Notched pontic and system for fabricating dental appliance foruse therewith

Abstract

A pontic having a prefabricated notch, channel or slot to physically engage and ensure a secure mechanical lock with the dental appliance. The invention also pertains to a method of fabricating a dental appliance and a kit for facilitating the same. The invention has particular application to thermoformed, removable appliances.

1 . A thermoformed orthodontic positioning appliance constructed by
 a) constructing a dental impression cast of a patient's dentition;   b) providing a pontic having a notch pre-formed therein;   c) fitting the pontic having the notch pre-formed therein to the edentulous area of the cast; and   d) thermoforming a plastic sheet over the cast to form the orthodontic positioning appliance, wherein a portion of the plastic sheet physically engages the pre-formed notch of the pontic to mechanically lock the pontic to the plastic orthodontic positioning appliance.   
     
     
         2 . The thermoformed orthodontic positioning appliance of  claim 1  further constructed by temporarily adhering the pontic to the cast; 
     
     
         3 . The thermoformed orthodontic positioning appliance of  claim 1  further constructed by removing the plastic orthodontic positioning appliance with the mechanically locked pontic therein from the cast. 
     
     
         4 . The thermoformed orthodontic positioning appliance of  claim 2  further constructed by removing the plastic orthodontic positioning appliance with the mechanically locked pontic therein from the cast. 
     
     
         5 . A thermoformed orthodontic positioning appliance constructed by:
 a) constructing a dental impression cast of a patient's dentition, the cast having an edentulous area;   b) providing a pontic having a notch pre-formed therein;   c) fitting the pontic having the notch pre-formed therein to the edentulous area of the cast; and   d) thermoforming a plastic sheet over the cast to form a plastic orthodontic positioning appliance, wherein a portion of the plastic sheet physically engages the pre-formed notch of the pontic to mechanically lock the pontic to the plastic orthodontic positioning appliance while allowing the pontic to dislodge from the cast.   
     
     
         6 . The thermoformed orthodontic positioning appliance of  claim 5  further constructed by temporarily adhering the pontic to the cast. 
     
     
         7 . The thermoformed orthodontic positioning appliance of  claim 5  further constructed by removing the plastic orthodontic positioning appliance with the mechanically locked pontic therein from the cast. 
     
     
         8 . The thermoformed orthodontic positioning appliance of  claim 6  further constructed by removing the plastic orthodontic positioning appliance with the mechanically locked pontic therein from the cast. 
     
     
         9 . A kit for fabricating a dental appliance having at least one pontic affixed thereto, comprising a plurality of pontics of various size, shape, color, hue, brightness or combinations thereof; each said pontic of said plurality having a notch in one or more locations thereon. 
     
     
         10 . A kit as in  claim 9 , further comprising a dental compound for temporarily affixing at least one of said pontics to a dental model. 
     
     
         11 . A kit as in  claim 10 , wherein said dental compound is blockout compound. 
     
     
         12 . A kit as in  claim 9 , wherein at least one of said pontics has a notch that is a lingual channel. 
     
     
         13 . A kit as in  claim 9  wherein said plurality includes pontics in the shapes of upper and lower anterior and posterior teeth or combinations thereof.