System and Arrangement for Production and Insertion of a Dental Bridge Structure

Abstract

A system comprises a computer appliance ( 7 ) designed to receive, and to present on screen, first information ( 12 ) transmitted from identification equipment ( 6 ) and based on detection of a jaw bone structure. Modification information which can be introduced into the computer appliance shows a visual dental bridge structure applied on the jaw bone structure with associated teeth and dentine. Orientations for implants are also shown. The computer appliance produces a CAD file which is based on the first information and the modification information. The file is received in a stereolithography machine which issues second information which can be processed in the equipment ( 9 ) for production of the physical template with associated through-bores for sleeves which determine recessed positions and directions for the implants. A working model ( 16 ) is produced with the aid of the physical template which is also used for hole formation in the jaw bone structure. The invention also relates to an arrangement of a template produced by stereolithography and by means of information from the computer appliance. By means of the invention, the installation of the dental bridge on the patient can be increased at lower cost, with shorter times and a sustained degree of accuracy.

1 . A system for production and insertion of a real dental bridge structure ( 23 ) in a real jaw bone structure by means of a number of successive function steps effected by equipment belonging to two or more different parties, said equipment comprising identification equipment ( 6 ), computer appliance ( 7   a ,  7   b ), equipment ( 8 ), equipment for production of a physical template ( 15 ), equipment for production of a working model ( 16 ) in cooperation with an articulator ( 18 ), equipment for production of the dental bridge structure and insertion equipment ( 25 ) for fitting the dental bridge structure on the implant in the jaw bone structure, wherein the computer appliance is designed to receive, and to present on screen, first information transmitted from the identification equipment and based on detection of the jaw bone structure, wherein the computer appliance is arranged with operating elements by means of which it is possible to visually enter modification information concerning, on the one hand, a visual dental bridge structure applied on the visual jaw bone structure with associated teeth and dentine (gum), and, on the other hand, orientations of the implants in the visual dental bridge structure and visual jaw bone structure, wherein the computer appliance is arranged to produce a CAD file ( 13 ) based on the first information and the modification information and to transmit the CAD file to the stereolithography machine, wherein the stereolithography machine is arranged to issue second information which can be processed in the equipment for production of the physical template with associated through-bores for sleeves arranged to determine the recessed positions and longitudinal directions for the implants, and wherein the physical template ( 15 ) on the one hand forms the basis for production of the working model and, on the other hand, serves as template in a hole formation defined with the sleeves and effected in the real jaw bone structure by means of the insertion equipment. 
   
   
       2 . The system as claimed in patent  claim 1 , wherein the identification and computer appliances ( 6 ,  7   a ,  7   b ) are assigned to a first party ( 1 ) consisting of a party treating a patient, for example a surgeon, wherein the stereolithography machine is assigned to a second party ( 2 ), and wherein the equipment for production of template, working model and real dental bridge structure is assigned to a third party ( 3 ), for example dental technician. 
   
   
       3 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the appliances assigned to the various parties can be connected to equipment of a higher order belonging to a fourth party ( 5 ) for information provision and/or handling or production of one or more of said functions or parts thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the equipment for production of a working model ( 16 ) in cooperation with an articulator ( 18 ) is arranged to receive bite index information ( 22 ) from the identification equipment, the computer appliance and/or the equipment of higher order. 
   
   
       5 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the computer appliance ( 7   a ,  7   b ) and/or the equipment for production of a physical template is/are arranged to indicate positions between the implants for fixing members, for example fixing pins, which extend through the jaw bone structure for retention in or on patient ( 4 ) in the hole formation for implants. 
   
   
       6 . An arrangement of a template produced by stereolithography ( 14 ) and by means of information from computer appliance ( 7   a ,  7   b ) and used for producing, on the one hand, a dental bridge structure that can be applied on an implant in the jaw bone structure, and, on the other hand, for guiding of hole-forming means (drill) ( 25 ) for forming holes for the implants ( 7   e ), wherein the template ( 15 ) and the dental bridge structure ( 23 ) are provided with through-holes, and wherein the through-holes are provided with sleeves by means of which the degrees of recessing of the implants and orientations in the implants can be determined. 
   
   
       7 . The arrangement as in  claim 6 , wherein the sleeves are arranged with first members ( 52   a ) which determine their degree of recessing in the template and which, in the recessed position, cooperate with corresponding second members ( 54   a ) in the template. 
   
   
       8 . The arrangement as in  claim 7 , wherein the first members ( 52   a ) consist of outwardly projecting flanges and the second members ( 54   a ) consist of stop surfaces. 
   
   
       9 . The arrangement as in  claim 6 , wherein the sleeves are arranged with resilient members ( 56   b ) which determine their degree of recessing in the template and are designed to be able to be snapped into an internal recess ( 57   a ) in the final position of the sleeves. 
   
   
       10 . The arrangement as in  claim 9 , wherein the resilient members ( 56   b ) are arranged to emit a click sound when the respective sleeve reaches its final position in the template. 
   
   
       11 . The arrangement as in  claim 6 , wherein the respective sleeve ( 62 ) can be anchored or locked by means of cement 
   
   
       12 . The arrangement as in  claim 6 , wherein first sleeves ( 52 ) are arranged for guiding the drill and implant or determining directions in which the drill (s) will operate in the respective implants, and second sleeves ( 51 ) for anchoring members or pins which are designed to extend horizontally through the jaw bone. 
   
   
       13 . The arrangement as in  claim 6 , claimed in any of patent  claims 6 - 12 , wherein the template ( 15 ) is arranged to reproduce or comprise a material or part which corresponds to the dentine or gum replacement over those parts which extend over the jaw bone, in which the dental bridge is intended to extend. 
   
   
       14 . The arrangement as in  claim 6 , the template is made of, plastic material with a low coefficient of creep. 
   
   
       15 . The arrangement as in  claim 6 , wherein the template has a configuration which precisely or clearly fixes the position of the template on the jaw bone ( 58 , 59 ) in order to permit hole formations, for the implants, which very accurately match the hole formations in the produced dental bridge ( 23 ), and the accuracy can be 0.1-0.2 mm. 
   
   
       16 . The arrangement as in  claim 6 , wherein the finished dental bridge ( 23 ) is designed to cooperate with teeth ( 44 ) in the opposite jaw bone with the aid of bite index added to the template and dental bridge. 
   
   
       17 . The arrangement as in  claim 6 , wherein said material or part of the template which corresponds to the dentine or gum replacement is designed to reduce the template production time in a stereolithography machine ( 8 ), inter alia, by compared to the case where the working model is replaced in the correct relation to the bone part.