Method and Impression Tray for Producing a Dental Mold

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a dental mold on the basis of a thermoplastic film ( 4 ), and to an impression tray ( 1 ) for producing such a dental mold ( 2 ). The impression tray ( 1 ) is charged with a kneadable, malleable material ( 3 ) on which the thermoplastic film ( 4 ) that can be formed to a dental mold ( 2 ) is located. The softening temperature of the thermoplastic film ( 4 ) ranges between approximately 40 DEG C and approximately 80 DEG C.

1 . A dental mold produced by the following steps:
 providing an impression tray, the tray comprising of a material that is solid at temperatures below 140° C., the impression tray being charged with a kneadable material and a thermoplastic film,   Wherein the kneadable material is plastically deformable at least at temperatures between 20° C. and 80° C.,   Wherein the thermoplastic film is horseshoe-shaped and has a U-shaped cross-section that is fitted to a contour of the impression tray and is disposed on said kneadable material, wherein the materials of the kneadable material and the thermoplastic film are selected in such a manner that they do not combine with one another,   inducing a user to carry out the following steps:
 heating the thermoplastic film on disposed said kneadable material to a processing temperature that lies above the softening temperature of the thermoplastic film, 
 applying into a patient's mouth the heated thermoplastic film disposed on said kneadable material in the impression tray, 
 placing the thermoplastic film against at least one tooth, forming a dental mold, for a time span until the thermoplastic film has cooled to a temperature below its softening temperature, and 
 removing the impression tray, the kneadable material, and the dental mold formed from the thermoplastic film together from the patient's mouth and removing the dental mold afterwards from the kneadable material and the impression tray. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dental mold of  claim 1 , wherein the impression tray is provided pre-packaged with the kneadable material and the thin plastic film. 
     
     
         3 . The dental mold of  claim 1 , wherein the impression tray, the kneadable material, and the thermoplastic film are jointly heated such that the temperature of the thermoplastic film lies above the softening temperature of the thermoplastic film and below the softening temperature of the impression tray. 
     
     
         4 . The dental mold of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film and the kneadable material are pre-packaged. 
     
     
         5 . The dental mold of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film is heated to a temperature of approximately 80° C. 
     
     
         6 . The dental mold of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film is pressed against at least one tooth by the kneadable material. 
     
     
         7 . The dental mold of  claim 1 , wherein the dental mold is trimmed and/or subsequently finished after having been removed from the patient's mouth. 
     
     
         8 . The dental mold of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film consists of copolymer of ethyl acetate and vinyl acetate, polycaprolactone, polypropylene, polyethylene, or a plastic with shape memory. 
     
     
         9 . The dental mold of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film is fitted to an outer contour of the impression tray. 
     
     
         10 . The dental mold of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic film is fitted to an inner contour of the impression tray. 
     
     
         11 . A dental mold that can produced by at least of the following:
 a rigid impression tray;   a kneadable material that is charged together with a thermoplastic film into the impression tray, the kneadable material is plastically deformable at least at temperatures between approximately 20° C. and approximately 80° C.;   the thermoplastic film comprising a horseshoe-shape fitted to a contour of the impression tray, wherein the materials of the kneadable material and the thermoplastic film do not combine with one another at a processing temperature,
 heating the thermoplastic film, 
 applying into a patient's mouth the heated thermoplastic film and the kneadable material in the impression tray, 
 placing the thermoplastic film against at least one tooth to thereby form a dental mold, and 
 removing the impression tray, the kneadable material, and the dental mold formed from the thermoplastic film together from the patient's mouth. 
   
     
     
         12 . The dental mold of  claim 11  wherein the tray comprises a material that is solid at temperatures below 140° C. 
     
     
         13 . The dental mold of  claim 11  wherein the thermoplastic film is disposed on the kneadable material. 
     
     
         14 . The dental mold of  claim 11  wherein the thermoplastic film comprises a U-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         15 . The dental mold of  claim 11  wherein the thermoplastic film is heated to a temperature that lies below approximately 80° C. and above the softening temperature of the thermoplastic film. 
     
     
         16 . The dental mold of  claim 11  wherein the kneadable material comprises a chemically curing material. 
     
     
         17 . The dental mold of  claim 11  selected from a group consisting of a bite template, a mini-plaster tray, a tooth-grinding protector, a bandage plate, a bite-down tray, a bite guide tray, a mouth protector, a fluoridation tray, a bleaching tray, a transfer mold, and a positioner. 
     
     
         18 . The dental mold of  claim 11  wherein the rigid tray further comprises a handle, wherein the handle is used to apply the impression tray into the patient's mouth, and wherein the handle is used to remove the impression tray from a patient's mouth. 
     
     
         19 . The dental mold of  claim 11 , wherein the rigid impression tray is provided pre-packaged with the kneadable material and the thin plastic film. 
     
     
         20 . The dental mold of  claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic film and the kneadable material are pre-packaged.