Patent Description:
In general, endodontic treatment of a tooth is executed when odontopathogens such as cariogenic bacteria (commonly "tooth cavity") invade a dental nerve, in particular, the pulp cavity and root canal over the dentin of a coronal part causing pain.

The endodontic treatment may be a type of prosthetic treatment performed such that, when endodontic diagnosis is confirmed in a tooth, a hole is drilled in the tooth body using a dental treatment drill, dental tissue or a blood vessel of the dental nerve is removed using a device for nerve removal, and then the root canal is disinfected, followed by filling the root canal and the hole with alternative materials.

With regard to the endodontic treatment above, since the dental nerve should be completely removed while minimizing damage to the dentin of teeth in order to prevent recurrence of pain and preserve natural teeth as much as possible, dental neuropathic therapies must be thoroughly practiced to master neuropsychiatric techniques.

However, since tooth models even forming a neural structure inside a tooth for practice of such endodontic treatment are not sufficiently present in existing dental educational institutions, dental offices and dentistry seminar, etc., most students may observe the professor who practices the endodontic treatment and then may rely on audiovisual data as a result of recording the above practical treatment on a videotape, otherwise, typically learn such endodontic treatment using a general tooth model, hence causing a problem of deteriorated efficiency in practice.

In other words, since a typical tooth model is manufactured in a form in which only the external shape of a tooth or an oral cavity is formed, it is impossible to directly practice treatment of a neural portion formed in the tooth and, even if the practice is conducted using the above typical tooth model, correct identification of the neural structure and/or direct treatment for removal of dental nerves cannot be performed, and therefore, it is quite difficult to master endodontic treatment.

Therefore, in order to overcome the above problems, the existing tooth model has been manufactured by filling a neural tube formed in a root canal of a tooth with wax, thereby similarly imitating the same. Patent Document <NUM> describes that in connection with insertion of a post into a root canal, a simultaneous curing of the tangible sealing malterial aggregate is accomplished. Gutta percha or other sealing material is removably attachable to the apical end of the post and heat or other energy is applied to the post, either before and/or after the post is inserted into the root canal of the tooth being treated, to plasticize and condense the tangible sealing material aggregate. The sealing material is removably integral with the post, or removably attached to the post. In other cases, the tangible sealing material aggregate is provided in a tapered tip and is attached to the bottom of the post without heat or other energy sources, or by condensation, and is therefore attached as an uncondensed single point fill. When placed in the root canal, the tangible sealing material aggregate tip is held in place by typical root canal cements, such as eugenol based cements, resin based cements and glass ionomer cements. Patent Document <NUM> teaches an improved inspection block for use in endodontia training in the form of a block of transparent material having a root canal emulating cavity therein extending from the top towards the block bottom, the cavity opening at the block top so that an endodontic file may be positioned in the cavity whereby a student may replicate manipulation of the file in the cavity to practice the art of cleaning and preparing a root canal, the block having at least one side wall surface configured to optically magnify the root canal.

However, since the existing tooth model has aneural tube filled with wax and a nerve removing device (endodontic file) is smeared with sticky wax after removal of nerves, the nerves may not be clearly removed.

Further, in the case of conventional tooth models, the morphology of neural tubes formed in the root canal of a tooth is not sufficiently represented, which in turn is not suitable for practice. Further, when seen from the outside, the tooth model entails a problem in that the neural tube is not clearly distinguished.

Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a tooth model for dental treatment practice, in which an opaque material-based paint stains an inner surface of a neural tube formed inside a (dental) root canal of the tooth model composed of a transparent material, so as to show (or expose) the neural tube out of the root canal in the tooth model, as well as a method for manufacturing the same.

It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a tooth model for dental treatment practice, in which the inside of a neural tube has an empty, hollow form, thus enabling easy endodontic treatment practice, as well as a method for manufacturing the same.

It is still another object of the present disclosure to provide a tooth model for dental treatment practice, in which the inner surface of a neural tube is coated with a non-aqueous or insoluble resin-based paint so as to easily confirm whether nerves were sufficiently eliminated after removal thereof, and which can obviously indicate a condition of treatment after irrigation, as well as a method for manufacturing the same.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a tooth model for dental treatment practice as defined in the appended claims, which is made of a transparent material, comprising: a root canal including an empty hollow neural tube formed therein; and a crown formed on top of the root canal, wherein a paint based on an opaque material is applied to an inner surface of the neural tube to form a coating layer so as to show the neural tube formed inside the root canal to the outside.

The paint may be composed of a non-aqueous material or an insoluble material.

The paint may be a resin based synthetic material.

The crown may include a dentin part composed of a soft material, and an enamel part composed of a hard material and formed on top of the dentin part.

The enamel part may be prepared by any one among a milling process, plastic injection molding and 3D printing.

The root canal may be inserted into a mounting groove formed on the dentiform in which the tooth model is mounted, and an intaglio and stepped part ("stepped part") bent down toward an inner bottom of a mounting groove may be formed on an outer surface of the bottom of the root canal.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a tooth model for dental treatment practice, which is defined in the appended claims, and which comprises: (a) a first step of preparing a root canal based on a transparent material, in which an empty hollow neural tube is formed; (b) a second step of introducing a paint based on an opaque material into the neural tube which is formed inside the root canal; (c) a third step of injecting air into the neural tube, to which the paint was introduced, in order to disperse the paint, thereby enabling the paint to be applied to an inner surface of the neural tube; and (d) a fourth step of allowing the paint applied to the inner surface of the neural tube to be cured or hardened over a predetermined time, so as to form a coating layer with a predetermined thickness on the inner surface of the neural tube.

The paint applied to the inner surface of the neural tube in step (d) may be used for surface-coating of the inner surface by any one process among flame heat treatment, high frequency inductive heat treatment, laser heat treatment, ultraviolet (UV) curing and infrared (IR) curing processes.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the tooth model for dental treatment practice according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating the tooth model for dental treatment practice according to an embodiment of the present invention; <FIG> is a photograph illustrating the tooth model for dental treatment practice according to an embodiment of the present invention; and <FIG> is a photograph illustrating the tooth model for dental treatment practice in a state that the tooth model is mounted on a dentiform according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the tooth model for dental treatment practice according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be a tooth model <NUM> manufactured with a size and shape similar to actual teeth in order to conduct dental treatment practice.

Herein, the tooth model <NUM> of the present invention may include a root canal <NUM> and a crown120.

The root canal <NUM> may be composed of a transparent material to show the inside outward. Further, there is provided a neural tube <NUM> in an empty hollow form inside the root canal <NUM> of the tooth model <NUM>.

In this case, in order to display the neural tube <NUM> formed inside the root canal <NUM> of the tooth model <NUM> to the outside, an opaque material-based paint may be thinly applied to an inner surface of the neural tube <NUM> to form a coating layer 111a.

Herein, the paint used to form the coating layer 11a is preferably a resin-based synthetic substance consisting of a non-aqueous or insoluble material not easily dissolved in water or alcohol.

Since the opaque material-based paint stains the inner surface of the neural tube <NUM> formed inside the root canal <NUM> of the tooth model which is composed of a transparent material, the neural tube <NUM> may be seen out of the root canal <NUM> of the tooth model <NUM>.

Further, the neural tube <NUM> has an empty hollow form, thereby achieving an advantage of easy endodontic treatment practice.

The crown <NUM> may be formed on top of the root canal <NUM>, and may include a dentin part <NUM> and an enamel part <NUM> composed of an opaque and rigid material on top of the dentin part <NUM>.

In this regard, the dentin part <NUM> is preferably made of a resin-based synthetic substance, may be prepared by means of any one among a milling process, plastic injection-molding and 3D printing, however, the preparation method is not particularly limited to the above listed means.

Further, the enamel part <NUM> may be made of a specific material such as resin, zirconia and ceramics, etc., and may be prepared by means of any one among a milling process, plastic injection-molding and 3D printing, however, the preparation method is not particularly limited to the above listed means.

Meanwhile, the crown <NUM> may also be transparent wherein an upper side of the crown may be open.

<FIG> is a perspective view and a cross-sectional view illustrating the tooth model for dental treatment practice according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, there is further provided a stepped intaglio part ("stepped part") <NUM> on an outer surface of the bottom of the root canal <NUM> in the tooth model <NUM> for dental treatment practice.

Meanwhile, a dentiform <NUM>, on which the tooth motel <NUM> of the present invention is mounted, may include a mounting groove <NUM> into which the root canal <NUM> is inserted, and a sill (jaw) may be formed on an inner surface of the bottom of the mounting groove <NUM>.

In other words, since the stepped part <NUM> bent down toward the inner bottom of the mounting groove <NUM> formed in the dentiform <NUM> is formed on an outer surface of the bottom of the root canal <NUM>, a mounting direction of the tooth model <NUM> can be marked and the tooth model <NUM> mounted on the dentiform <NUM> may be easily fixed when the root canal <NUM> is inserted into the mounting groove <NUM>.

In this regard, a binding method between the above-described dentiform <NUM> and the tooth model <NUM> is illustrated only as an example, but is not particularly limited to any one binding way. Instead, the tooth model <NUM> may be bonded to the dentiform <NUM> by many different methods.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a method for production of a tooth model for dental treatment practice according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the method for production of a tooth model for dental treatment practice according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention may firstly include preparing a root canal <NUM> made of a transparent material, in which a hollow neural tube <NUM> is formed.

Herein, the root canal <NUM> may be formed by any one method of a milling process, plastic injection molding and 3D printing.

Then, an opaque material-based paint may be introduced inside the neural tube <NUM> formed in the root canal <NUM>.

Then, air is injected into the neural tube <NUM> containing the paint introduced therein, so as to uniformly distribute and thinly apply the paint to the inner surface of the neural tube <NUM>.

Lastly, the paint applied to the inner surface of the neural tube <NUM> may be cured or hardened over a predetermined time to form a coating layer 111a with a predetermined thickness on the inner surface of the neural tube <NUM>, thereby completing a tooth model.

In this regard, the paint applied to the inner surface of the neural tube <NUM> to form a coating layer 111a with a predetermined thickness on the inner surface of the neural tube <NUM> may be used for surface-coating of the inner surface of the neural tube <NUM> by any one among flame heat treatment, high frequency inductive heat treatment, laser heat treatment, ultraviolet (UV) curing and infrared (IR) curing processes, without particular limitation thereto.

Herein, the opaque material-based paint may stain the inner surface of the neural tube <NUM> formed inside the root canal <NUM> of the tooth model <NUM> composed of a transparent material.

The coating layer 111a stained on the neural tube <NUM> is formed of a resin-based synthetic material consisting of a non-aqueous or insoluble material not easily dissolved in water or alcohol and, therefore, is not easily removed and may improve durability.

According to the present invention, a paint made of an opaque material stains an inner surface of a neural tube formed inside a root canal of the tooth model composed of a transparent material, thereby attaining effects of expressing the neural tube out of the root canal in the tooth model.

Further, the tooth model of the present invention has a neural tube having an empty, hollow form, and may be easily used for practice of endodontic treatment.

Further, according to the present invention, a non-aqueous or insoluble resin-based paint is applied to the inner surface of a neural tube so as to easily confirm whether nerves were desirably eliminated after practice of nerve removal, and attain effects of clearly confirming a condition of treatment after irrigation.

Claim 1:
A tooth model (<NUM>) for dental treatment practice, which is made of a transparent material, comprising:
a root canal (<NUM>) including an empty hollow neural tube (<NUM>) formed therein; and
a crown (<NUM>) formed on top of the root canal (<NUM>), characterized in that
a paint based on an opaque material is applied to an inner surface of the neural tube (<NUM>) to form a coating layer (111a) so as to show the neural tube (<NUM>) formed inside the root canal (<NUM>) to the outside.