Dentsply Research & Development Corp.

John J Blair

Roger C Shue

Barry D Dehoff

George T Eden

Frank P Fonvielle

Richard A Smith

This invention pertains to a method and apparatus to fabricate economical dentures for edentulous dental patients comprising attaching full arch unitary upper and lower sets of artificial teeth to denture base material and fabricated by a process developed for the purpose of utilizing these sets of teeth and converting them into finished upper and lower dentures by the use of a specialized apparatus comprising part of the invention. The process eliminates the conventional procedure of mounting individual artificial teeth in the normal process of fabricating dentures. Dentures are also disclosed formed from individual teeth but employing a novel tacking procedure to facilitate alignment and orientation of the teeth.

Method and apparatus to produce artificial dentures

A new type of dental prosthetic facing and a new method of preparation of dental prosthetic facings is disclosed. The dental prosthetic facing is provided with an outer shader layer, an intermediate at least substantially uncolored, translucent layer, and an opaque substructure color keyed with the shader layer to match a shade guide. The opaque substructure may be a metal support with a surface opaquing agent in one species. The dental prosthetic facing may be prepared by removably mounting an intermediate uncolored translucent layer that is a crown on a color keyed opaque substructure that is a dental mount. The dental mount being matched to an opaque dental cement that will mount the finished shaded dental crown.

Dental restoration shading

A dental articulator comprising upper and lower bows connected by vertical support members, the upper bow being pivotally connected to the support members for raising and lowering relative to a planar mounting table which is positionable between the bows and parallel to the lower bow, the mounting table having a mounting bar extending perpendicularly from one surface and the mounting table being reversible to dispose a desired surface thereof uppermost and the table also having a supporting pin detachably connected to the forward end thereof for reversible positioning to extend from either surface of the table, and the upper bow also having adjustable pivot means operable selectively to effect lateral movement of the upper bow relative to the table and lower bow when in one position of adjustment but only permit pivotal movement when in a second position.

Apparatus to produce artificial dentures

This invention pertains to a method and apparatus to fabricate economical dentures for edentulous dental patients comprising attaching full arch unitary upper and lower sets of artificial teeth to denture base material and fabricated by a process developed for the purpose of utilizing these sets of teeth and converting them into finished upper and lower dentures by the use of a specialized apparatus comprising part of the invention. The process eliminates the conventional procedure of mounting individual artificial teeth in the normal process of fabricating dentures.

This invention pertains to a method and apparatus to fabricate economical full arch unitary upper and lower sets of artificial teeth for use in preparing dentures for edentulous dental patients and attaching said sets of teeth to denture base material by a process developed for the purpose of utilizing these sets of teeth and converting them into finished upper and lower dentures by the use of a specialized apparatus. The process and apparatus, per se, are the subject of another related application and eliminates the conventional procedure of mounting individual artificial teeth in the normal process of fabricating dentures.

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York, PA, United States of America

John J Blair