Ipco Hospital Supply Corporation (whaledent International Division)

Leland T Kennedy

A method and apparatus for forming a dental prosthesis in situ for the reration of one or more missing, worn or broken teeth. The method includes forming an elastomeric mold half containing a corrected model of tooth areas to be restored, and forming a hard model of the tooth areas after they have been prepared for restoration. A pair of channels are placed through the elastomeric mold at spaced apart locations. The elastomeric mold and the hard model are secured together to form an assembly including a mold cavity therein. The assembly is placed in a vacuum chamber which can be pumped to produce a vacuum inside the chamber and inside the mold. One of the channels of the mold is connected to an overflow container within the vacuum chamber, and the other of the channels is connected to a source of liquid prosthesis forming material which is contained outside of the vacuum chamber. The connection between the source of material and the assembly is initially closed during which the vacuum chamber is pumped out producing a vacuum therein to a predetermined level. The connection between the source and the assembly is then opened whereby the liquid prosthesis forming material is pushed into the mold cavity within the assembly.

Method and apparatus for forming a dental prosthesis

A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a dental prosthesis in s in a patient's mouth for the restoration of one or more missing, worn or broken teeth. The method includes forming a positive model of the patient's mouth and correcting the model by filling in the areas where restoration is required to correspond with the desired size and shape of the restored teeth, forming an elastomeric mold half of the areas to be restored using the model as a pattern, preparing the patient's teeth to receive the prosthesis by cutting down selected teeth, applying the elastomeric mold over the area of the patient's teeth and jaw where restoration is required so that a mold cavity is formed between the inner mold surface and the patient's jaw, pumping a vacuum in the mold cavity to test the seal of the elastomeric mold half relative to the jaw, releasing the vacuum if the seal holds, preparing a self-curing liquid resin molding material in a receptacle which is open to the atmosphere, connecting the mold cavity with the liquid resin in the receptacle through a flexible tube, closing the tube, drawing a vacuum in the mold cavity, opening the tube whereupon atmospheric pressure acting on the surface of the liquid in the receptacle forces the liquid resin into said mold cavity through the flexible tube, allowing the liquid resin to cure, and removing the mold from the patient's mouth. The apparatus includes the elastomeric mold half prepared according to the above described method, a hand operated vacuum pump, a flexible exhaust tube connected between the vacuum pump and the elastomeric mold half, a flexible inlet tube connected between the elastomeric mold half and an open receptacle for containing a mix of cold curing liquid resin, and a clamp for closing and opening said inlet tube.

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Richmond, VA, United States of America

Leland T Kennedy