a prosthodontic component, such as a drill guide, an implant, or other prosthodontic appliance, for example. A plurality of radio-opaque markers are temporarily secured directly to a patient's dentition. Surface data is then obtained, such as by scanning the patient's dentition with the markers or alternatively, by taking an impression of the patient's dentition with the markers, forming a physical model that includes analogs of the markers, and scanning the physical model. Either before or after the surface data is obtained, an anatomical, volumetric image data set of the patient's dentition is obtained via a volumetric scan of the patient's dentition with the markers appearing in the image data set.

Abstract: An artificial tooth where an occlusal surface is formed by grinding has a reference point that represents a position and an angle of the artificial tooth when an occlusal surface of the artificial tooth is obtained by an occlusal-surface form measuring apparatus. The reference point is a convexed spherical surface or a concaved spherical surface arranged on the occlusal-surface. The spherical surface is 3 or more. The convexed spherical surface is fit to the concaved spherical surface when the maxillary artificial tooth and mandibular artificial tooth are occluded. The occluding portion of the artificial tooth has a grinding portion.

Abstract: Artificial teeth arranged in plates attachable in an oral cavity as a dental prosthetic appliance, in which arrangement direction indication parts showing a directivity of arrangement in the plates extending in an apical-cervical direction or in a mesiodistal direction are provided at a vestibular side or an oral side. The arrangement direction indication parts extending in the apical-cervical direction are positioned linearly as seen from the vestibular side in an occluded state of mandibular teeth and maxillary teeth. The arrangement direction indication parts extending in the mesiodistal direction are positioned linearly as seen from the vestibular side in the state in which the teeth are arranged in the plates. The artificial teeth are arranged at an appropriate position according to an oral environment of each patient, without requiring advanced skill and experience.

Abstract: Artificial teeth are arranged in plates capable of being attached in an oral cavity as a dental prosthetic appliance, in which one or more linear arrangement direction indication parts showing the arrangement direction in the plates are provided on an occlusal plane of each of the molar teeth. At least one set of arrangement direction indication parts of the adjacent molar teeth is configured so as to extend generally in parallel direction. At least one set of arrangement direction indication parts of the antagonist upper molar teeth and lower molar teeth is configured so as to extend generally in parallel direction. The artificial molar teeth are arranged at an appropriate position according to the oral cavity environment of each patient, without requiring advanced skills and experiences, and are applicable to various arrangements of artificial teeth.

Abstract: System and method for automatic construction of orthodontic reference objects, such as the occlusal plane, arch form, and the local occlusal plane for a patient's teeth are disclosed. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented system and method for automatic construction of orthodontic reference objects comprises receiving three dimensional data for the teeth, setting an initial direction for a normal of the occlusal plane, determining tips for selected teeth, calculating a plane that matches the determined tip, and determining a new normal for the calculated plane.

Abstract: In a set of artificial teeth, at least one of mutually adjacent artificial anterior teeth includes abutting faces which contacts linearly with the other one so as to form abutting lines and capable of continuously moving the positions of the linear contact, the abutting faces being formed of any one of circular columnar surface, elliptical columnar surface, and conical surface.

Abstract: A method for increasing the speed in setting artificial teeth in full dentures or dental prostheses. The method provides premade tooth segments, the premade tooth segments including at least one tooth that may be preset into a gingival roll manufactured with either the individual teeth connected together in the gingival roll or by a mid-tooth connection at the mesial and distal surfaces of each tooth in the segment. The method further includes setting the premade tooth segments into a wax bite rim and fitting the wax bite rim to the patient's mandibular or maxillary arch. Another aspect is a method for individualizing the denture or dental prosthesis whereby the incisors can be manipulated to create a personal and natural appearance.

Abstract: A method and kit for producing implant drilling guides positioned at the proper angle and orientation so as to avoid inadvertent damage to critical regions of the patient's jaw when drilling to place dental implant screws. The method works by placing a small post with x-ray visible depth markers in the root of the patient's tooth immediately after tooth extraction. This post, along with guideblocks, optional washers, reduction or expansion guides, and rapidly hardening guide materials (such as acrylics or thermosetting materials) is used to construct a removable guide that anchors to the patient's adjacent teeth, and preserves the location and orientation of the extracted tooth root. Once the root is filled in with new bone, the guide, in conjunction with the X-ray post depth information, can be used to direct drilling along the same route as the old tooth root, thus avoiding critical structures.

Abstract: An appliance fabricated to improve the appearance of a patient's smile includes a plurality of simulated teeth. The interior surfaces of each of the teeth closely fits and conforms to the surface of a patient's real teeth while the outer surfaces of each of the simulated teeth has an ideal surface configuration. The dental appliance provides the patient with the appearance of a perfect set of teeth and an ideal smile without a need to alter the dental structure of the patient's teeth.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium a method and an apparatus for generating virtual teeth and recording media storing a program performing the method. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for generating virtual teeth includes (a) acquiring a tooth image having three-dimensional information from teeth including a damaged tooth; (b) determining an image of a virtual tooth to be inserted into a position of the damaged tooth in a tooth image library having predetermined three-dimensional information and inserting the determined virtual tooth image into the acquired tooth image; and (c) modifying the virtual tooth image by considering tooth images positioned at upper and lower sides or right and left sides of the virtual tooth image. According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to produce a prosthesis most suitable for the state of patient's teeth only once and an operator can minimize post-processing of the produced prosthesis.

Abstract: A method is set forth for making a computer model of patient's jaws, face, teeth and removable dentures on the basis of digital information. Three dimensional digital data about the soft tissues, artificial teeth, supporting bone and position of nerves is combined in a virtual computer model to create an aesthetic and functional plan for the creation of surgical drill guides and the creation of new dentures and teeth. A key component of this method, the accurate positioning of dental casts in a physical articulator, is simplified using three dimensional virtual and physical measurements and movements. Surgical guides used to position dental implants are manufactured using computer milling, layered manufacturing or conventional laboratory techniques with the aid of mechanical tools that reproduce the position of the dental cast or digitally produced replica in the same orientation to the virtual implant position.

Abstract: Systems and methods for setting posterior prosthetic teeth in production of upper and lower dentures feature tooth blocks each having inner and outer bodies having upper and lower rows of recesses therein corresponding maxillary and mandibular prosthetic teeth. The recesses of the inner and outer bodies conform to lingual and buccul surfaces of the prosthetic teeth respectively and are shaped and positioned to establish proper positioning of the prosthetic teeth relative to one another when clamped between the bodies. The two tooth blocks accommodate respective ones of left and right prosthetic poster teeth sets. Connection elements between the tooth blocks allow adjustment and subsequent locking of the relative positioning between the left and right teeth sets before setting on mandibular and maxillary casts in an articulator. The two tooth blocks eliminate the need to individually position posterior teeth on each side of the jaw.

Abstract: A method and kit for producing implant drilling guides positioned at the proper angle and orientation so as to avoid inadvertent damage to critical regions of the patient's jaw when drilling to place dental implant screws. The method works by placing a small post with x-ray visible depth markers in the root of the patient's tooth immediately after tooth extraction. This post, along with guideblocks, optional washers, reduction or expansion guides, and rapidly hardening guide materials (such as acrylics or thermosetting materials) is used to construct a removable guide that anchors to the patient's adjacent teeth, and preserves the location and orientation of the extracted tooth root. Once the root is filled in with new bone, the guide, in conjunction with the X-ray post depth information, can be used to direct drilling along the same route as the old tooth root, thus avoiding critical structures.

Abstract: In a set of artificial teeth, at least one of mutually adjacent artificial anterior teeth includes abutting faces which contacts linearly with the other one so as to form abutting lines and capable of continuously moving the positions of the linear contact, the abutting faces being formed of any one of circular columnar surface, elliptical columnar surface, and conical surface.

Abstract: System and method for automatic construction of orthodontic reference objects, such as the occlusal plane, arch form, and the local occlusal plane for a patient's teeth are disclosed. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented system and method for automatic construction of orthodontic reference objects comprises receiving three dimensional data for the teeth, setting an initial direction for a normal of the occlusal plane, determining tips for selected teeth, calculating a plane that matches the determined tip, and determining a new normal for the calculated plane.

Abstract: A position locator for use in dental restorative procedure is described. The position locator is inserted into a replica of a dental implant or into a replica of an abutment. The position and orientation of the implant replica can be determined by scanning the model with the implant replica and the position locator. Alternatively, the position locator can be inserted into the dental implant and scanning can be carried out in the mouth of the patient. The position locator can be made of an optically opaque material, such as titanium, and can have an outer surface detectable by an optical scanner, e.g. with a layer of porous titanium oxide applied through anodic oxidation.

Abstract: One possible embodiment of the invention could be a methodology of creating a proposed sulcus emergence profile for a dental implant surgical site, comprising of the following steps obtaining data of a specific patient's mouth needed to create a computer-generated virtual model of that patient's mouth; processing said obtained data to create a computer-generated virtual model of the patient's mouth; comparing virtual model data as it pertains to a site map of a proposed dental implant surgical site with virtual model data as it pertains to a site map of a mirror location in the mouth of the surgical site, allowing the mirror location site map to be transposed and overlaid upon the site map of the surgical site; and creating from that comparison of virtual model data, a proposed sulcus emergence profile for the implant surgical site.

Abstract: A dental prosthesis or template (10) simulates the front surfaces of a patient's teeth and is positioned to overlay over a patient's natural teeth (40) to provide an indication of what a dental porcelain overlay may look like once applied to the patient's teeth. A matching temporary veneer overlay (110) with simulated matching teeth sized and shaped to the template is constructed to be installed over the patient's prepared teeth.

Abstract: A method and system for making a dental prosthetic includes, for example, arranging a first virtual tooth image relative to a second virtual tooth image on a virtual denture set and locating a first actual prosthetic tooth relative to a second actual prosthetic tooth in a manner corresponding to the arranged first and second virtual images. The method also may include performing at least one Boolean operation to remove a portion of the first virtual tooth image and the second virtual tooth image and machining the first actual prosthetic tooth and the second actual prosthetic tooth to remove a portion correspond to material removed by the Boolean operation performed on the first and second virtual tooth images.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a set of easily arranged artificial teeth in which shapes of abutment surfaces of adjacent artificial teeth are not varied. In the set of artificial teeth, at least two artificial teeth adjacent to each other in a mesial-distal direction respectively have highest contours, one of the highest contours on the adjacent sides is positioned on an occlusal surface side and a buccal surface side relative to the other, and the artificial teeth are abutted with each other at abutment positions between the highest contours of both the artificial teeth in the occlusal direction and the buccolingual direction. Parting lines of molds for forming the artificial teeth respectively pass through the highest contours.

Abstract: A method for preparing a surgical guide for positioning of a dental implementation. The method includes positioning a positioning device relative to a model jawbone, translating the positioning device in a BL direction, adjusting a BL angle of the positioning device about a BL pivot axis corresponding to a desired position of a top of the dental implementation, and fixing the BL position, BL angle, and z-height of the positioning device. A mounting assembly mounts to the positioning device and includes a removable rotation block with a guide hole. The mounting assembly is movable in the MD direction while the BL position is fixed. A template fixes the mounting assembly for transferring the positioning information to a patient's mouth. Various aspects of the design process can be performed on a computer. The guide and a method of using the guide to perform an implant procedure are also disclosed.

Abstract: A surgical guide assembly is provided for positioning a drill bit during a dental implant procedure. The guide assembly includes a mounting member configured to mount to one or more teeth adjacent to an edentulous area, a base connected to the mounting member and dimensioned to extend over the edentulous area, a translation member adjustable with respect to the base, and a rotation member adjustable with respect to the translation member. The rotation member includes an aperture configured to receive a radiographic marker or a drill. The translation and rotation members may be configured to adjust one of the mesio-distal (MD) rotational alignment and the buccal-lingual (BL) rotational alignment of the radiographic marker inserted in the aperture while holding the other of the MD and BL rotational alignment mechanically fixed.

Abstract: System and method for automatic construction of orthodontic reference objects, such as the occlusal plane, arch form, and the local occlusal plane for a patient's teeth are disclosed. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented system and method for automatic construction of orthodontic reference objects comprises receiving three dimensional data for the teeth, setting an initial direction for a normal of the occlusal plane, determining tips for selected teeth, calculating a plane that matches the determined tip, and determining a new normal for the calculated plane.

Abstract: The invention provides artificial teeth arranged in plates attached in an oral cavity as a dental prosthetic appliance, in which one or more linear arrangement direction indication parts showing the arrangement direction in the plates are provided on an occlusal plane of each of the molar teeth. At least one set of arrangement direction indication parts of the adjacent molar teeth is configured so as to extend generally in parallel direction. At least one set of arrangement direction indication parts of the antagonist upper molar teeth and lower molar teeth is configured so as to extend generally in parallel direction. The artificial molar teeth are arranged at an appropriate position according to the oral cavity environment of each patient, without requiring advanced skills and experiences, being applicable to various arrangement of artificial teeth.

Abstract: A system of manufacturing a custom set of pre-manufactured upper and lower dentures is provided. In one form, a set of master upper and lower dentures is created. The master upper and lower dentures are used to create reusable upper and lower dental matrices, respectively. These re-usable upper and lower dental matrices are repeatedly used to manufacture upper and lower pre-manufactured or standard sized dentures, respectively. Optionally, a dental patient can have these upper and lower pre-manufactured dentures custom fit or relined to fit the dental patient's mouth to form upper reline and/or lower reline pre-manufactured dentures. The dental patient can have custom fit dentures in two visits with the dentist, even two visits in the same day.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing a series of tooth positioners for incrementally repositioning one or more teeth of a patient from an initial configuration to a final configuration via one or more intermediate configurations. The method uses a composite model of the patient's teeth in the initial configuration, the composite model having a base and one or more discrete model teeth. Each model tooth includes a crown portion and a root portion and is mounted on the base in a tooth mounting portion of the base formed from a mounting material in which the root portion can be imbedded and retained in position but which can allow movement of the root portion through the tooth mounting portion upon application of a force to the crown portion of the model tooth. In the method, the position of one or more of the model teeth is changed to reconfigure the composite model to a first intermediate configuration. A negative impression of the first intermediate tooth configuration is then made.