Method And Device For Manufacturing And Controlling The Conformity Of A Dental Prosthesis From Parameters Obtained With A Shade Selecting Device

Abstract

A method for manufacturing and controlling the conformity of a dental prosthesis from parameters obtained intra-orally with a shade selecting device is described herein. The method includes: selecting the shade of the client tooth to be replaced or restored by the practitioner using the practitioner's shade selecting DPraticien device, with local storage of such data, transmitting these data to a practitioner's computer station equipped with software for visualizing the measurement data and possibly with software for entering the client's contact information and specific data, both software programs being advantageously combined, transmitting these data to a dental technician's computer station, manufacturing by the dental technician of the prosthesis according to the data received from the practitioner, controlling the prosthesis data using a dental technician's shade selecting DProthésiste device, self-calibrated in the same way as the DPraticien device, and sending the prosthesis to the practitioner.

1 . A method for manufacturing and controlling the conformity of a dental prosthesis from parameters obtained intra-orally with a shade selecting device characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
 a) selecting the shade of the client tooth to be replaced or restored by the practitioner using the shade selecting device belonging to the practitioner, called DPraticien, with local storage of such data,   b) transmitting these data to a computer station of the practitioner which is equipped with software for the visualization of the measurement data and possibly with software for the entry of the client's contact information and specific data, both software programs being advantageously combined,   c) transmitting these data to the computer station of the dental technician,   d) manufacturing the prosthesis according to the data received from the practitioner,   e) controlling the data of the prosthesis manufactured by the dental technician using a shade selecting device identical to that belonging to said dental technician, called DProthésiste, calibrated in the same way as the DPraticien device of the practitioner,   f) sending of the compliant prosthesis by the dental technician to the practitioner.   
     
     
         2 . The method for manufacturing and controlling the conformity of a dental prosthesis according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
 a) selecting the shade of the client's tooth to be replaced or restored by the practitioner using the DPraticien,   b) transmitting these data to the practitioner's computer station,   c) transmitting these data from the practitioner's computer station to the computer station of the dental technician,   d) manufacturing the prosthesis according to the data received from the practitioner,   e) controlling the data of the prosthesis manufactured using the DProthésiste,   f) transmitting the data of the manufactured prosthesis to the practitioner for his approval, and   g) sending of the compliant prosthesis by the dental technician to the practitioner after said practitioner's approval.   
     
     
         3 . The method for manufacturing and controlling the conformity of a dental prosthesis according to  claim 2 , characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
 a) selecting the shade of the client's tooth to be replaced or restored by the practitioner using the DPraticien,   b) transmitting these data to the practitioner's computer station,   c) transmitting these data from the practitioner's computer station to the computer station of the dental technician,   d) manufacturing the prosthesis according to the data received from the practitioner,   e) controlling the data of the prosthesis manufactured using the DProthésiste,   f) transmitting the data of the manufactured prosthesis to the practitioner for his approval,   g) transmitting data changes by the practitioner,   h) changes made to the prosthesis by the dental technician according to these data changes,   i) controlling the data of the prosthesis manufactured using the DProthésiste,   j) transmitting data of the modified prosthesis by the dental technician to the practitioner for approval by the practitioner, and   k) sending of the compliant prosthesis by the dental technician to the practitioner after said practitioner's approval.   
     
     
         4 . The method for manufacturing and controlling the conformity of a dental prosthesis according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the DProthésiste and DPraticien devices for selecting the shade and for controlling said shade comprises a housing, a handle and a measuring head provided with a tip intended to come into contact with the tooth surface to be analyzed, at least one light source and image acquiring means, as well as an orientation assembly allowing the measuring head to occupy different angular positions relative to the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The method for manufacturing and controlling the conformity of a dental prosthesis according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the transmitted data includes contextual data including: a photo of the face and/or smile and photos with spacers more or less close to the reference tooth or also the type of stump and/or the color of the stump used. 
     
     
         6 . A device for tooth shade measurement comprising a housing, a handle and a measuring head, characterized in that said measuring head comprises:
 a hollow body extending along a longitudinal axis, said hollow body comprising a proximal end, a bent distal end relative to the longitudinal axis, said distal end being provided with a removable tip designed to come into contact with a tooth surface to be analyzed;   at least one light source and image acquisition means, integral with the hollow body, said hollow body being adapted to transmit the light from said light source from the proximal end up to the distal end;   
       and in that said device comprises an orientation assembly for mounting the proximal end of the hollow body in the housing so that the measuring head occupies different angular positions relative to the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the orientation assembly comprises at least a first half-shell adapted to be joined to a second half-shell to form a hollow shell defining a cavity configured to receive said proximal end, said cavity having on its inner surface a radially projecting surface intended to cooperate with a plurality of slots having a complementary shape, formed on the outer surface of the proximal end to ensure the different angular positions of the measuring head relative to the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the orientation assembly comprises a locking means for locking the measuring head in a defined angular position relative to the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said hollow body is composed of an optical waveguide surrounded by an overmolding comprising a set of fastening units. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9 , characterized in that said set of units comprises a clipping unit formed on the extremity of the distal end of the hollow body to fasten the tip. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 9 , characterized in that said set of units comprises an annular shoulder forming an axial abutment for the hollow body when the proximal end is mounted in said orientation assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said at least one light source is fastened to the extremity of the proximal end of the hollow body and said image acquisition means is fastened to the extremity of the distal end of the hollow body. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , characterized in that it comprises a cable extending into the hollow body substantially from the proximal end to the distal end for transmitting an image from the distal end to the proximal end. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said image acquisition means comprises a sensor and an optical system. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said at least one light source comprises at least one white light-emitting diode (LED) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) whose wavelengths range between 448 and 630 nm, said LEDs being fastened on a support. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 15 , characterized in that said support comprises a data processing unit and an LED control board. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the optical system comprises a lens and at least one polarizing filter. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the tip comprises a distal end intended to come into contact with the tooth surface to be analyzed and a proximal end, said proximal end being separated from said distal end by a predetermined distance corresponding to a working distance to acquire an image. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the tip includes a chromatic reference surface. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that it comprises a base to put the device on a flat surface, the base comprising a housing adapted to receive at least one battery.