Dentistry – Apparatus – Work support
Patent
1997-05-21
1998-12-15
Lewis, Ralph A.
Dentistry
Apparatus
Work support
2693021, 366602, A61C 1900
Patent
active
058488928
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention, in general, relates to a device for mixing a dental ceramics composition and, more particularly, to a device provided with a surface structure upon which a dental ceramics composition may be prepared from two components required for making dental components, such as ceramic crowns or bridges. The two components, water, or a modeling liquid made up chiefly of water, and a ceramics powder are mixed together on a mixing board by a brush or a spatula for subsequent application to a metal frame corresponding in its shape to the part to be produced (e.g. a crown or a bridge) and final firing.
2. The Prior Art
Known apparatus are provided with a mixing board made of glass, a foam material or porous stone. The use of glass mixing boards has proven to be disadvantageous because the dental ceramics composition dries up and hardens very shortly after being mixed together. In order further to process the composition it is necessary repeatedly to moisten it with distilled water until the modeling process has been terminated. By moistening, the composition may become supersaturated with liquid. On the other hand, insufficient moistening may lead to cracks during firing of the dental ceramics composition. Moreover, the constant moistening makes the processing of the dental ceramics composition time-consuming and tedious.
In a known container for storing moist ceramic compositions (DE-A 3,015,410) there are provided recesses which may be covered and in which the dental ceramics compositions may be appropriately stored.
In a known mixing board of the kind under consideration (DE-U 9,311,924), the dental ceramics composition is mixed on a fibrous web, this web being arranged on a mixing board consisting of a ceramic material. The disadvantage of such a device is that the mixing board is foamy or porous so that minute particles present in the mixing liquid may congest the fine pores of the material of the mixing board and may not even be removed by cleaning of the plate. After a certain time so large a number of pores will be congested that the mixing plate is no longer useable and has to be replaced by a new one.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
By comparison, the device for mixing of a dental ceramics composition in accordance with the invention offers the advantage of a mixing board made up of a ceramics material provided with a plurality of channels extending in parallel to each other. The mixing board is enclosed by a housing into which the mixing liquid may be filled. Capillary action leads to upward flow of the liquid in the channels so that it reaches the ceramic component placed on the surface of the mixing board. The ceramic powder will absorb no more liquid than is needed for composing the ceramics composition. Supersaturation with liquid cannot occur.
Advantageously, the ceramics composition will maintain the consistency required for modeling over an extended period of time, as any evaporated liquid will be replaced by the mixing liquid rising through the channels. Drying up of the ceramics composition may be prevented even if it remains on the mixing board for some time.
Mechanical mixing of ceramics powder and mixing liquid is avoided since the ceramics powder absorbs the mixing liquid on its own. In this manner, the ceramic composition takes on a dense consistency which advantageously affects the quality and color of the material of the final processed part.
The diameter of the channels is large relative to the grain size of the ceramics powder, relative to dust particles and any particles present in the mixing liquid. Because of the relatively large diameter of the channels they cannot be congested by dust particles, impurities or ceramics powder. The mixing board may be cleaned with water or, in case of strong soiling by a steam jet. By heating in a furnace to temperatures above 1,000.degree. C. any bacteria and spores are destroyed and the board is thus disinfected.
Advantageously, very small quantities of ceramics composition may be mix
REFERENCES:
patent: 3756571 (1973-09-01), Winber
patent: 5529493 (1996-06-01), Rafetto, Jr.
Hormann Karl
Lewis Ralph A.
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