Dentistry – Orthodontics – By mouthpiece-type retainer
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-02
2001-10-16
Robert, Eduardo C. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Orthodontics
By mouthpiece-type retainer
C128S848000, C128S859000, C128S126100, C128S902000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302686
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Statement Regarding Federally Sponsored Research or Development
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention has particular application to interocclusal appliances, commonly referred to as splints, for bruxism and temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome. However, its utility is not limited to those particular problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,216, Watson, Jones and Moore, issued Jul. 8, 1997, describes such splints and methods and materials for making them. The disclosures of that patent are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention is an improvement on the appliances and methods described in the patent, in that in the appliance of this invention, a hard shell covers the exterior occlusal, buccal and lingual surfaces of a relatively soft liner, and covers an outside undercut edge of the liner so as mechanically to join the liner and the shell, but to permit the teeth of the user to engage the soft liner. In the preferred embodiment, the shell and liner are fused at their mutual outer edges by the heat of a bur used in finishing the appliance. The advantages of the appliance of the present invention are, among others, that the joining of the shell and liner are not dependent upon chemical bonding, which in the case of some shell and liner materials is not entirely satisfactory, that the liner can be and is made very thin, to permit the use of a relatively thick shell, which makes for a durable appliance and maintains the integrity of the liner, which is formed initially to fit the teeth of a particular patient.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention generally stated, a splint is provided in which a liner is molded to a model of a patient's teeth, and a shell harder than the material of the liner is formed over the exterior occlusal, buccal and lingual surfaces of the liner and around an undercut peripheral edge of the liner to produce a mechanical connection between the liner and the shell. The liner and the shell are then fused along mutual peripheral edges of the liner and shell, to reinforce the bond. The shell extends short of the cavities in the liner complementary to the teeth of the user, so as not to interfere with the engagement of the teeth with the relatively soft liner, permitting the soft liner to engage the buccal surfaces of the teeth as well as their lingual and occlusal surfaces.
In the method of this invention, a liner is molded over a model of a patient's teeth in a conventional way. The liner is then reduced, as with an egg-shaped bur, to a thickness of on the order of about 1 mm, over its occlusal, buccal, lingual and outer peripheral edge surfaces, while the liner is supported on its model. The liner is then waxed to the desired dimensions and invested into a flask where the wax is boiled out of the mold, and the shell material is injected into the mold, covering all of the external occlusal, lingual and buccal surfaces of the liner, and extending over the peripheral edge of the liner, but not to the cavities in the liner.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1818146 (1931-08-01), Maker
patent: 3303844 (1967-02-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 4955393 (1990-09-01), Adell
patent: 5003994 (1991-04-01), Cook
patent: 5646216 (1997-07-01), Watson et al.
Chott Bradley J.
Mohrhard Michael R.
Keller Laboratories Inc.
Polster Lieder Woodruff & Lucchesi L.C.
Robert Eduardo C.
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