Methods for producing a laboratory analogue for dental implants

Abstract

A method for producing a three-dimensional model of a region of a jaw for producing a dental restoration includes fully-automatic shaping of a recess for accommodating a laboratory analogue into the alveolar ridge of the model. Three-dimensional scanning data is used in the shaping and the depth, position, and orientation of the recess are shaped such that the crestal end of the laboratory analogue inserted into the recess coincides with the crestal end of the dental implant in the jaw of a patient. The method may also include fully-automatic shaping of a vestibular, lingual or palatinal feed-through through the model into the recess, wherein the three-dimensional scanning data are used in the shaping and the feed-through is arranged such that the crestal end of a laboratory analogue coincides with the crestal end of the dental implant in the jaw of the patient, when the laboratory analogue is fixed in place.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for producing a laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) for dental implants comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one sleeve ( 11 ) comprising a cylindrical depression ( 4 ) having an internal thread;   providing a three-dimensional model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) of at least a partial region of a jaw of a patient who harbors at least one dental implant;   inserting at least one sleeve ( 11 ) into at least one recess ( 7 ) of the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) matching the sleeve ( 11 ), each recess ( 7 ) being arranged in a region of the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ), in which a dental implant is arranged in the jaw of the patient; and   fully-automatic ablation of the at least one inserted sleeve ( 11 ), wherein the ablation is controlled through three-dimensional scanning data of an oral space of the patient, wherein the data was recorded previously, and wherein the sleeve ( 11 ) is ablated based on such data to the extent that a crestal end of a laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) produced from the sleeve ( 11 ) coincides with a crestal end of the dental implant in the jaw of the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve ( 11 ) is ablated proceeding from a crestal direction. 
     
     
         3 . A method for producing a three dimensional model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) of at least a partial region of a jaw for producing a dental restoration, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing three-dimensional scanning data of an oral space of a patient who harbors at least one dental implant, wherein the data was recorded previously;   preparing a three-dimensional model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) of at least the partial region of the jaw; and   fully-automatic shaping of at least one recess ( 7 ) for accommodating a laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) into an alveolar ridge of the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ), wherein the three-dimensional scanning data is used in the shaping and a depth, a position, and an orientation of the at least one recess ( 7 ) are shaped such that a crestal end of the laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) inserted into the recess ( 7 ) coincides with a crestal end of a dental implant in the jaw of the patient.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) is configured to be inserted into the recess ( 7 ) or a sleeve ( 11 ) is configured to be inserted into the recess ( 7 ), wherein the laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) is produced from the sleeve ( 11 ) through ablation, and wherein the three-dimensional scanning data is used to ablate the sleeve ( 11 ) fully-automatically. 
     
     
         5 . A method for producing a three dimensional model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) of at least a partial region of a jaw for producing a dental restoration, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing three-dimensional scanning data of an oral space of a patient who harbors at least one dental implant, wherein the data was recorded previously;   preparing a three-dimensional model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) of at least a partial region of the jaw with at least one recess ( 7 ) for accommodating a laboratory analogue ( 21 ) having an opening ( 25 ), wherein each recess ( 7 ) is arranged in a region of the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) in which a dental implant is arranged in the jaw of the patient; and   fully-automatic shaping of at least one vestibular, lingual or palatinal feed-through ( 28 ) through the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) into the at least one recess ( 7 ), wherein the three-dimensional scanning data is used in the shaping and the feed-through ( 28 ) is arranged such that a crestal end of one laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) coincides with a crestal end of the dental implant in the jaw of the patient when the laboratory analogue ( 21 ) is fixed in place with a pin that is inserted through the feed-through ( 28 ) in the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) into an opening ( 25 ) in the laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ).   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the feed-through ( 28 ) is shaped to match the pin and the opening ( 25 ) matches the pin, preferably in that a depression in the laboratory analogue ( 21 ) arranged downstream of the opening matches the pin. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the fully-automatic shaping proceeds by drilling, turning, grinding, cutting out and/or milling. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fully-automatic ablation is carried out in computer-supported manner at an accuracy of at least ±10 μm. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional scanning data of the oral space of the patient is used in the production of the three-dimensional model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) of the region of the jaw, and wherein the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) is produced by rapid prototyping at an accuracy of at least ±100 μm. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a CAD-based stereolithographic method is used to obtain the data for production of the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) and/or the laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ), and wherein the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) is fabricated from a plastic material. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a five-axis processing is used in the ablation. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two recesses ( 7 ) are generated or exist in the three-dimensional model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) and one sleeve ( 11 ) each or one laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) each is configured to be inserted into each of the recesses ( 7 ), and wherein the position of the recess ( 7 ) or feed-throughs ( 28 ) and/or crestal ends of the laboratory analogues ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) with respect to each other are adjusted by means of shaping and/or ablating based on the scanning data. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one cylindrical or conical recess ( 7 ) is generated or exists in the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ), wherein the recess ( 7 ) is generated or exists to have a one-fold or n-fold rotational symmetry about a longitudinal axis of the recess ( 7 ), and wherein a sleeve ( 11 ) or a laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) with the same rotational symmetry at least over regions thereof is configured to be inserted into the recess such that it fits in the recess ( 7 ) only in one orientation or in the n-fold orientation. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one recess ( 7 ) is predefined during the production of the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) to have a fixed defined shape that matches a certain shape of the sleeve ( 11 ) or the laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ), and/or a shape of the recess ( 7 ) is selected from a multiplicity of different shapes that match a multiplicity of different sleeves ( 11 ) or laboratory analogues ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ), wherein the shape is integrated into a measured virtual digitized jaw model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) as the recess ( 7 ) before the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) is produced. 
     
     
         15 . A laboratory analogue produced according to the method of  claim 1 , wherein the crestal end of the laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) corresponds to the data of the three-dimensional scan of the oral space of the patient at an accuracy of at least ±10 μm when it is inserted in a corresponding model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) of the jaw. 
     
     
         16 . A model of at least a partial region of a jaw produced according to the method of  claim 3 , the model comprising the at least one recess ( 7 ), wherein the accuracy of the dimensions of the at least one recess ( 7 ) and the orientation and position of all recesses ( 7 ) with respect to each other is at least ±10 μm relative to the three-dimensional scanning data of the oral space of the patient, such that the orientation and position of the crestal ends of the laboratory analogues ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) inserted in the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) correspond to the orientation and position of all crestal ends of the dental implants at said accuracy. 
     
     
         17 . A model of at least a partial region of a jaw produced according to the method of  claim 5 , the model comprising the at least one feed-through and the at least one recess ( 7 ), wherein the accuracy of the position of the at least one feed-through ( 28 ) and the orientation and position of all feed-throughs ( 28 ) with respect to each other is at least ±10 μm relative to the three-dimensional scanning data of the oral space of the patient, such that the orientation and position of the crestal ends of the laboratory analogues ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) fixed in the model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) with the pins extending through the feed-throughs ( 28 ) corresponds to the orientation and position of all crestal ends of the dental implants at said accuracy. 
     
     
         18 . A laboratory analogue produced according to the method of  claim 7 , wherein the crestal end of the laboratory analogue ( 1 ,  21 ,  31 ) corresponds to the data of the three-dimensional scan of the oral space of the patient at an accuracy of at least ±10 μm when it is inserted in a corresponding model ( 6 ,  16 ,  26 ,  36 ) of the jaw.