Systems and processes for fabricating dental restorations

Abstract

A collaborative approach, incorporating a server for data transmission, security verification, and authentication verification, is implemented between a dental office and a dental laboratory to fabricate a designed dental restoration. A scanner is used in a dental office to take a scan of a patient's mouth. The dental laboratory designs the dental restoration with specialized design software taking into account the scan of the mouth as well as a prescription from the dental office. The parameters defining the designed dental restoration are contained in a design file. The design file is used to create milling specifications defining instructions for milling the designed dental restoration. The materials for the dental restoration are loaded into a mill, where the dental restoration is fabricated in accordance with the milling specifications. Security verification ensures authorized materials are used, and authentication verification ensures authorized materials and processes are used.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method of fabricating dental restorations, the method comprising:
 facilitating, by a server, communication between a dental office and a dental laboratory, the communication comprising:
 transmitting by the dental office to the dental laboratory a scan file comprising a scan of a patient; 
 verifying, by the server, the scan file transmitted by the dental office; 
 receiving by the dental laboratory the scan file; 
 transmitting by the dental laboratory to the dental office design characteristics for a designed dental restoration associated with the scan file, wherein the design characteristics comprise data defining parameters for the designed dental restoration; 
 verifying, by the server, the design characteristics transmitted by the dental laboratory; 
 receiving by the dental office the design characteristics for fabricating the designed dental restoration in accordance with the design characteristics; and 
 verifying, by the server, the fabricated designed dental restoration; 
 wherein each of the verifying steps are related to verifying authenticity and authorized relationships. 
   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the design characteristics received by the dental office comprise at least one of: (i) a design file for use by a first processor; and (ii) manufacturing specifications formulated by a second processor. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the design file defines the parameters for the designed dental restoration and is created by a computer-aided design (CAD) processor based upon the scan file and a prescription provided by the dental office. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the prescription provided by the dental office comprises one or more of: (i) a tooth number; (ii) a type of dental restoration; (iii) a restorative material; (iv) a shade for the designed dental restoration; and (v) a manufacturer. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein verifying the scan file comprises confirming, by the server, at least one of: (i) authenticity of the scan file; (ii) authenticity of a prescription associated with the scan file; and (iii) a pre-existing relationship between the dental office and the dental laboratory; and
 wherein verifying the design characteristics comprises confirming, by the server, at least one of: (i) authenticity of the design characteristics; and (ii) a pre-existing relationship between the dental laboratory and the dental office.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein verifying, by the server, the fabricated designed dental restoration, comprises:
 receiving, at the server from the dental office, information associated with the fabricated designed dental restoration;   confirming, by the server, that that fabricated designed dental restoration satisfies pre-determined conditions;   transmitting, by the server, an authentication of the fabricated designed dental restoration to the dental office; and   printing, by an authentication processor, an authentication indication associated with the fabricated designed dental restoration.   
     
     
         28 . A system for fabricating dental restorations, the system comprising:
 a server configured to facilitate communication between a dental office and a dental laboratory, the communication comprising:
 a scan file transmitted by the dental office to the dental laboratory, the scan file comprising a scan of a patient; 
 design characteristics transmitted by the dental laboratory to the dental office, the design characteristics for a designed dental restoration associated with the scan file, wherein the design characteristics comprise data defining parameters for the designed dental restoration; 
   wherein the server is further configured to facilitate authentication between the dental office and the dental laboratory, comprising:
 verifying the scan file transmitted by the dental office; 
 verifying the design characteristics transmitted by the dental laboratory; and 
 verifying a fabricated designed dental restoration in accordance with the design characteristics; 
 wherein each of the verifying steps are related to verifying authenticity and authorized relationships. 
   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the design characteristics received by the dental office comprise at least one of: (i) a design file for use by a first processor; and (ii) specifications formulated by a second processor. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the design file defines the parameters for the designed dental restoration and is created by a computer-aided design (CAD) processor based upon the scan file and a prescription provided by the dental office. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the prescription provided by the dental office comprises one or more of: (i) a tooth number; (ii) a type of dental restoration; (iii) a restorative material; (iv) a shade for the designed dental restoration; and (v) a manufacturer. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein verifying the scan file comprises the server confirming at least one of: (i) authenticity of the scan file; (ii) authenticity of a prescription associated with the scan file; and (iii) a pre-existing relationship between the dental office and the dental laboratory; and
 wherein verifying the design characteristics comprises the server confirming at least one of: (i) authenticity of the design characteristics; and (ii) a pre-existing relationship between the dental laboratory and the dental office.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein verifying the fabricated dental restoration comprises:
 receiving, at the server from the dental office, information associated with the fabricated designed dental restoration;   confirming, by the server, that that fabricated designed dental restoration satisfies pre-determined conditions;   transmitting, by the server, an authentication of the fabricated designed dental restoration to the dental office; and   printing, by an authentication processor, an authentication indication associated with the fabricated designed dental restoration.