Importance

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Abstract

A method of making a dental prosthesis in which data representing standard tooth shapes and sizes, relationships between teeth and adjacent and occlusive teeth and characteristics for securing a prosthesis to a prepared site, and machining instructions for shaping a blank to the configuration of a dental prosthesis for direct implantation are stored in a computer memory. After preparing a site in the mouth of a patient to receive a dental prosthesis, the dental surgeon projects optically a grating upon said site in the mouth of the patient and generates an interference pattern representing a holistic impression of said site and its relationship to adjacent structures. The interference pattern is converted into data along x,y,z coordinates in a cartesian coordinate system representing machining of a blank to fit said site and matching data obtained by comparing the impression with the computer standards are used to select a best-fit shape and size. A machine tool is numerically controlled with the x,y,z coordinate data and x,y,z coordinate data from the match made by the computer and representing the shape and size of the prosthesis to totally and three-dimensionally fabricate said prosthesis in said machine tool.

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First Claim