Importance

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Abstract

A dental impression tray includes a tray portion anatomically contoured to fit over at least a part of a patient's upper and/or lower dentition of which an impression is to be obtained. The tray portion is loaded with impression material and situated opposite to the desired dentition part whereupon the patient bites into the soft impression material to form an impression of the dentition in the material. The tray portion is defined by at least one wall on which a plurality of vertically extending adjacent ribs are integrally formed defining a plurality of channels therebetween into which the impression material flows. The ribs have a dovetail cross-section so that the channels narrow or converge in the inward direction, i.e. towards the interior of the tray portion, to prevent the impression material from separating from the side wall in the inward direction as well as spreading laterally as and after the impression is taken to thereby provide a precise impression of the dentition. Each rib may be provided with a lower surface situated within the tray portion under which the impression material flows when the tray is loaded with impression material to prevent the impression material from lifting out of the tray, i.e. moving in the vertical direction with respect to the side wall, when the teeth are removed from the impression material.

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First Claim