Dental Prosthesis Manufacturing Aids

Abstract

Dental prostheses may be manufactured based on electronic models of the prostheses. Manufacturing aids may be used to check manufacturing quality of the dental prosthesis and components thereof. For example, a jig may be used during and after the manufacture of the dental prostheses and systems and methods for using the same. A customized tooth die may be designed and fabricated to fit a dental prosthesis or components thereof in a jig for inspection. A customized jig may be designed and fabricated for inspecting a dental prosthesis or components thereof throughout the manufacturing process.

1 . A jig for aiding in manufacturing a dental prosthesis to be mounted to a preparation site having at least a first adjacent anatomical structure, the jig comprising:
 a base including a seating region having a first keying arrangement that is configured to fit with a second keying arrangement of a preparation die, the preparation die representing the preparation site;   a first side member configured to mount to a first side of the base, the first side member having a surface representing a side of the first adjacent anatomical structure, wherein the first side member represents only a portion of the first adjacent anatomical structure;   a second side member configured to mount to a second side of the base; and   a cover member configured to mount above the base.   
     
     
         2 . The jig of  claim 1 , wherein the second side member has a surface representing a side of a second adjacent anatomical structure that is adjacent to the preparation site, wherein the second side member represents only a portion of the second adjacent anatomical structure. 
     
     
         3 . The jig of  claim 2 , wherein the first side member represents a mesial side of the first adjacent anatomical structure and the second side member represents a distal side of the second adjacent anatomical structure. 
     
     
         4 . The jig of  claim 1 , wherein the cover member has a surface representing an occlusal surface of an antagonistic anatomical structure that is antagonistic to the preparation site, wherein the cover member represents only a portion of the antagonistic anatomical structure. 
     
     
         5 . The jig of  claim 1 , wherein the cover member mounts to the first and second side members, and wherein one of the cover member and the side members includes a plurality of pegs and the other of the cover member and the side members defines holes into which the pegs fit to mount the cover member to the side members. 
     
     
         6 . The jig of  claim 1 , wherein the cover member mounts to a frame, which is mounted to the base. 
     
     
         7 . The jig of  claim 1 , wherein the base, the first side member, and the second side member are monolithically formed. 
     
     
         8 . The jig of  claim 7 , wherein the preparation die is monolithically formed with the base. 
     
     
         9 . A method of checking manufacturing accuracy of a dental prosthesis using a jig, the method comprising:
 obtaining a fabricated apparatus including a dental prosthesis mounted on a preparation die, which defines a first keying interface;   obtaining an electronic model of a preparation site including at least a first adjacent anatomical structure;   designing a first electronic model of a first jig member, the first jig member having a contoured section representing part of the first adjacent anatomical structure, the first jig member also having a mounting section;   fabricating the first jig member based on the first electronic model;   designing a second electronic model of a second jig member, the second jig member also having a mounting section;   fabricating the second jig member based on the second electronic model;   providing a jig base having a second keying interface;   mounting the first and second jig members with respect to the base; and   inserting the fabricated apparatus between the first and second jig members to fit the first keying interface of the preparation die to the second keying interface of the jig base.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein designing the second electronic model of the second jig member comprises designing the second jig member to have a contoured section representing part of a second adjacent anatomical structure that is adjacent to the preparation site. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 designing a third electronic model of a third jig member, the third jig member also having a mounting section;   fabricating the third jig member based on the third electronic model; and   mounting the third jig member over the fabricated apparatus with the contoured section of the third jig member facing an occlusal surface of the fabricated apparatus.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein designing the third electronic model of the third jig member includes designing the third jig member to have a contoured section representing part of the antagonistic anatomical structure that is antagonistic to the preparation site. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein designing the third electronic model comprises designing an interlocking interface between the third jig member and the first and second jig members. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein designing the first and second electronic models comprises determining an appropriate width of each of the first and second jig members based on a width of the jig base and a width of the fabricated apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . An inspection system comprising:
 a jig including a tooth die interface and a mounting member interface, the tooth die interface being configured to receive a tooth die at a fixed position and orientation, and the mounting member interface being configured to receive mounting members protruding from a pattern to position the pattern above the tooth die at an appropriate height and orientation.   
     
     
         16 . The inspection system of  claim 15 , wherein the jig includes at least one side member extending from a base, the side member defining the mounting member interface that is configured to receive the mounting member of the pattern. 
     
     
         17 . The inspection system of  claim 16 , wherein the mounting member interface is a slot extending at least partially through the side member of the jig. 
     
     
         18 . The inspection system of  claim 15 , further comprising a mounting arrangement coupled to a pattern of a prosthesis to be fabricated, the mounting arrangement including at least one mounting member configured to fit with one of the mounting member interfaces of the jig. 
     
     
         19 . The inspection system of  claim 18 , wherein each mounting member is a fin extending outwardly from an outer surface of the pattern. 
     
     
         20 . The inspection system of  claim 18 , wherein each mounting member is a pin extending outwardly from an outer surface of the pattern. 
     
     
         21 . The inspection system of  claim 18 , wherein each mounting member includes a slide defined at a distal end of the mounting member, the slide being configured to fit with one of the mounting member interfaces of the jig.