Method and apparatus for selecting non-opacious dental materials

Abstract

A method and system for selecting dental constructions using translucent materials that match an individual's preexisting tooth appearance uses a set of reference templates. The reference templates are constructed from layers of various translucent dental materials positioned on bases constructed from actual or simulated tooth structures. The layers of translucent materials have a thickness that varies in increments that correspond to the likely thicknesses of the materials when used in dental constructions. A reference table is created based upon color measurements of each of the reference templates. A color measurement of the individual's preexisting teeth is then compared to the reference table to determine which particular dental construction will most closely match the individuals preexisting teeth.

1 . A structure for use in selecting a translucent dental composition that will match an individual's existing tooth appearance, said structure comprising: 
 a plurality of reference templates for comparison to a desired tooth appearance wherein each template comprises:    a base tooth structure constructed of an actual or simulated tooth structure covered with at least one layer of a translucent dental material.    
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein said layer of translucent dental material comprises a circular wafer of dental material having a thickness and a diameter of approximately 12 mm.  
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein said actual or simulated tooth structure comprises a natural tooth structure encased in a fixation medium or a synthetically grown cellular material.  
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein said simulated tooth structure is comprised of a material with optical characteristics that are closely matched to that of a natural tooth structure.  
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of reference templates further comprise a plurality of templates having a layer of the same translucent dental material wherein each template has a thicknesses ranging from a minimum thickness to a maximum thickness in a predetermined number of increments.  
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of reference templates further comprise a plurality of templates having a layer of translucent dental material made from a plurality of different colored dental materials wherein a plurality of templates having a thickness ranging from a minimum thickness to a maximum thickness in predetermined increments is provided for each color of the translucent dental material.  
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the layer of translucent dental material has a surface area sufficient to prevent or minimize edge loss errors during measurement.  
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of reference templates are representative of a range of colors of enamel and/or dentin tooth structures found in nature.  
     
     
         9 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein said layer of translucent dental material further comprises a second layer of translucent dental material for positioning over said layer of translucent dental material to simulate a multilayered dental composition.  
     
     
         10 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the base tooth structure comprises at least two layers of simulated or actual tooth structures.  
     
     
         11 . A method of determining a dental restoration for use in a dental procedure related to at least one tooth of an individual that matches a pre-existing appearance of said individual's tooth, said method comprising: 
 constructing a series of reference templates wherein each template comprises at least one simulated or actual tooth structure layer covered with at least one layer of a translucent dental material;    evaluating said reference templates in accordance with a color measurement method to produce a color value associated with each of said reference templates;    evaluating said individual's pre-existing tooth appearance in accordance with the color measurement method to produce a color value associated with said individual's pre-existing tooth appearance; and    selecting a dental material associated with a reference template that has a color value that corresponds to the color value associated with said individual's tooth for use in performing said dental procedure for said individual.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of evaluating said reference templates further comprises cataloging results of said evaluation and storing said results in a computer database to create a reference database.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said selection of said dental material is performed automatically by a computer based upon said reference database and said color value associated with said individual's tooth.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said selection is based upon an expected thickness of said dental restoration provided to said computer by a user.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein a desired final tooth shade and a prepared tooth shade are manually provided to said computer by a user.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said computer performs color difference calculations to determine a dental restoration material that results in the smallest color difference between said preexisting tooth appearance and said resultant dental restoration.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of using a dental restoration CAD/CAM program to determine an approximate thickness of said dental construction and using said approximate thickness as a selection criteria in selecting said dental construction.  
     
     
         18 . A device for determining dental material to be used in a dental procedure such that the dental restoration that results will have an appearance that substantially matches a pre-existing tooth appearance, said device comprising: 
 a memory for storing a database containing a plurality of experimentally determined color values wherein each color value is associated with a dental construction having at least one actual or simulated tooth structure and at least one translucent layer of dental material;    a user input device for allowing a user to enter parameters concerning said dental procedure; and    a processor for automatically selecting a dental material for use in said dental procedure based upon said user entered parameters and said database of experimentally determined color values.    
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein said user enters an expected thickness of said dental construction and said processor uses said thickness in selecting said dental construction.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18  further comprising a dental CAD/CAM program that automatically determines an expected thickness of a dental construction for use in said dental procedure and said processor uses said expected thickness in selecting a dental construction.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 18  further comprising a color measurement apparatus that determines a coloration measurement value for said individual's preexisting tooth appearance.