Abstract: A method and a system for determining an orthodontic treatment plan including a tooth stripping step are provided. The method comprises: acquiring a 3D digital model of a first tooth and a second tooth of the subject, the second tooth being adjacent the first tooth; receiving a stripping request for stripping tooth material, from at least one of the first tooth along a first stripping plane and the second tooth along a second stripping plane; determining, along a surface of the first tooth, a first area of interest; determining, along the surface of the second tooth, a second area of interest; determining a distance between a first set of vertices associated with the first area of interest and a second set of vertices associated with the second area of interest; in response to the distance being greater than a predetermined distance threshold, denying, by the processor, the stripping request.

Abstract: An apparatus including a bite frame and a bite shaped member is provided. The bite frame includes one or more arcuate frame elements defining an opening for accommodating a mesh element or the bite shaped member that receives a bite registration material for registering a bite impression. The bite shaped member has a geometrical body structure, upper and lower channels of configurable shapes, and upper and lower windows. The upper and lower windows are separated by a space for receiving and allowing flow of the bite registration material to register a vertical distance between the upper and lower jaws. An image processing system operably connected to the apparatus determines the three-dimensional relation between the upper and lower jaws with reference to temporomandibular joints using panoramic images of the upper and lower jaws, reference points provided by radio-opaque markers, three-dimensional scanned images of the bite impression, and three-dimensional head surface images.

Abstract: A system for making dental impressions is provided. The system includes a first dental tray and an adjustable dental tray mount for maintaining the first dental tray in a fixed position relative to an upper dental arch of a patient. The adjustable dental tray mount is capable of being mounted on the patient's head, neck or shoulders. The system further includes a flexible tooth separator with a tape-like structure and with a width equal to or greater than a distance from a tooth margin line to a gum line of a tooth of a patient. The system further includes a second dental tray, an adjustable dental tray mount for maintaining the second dental tray in a fixed position relative to a lower dental arch of a patient, and spacing structures to maintain the first dental tray and the second dental tray in position when simultaneously applied to the patient's teeth.

Abstract: A combination tool for defining and measuring anatomical features of a patient for the fabrication of dentures. The tool includes components for preparing a double arch impression, for determining the vertical spacing of the patient's mouth, for measuring the lip, mid line and smile lines of the patient, and for determining the occlusal plane of the patient. This single tool replaces the need for a multitude of tools typically used in preparing for the fabrication of dentures.

Abstract: A dental impression tray, a kit, and method of using the same are provided for taking an impression of at least a portion of a dental structure of a patient. The tray can include a tray portion, fiduciary markers, and can also have a holding section with two opposing sides and fasteners disposed thereon. The kit can include the tray and a handle portion. The handle can be removably secured to the holding section of the tray. In some embodiments, the handle can include a pair of handle portions. In other embodiments, a part of the handle can be aligned with a facial feature of a patient from whom a dental impression is to be obtained.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for manufacturing a template with at least one opening to drill through so as to create an appropriate bore hole in the bone of a partially toothless lower or upper jaw so as to fix an implant in said bone. Hereto a mould plate with a means of reference is made which can be put in a fitting manner over teeth which are present in the jaw and a position for the corresponding bore hole is selected and determined in relation to said means of reference. An aligning plate is made, provided with fixing means which make it possible to mount the aligning plate on the mould plate. Said opening in the aligning plate for guiding a drill is provided in such a position that, when the aligning plate is mounted on said mould plate and the latter has been provided in a fitting manner on said teeth, the position of this opening makes it possible, when drilling through said opening, to create said bore hole in correspondence with the selected position.

Abstract: A method for preparing a surgical mask for the installation of a dental implant, including: arranging a pliable material on a support (20) to be positioned in the mouth cavity of a patient to realize the impression (11) of a dental arch and extracting the support with the obtained impression (11); associating a main radiopaque indicator (12) with the impression (11) in the temporary emerging point (??) for a dental implant to be realized; re-positioning the impression (11) on the dental arch; acquiring at least one radiological image of the patient; elaborating the radiological image so as to obtain processing parameters indicative of the definitive emerging point and the definitive orientation of the dental implant; making a surgical mask to guide an osteotomy operation for a dental implant, the surgical mask being provided with at least one guide hole realized according to the obtained processing parameters.

Abstract: The invention relates to an impression tray, such as in particular a dental impression tray, which carries a deformable impression mass in order to prepare an impression of arrangements, shapes and/or dimensions, in particular in or on the human body, preferably in the mouth, and further preferred an impression of at least part of a tooth or of dental structures, wherein furthermore sensor devices are present, by means of which a change of at least one physical property and/or variable of the impression mass can be captured in a spatially resolved manner when preparing an impression and can be provided in a form that is suited for electronic data processing.

Abstract: A method of making a surgical template used for a computer-guided dental implant surgery includes the steps of: establishing implant planning data of a patient's jaw, producing a digital plaster model of the patient's jaw, allowing the digital plaster model to have the implant planning data, integrating the digital plaster model with the implant planning data to obtain a digital machining data, holding and machining a modeling block at a machining position according to the digital machining data to form a solid jaw model corresponding to the patient's jaw and having teeth, gums, and at least one implant-position indicating structure, mounting a positioning member at the implant-position indicating structure, and producing a negative template body from an assembly of the solid jaw model and the positioning member with a thermoplastic dental material by a molding process or a vacuum forming process.

Abstract: A dental impression analyzer including a housing having two opposite open ends. A lower end of the two opposite ends fits over a tooth of a patient. A plurality of pins are slidably mounted in the housing. The pins are of equal length, extending parallel to each other, and at least a portion of sidewalls of the housing extending parallel to each other and parallel to the plurality of pins to maintain the pins parallel to each other and to guide movement of the pins. The plurality of pins are tightly compressed together in an interior of the housing. A lower end of the pins are positioned to engage an uppermost surface of the tooth of the patient when the housing is fitted over the tooth of the patient. An upper end of the pins replicates the uppermost surface of the tooth when the lower end of the pins engage the uppermost surface of the tooth.

Abstract: A dental impression tray, a kit, and method of using the same are provided for taking an impression of at least a portion of a dental structure of a patient. The tray can comprise a tray portion, fiduciary markers, and can also have a holding section with two opposing sides and fasteners disposed thereon. The kit can comprise the tray and a handle portion. The handle can be removably secured to the holding section of the tray. In some embodiments, the handle can comprise a pair of handle portions. In other embodiments, a part of the handle can be aligned with a facial feature of a patient from whom a dental impression is to be obtained.

Abstract: A dental impression alignment guide comprising a frame which holds a conventional dental impression compound tray on one end and a laser source on the other end. The laser beam is split into two orthogonal fan shaped beams that project vertical and horizontal lines on the face of a patient. The lines are fixedly coupled to the impression compound tray, thus indicate the tray's position in the patient's mouth. The use of the alignment measuring tool facilitates the alignment of subsequent dentures in the articulated artificial jaw dentists use to verify fit and occlusion before moving dentures, appliances, or surgical procedures to the patient.

Abstract: An improved device for registration of dental bite provides a possibility to make accurate impression of the patient's dental bite and includes the first portion and second portion. The first portion comprises a first mouth portion and a first handle portion, and the second portion includes a second mouth portion and a second handle portion. Each of the first mouth portion and second mouth portion are generally of half-U-shaped configuration, and in the coupled position form the U-shaped configuration. Also, the device comprises the connector located in the handle portions of the first portion and second portion respectively, and which includes a first connecting portion located on the first handle portion and the second connecting portion located on the second handle portion.

Abstract: A tooth inclination apparatus for allowing assessment of the angle of inclination of an incisor tooth or cast thereof includes a plane element providing a flat datum surface for resting against e.g. the upper molars in the maxillary plane. From the underside of the plane element projects a protractor portion with a graduated angular scale which measures the angular deviation of an indicator pin pivoted to the plane member and moved to contact the tooth whose inclination is being measured. Other mechanical or electro-optic devices may be used to determine the inclination of the incisor relative to the datum surface.

Abstract: An inflatable dental tray for creating a dental impression. The tray is inflated for retention of an impression material which solidifies after a dental structure has been impressed therein. The inflatable tray can be configured for various inflation methods and in various shapes to form full or partial impressions. In one aspect of the invention the tray is inflated with impression material that flows from apertures forming a buildup. Various additional inventive aspects include an exterior filled inflated tray, along with tubes which provide for proper mixing of impression material.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fabricating and fitting dentures that employs a Biteblock/Impression Tray and a Preset Teeth Carrying Tray. The Biteblock/Impression Tray is produced for both upper and lower dental arches with a wax biteblock attached to each, and shaped with flanges and a palate on the upper tray to accommodate the taking of impressions. The Preset Teeth Carrying Tray is produced for both upper and lower dental arches with the denture teeth mounted in their anatomical position to a plastic tray using wax that is festooned around the teeth and simulates the gum tissue. Each denture tooth is produced with a retention groove below the gum line and has the glaze removed from the roots prior to being mounted in the wax on the Preset Teeth Carrying Tray. Since the teeth are in their correct anatomical position with wax simulating the gum tissue, the teeth can be easily transferred as a unit to a stone model of the patient's dental arch for denture fabrication.

Abstract: An improved dental impression tray fabricated with vertical rests that anchor onto predetermined areas of the mouth to allow stabilization of tray while impression material sets. This disclosure also provides for a venting of selected teeth to the outside air to eliminate damaging force of vacuum on freshly cured material when tray is lifted. More specifically, the practitioner fills the impression tray with moldable material and seats fully into the mouth. Venting pins are immediately fitted through impression tray and impression material and seated onto the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. After the impression material has set, venting pins are removed. The impression tray is then lifted vertically and removed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable head positioning system for the establishment and measurement of a variety of different head orientations for the purposes of magnetic resonance imaging. The present system include a head engagement assembly and a mouthpiece or orientation component which cooperate to enable reproducible imaging.

Abstract: A preformed pattern for forming an occlusal splint comprises a U-shaped member composed of material that is form-stable at room temperature and sufficiently pliable at an elevated temperature to be conformed to the bits of a person's jaw or to a model of such person's jaw.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a dental tray having a base extending in a dental arch an arcuate distance at least sufficient such that a portion of one surface of the base is disposable generally above some of the occlusal surfaces and such that a portion of the surface of the base is disposable generally above some of the incisal surfaces in one operating position of the dental tray. A lingual sidewall is connected to one side of the base and a buccal sidewall is connected to the opposite side of the base, each sidewall extending a surface molding distance generally perpendicularly from the base and the sidewalls cooperating with the base to form a space for accommodating molding and impression material.