Patent ID: 8177557

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a prefabricated dental bridge, the method comprising: forming a unitary dental bridge framework connectable to at least two abutment teeth, each abutment tooth having a tooth occlusal surface, forming the unitary dental bridge framework including forming a structural portion extending along an axis and having a width transverse to the axis and a length along the axis, the length being greater than the width, the structural portion having a first end and an opposite, second end, the first end being connectable to one abutment tooth and the second end being connectable to another abutment tooth, the structural portion having a first surface oriented toward the tooth occlusal surface and an opposite, second surface, forming a truss portion integrally with the structural portion and depending from the second surface of the structural portion, the truss portion being positioned along the length of the structural portion spaced from the first end and from the second end, a first portion of the length of the structural portion being defined between the truss portion and the first end and a second portion of the length of the structural portion being defined between the truss portion and the second end, forming a first slot in the first portion of the length, the first slot extending along the axis and from the second surface toward the first surface, the first slot having opposite side walls, forming a second slot in the second portion of the length, the second slot extending along the axis and from the second surface toward the first surface, the second slot having opposite side walls, and forming a plurality of openings extending through the structural portion transverse to the axis and from the first surface toward the second surface, the plurality of openings being spaced from the truss portion along the length of the structural portion, at least one of the plurality of openings being formed in the first portion of the length of the structural portion, at least another of the plurality of openings being formed in the second portion of the length of the structural portion; and forming a pontic on the dental bridge framework.