Patent ID: 7029279
Filing Date: 2006-04-18
Classification: A61C,B33Y,G01J,G16H

Abstract:
1. A method of fabricating a restoration preform with a prosthodontia system comprising an imaging scanner for generating digital signals, corresponding to three dimensional images of a site in an oral cavity, a colorimetric value sampler for generating digital signals corresponding to colorimetric values of at least one tooth surface in the oral cavity, a processor operatively connected to the imaging scanner and to the colorimetric value sampler, a memory associated with the processor storing a tooth shape library comprising data representative of a plurality of tooth configurations, the system further including a fabrication station, the preform comprising a particulate material adhered with a binder, the method comprising the steps of: a) generating digital signals corresponding to three dimensional images of the site in the oral cavity with the imaging scanner, b) generating digital signals corresponding to colorimetric values of at least one tooth surface in the oral cavity, c) retrieving data representative of a preferred tooth configuration corresponding to the site, d) generating a signal defining the three dimensional shape and colorimetric values of a restoration as a function of the imaging scanner signals, the colorimetric value sampler signals and the retrieved preferred tooth configuration data, e) fabricating the restoration preform at the fabrication station by stacking a plurality of cross sectional incremental layers as a function of the signal defining the three dimensional shape and colorimetric values of the restoration.