The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 20, 1998
Filed:
Jun. 09, 1997
Stephen M Schmitt, San Antonio, TX (US);
David A Chance, Burke, VA (US);
Abstract
A method for fabricating a dental restoration is described which comprises the steps of obtaining a dental impression of a patient using dental impression material, filling the cavity defining the impression with a filler material distinguishable from the dental material defining the impression and allowing the materials to harden to a solid block, successively removing from the block thin layers and imaging each then remaining surface of the block after each successive layer is removed to define a contour of the filler material for each layer removed, each contour corresponding to a contour of the teeth, gums and palate of the patient at a corresponding known depth of the block, generating a three dimensional computer model of the teeth, gums and palate of the patient using the contours, and converting the model to a stereolithography file for producing a castable pattern of the model or machining a restoration corresponding to the model.