Abstract: A tooth shade comparator comprises a viewing tube having a removable base at one end thereof and having an eyepiece at the opposite end thereof. The base is constructed for placement over a tooth in the mouth of a patient and has an opening for exposing the tooth to the interior of the viewing tube while excluding ambient light from the tooth. The base also has a slit for receiving a shade guide element that is placed side by side with the patient's tooth. The tooth and the shade guide element are illuminated by an electric lamp through an opening in the side wall of the tube. The eyepiece includes a lens that provides a magnified image of the tooth and the shade guide element. Half tone filters may be inserted in a light path between the shade guide element and the eyepiece. A set of removable bases having different arrangements of openings and slits provides versatility for shade comparison with different teeth.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement for a tooth in an artificial dental jaw model, especially in an artificial denture skull, and which is utilized for teaching and practice purposes. The tooth which is to be exchanged or replaced can be pulled out with an ordinary pair of extracting pliers and in an imitation of an actual extracting procedure, and the new tooth can be inserted with the application of a forcible or strong finger pressure.

Abstract: A color dental kit and method of specifying and illustrating coloring of synthetic dental elements such as individual teeth, crowns and the like to be made synthetically by imaging the individual teeth or crowns on a sheet of paper divided into light and dark incisal color tones. The color is effected with color pencils having a soft lead of the colors corresponding to gingival and incisal natural color shades. Some of the color pencils have leads for coloring specific color characteristics such as flaws including decalcification. The color pencils are provided in the color dental kit including therewith paper sheets on which imaging of the individual synthetic teeth and crowns is effected and the images are manually colored with the pencils as desired. These colored images provide positive dentition communication between and among dentists, patients and dental laboratory technicians.

Abstract: A tooth color shade guide which has a body (20) constructed from photographic paper, thermoplastic, or cardboard, having a number of fingers (22) distending from a base portion (28). A specimen (32) of a color shade is located on the end of each finger, each having a different hue and alpha-numeric designations (34) adjacent thereunto allow natural tooth color to be matched and identified. The attaching end (26) of the fingers are perforated (30), permitting them to be individually torn-off for comparison and then the entire color shade guide may be disposed of after use. A visual indicating surface (38) may be added to the fingers that is light sensitive and changes color in a few minutes after exposure. This surface (38) has a message imprinted in writing indicating the guide has been used preventing cross-contamination with other patients.

Abstract: A process of applying a temporary diagnostic, consultative restoration to teeth to demonstrate to the patient how the restoration will look after it is finished, comprising the steps of , applying color to the wax cover, which may include sticks, ropes or cakes of wax, applying a wax cover to the teeth, carving the wax to the desired shape, applying a petroleum or acrylic cover to the wax to create a shine like real teeth. The material includes a predetermined amount of soft wax of predetermined color to cover one or more teeth, applied to the teeth, and a petroleum or acrylic base cover applied to the wax to make the restoration shine like natural teeth.

Abstract: A tooth color shade guide which has a body (20) constructed from photographic paper, thermoplastic, or cardboard, having a number of fingers (22) distending from a base portion (28). A specimen (32) of a color shade is located on the end of each finger, each having a different hue and alpha-numeric designations (34) adjacent thereunto allow natural tooth color to be matched and identified. The attaching end (26) of the fingers are perforated (30), permitting them to be individually torn-off for comparison and then the entire color shade guide may be disposed of after use. A moisture indicating surface (38) may be added to the back of each finger exhibiting use when in contact with moisture present in a person's mouth.

Abstract: A unique dental spatula includes an angle head, and an elongate body having a plurality of lateral projections forming apertured posts for affixing and displaying color-shade samples. The spatula portion of the instrument has an angled head so that the instrument can be conveniently held for spatulation or for holding the color samples adjacent to the patient's teeth to visually determine the proper color match. The elongate handle portion of the present invention is made of a clear material so that it does not affect resin coloration and further includes a roughened front surface for retaining written indicia, which serves to denote the particular proportions of material used in a given sample.

Abstract: The invention can be used to determine the color to be given to a dental prosthesis, for example, on the basis of color measurements performed on adjacent teeth in the mouth of the patient. An optical fiber instrument picks up light reflected from a tooth and transmits it to the inlet of a spectrocolorimeter which associated with a microprocessor in order to determine the diffuse spectral reflectance of the tooth and to calculate the tristimulus values of its apparent color under various different types of illumination. The invention is particularly suitable for determining the color of dental prostheses.

Abstract: A tooth shade guide casting form for in-office preparation of shade samples of tooth color restoration material (TCRM) to be utilized by dentists in the restoration of a patient's tooth surface. The invention includes a handle, preferably of thin transparent plastic, and a detachable bowl disposed from one end of the handle. The bowl is preferrably the size and shape of a human tooth and is adapted to receive a quantity of photocurable TCRM to be hardened therein. After hardening, the bowl is detached from the handle, leaving the cured TCRM shade sample attached to the first end of the handle. Such samples, having the contour of the bowl, are then used by dentists in selecting the properly colored TCRM for restoring patients' teeth.

Abstract: A dental-porcelain color matching system comprises a plurality of dental-porcelain beads arranged in a closely spaced manner on a common support so that their colors vary in an ordered manner. The beads are carried at the ends of arms which are either flexible or pivotable on a main trunk of the support so that a bead to be located against a patent's natural tooth for color comparison therewith can be moved away from other beads on the support to avoid color interference therefrom. Additional beads provided have varying translucent enamels on opaque porcelain bases to allow the color, translucency and depth of enamel of a patient's teeth to be gauged. The beads also vary in shape from that of an unworn natural incisor tooth with a ridged cutting edge to that of a worn incisor tooth with a smooth cutting edge.

Abstract: A measuring tool for the selection of artificial teeth includes a substrate on which at least the full-scale mesiodistal highest position of contour of artificial teeth is indicated with the product classification mark thereof. The substrate is provided on the predetermined positions with a scale for determining the average condyle head at an interval of 13 mm and a scale for judging an angle that the occlusal surface makes with the interalveolar ridge line.

Abstract: Disclosed are method and apparatus for forming tab samples of material, such as ceramic, having a metal or ceramic base. A form body comprises a recess between two extending arms and a shelf positioned to face the recess between the arms. A base may be positioned on and anchored to the shelf facing into the recess. Ceramic material may be formed on the base within the lateral confines of the recess as defined by the arms. Opaque ceramic material may be formed on the base as an underlayer of the ceramic sample. The ceramic may be fired on the base, and the finished ceramic sample may serve as a shade sample. Plastic or wax material may be formed on the shelf in a replica of such a base to construct a mold for use in forming the base.

Abstract: A tooth storage means comprising a body having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section of the body having a downwardly extending portion providing a plurality of tooth elements corresponding to the upper teeth of a subject and the lower section of the body having an upwardly extending portion providing a plurality of tooth elements corresponding to the lower teeth of the subject. Each of the tooth elements has a receptacle cavity therein for receiving, storing and completely enclosing a corresponding individual tooth of the subject. The upper and lower tooth elements each have an appearance, arrangement and configuration corresponding to and simulating the upper and lower teeth of the subject and are of a transparent material allowing the display and viewing therethrough of the teeth of the subject received within respective cavities of the booth elements.

Abstract: A carding system and method for artificial teeth is disclosed wherein artificial teeth (A, D, C, E, and F) may be carded on a tooth card (B). The tooth card (B) comprises an elongated extruded plastic strip (10) having a vertical flange (14) and a split retainer tube (12). The artificial teeth are provided with various means of retaining the teeth on retainer tube (12) such as retainer slots (26), retainer bars (70 and 78). Retainer tube (12) includes prong-like edges (18 and 20) defined by slit (16) which compress together to enable fitting of teeth with retention slots (26) onto retainer tube in a snap action. Retainer tube (12) likewise retains teeth with retainer bars by allowing the shank (74, 80) to fit between the prong-like edges with enlarged head (76, 82) preventing outward movement of teeth. Conventional pins (32) of artificial teeth may also be retained by retainer tube.

Abstract: A method for selecting a particular shade of lipstick that will brighten the appearance of one's teeth includes providing a plurality of tooth color samples in predetermined colors, selecting a plurality of lipstick shades, determining which of the lipstick shades best increases the apparent whiteness of selected tooth colors, and correlating a given tooth color sample with appropriate lipstick shades. Apparatus for carrying out the method includes a plurality of tooth color samples and a correlation chart for identifying the best lipstick shades that can be used with each tooth color.

Abstract: A tooth-block for fabrication of dentures, including a horizontally deformable bar of rectangular cross-section provided along its upper margin with outwardly projecting retentions, each retention having an individual artificial tooth securely mounted thereon in spaced separation from the bar, each retention and its respective tooth being selectively positional with respect to the bar and to each other tooth.

Abstract: Method of determining materials of suitable colours for the base and top layers of a tooth repair layer or prosthesis facet with the aid of colour samples composed of a plurality of layers. Separate samples are used for the base and top layers. They are optically connected by wetting with a liquid. The liquid may also itself be used to form one of the sample layers.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a set of dental color indicator devices and a method of selecting dental colors. Each indicator device has a number of color samples arranged in a regular array. Each of the samples corresponds to the color at a corresponding location in an identical array formed on one of a plurality of transverse parallel cuts through an elongate substantially elipsoid body which represents the possible range of dental colors when graphically represented on a color co-ordinate system, such as the CIELAB psycometric color system or the Munsell visual color system. The selected color is either the color of one of the samples or a mixture of the color of two adjacent samples.

Abstract: Polychromatic light is directed at the surface of a live tooth and color data of light reflected therefrom is recorded, multiplied by the stored power distribution of a first standard illuminant and converted to three tristimulus values. Such values are compared with color values of a first group of stored color dental shades, and if a match occurs within a given tolerance, an indication of the nature of the recipe is produced. A second level search may be carried out against a substantially larger group of stored dental shades in the event of a no-match condition resulting from the first search. Excellent lifelike reproduction of the patient's tooth is enhanced by checking for least metamerism by operating upon the measured data with other illumination standards and selecting the best match under all lighting conditions.

Abstract: A new type of dental prosthetic facing and a new method of preparation of dental prosthetic facings is disclosed. The dental prosthetic facing is provided with an outer shader layer, an intermediate at least substantially uncolored, translucent layer, and an opaque substructure color keyed with the shader layer to match a shade guide. The opaque substructure may be a metal support with a surface opaquing agent in one species.The dental prosthetic facing may be prepared by removably mounting an intermediate uncolored translucent layer that is a crown on a color keyed opaque substructure that is a dental mount. The dental mount being matched to an opaque dental cement that will mount the finished shaded dental crown.

Abstract: A dental shade guide, to be employed by the dentist and dental laboratory technician, to be used in comparing patient's natural teeth for color more accurately. The dental shade guide has plurality of arms or bars constructed of a dental alloy and has corresponding opaque and dental glass fired onto each arm or bar, with each arm or bar varying in color. The same materials used to construct porcelain crowns or bridges is used to construct the dental shade guide.

Abstract: A hollow transparent mold is provided for the custom formation of a dental shade guide. The mold is provided with an opening into which the dentist inserts raw filling material selected from the material he intends using on the patient. The mold is provided with a handle and after hardening of the raw material forms a dental shade guide.

Abstract: A shade guide for dental use comprising a pair of superimposed discs rotatable with respect to one another, one disc being a lower disc with a plurality of regions of different colors representative of different tooth discolorations of the patient, the other disc being an upper disc with a plurality of transparent regions representative of coloration of composite material adapted for being bonded to teeth. By relatively rotating the discs, the transparent regions of the upper disc successively cover the regions of different colors of the lower disc to provide a resultant coloration which neutralizes the discolored tooth and most closely matches the final coloration of the tooth of the patient.

Abstract: A color scale palette has color sample rods tinted all along their lengths from a stem in a frame to the other end projecting from the frame. The frame has a window for exposing a portion of the color sample rods and, for example, a color key, and studs cooperative with a bore through the stem end of each color sample rod for snapping it into the frame. The bore is preferably a funnel-shaped for shadow-free as well as juxtaposed color comparisons.

Abstract: A dental shade guide selector including a color tooth sample, a handle for manipulating the sample in the mouth and a holder for storing the color tooth samples. The color tooth sample includes a frame having a base plate and a rim bordering the plate. A layer of porcelain or the like is fused or otherwise fixidly attached on the plate inside the border of the rim. The plate has a front convex surface and a rear concave surface. The rim has a greater height at the incisor end of the tooth sample than at the gingival end of the tooth sample, so that the porcelain layer is thicker at the incisor end than at the gingival end. A pair of spaced apart feet extend outward from the rear surface of the plate to define a channel (curved) therebetween for receiving the support of the artificial tooth positioned in the mouth.

Abstract: A mount for holding a set of artificial teeth comprising an elongated plate member having a row of recesses therein complementary to the lingual surfaces of said teeth and having adhesive in shallow indentations in the bottoms of said recesses to detachably secure the teeth therein and support them in such manner that the outer surfaces of the teeth are sloped forwardly for viewing.

Abstract: A dental shade guide system for increasing the accuracy in matching an artificial tooth coloring to a patient's natural teeth by providing a plurality of primary shade guides, each guide having a specific chroma percentage made from a predetermined formula. Each primary shade guide has a corresponding plurality of secondary shade guides such that each of the corresponding secondary shade guides has a decreased chroma percentage which is determined by varying the value ratio of the primmary shade guide formula. This is accomplished by mixing the primary shade guide formula in varying amounts with a gray or white modifier. In one embodiment of the invention the secondary shade guides provide a chroma range which in selected applications overlaps with the chroma range of several of the primary shade guides providing the practitioner with a more accurate match. A method for making and using the secondary shade guides is disclosed.