Customized Dental Prosthesis For Periodontal or Osseointegration, and Related System and Methods

Abstract

Dental prosthesis, systems, and methods of forming and using a dental prosthesis, are provided. An example of a dental prosthesis includes a first manufactured portion shaped to substantially conform to the three-dimensional surface of a root of a tooth to be replaced and a second manufactured portion shaped to substantially conform to the three-dimensional surface of a crown of the tooth. Furthermore, a CAD/CAM based methods of and systems for manufacturing a customized dental prosthesis are provided.

That claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a dental tooth prosthesis for implantation into a jawbone cavity of a pre-identified patient, the tooth prosthesis comprising an implant section having a root portion and an occlusally facing interface portion to receive a custom-shaped occlusally facing abutment or crown, the occlusally facing interface portion being an integral part of the tooth prosthesis prior to integrating the tooth prosthesis into an embedding portion of the jawbone cavity of the pre-identified patient, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving imaging data describing a three-dimensional shape of an outer surface portion of a root portion of a nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient;   deriving digital design data defining a three-dimensional shape of the tooth prosthesis, the step of deriving comprising:
 deriving digital design data defining a three-dimensional shape of an outer surface of a root portion of the tooth prosthesis responsive to the received imaging data, a substantial portion of the three-dimensional shape of the outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis dimensionally matching a three-dimensional shape of a corresponding outer surface portion of the nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient, and 
 combining a plurality of artificially created surface elements with a plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion to form a virtual three-dimensional representation of the implant section of the tooth prosthesis to thereby provide a numerical description of a physical outer surface of the implant section, 
 the plurality of artificially created surface elements comprising one or more of the following:
 shape elements received from an electronic library, and 
 shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements, 
 
 the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements comprising one or more of the following:
 shape elements included in the received imaging data, and 
 shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the received imaging data; and 
 
   manufacturing the implant section at least partially responsive to the digital design data defining the three-dimensional shape of the tooth prosthesis to form at least a substantial portion of the root portion of the implant section and at least a substantial portion of the occlusally facing interface portion of the implant section, to include shaping at least a substantial portion of the outer surface portion of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis to conform with and to substantially dimensionally match the three-dimensional shape of the outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis derived from the three-dimensional shape of the corresponding outer surface portion of the root portion of the nonfunctional natural tooth.   
     
     
         2 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the artificially created surface elements include shape elements received from an electronic library. 
     
     
         3 . A method as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the shape elements received from an electronic library include a representation of a virtual hexagon socket. 
     
     
         4 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the artificially created surface elements include shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements. 
     
     
         5 . A method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the step of combining a plurality of artificially created surface elements with a plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion comprises straightening the naturally shaped surface elements with the shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements to thereby receive a non-frayed virtual surface contour. 
     
     
         6 . A method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the step of combining a plurality of artificially created surface elements with a plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion comprises closing at least partially occlusally facing surface openings of the naturally shaped surface elements with the shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements. 
     
     
         7 . A method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the step of closing at least partially occlusally facing surface openings of the naturally shaped surface elements with the shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements comprises closing a gap between naturally shaped surface elements and shape elements received from an electronic library. 
     
     
         8 . A method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the shape elements created artificially to extend naturally shaped surface elements comprises one or more of the following: triangles and surface contours. 
     
     
         9 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein virtual three-dimensional representation of the implant section of the tooth prosthesis is represented in an STL or IGES format. 
     
     
         10 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the virtual three-dimensional representation of the implant section of the tooth prosthesis is a virtual solid, the method further comprising the step of:
 forming a virtual unambiguous numerical description of a surface of a geometrical shape of a physical outer surface of the implant section showing no holes and identifying an inside and an outside of the surface of the geometrical shape of the physical outer surface of the implant section responsive to the step of combining the plurality of artificially created surface elements with the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion.   
     
     
         11 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the step of shaping the at least the substantial portion of the outer surface portion of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis comprises shaping the at least the substantial portion of the outer surface portion of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis such that the entire outer surface portion of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis that corresponds to an entire embedding jaw bone cavity surface associated with the nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient is sized and shaped so as to not exceed dimensionally a natural pre-insertion three-dimensional shape of the respective embedding jaw bone cavity surface when the tooth prosthesis is clinically positioned therein. 
     
     
         12 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion comprise the shape elements included in the received imaging data. 
     
     
         13 . A method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the shape elements included in the received imaging data comprise one or more of the following: measurement data points, triangles, volumetric data representing MRT density values, and volumetric data representing x-ray density values. 
     
     
         14 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion include the shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the received imaging data. 
     
     
         15 . A method as described in  claim 14 , wherein the shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the received imaging data comprises:
 triangles, data in STL format, and data in IGES format.   
     
     
         16 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the step of deriving digital design data defining a three-dimensional shape of the tooth prosthesis further includes combining the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion with artificially created surface elements of the plurality of artificially created surface elements that deviate substantially from a three-dimensional shape of a corresponding outer surface portion of the root portion of the nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient, thereby optimizing the shape of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis for easy insertion. 
     
     
         17 . A method as defined in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion include the shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the received imaging data; and   wherein the step of deriving digital design data defining a three-dimensional shape of the tooth prosthesis further includes numerical smoothing processes to refine the shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the imaging data received.   
     
     
         18 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the step of manufacturing the root portion of the tooth prosthesis further comprises the steps of:
 receiving autologous tissue samples of the pre-identified patient;   developing tissue engineered means for surface conditioning an outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis from the autologous tissue samples of the pre-identified patient; and   providing the tissue engineered means for surface conditioning an outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis to be clinically applied thereto.   
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing a dental tooth prosthesis for implantation into a jawbone cavity of a pre-identified patient, the tooth prosthesis comprising an implant section having a root portion and an occlusally facing interface portion to receive a custom-shaped occlusally facing abutment or crown, the occlusally facing interface portion being an integral part of the tooth prosthesis prior to integrating the tooth prosthesis into an embedding portion of the jawbone cavity of the pre-identified patient, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving numerical machine control data derived from digital design data defining a three-dimensional shape of an outer surface of a root portion of the tooth prosthesis responsive to received imaging data, a substantial portion of the three-dimensional shape of the outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis dimensionally matching a three-dimensional shape of a corresponding outer surface portion of the nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient,   the digital design data including a plurality of artificially created surface elements combined with a plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion to form a virtual three-dimensional representation of the implant section of the tooth prosthesis to thereby provide a numerical description of a physical outer surface of the implant section,   the plurality of artificially created surface elements comprising one or more of the following:
 shape elements received from an electronic library, and 
 shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements, 
   the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements comprising one or more of the following:
 shape elements included in the received imaging data, and 
 shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the received imaging data; and 
   manufacturing the implant section at least partially responsive to the numerical machine control data to form at least a substantial portion of the root portion of the implant section and at least a substantial portion of the occlusally facing interface portion of the implant section, to include shaping at least a substantial portion of the outer surface portion of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis to conform with and to substantially dimensionally match the three-dimensional shape of the outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis derived from the three-dimensional shape of the corresponding outer surface portion of the root portion of the nonfunctional natural tooth.   
     
     
         20 . A method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the artificially created surface elements include shape elements received from an electronic library. 
     
     
         21 . A method as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the shape elements received from an electronic library include a representation of a virtual hexagon socket. 
     
     
         22 . A method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the artificially created surface elements include shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements. 
     
     
         23 . A method as defined in  claim 22 , further comprising the step of:
 deriving digital design data defining a three-dimensional shape of the tooth prosthesis, the step of deriving comprising:   deriving digital design data defining a three-dimensional shape of an outer surface of a root portion of the tooth prosthesis responsive to the received imaging data, a substantial portion of the three-dimensional shape of the outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis dimensionally matching a three-dimensional shape of a corresponding outer surface portion of the nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient; and   combining a plurality of artificially created surface elements with a plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion to form a virtual three-dimensional representation of the implant section of the tooth prosthesis to thereby provide a numerical description of a physical outer surface of the implant section.   
     
     
         24 . A method as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the step of combining a plurality of artificially created surface elements with a plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion comprises straightening the naturally shaped surface elements with the shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements to thereby receive a non-frayed virtual surface contour. 
     
     
         25 . A method as defined in  claim 23 ,
 wherein the step of combining a plurality of artificially created surface elements with a plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion comprises closing at least partially occlusally facing surface openings of the naturally shaped surface elements with the shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements; and   wherein the step of closing at least partially occlusally facing surface openings of the naturally shaped surface elements with the shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements comprises closing a gap between naturally shaped surface elements and shape elements received from an electronic library.   
     
     
         26 . A method as defined in  claim 22 ,
 wherein the artificially created shape elements to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements comprises one or more of the following: triangles and surface contours; and   wherein virtual three-dimensional representation of the implant section of the tooth prosthesis is represented in an STL or IGES format.   
     
     
         27 . A method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the virtual three-dimensional representation of the implant section of the tooth prosthesis is a virtual solid, the method further comprising the step of:
 forming a virtual unambiguous numerical description of a surface of a geometrical shape of a physical outer surface of the implant section showing no holes and identifying an inside and an outside of the surface of the geometrical shape of the physical outer surface of the implant section responsive to the step of combining the plurality of artificially created surface elements with the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion.   
     
     
         28 . A method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the step of shaping the at least the substantial portion of the outer surface portion of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis comprises shaping the at least the substantial portion of the outer surface portion of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis such that the entire outer surface portion of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis that corresponds to an entire embedding jaw bone cavity surface associated with the nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient is sized and shaped so as to not exceed dimensionally a natural pre-insertion three-dimensional shape of the respective embedding jaw bone cavity surface when the tooth prosthesis is clinically positioned therein. 
     
     
         29 . A method as defined in  claim 19 ,
 wherein the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion comprise the shape elements included in the received imaging data; and   wherein the shape elements included in the received imaging data comprise one or more of the following: measurement data points, triangles, volumetric data representing MRT density values, and volumetric data representing x-ray density values.   
     
     
         30 . A method as defined in  claim 19 ,
 wherein the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion include the shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the received imaging data; and   wherein the shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the received imaging data comprises: triangles, data in STL format, and data in IGES format.   
     
     
         31 . A method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the step of deriving further includes combining the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion with artificially created surface elements of the plurality of artificially created surface elements that deviate substantially from a three-dimensional shape of a corresponding outer surface portion of the root portion of the nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient, thereby optimizing the shape of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis for easy insertion. 
     
     
         32 . A method as defined in  claim 19 ,
 wherein the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion include the shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the received imaging data; and   wherein the step of deriving further includes numerical smoothing processes to refine the shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the imaging data received.   
     
     
         33 . A method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the step of manufacturing the root portion of the tooth prosthesis further comprises the steps of:
 receiving autologous tissue samples of the pre-identified patient;   developing tissue engineered means for surface conditioning an outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis from the autologous tissue samples of the pre-identified patient; and   providing the tissue engineered means for surface conditioning an outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis to be clinically applied thereto.   
     
     
         34 . A method of manufacturing a dental tooth prosthesis for implantation into a jawbone cavity of a pre-identified patient, the tooth prosthesis comprising an implant section having a root portion and an occlusally facing interface portion to receive a custom-shaped occlusally facing abutment or crown, the occlusally facing interface portion being an integral part of the tooth prosthesis prior to integrating the tooth prosthesis into an embedding portion of the jawbone cavity of the pre-identified patient, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving imaging data describing a three-dimensional shape of an outer surface portion of a root portion of a nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient;   deriving digital design data defining a three-dimensional shape of the tooth prosthesis, the step of deriving comprising:
 deriving digital design data defining a three-dimensional shape of an outer surface of a root portion of the tooth prosthesis responsive to the received imaging data, a substantial portion of the three-dimensional shape of the outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis dimensionally matching a three-dimensional shape of a corresponding outer surface portion of the nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient, and 
 combining a plurality of artificially created surface elements with a plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion to form a virtual solid three-dimensional representation of the implant section of the tooth prosthesis to thereby provide a numerical description of a physical outer surface of the implant section, 
 the plurality of artificially created surface elements comprising one or more of the following:
 shape elements received from an electronic library, and 
 shape elements created to artificially extend naturally shaped surface elements, 
 
 the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements comprising one or more of the following:
 shape elements included in the received imaging data, and 
 shape elements created in close vicinity of surface elements included in the received imaging data; 
 
   forming a virtual unambiguous numerical description of a surface of a geometrical shape of a physical outer surface of the implant section showing no holes and identifying an inside and an outside of the surface of the geometrical shape of the physical outer surface of the implant section responsive to the step of combining the plurality of artificially created surface elements with the plurality of naturally shaped surface elements of the root portion; and   manufacturing the implant section at least partially responsive to the digital design data to form at least a substantial portion of the root portion of the implant section and at least a substantial portion of the occlusally facing interface portion of the implant section, to include:
 shaping at least a substantial portion of the outer surface portion of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis to conform with and to substantially dimensionally match the three-dimensional shape of the outer surface of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis derived from the three-dimensional shape of the corresponding outer surface portion of the root portion of the nonfunctional natural tooth, 
 the entire outer surface portion of the root portion of the tooth prosthesis that corresponds to an entire embedding jaw bone cavity surface associated with the nonfunctional natural tooth of the pre-identified patient being sized and shaped so as to not exceed dimensionally a natural pre-insertion three-dimensional shape of the respective embedding jaw bone cavity surface when the tooth prosthesis is clinically positioned therein.