Method and apparatus for dental crown restorations using prefabricated sleeve-crown pairs

Abstract

A dental restoration device includes a sleeve having an exterior surface and an interior pocket that is at least partially filled with a dental cement, and a crown having an exterior surface and an interior surface that is mated to the exterior surface of the crown and bonded thereto by an adhesive disposed between the exterior surface of the sleeve and the interior surface of the crown.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dental restoration device, comprising:
 a sleeve having an exterior surface and an interior pocket that is at least partially filled with a dental cement; and   a crown having an exterior surface and an interior surface that is mated to the exterior surface of the sleeve and bonded thereto by an adhesive disposed between the exterior surface of the sleeve and the interior surface of the crown.   
     
     
         2 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the dental cement is a light-curing cement and the sleeve is at least partially translucent to light. 
     
     
         3 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface of the crown has an anatomical shape and the interior surface of the crown has a shape that is inverted with respect to the anatomical shape of the exterior surface of the crown. 
     
     
         4 . The dental restoration device of  claim 3 , wherein the exterior surface of the sleeve has the anatomical shape of the crown. 
     
     
         5 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the interior surface of the crown has a rough texture. 
     
     
         6 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the interior surface and the exterior surface of the sleeve each have a rough texture. 
     
     
         7 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the crown includes a polymer with ceramic and/or glass particles suspended therein. 
     
     
         8 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve includes a polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the light-curing dental cement has a high Young's modulus in a cured state. 
     
     
         10 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve has a high Young's modulus. 
     
     
         11 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is non-porous. 
     
     
         12 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the crown is a product of injection molding. 
     
     
         13 . The dental restoration device of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is a product of injection molding. 
     
     
         14 . A kit of prefabricated dental crowns, comprising:
 a plurality of prefabricated dental crowns organized by tooth type and size; and   a plurality of sleeves, each of which is associated with a corresponding crown of the plurality of prefabricated dental crowns,   wherein each of the plurality of sleeves has an exterior surface that is shaped to mate with an interior surface of the corresponding crown of the plurality of prefabricated dental crowns, and   wherein each of the plurality of sleeves is at least partially translucent to light of a particular spectrum.   
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of prefabricated dental crowns includes dental crowns for molars with five different shapes and three different colors so as to have fifteen different molar crowns. 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the kit further includes a tool for measuring a desired crown size within a mouth of a patient. 
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the kit further includes a color guide card for determining a desired crown color by reference to one or more teeth of a patient. 
     
     
         18 . A kit of prefabricated dental crowns, comprising:
 a plurality of prefabricated dental crowns organized by tooth type, size, and shade; and   a plurality of sleeves, each of which is associated with a corresponding crown of the plurality of prefabricated dental crowns,   wherein each of the plurality of sleeves has an exterior surface that is shaped to mate with an interior surface of the corresponding crown of the plurality of prefabricated dental crowns, and   wherein each of the plurality of sleeves is at least partially translucent to light of a particular spectrum.   
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 18 , wherein the kit further includes a tool for measuring a desired crown size within a mouth of a patient. 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 18 , wherein the kit further includes a color guide card for determining a desired crown color by reference to one or more teeth of a patient.