Ceramic dental restorations made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

An additively manufactured dental crown with a wall having a bottom edge and an occlusal portion joined with the wall opposite the bottom edge. The wall and occlusal portion form an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface. By using additive manufacturing and materials for such, the dental crown can have thin walls with a thickness of less than 300 microns at the thinnest portion of it and can include fine printed features such as identifiers, internal ribs, slots, porous meshes, and retention elements.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An additively manufactured dental crown, comprising:
 a wall having a bottom edge; and   an occlusal portion joined with the wall opposite the bottom edge, the wall and the occlusal portion forming an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface,   wherein a thinnest portion of the wall has a thickness of less than 300 microns,   wherein the wall and the occlusal portion both comprise an additively manufacturable material.   
     
     
         2 . The dental crown of  claim 1 , wherein the wall includes ribs on the interior surface. 
     
     
         3 . The dental crown of  claim 1 , wherein the wall includes notches at the bottom edge. 
     
     
         4 . The dental crown of  claim 1 , wherein the wall includes retention features on the interior surface. 
     
     
         5 . The dental crown of  claim 1 , wherein the wall includes a slot extending fully through the wall and joined with the bottom edge. 
     
     
         6 . The dental crown of  claim 1 , wherein the wall includes a first slot extending fully through the wall and joined with the bottom edge, and a second slot extending fully through the wall and joined with the first slot opposite the bottom edge. 
     
     
         7 . The dental crown of  claim 1 , wherein the wall includes cutting rib features indenting into the interior surface adjacent the bottom edge. 
     
     
         8 . The dental crown of  claim 1 , wherein the wall includes a porous mesh. 
     
     
         9 . The dental crown of  claim 1 , wherein the wall and the occlusal portion comprise concentric stacked shells. 
     
     
         10 . The dental crown of  claim 1 , wherein the wall and the occlusal portion comprise interlocking domes. 
     
     
         11 . The dental crown of  claim 1 , wherein the wall and the occlusal portion comprise zirconia. 
     
     
         12 . A method for making a dental crown, comprising steps of:
 receiving a design for a dental crown, comprising:
 a wall having a bottom edge; and 
 an occlusal portion joined with the wall opposite the bottom edge, the wall and the occlusal portion forming an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface, 
 wherein a thinnest portion of the wall has a thickness of less than 300 microns, 
 wherein the wall and the occlusal portion both comprise an additively manufacturable material; and 
   making the dental crown using additive manufacturing.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising sintering the dental crown after making the dental crown using the additive manufacturing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the making step comprises making the dental crown using a 3D printer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the receiving step includes receiving the design wherein the wall includes ribs on the interior surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the receiving step includes receiving the design wherein the wall includes notches at the bottom edge. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the receiving step includes receiving the design wherein the wall includes retention features on the interior surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the receiving step includes receiving the design wherein the wall includes a slot extending fully through the wall and joined with the bottom edge. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the receiving step includes receiving the design wherein the wall includes cutting rib features indenting into the interior surface adjacent the bottom edge. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the receiving step includes receiving the design wherein the wall includes a porous mesh.