Patent ID: 9649180
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: A61C,A61K,G16H

Claim:
1. A method of making a monolithic support structure for use in an implant-supported denture device comprising the steps of: obtaining digital patient specific information of a patient's oral anatomy and implant information of an implant implanted in the patient's jaw; forming a digital model of the patient's oral anatomy including a portion of the patient's edentulous ridge to be restored and the implant from the patient specific information; creating a digital design for a monolithic support structure comprising, forming digital instructions readable by an automated manufacturing machine that correspond to the digital design for the monolithic support structure; and utilizing the digital instructions in an automated manufacturing process to make a monolithic support structure comprising, as a single, unitary body of material, a support body comprising a crown side, one or more teeth projections extending from the crown side of the support body and at least one artificial tooth support region on the crown side adjacent the teeth projections that corresponds to the digital edentulous region.