Dentistry – Method or material for testing – treating – restoring – or...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-13
2004-11-23
Lewis, Ralph A. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Method or material for testing, treating, restoring, or...
C433S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06821123
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an arrangement which makes it possible, at an operating site, to assemble individually designed dental products, for example distancing pieces, bridges, etc. Each dental product can in this case be made up from two or more structural elements. Each operating site is arranged with computer equipment with which it is possible to reproduce a simulated model of the jaw, dentine, implant, etc., and structural elements applied to the model. By means of interaction with the user, it is possible to adapt the constructional design of the respective assembled product to the dental situation in question. The operating site can be connected to one or more central units via a telecommunications and/or computer network, via which the central unit receives data from the operating site.
The arrangement can also be set up to permit manufacture of dental products, or instruments for the. latter, at a number of geographically distinct manufacturing sites, where the manufacturing procedure can be effected in a number of manufacturing stages.
The arrangement can also be set up so that, at one or more manufacturing sites, it is possible to control a manufacturing procedure for a dental product, or instrument for the latter, where the procedure comprises one or more subsidiary stages.
The arrangement can also be set up to assemble qualified constellations at a dental user site, for example with regard to dental situations, dental information, dental test products, etc. The user site has access to its own results or one or more presentation banks which can be subject to factual information relating to, for example, verifications, adjustments, complementary additions, etc. The user site can in this case be connected to one or more central units via a telecommunications and/or computer network, via which the user site and the central unit
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are capable of exchanging information/data.
The invention is also applicable to a system for supplying dental products and preferably dental information relating to the products and dental situations and, if appropriate, also for making instruments for production of the product. A number of users using the system and constituting user sites can be connected to one or more central units, included in the system, via a telecommunications and/or computer network. The respective user site can in this case be provided with computer equipment by means of which query profiles can be collated.
STATE OF THE ART
It is already known to use mechanical, computer-aided methods for production of dental products such as caps, bridges, etc. Plaster models and the jaw, tooth remains, etc. of the patient can be scanned with the aid of various methods by the dental technician/dentist. The scanned information can be compressed and fed to the computer equipment, in which the model or equivalent can be simulated and, in the computer environment, can undergo constructional and add-on functions in order to obtain an optimum tooth replacement or equivalent for the patient in question. The result obtained can constitute the basis for ordering the actual dental product from a centralized manufacturing site. An order can be sent in a known manner to the manufacturing site or production site in question, which manufactures the desired dental product and sends this back to the orderer, who can then continue his work preparing and fitting the dental product on the patient.
In this connection, it is known to prepare not only tooth caps in this way, but also pontics, titanium crowns and bridge parts.
The users or the customers on the system thus provide for the system a work station which includes a standard PC with modem (or ISDN connection). The work station can be fitted out in various ways. Thus, for example, it can be equipped with a scanner device of the Procera type with associated user program.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM
The manufacturing process entails, overall, a very complex technique which it is not possible for each user/customer to perform. There is, however, a need for each user or customer to be able, to a greater extent than has hitherto been possible, to be able to gain access in a technically simple manner to all or parts of the complete process structure or process technique in order to obtain support, at the user site or customer site, for his own constructional and testing work on the respective patient. It is essential in this respect that use of the system is possible in a technically simple manner which has been well proven in the sector. The main object of the invention is to solve these problems.
There is also a need for the user to be able to subscribe to certain functions (structures) in the dental complex manufacturing process, which is being constantly updated and refined. Thus, for example, constant developments are being made on the software side, with the systems user (dentistldental technician) wishing to make use of these developments in their daily application, without too much work on updating requirements. The dentist/dental technician may require new reading and data compression systems and new hardware for these. By means of the invention, it is possible, in a simple manner, to have updating provided and installed in the customer equipment in a more or less automatic way.
Different users may be specialists in different dental products and dental situations, cf. titanium and ceramic crowns and bridges, and they may wish to consult the complex system only within their specialist area. The invention solves this problem too.
Users who need to use the complex system only now and then can also obtain help in a simple manner in the form of basic information. Thus, for example, it may be useful for a user/customer to find out about existing and well-proven constructions in specific dental situations. His/her work is made easier with a main-type solution to the specific dental situation. This is achieved, inter alia, by means of the fact that the system can give statistics and examples of use in different situations on which the user/customer/patient can base his solution.
Colleges and other educational institutions can also use the system as an information source for different dental situations and dental presentations.
It is also expedient, when using distancing pieces on or for implants, for these to be designed individually. The individual preparation can be based on information from the system, and the ordering and manufacture of the individually designed distancing pieces can be done with the aid of the system.
For the system provider, it is important to have a secure and reliable debiting system which executes debits for function uses and function means from the system and dental products or parts thereof manufactured in the system and instruments for the said products or parts. The invention solves this problem too.
There is a need to be able to expand the available equipment at the respective user site or customer site, and it is therefore desirable, for example, to be able to introduce and use a free-standing CADD program. As new software and hardware is developed, this too will be able to be connected to the work station, which in this way will be able to use the system to an even greater extent. There is therefore a need to be able to create a general IT-based dental platform (IT= information technology). In this way the customer can work with a Procerar station and send his work to a production unit via a network. The production unit then manufactures the component concerned and sends this to the customer. It will be possible to deal with all the administration in the given network. The invention solves this problem too.
The system will be able to be set up for a large number of work stations (customers). Thus, for example, the system will be able to be set up for several hundred work stations which will be able to be connected in stages without disrupting the rate of production of dental products and the delivery of information. Software used in the system will be able to be u
Andersson Matts
Törnquist Anders
Connoly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP
Hume Larry J.
Lewis Ralph A.
Nobel Biocare AB
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