Dental impression tray for use in obtaining an impression of a dental structure

Abstract

A dental impression tray, a kit, and method of using the same are provided for taking an impression of at least a portion of a dental structure of a patient. The tray can include a tray portion, fiduciary markers, and can also have a holding section with two opposing sides and fasteners disposed thereon. The kit can include the tray and a handle portion. The handle can be removably secured to the holding section of the tray. In some embodiments, the handle can include a pair of handle portions. In other embodiments, a part of the handle can be aligned with a facial feature of a patient from whom a dental impression is to be obtained.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A kit for making a dental impression and holding the impression for a scanning operation, the kit comprising:
 a dental impression tray comprising a tray portion comprising a U-shaped impression section adapted to be loaded with impression material, the tray portion being contoured to fit over at least a part of both an upper dental structure and a lower dental structure to simultaneously obtain an impression of the part of the upper dental structure and the part of the lower dental structure, the tray portion comprising a holding section projecting from a curved surface of the U-shaped impression section, the holding section comprising a first side facing in a first direction and a second side opposite the first side and facing in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, each of the first side of the holding section and the second side of the holding section comprising a plurality of fasteners, wherein each of the plurality of fasteners is in the form of a hole or a recess;   a holder comprising an alignment part configured to secure the dental impression tray stationary during scanning of the impression of the part of the upper dental structure in a vertical and lateral configuration and during scanning of the impression of the part of the lower dental structure in the same vertical and lateral configuration when the dental impression tray is turned 180°, the holder comprising a plurality of projections or pegs having a shape that is complementary in shape to the fasteners of the first side of the holding section and the fasteners of the second side of the holding section, wherein the fasteners of the first side of the holding section and the fasteners of the second side of the holding section are configured to lock the holding section to the alignment part of the holder, the fasteners of the first side of the holding section and the fasteners of the second side of the holding section each having a form lockable to the holder; and   a handle securable to the tray portion and removable from the tray portion, the handle comprising a plurality of fastening elements, wherein each of the plurality of fastening elements is in the form of a projection or a peg, the plurality of fastening elements being complementary in shape to the fasteners of the first side of the holding section and the fasteners of the second side of the holding section, the handle manipulable by a user to align the tray portion in a patient's mouth with eyes of the patient,   wherein the holder is designed to cooperate with the same fasteners of the holding section of the dental impression tray as the handle, and   wherein the handle has a different shape than the holder.   
     
     
       2. The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a first handle part and a second handle part and wherein the first handle part and the second handle part have a same shape. 
     
     
       3. The kit of  claim 2 , wherein, when the first handle part is coupled to the second handle part, the first handle part includes a first section overlapping the second handle part and a second section not overlapping the first handle part. 
     
     
       4. The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a first handle part and a second handle part and wherein the first handle part comprises a first snap fit element and wherein the second handle part comprises a second snap fit element configured to fit with the first snap fit element. 
     
     
       5. A dental impression tray configured to obtain an impression of at least a part of a dental structure, the dental impression tray comprising:
 a tray portion comprising a U-shaped impression section adapted to be loaded with impression material, the tray portion being contoured to fit over at least a part of an upper dental structure or a lower dental structure;   at least one fiduciary marker disposed on an outer surface of the tray portion, the at least one fiduciary marker configured to be detected in a scanning operation;   a handle securable to the tray portion and removable from the tray portion; and   a holding section projecting from a curved surface of the U-shaped impression section, the holding section comprising a first side facing in a first direction and a second side opposite the first side and facing in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, each of the first side of the holding section and the second side of the holding section comprising at least one fastener.   
     
     
       6. The dental impression tray of claim 5, wherein the tray portion is contoured to fit over at least a part of both the upper dental structure and the lower dental structure to simultaneously obtain an impression of the part of the upper dental structure and the part of the lower dental structure. 
     
     
       7. The dental impression tray of claim 5, wherein the at least one fiduciary marker is configured to match a scanning of the upper dental structure with a scanning of the lower dental structure. 
     
     
       8. The dental impression tray of claim 5, wherein the at least one fiduciary marker comprises a material that is opaque to radio waves. 
     
     
       9. The dental impression tray of claim 5, wherein the at least one fiduciary marker comprises a plurality of fiduciary markers. 
     
     
       10. The dental impression tray of claim 5, wherein the at least one fiduciary marker comprises a square, triangular, or round form. 
     
     
       11. The dental impression tray of claim 5, wherein the handle is manipulable by a user to align the tray portion in a patient's mouth with eyes of the patient. 
     
     
       12. The dental impression tray of claim 5, wherein the handle comprises a first handle part and a second handle part, wherein the first handle part comprises a first snap fit element, and wherein the second handle part comprises a second snap fit element configured to fit with the first snap fit element. 
     
     
       13. The dental impression tray of claim 5, wherein the handle comprises a first handle part and a second handle part and wherein the first handle part and the second handle part have a same shape. 
     
     
       14. The dental impression tray of claim 5, wherein the handle comprises a first handle part and a second handle part, wherein when the first handle part is coupled to the second handle part, the first handle part includes a first section overlapping the second handle part and a second section not overlapping the second handle part. 
     
     
       15. The dental impression tray of claim 5, wherein the handle comprises a first handle part and a second handle part, wherein the first handle part and the second handle part are designed to cooperate with the at least one fastener of the holding section in such a way that the handle is locked to the tray portion as long as the first handle part and the second handle part are connected to each other. 
     
     
       16. The dental impression tray of claim 5 wherein the at least one fastener on each of the first side of the holding section and the second side of the holding section is in the form of a hole or recess. 
     
     
       17. A dental impression tray configured to obtain an impression of at least a part of a dental structure, the dental impression tray comprising:
 a tray portion comprising a U-shaped impression section adapted to be loaded with impression material, the tray portion being contoured to fit over at least a part of an upper dental structure or a lower dental structure;   at least one fiduciary marker disposed on an outer surface of the tray portion, the at least one fiduciary marker configured to be detected in a scanning operation; and   a handle securable to the tray portion and removable from the tray portion;   wherein the tray portion is contoured to fit over at least a part of both the upper dental structure and the lower dental structure to simultaneously obtain an impression of the part of the upper dental structure and the part of the lower dental structure; and   wherein the tray portion comprises a holding section projecting from a curved surface of the U-shaped impression section, the holding section comprising a first side facing in a first direction and a second side opposite the first side and facing in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, each of the first side of the holding section and the second side of the holding section comprising a plurality of fasteners, wherein each of the plurality of fasteners is in the form of a hole or recess.   
     
     
       18. The dental impression tray of claim 17, wherein the handle comprises a plurality of fastening elements, wherein each of the plurality of fastening elements is in the form of a projection or peg, the plurality of fastening elements being complementary in shape to the fasteners of the first side of the holding section and the fasteners of the second side of the holding section. 
     
     
       19. The dental impression tray of claim 18, wherein the dental impression tray is designed to cooperate with a holder, the holder comprising an alignment part configured to secure the dental impression tray stationary during scanning of the impression of the part of the upper dental structure in a vertical and lateral configuration and during scanning of the impression of the part of the lower dental structure in the same vertical and lateral configuration when the dental impression tray is turned 180°. 
     
     
       20. The dental impression tray of claim 19, wherein the holder comprises a plurality of projections or pegs having a shape that is complementary in shape to the fasteners of the first side of the holding section and the fasteners of the second side of the holding section, wherein the fasteners of the first side of the holding section and the fasteners of the second side of the holding section are configured to lock the holding section to the alignment part of the holder, the fasteners of the first side of the holding section and the fasteners of the second side of the holding section each having a form lockable to the holder. 
     
     
       21. The dental impression tray of claim 20, wherein the holder is designed to cooperate with the same fasteners of the holding section of the dental impression tray as the handle. 
     
     
       22. The dental impression tray of claim 21, wherein the handle has a different shape than the holder. 
     
     
       23. A method of making an impression of at least a part of a patient's dental structure, the method comprising:
 providing a dental impression tray having a tray portion adapted to be loaded with impression material and contoured to fit over at least a part of an upper dental structure or a lower dental structure, the tray portion further being provided with at least one fiduciary marker, the dental impression tray further having a handle securable to the tray portion and removable from the tray portion, the dental impression tray further having a holding section comprising a first side facing in a first direction and a second side opposite the first side and facing in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, each of the first side of the holding section and the second side of the holding section comprising at one fastener that is in the form of a hole or recess, wherein the handle is securable to the holding section on and removable from the holding section;   placing impression material in the tray portion;   placing with the handle the tray portion in the mouth of a patient and making the patient bite into the impression material in the tray portion such that the upper dental structure will make an upper impression in the impression material or the lower dental structure will make a lower impression in impression material;   removing the tray portion from the mouth; and   removing the handle from the holding section.   
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, further comprising performing a scanning operation on the upper or the lower impression. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 23, wherein placing with the handle the tray portion in the mouth of a patient comprises making the patient bite into the impression material in the tray portion such that both the upper dental structure will make the upper impression in the impression material and the lower dental structure will make the lower impression in impression material. 
     
     
       26. A method of making an impression of at least a part of a patient's dental structure, the method comprising:
 providing a dental impression tray having a tray portion adapted to be loaded with impression material and contoured to fit over at least a part of an upper dental structure or a lower dental structure, the tray portion further being provided with at least one fiduciary marker, the dental impression tray further having a handle securable to the tray portion and removable from the tray portion;   placing impression material in the tray portion;   placing with the handle the tray portion in the mouth of a patient and making the patient bite into the impression material in the tray portion such that the upper dental structure will make an upper impression in the impression material or the lower dental structure will make a lower impression in impression material;   removing the tray portion from the mouth; and   removing the handle from the tray portion,   wherein placing with the handle the tray portion in the mouth comprises manipulating the handle to align the tray portion in the patient's mouth with eyes of the patient.   
     
     
       27. A method of making an impression of at least a part of a patient's dental structure, the method comprising:
 providing a dental impression tray having a tray portion adapted to be loaded with impression material and contoured to fit over at least a part of an upper dental structure or a lower dental structure, the tray portion further being provided with at least one fiduciary marker, the dental impression tray further having a handle securable to the tray portion and removable from the tray portion;   placing impression material in the tray portion;   placing with the handle the tray portion in the mouth of a patient and making the patient bite into the impression material in the tray portion such that both the upper dental structure will make an upper impression in the impression material and the lower dental structure will make a lower impression in impression material;   removing the tray portion from the mouth; and   removing the handle from the tray portion;   performing a scanning operation on both the upper impression and the lower impression; and   using the at least one fiduciary marker to link the scanning of the lower impression to the scanning of the upper impression and determine the position of the two impressions relative to one another.   
     
     
       28. The method of claim 27, further comprising using the result of the scanning operation to generate a virtual model of the patient's dental structure.