Dental jacket crown, coping and method of construction

Abstract

The dental jacket crown of the present invention is prepared from a thin metal foil substrate which is coated with a noble based metal composition having a low fusing temperature and folded in a predetermined manner to form multiple folds in the form of triangular like flaps or pleats. The folded foil represents the coping of the present invention. The coping is mounted over a die of the prepared tooth and the flaps wrapped in overlapping formation and then adapted to the die. The die is removed and the structure heated preferably under a bunsen burner. A bonding material may be coated over the free standing structure if desired. A veneering material such as porcelain is then coated over the structure to form the crown.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A .Iadd.dental .Iaddend.jacket crown comprising a composite body .[.including.]. .Iadd.formed from .Iaddend.a thin foil of high fusing temperature metal, .[.substantially of platinum.]. having a surface geometry conforming to a die to which it has been adapted with the foil having .[.a minimum of at least three folded over pleats in a substantial symmetrical arrangement around the body of a foil with each pleat forming a triangular like flap in the unfolded position and wherein said foil has.]. .Iadd.arranged about .Iaddend.an unfolded area substantially in the center of the foil .[.body with said foil having.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.at least one thin coated layer of a gold based noble metal composition of up to 100% gold superimposed over one surface of said .[.thin foil and disposed beneath the folded over pleats.]. .Iadd.high fusing temperature metal .Iaddend.and a relatively thick outer coating of a dental veneering material. 
     
     
       2. A jacket crown as defined in claim 1 wherein each .[.of the folds.]. .Iadd.fold .Iaddend.is arranged .[.substantially circumferentially around a central.]. .Iadd.about an .Iaddend.axis extending vertically through said unfolded area in the center of the foil body. 
     
     
       3. A jacket crown as defined in claim 2 wherein said gold based noble metal composition comprises substantially gold and at least one of the following elements selected from the group consisting of: silver, palladium, iridium, copper and aluminum. 
     
     
       4. A jacket crown as defined in claim 1 wherein said folded over .[.pleats.]. .Iadd.sections .Iaddend.overlap one another. 
     
     
       5. A dental coping for a jacket crown restoration comprising a thin foil .[.of.]. .Iadd.having a layer of a .Iaddend.high fusing temperature metal .Iadd.and a layer of a gold based noble metal composition of up to 100% gold superimposed upon the surface of said high fusing temperature metal layer with said foil having a round geometry when unfolded and .Iaddend.arranged in a prefolded geometrical configuration with an unfolded central area .[.wherein the prefolded geometry includes a minimum of at least three pleated sections substantially symmetrically disposed around the central area with each pleated section represented by fold lines which form a triangular like flap and at least one coated layer of a gold based noble metal composition of up to 100% gold superimposed upon the surface of said thin foil and disposed beneath the folded over pleats..]. .Iadd.and at least two folded over sections extending from the central area. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       6. A dental coping for a jacket crown as defined in claim 5 wherein said .[.pleated.]. sections are .[.arranged substantially circumferentially around a central axis extending through said unfolded area in the center of the foil body..]. .Iadd.pleated. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       7. A dental coping as defined in claim 5 wherein said folded over .[.pleats.]. sections overlap one another. 
     
     
       8. A method of forming a dental jacket crown comprising the steps of: preparing a thin metal foil of high fusing temperature metal into a substantially circular substrate;   coating one surface of the foil substrate with at least one layer of a gold based noble metal composition of up to 100% gold with a lower fusing temperature than that of the metal foil substrate;   forming .[.at least three pleats.]. .Iadd.a plurality of folded over sections, .Iaddend.in said coated foil substrate around an unfolded area disposed substantially in the center of the circular foil;   mounting said coated foil substrate over a die of the prepared tooth with the coated surface exposed and with the unfolded area above the occlusal end of the die;   adapting said foil to said die;   removing said die for providing an inner structure for said jacket crown;   heating said inner structure above the low fusing temperature of said noble based gold composition; and   coating a fired on .[.porcelain.]. veneering material over said inner structure.   
     
     
       9. A method as defined in claim 8 wherein said .[.pleats substantially circumferentially around.]. .Iadd.folded over sections are arranged about .Iaddend.a central axis extending vertically through said unfolded area in the center of the foil. 
     
     
       10. A method as defined in claim 8 wherein each pleat is of a size such that upon folding it will.]. .Iadd.folded over section is folded to overlap an adjacent .[.pleat.]. .Iadd.section. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. A method of forming a dental coping from a metal foil having a high fusing temperature metal layer and a superimposed layer of a low fusing gold based noble metal composition of up to 100% gold, prefolding said foil to form a plurality of folded over sections extending from an unfolded central area, adapting said foil to a die of a tooth upon which said jacket crown is to be formed, removing said foil from said die and heating said foil to a temperature above the melting temperature of said low fusing gold based noble metal layer to cause the gold layer to melt for forming a composite structure. .Iaddend.