Abstract:
A system and method of manufacturing prefabricated dental veneers in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors for a more economically feasible application of high-quality dental veneers, and a related process for selecting an appropriate veneer for a particular patient&#39;s tooth or teeth for application on the same day as the initial meeting. The system includes a storage kit which stores a variety of prefabricated veneers in different sizes, shapes, and colors. The kit can be refilled by ordering another set of prefabricated veneers when a particular set of a particular size, shape, or color is affixed to a patient&#39;s teeth. The kit also includes refining tools which allow for a degree of customization in the particular prefabricated veneer chosen for a particular patient.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/896,239, filed Oct. 1, 2010, which claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/247,709 filed Oct. 1, 2009, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present disclosed technology relates generally to dentistry, and in particular to a dental veneer system and method. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Various dental procedures and prosthetics are used to improve the aesthetics of teeth by either covering damaged tooth structure or replacing missing tooth structure. Dental veneers are a type of dental appliance consisting of a thin layer of dental restorative material such as porcelain or a dental composite resin that is colored and shaded to match the appearance of a dental patient&#39;s existing teeth. The veneer is either placed on the buccal or outer surface of a tooth and bonded thereto, or built up in layers on the tooth structure. The underlying tooth is usually prepared to receive the veneer by removal of a minimal amount of tooth enamel. Resin cement is used to affix the veneer to the outside of the tooth. Porcelain veneers are durable and very aesthetic but must be manufactured in a dental laboratory. Composite veneers can be created in a dental laboratory, incurring a laboratory fabrication fee. They can also be fabricated in the mouth of a patient in the clinical setting reducing the chair time and costs. 
         [0006]    The current practice of dental veneer manufacture and application is fraught with great expense and unnecessary complications. Because porcelain veneers cannot be created in the clinical setting in most situations, the appliance must be manufactured off-site at great expense to the patient. Patients typically need to visit the dental office at least three separate times: the initial examination to determine the size, shape, and color of the porcelain veneers; a subsequent office visit for preparation of the patient&#39;s teeth; and a third visit for placement of the porcelain veneers. Problems with porcelain veneers occur when they become damaged. A damaged porcelain veneer cannot be repaired; it must be completely remade in the lab at great cost and subsequently substituted for the damaged tooth in the clinical setting. Laboratory processed composite veneers would also require multiple patient visits to the dental office because they are made from impressions of the patient&#39;s teeth and are fabricated in the dental lab. Composite veneers created in the clinical setting begin as a composite dental resin in the form of a gel or paste that is placed by the dentist on the prepared tooth of the patient. The composite is built up in layers that are light-cured or self-cured in the patient&#39;s mouth. However, voids and cracks can be cured into the composite during the incremental layering process, requiring a great deal of surface polishing of the veneer during application to attain an aesthetic finish. 
         [0007]    What is needed is a system and method of dental veneer selection, production, and application that can be accomplished in one dental office visit that produces an aesthetic smile at a relatively low cost. Heretofore there has not been available a dental veneer system and method with the advantages and features of the disclosed subject matter. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Disclosed herein in an exemplary embodiment is a system and method of manufacturing, storing, selecting, and applying dental veneers of a plurality of standard shapes, sizes, and shades. Such a system offers an economically feasible alternative to the standard, more expensive practice of custom-manufacturing dental veneers in a laboratory. With the present invention, a patient&#39;s tooth size, shape, and shade can be selected by a dental professional and the appropriate veneer can be selected from a kit and applied to the patient&#39;s tooth during the initial visit, rather than spending time having the veneer crafted in a laboratory in another location. 
         [0009]    The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a dental veneer kit comprising a storage container, a veneer tray, refining tools, and a plurality of prefabricated dental veneers. Said veneers come in a limited but wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. This allows for a best-fit option that closely matches a patient&#39;s tooth to be chosen, the prefabricated veneer selected, and the veneer applied to the patient&#39;s tooth, all in the initial meeting between the dental professional and the patient. This process allows the dental professional to charge a fraction of the cost of a custom-made veneer that is the industry standard, while maintaining maximum quality of said veneers. Said refining tools allow the dental professional to somewhat customize the prefabricated veneer on the spot while applying said veneer to the patient&#39;s tooth. 
         [0010]    The dental professional and patient undergo a simple process to select the appropriate veneer. During a patient exam, the desire to have high-quality veneers applied to the patient&#39;s teeth may arise. The dental professional identifies target teeth, chooses an appropriate prefabricated veneer, checks it for fit, and permanently affixes it to the tooth, all in the initial patient-professional meeting period. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subject matter illustrating various objects and features thereof, wherein like references are generally numbered alike in the several views. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a dental patient&#39;s mouth displaying both upper and lower teeth. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the top teeth of a patient&#39;s mouth, showing the application of a prefabricated veneer onto the teeth, embodying the principles of the disclosed subject matter. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view generally of an example of a prefabricated veneer kit, including veneer tray and abrasive tools. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart of the process used to select and apply prefabricated veneers to a patient&#39;s teeth. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation view of a prefabricated veneer. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a rear elevation view of a prefabricated veneer. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of a prefabricated veneer. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a rear elevation view of a prefabricated veneer including etchings and pits which are a feature of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of an etching within a prefabricated veneer as taken about cut-line  9  in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is an isometric view of a prefabricated molar crown. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of a prefabricated molar crown as taken about cut-line  11  in  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     I. Introduction and Environment 
       [0023]    As required, detailed aspects of the disclosed subject matter are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
         [0024]    Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as orientated in the view being referred to. The words, “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning 
       II. Embodiment or Aspect of the Dental Veneer System  2   
       [0025]    Referring to the drawings in more detail, the reference numeral  2  generally designates a prefabricated dental veneer system and method embodying the principles of the disclosed subject matter. The veneer system  2  consists of a veneer kit  4  containing prefabricated dental veneers  6  dimensioned to fit on the buccal surface  14  of the six anterior teeth of the maxilla and mandible (i.e., the left and right central incisor  8 , lateral incisor  10 , and canine  12 ) in the four most common sizes of adult teeth. Alternatively, the veneer system  2  can include veneers  6  for the other teeth such as the first and second premolars, and first and second molars. The veneers  6  are manufactured from rigid dental restorative materials well known in the dental art such as dental composite resins or porcelain. The buccal surface  14  of the veneer  6  is polished providing a pre-finished appearance. The veneers  6  also contain shading, preferably shading approximating the four most common intrinsic shades of teeth. The veneer kit  4  can be enlarged to include more shades and sizes as needed in the dental profession. Alternatively, the veneers  6  can be provided in a neutral color, and shading can be applied using shading materials available in the dental office. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  shows an example of a prefabricated veneer kit  4 , including veneer tray  16  and abrasive refining tools  18 . The veneer kit  4  is located in the dental office and can accommodate the vast majority of patients needing dental veneers enabling the dentist to select and apply dental veneers  6  in the clinical setting in a single patient visit. The veneer kit  4  includes a storage unit  5  comprised of several compartments  7 . The compartments  7  allow for easy divided storage of the variety of veneers and tools associated with the kit  4 . Each compartment  7  may be identified via an identification sticker  9  or other identification method on the front of each compartment. In a preferred embodiment, the storage unit  5  is a multi-compartment container that may stand upright or be laid down. Each compartment  5  may or may not be opened individually. 
         [0027]    Each veneer kit  4  will have several hundred veneers  6 , and provide variations for each tooth type, size, and shade. The kit  4  will also include a veneer tray  16 . The tray  16  includes dividers  17  numbered according to the corresponding tooth, which allows the dentist to select and layout the appropriate veneers for application on the patient in an organized manner. Each divider  17  is a recessed portion of the tray which allows veneers to be temporarily stored and easily recovered by the dental professional during the procedure. 
         [0028]    As the veneers  6  in the veneer kit  4  are used up the dentist can replenish the veneer  6  supply by ordering the necessary veneer type, dimension, size, and shade. The dentist can order replacement veneers one or two at a time to keep his costs down and keep the kit  4  complete for the next patient. By having an assortment of veneers for different teeth, different teeth shades, and different teeth sizes, the veneer kit  4  eliminates the delay and expense of off-site manufacture of veneers. It should be noted that the example in  FIG. 3  is merely an example of such a veneer kit  4 , and does not limit the inclusion of other instruments in the kit or limit the design of said kit. 
       III. Dental Veneer  6  Selection and Application 
       [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart for the veneer  6  selection and application procedure. First a dental patient examination  20  is conducted by a dentist and the teeth selected for receiving a dental veneer  6  are identified  22 . The patient and doctor determine the type  24  of veneer desired, either porcelain or composite, and select the desired size of the veneer and shade. The dentist then temporarily affixes the veneers  26  to their target teeth with try-in paste. The temporarily-applied veneers  6  are checked to ensure the desired aesthetics are achieved such as tooth dimension, size, and shade. If the fit is not proper, a new selection of veneers is made. Once a satisfactory set of veneers has been selected, the dentist prepares the target teeth for permanently receiving the veneers  28  by cleaning and acid etching the tooth enamel on the buccal surface  14 . Anesthesia is generally not necessary for the patient unless the target teeth require a substantial reduction in size or reshaping. The dentist then applies resin cement to the target tooth and permanently affixes the corresponding veneer  30  to the tooth. The veneer and bonding resin cement are then cured a first time. The dentist may then make adjustments to the veneer  6  and refine the dimensions of the veneer  32  by cleaning the edges with abrasive tools  18 . The resin cement is then cured completely and the dentist can further refine the aesthetics of the veneer  6  by using composite and porcelain trimming burs and hand instruments to fine-tune the finish lines with the teeth and gum tissues  11 . Finally, the dentist can then adjust the aesthetics and smile line. 
         [0030]    It will be appreciated that the components of the prefabricated veneer system  2  can be used for various other applications. Moreover, prefabricated veneers  6  can be fabricated in various sizes and from a wide range of suitable materials, using various manufacturing and fabrication techniques. 
       IV. Alternative Embodiment Prefabricated Dental Restoration 
       [0031]    The preferred invention is a prefabricated dental restoration capable of providing a partial or complete tooth restoration for reduced cost and application time. A prefabricated dental restoration may be selected from a variety of such restorations by a dental professional for application to a specific human tooth. Because human teeth vary in shape, size, and color, the dental professional should be provided with a number of dental restorations to choose from. Each restoration should be immediately ready to be applied to a damaged or otherwise insufficient human tooth. Ideally, the dental restoration should be applied to the selected tooth with little or no additional curing necessary for the restoration to adhere to the tooth. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 5-7  show a prefabricated veneer  106  manufactured from advanced dental materials, such as high performance engineered plastics, thermoplastic resin, polymers, copolymers, composites, or other similar formulations producing beneficial strength for the application of a prefabricated veneer of this type. The prefabricated veneer  106  would come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Ideally, at least three different sizes would be produced to fit a majority of patient&#39;s teeth, along with a similar variety of shapes and colors. 
         [0033]    The prefabricated veneer  106  shown in  FIGS. 5-7  would fit over an incisor; however, a separate and similar prefabricated veneer would accompany the examples shown, such that a complete veneer kit could include a prefabricated veneer for any tooth. 
         [0034]    Each veneer  106  would include a glossy final finish  108  on the outer layer of the veneer, as shown in  FIG. 5   
         [0035]    Each veneer may have a roughened rear face  110  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The rear face may also include a series of etched grooves  114  and/or pits  116 . The roughness allows the veneer to be more permanently affixed to the surface of an existing tooth by allowing bonding material to permeate into the crevices of the rough face of the veneer. 
         [0036]    A veneer  106  for an incisor as shown could also include an incisal wrap  112  for wrapping against the edge of an existing incisor. This is shown in more detail at  FIG. 7 . This wrap produces superior fit over a tooth and rebuilds the length of the original tooth, if the tooth has been damaged or is unnaturally short. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , an exemplary embodiment of the present invention would include a series of etched grooves  114  and/or pits  116  in the rear face of the prefabricated veneer  106 . These pits and grooves provide an increased surface area for bonding material, as well as groove edges  120  for a superior adhesion to a tooth being fit with a veneer. Each prefabricated veneer  106  will have these grooves and/or pits fabricated at the time the veneer is made, and prior to having the veneer or veneer kit shipped to a dental professional. 
         [0038]      FIG. 9  demonstrates the depth “d” and width “w” of a typical pit or groove. In a preferred embodiment, the groove depth “d” would be approximately 0.3 mm, and the groove width “w” would be approximately 0.5 to 1.0 mm. This width and depth could vary, depending on the size of the prefabricated veneer  106  being chosen. 
         [0039]      FIGS. 10 and 11  demonstrate how a molar crown  118  could be prefabricated with the same glossy finish  108 , etched grooves  114 , and etched pits  116 . 
         [0040]    The roughened surfaces  110  and etched grooves  114  and pits  116  allow a prefabricated veneer  106  or crown  118 , created from a superior material as described above, to be mounted to a human tooth using a cement or other bonding material without additional work necessary to fit the veneer or crown to the tooth, and may also be placed without the need for post-placement curing. The surface, grooves, and pits provide a superior surface for the bonding material to adhere. This creates a bond between the tooth and the prefabricated veneer or crown that is as good or superior to conventional bonding techniques. 
         [0041]    It is to be understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been shown and described, the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects.