US2302376A - Method of and apparatus for use in carding artificial teeth - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17, 1942. s. MYERSON 2,302,376

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR USE IN CARDING ARTIFICIAL TEETH Filed Feb. 27, 1942 j j E E 0 O0 O0 00 I I I lulu- 6, g 9 7:5 @@M V Patented Nov. 17, 1942 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR USE IN CARDING ARTIFICIAL TEETH Simon Myerson, Brookline, Mass.

Application February 2'7, 19 1-2, Serial No. 432,650

14. Claims.

This invention pertains to dentistry, and relates more particularly to a novel method of carding artificial teeth to a predetermined position on a tooth holder, card or carrier, and to novel appliances for use in the practice of such method. The carrier is preferably of such construction that it may be attached to a platform or to an oral support or upon a dental model; for observation and determination for the purpose of selectoin of a set of teeth for the particular case in hand.

When the proper set of teeth has been selected the wax carrying the teeth may be separated from the carrier and positioned upon the model. While the forms herein described refer specifically to anterior teeth placed on an arch, it is obvious that it may be applied to posterior teeth and to carding in general.

One of the objects of this invention is to facilitate carding of teeth by the manufacturer in a precise and artistic manner without the need of special skill on the part of the operator. A further object is to provide appliances to facilitate such mode of assemblage of the carrier and the group of teeth and for the easy separation of the teeth as a group from the carrier without disturbing the relation of the teeth to each other.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter in the following detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tooth support useful .in the practice of the method of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, but showing teeth mounted in some of the cavities of the support;

Fig 3 is a section substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the support of Fig. 1, showing a set of anterior teeth mounted in the support;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one form of tooth card, holder or carrier useful in the practice of the present invention; I

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the carrier equipped with a body of plastic material;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic elevations, partly in section, illustrating successive steps in a preferred method of transferring teeth from the support of Fig. 1 to the tooth carrier, holder or card of Fig. 5;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the tooth carrier, holder or card of Fig, 5, with theteeth mounted thereon; r

Fig. 11 is a section on line I l -l I of Fig. 11;

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan view, partly in horizontal section, of a carrier with teeth mounted therein, generally similar to the arrangement of Fig, 11, but showings, reinforcing element embedded in the plastic material;

Fig. 13 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating a modified form of tooth support;

Fig, 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13, but showing a set of anterior teeth mounted in the support; 1 I

Fig. 15 is a section on the line |5-l 5 ofFig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a modified form of tooth card, holder orcarrier;

Fig. 17 is a plan view showing the carrier of Fig. 16 disposed above the support of Fig. 14 in readiness for transfer of the teeth;

Fig. 18 is a front elevation of the holder of Fig. 16 with the teeth attached thereto, the holder being mounted upon a shipping or display base; and

Fig, 19 is a rear or lingual holder of Fig. 18. a

Referring to the drawing,- the numeral I designates a jig or tooth support designed to receive a set of six anterior teeth. This support has a concave upper surface 2 which is furnished with a series of tooth-receiving cavities 3. As here illustrated, this support or jig l is a solid block of resiliently yieldable material, for example vulcanized rubber, although his contemplated that other appropriate materials may be used if desired. Moreover, instead of making the entire block of such resiliently yieldable material, the body of the block may, if desired, be of a substantially rigid material and the concavely curved surface 2 may be formed in a lining of appropriate thickness consisting of such elastically yieldable material. The yieldable. material is of such elasticity as to take care of such slight differences in size as usually occur in artificial teeth of the same mould number, and at the same time to offer a proper degree of retention for the teeth.

In preparing this support l, a set of teeth of the particular style or mould number which are to be carded on the carrier or holder must first be arranged in an arch on an appropriate mounting in such a way as to form a desirably artistic set-up or pattern with respect to this particular mould number. When the support is vulcanized so as to conform in shape to this predetermined elevation of the set-up or pattern, there results a relatively permanent, yielding jig or support for carding this particular mould number. Inasmuch as such jigs or supports are easily and very cheaply made, it is readily possible to make as many such support: or jigs as may be desired for each tooth mould used by the manufacturer. These supports or jigs are moulded in accordance with any usual method of moulding such materials as rubber, using the prepared set-up as a pattern, as already suggested.

Preferably, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the rubber support i is so moulded that at the edges of the cavities 3 or at one edge thereof, at least, the rubber forms a thin, resilient, inwardly directed tooth-retaining fin or lip designed to overlap the tooth to a slight extent. In Fig. 3 such a thin resilient fin or lip 5 is shown at the lower or incisal end of the cavity. These lips, fins or flaps overlap the tooth sufiiciently to hold the tooth in place in the cavity with slight retention so that the tooth will not be accidentally displaced, but without offering any substantial resistance to the intended removal of the tooth from the support.

Having prepared such a support or jig with its tooth-receiving cavities arranged in accordance with a predetermined artistic set-up of the particular type of tooth to be carded, it is merely necessary for the operator to pick up the teeth and fit them into the respective cavities of the mould; no skill being required in performing this operation other than that requisite to fit the teeth into the cavities, since the arch and relative arrangement of the cavities is such that the mere placing of the teeth therein insures an artistic arrangement of the teeth.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 there is illustrated one desirable form of tooth card, holder or carrier i, such card or carrier '3 consisting for example of a unitary moulded mass of a suitable plastic material, for example of vulcanized rubber, synthetic resin or the like, or, if preferred, it may be of metal. This carrier or holder 1, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, comprises an arcuate body portion having a convex forward or labial edge 8 and. is here shown as having a concave rear or lingual edge 9. As illustrated (Figs. 6 and 11 the body of this carrier is provided with an elongate channel or groove H in its convex edge 8, such channel being defined by divergent walls l2 and I3, here shown as forming a channel of more or less V-shape in section, although this channel may be of other transverse section, if desired, so long as it affords sufficient room for the body of tooth-retaining wax. The walls !2 and I3 of the carrier may be of any desired degree of divergence. Preferably, the arm I2 is a little longer than the arm 53 thereby to provide additional support for the tooth at the ridge lap (Fig. 11 although both arms may be of the same length if desired. The channel ii is of such width as may be deemed necessary for properly supporting the wax and the teeth mounted therein. Preferably this carrier is provided with a tab, tongue or stem l8 projecting from its rear or lingual surface. As here shown, this tongue or stem is integral with the body of the carrier.

In using the support I and the carrier 1 above described, the carrier is first provided with an elongate body [4 (Fig. '7) of a suitable plastic adhesive, such as dental wax, such body of plastic being filled into the channel l of the carrier and protruding forwardly from the channel 50 as to provide the required quantity of the material at the labial side of the carrier.

Assuming that teeth T have been placed in the cavities 3 of the J'ig or support I (Figs. 4 and 8) and that the plastic material Id has been placed in the carrier, the operator may seize the carrier by the tongue or tab ID and, with the plastic material directed downwardly, may press the latter against the exposed lingual surfaces of the teeth T in the jig or support (Fig. 9) until the lingual aspects of the teeth and the attaching pins 6 of the teeth are embedded in the plastic material.

Although the carrier may be caused to approach the support by a purely manual operation, it is possible to employ mechanical means for this purpose in order to assure accuracy of registry of the material M with the row of teeth without the necessity of using especial care. To this end a suitable press may be employed in the manner usual to stamping operations. Thereby great accuracy of registration between the carrier and the mould form may readily be secured.

After the pins or other attaching elements of the teeth have thus been embedded in or caused to adhere to the plastic I4, the carrier may be lifted (Fig. 10) from the support I, and in so doing all of the teeth will remain adherent to the plastic l4 and will thus be lifted with the carrier to which they are thus attached. In transferring the teeth from the support to the carrier, the relative arrangement of the teeth, as determined by the cavities 3 of the support, is in no way disturbed and the set of teeth, as mounted on the carrier, has the desired pre determined artistic arrangement. The carrier with the teeth thus mounted thereon is shown in front view in Fig. 11. As thus arranged and supported, the set of teeth may be placed within the mouth of a patient so as to exhibit to him the approximate appearance which they would have if so mounted in a denture. Moreover, the dentist, after thus determining by such trial the particular arrangements which are to be used in the denture, may separate the plastic M from the carrier 1 without disturbing the teeth and may then apply this body of plastic with its adherent teeth to a previously made model as a unit. The posterior teeth may now be waxed to the model in the usual manner and the model thus prepared, having the anterior teeth arranged in accordance with a predetermined artistic set-up, may now be subjected to the usual further steps in the preparation of a permanent denture.

To facilitate the removal of the body of plastic with the adherent teeth from the carrier 1, and at the same time to stiffen the plastic and thus decrease the danger of deforming it in handling, it is proposed to place a reinforcing element 46 (Fig. 12) within the channel H of the carrier, preferably at the inner portion of the channel, so that when the plastic M is filled into the channel, this reinforce element IE will be embedded in the plastic material. Preferably this reinforce I6 is a narrow elongate strand of a tough and strong material, preferably stiffly resilient, for example metal wire, and preferably one or both end portions H of this reinforce strand projects beyond the end of the channel H so that it is exposed after the plastic material has been filled into the channel.

After the teeth have been mounted in the plastic, the body of plastic with the adherent teeth may now readily be stripped from the carrier by seizing the projecting end I! of the reinforce member and exerting a forwardly directed force,

the plastic material or wax M is melted and removed during subsequent operations, thus permitting the reinforce member to be withdrawn without disturbing the teeth.

Referring'to Figs. 13' and 14, a modification of the above procedure is illustrated, such mo'dification having particular reference to the mounting of artificial teeth in a holder in such a manner as to provide a gum-simulating element designed to embrace and partially to conceal the necks of the teeth.

The support l illustrated in Figs. 13, 14 and 15,

is in general similar to the support I above described. In this instance, however, the concave surface 2 of the support is furnished with an elongate shallow recess [8 extending longitudinally of the row of cavities 3, the cavities overlapping or extending into the lower marginal portion of the recess It. The surface or wall of this recess I8 is contoured to impart a gumsimulating effect to plastic material pressed thereagainst.

In using this modified type of support, the operator first fills the recess l8 with a gum-simulating mass 19 (Figs. 14 and 15) of an appropriate plastic material, colored to resemble the gum. In

this instance this material may be dental wax or it may be a preformed shell of a substantially rigid plastic material, for example synthetic resin or vulcanized rubber, designed and previously prepared so as exactly to fill the recess 58. The teeth'T are then placed in the cavities 3 (Fig. 14.), it being noted that portions 20 of the plastic material l9 which fills the recess l8 extend downwardly between the neck portions of the adjacent teeth, as shown in Fig. 14.

For use in" association with this form of support thereis provided a carrier such as illustrated in Fig. 16. This carrier 2| has an elongate'body portion 22 of rigid material, for example moulded synthetic resin, having a convex forward surface closely complemental to the curvature of the surface 2 of the support. Preferably the carrier 2! has an integral rearwardly projecting tongue or stem 23 and the convex surface of this carrier is provided with a channel (more or less like the channel ll above described) extending longitudinally of the body portion, such channel being designed to receive and hold a body 26 of plastic material, such for example as dental wax. Preferably the opposite ends of the body portion of this carrier 2| are widened to provide upwardly directed, tapering, rigid cusps 21 which constitute backings for upwardly directed end portions of the body of plastic mate rial.

Having provided this carrier and mounted thereon the body 26 of plastic material, and having placed the teeth in the cavities of the jig or support l the teeth are transferred tothe carrier 2| in the same way (Fig. 1'7) as above described with reference to the carrier 1.

The completed holder is indicated in front elevation in Fig. 18 and in rear or lingual elevation in Fig. 19. Such holder, with the teeth mounted therein, may now be used as a shipping card for transferring teeth in properly designed arrangement from the manufacturer to the dentist or dental laboratory, the holder being mounted for this purpose, if desired, upon a rigid base 28 or the like (Fig. 18); it may be used for displaying teeth or in illustrating to a patient how a particular set and arrangement of teeth will appear in the final denture; or it may be connected to a part-tray in an appropriate'way so as to permit the taking of an impression while the teeth which are to be used in the denture are ctually in the patients mouth.

While certain desirable devices have herein been illustrated by way of example as useful in the practice of the processes here disclosed, and while certain desirable procedures and process steps have been described, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to these precise steps or to the particular appliances herein shown, but is to be regarded as broadly inclusive of any and all equivalents thereof.

I claim:

1. The method of mounting teeth upon a carrier by means of a body of tooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps disposing a set of teeth in a predetermined arrangement upon a resilient tooth-retaining support and transferring said teeth as a unit to the carrier by placing the carrier upon the support with plastic material intermediate the teeth and the carrier without disturbing the predetermined relative arrangement of the teeth.

2. That method of mounting teeth upon a carrier by means of a body of tooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps disposing a set of teeth in a predetermined relative arrange ment upon a durable yielding support, with the attaching means of the teeth exposed, moving the carrier toward the teeth until the attaching means of the teeth are embedded in the plastic material, and then removing the carrier with all of the teeth adherent thereto and adequately supported thereby.

3. That method of mounting teeth upon a carrier by means of a body of tooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps disposing a set of teeth in a predetermined relative arrangement upon a durable yielding support, with the attaching means of the teeth exposed, providing the carrier with a body of tooth-attaching plastic and embedding within said plastic a rigid plastic-removing piece, moving the carrier toward the teeth until the attaching means of the teeth are embedded in the plastic material, removing the carrier from the support with all of the teeth adherent to the carrier, and stripping the wax together with the rigid waxremoving piece and the adherent teeth, as a unit, from the carrier.

4. The method of mounting teeth upon a car rier by means of a body of tooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps disposing a set of teeth in a predetermined arrangement upon a resilient tooth-retaining support, transferring said teeth as a unit to the carrier by placing the carrier upon the support with plastic material intermediate the teeth and the carrier, without disturbing the predetermined relative arrangement of the teeth, and attaching the carrier with the teeth mounted thereon to a shipping base.

5. That method of mounting teeth upon a carrier by means of tooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps disposing a piece of gum-simulating material in position upon a tooth support, placing a set of teeth upon said support with the necks of the teeth anterior to said gumsimulating material and partially surrounded thereby, pressing the carrier upon the support with plastic material intermediate the teeth and the carrier, and removing the carrier from the support with the teeth and the gum-simulating material attached to the carrier in nature-simulating arrangement.

6. That method of carding artificial teeth which comprises providing a tooth support or jig having therein a series of cavities each shaped to receive and removably to hold, with slight retention, one of the respective teeth of a set, placing a tooth in each of said cavities sothat the attaching elements of the teeth are exposed, providing a tooth card having a body of tooth-attaching plastic, relatively moving the card and support until the attaching elements of the teeth are adhesively united to the body of plastic, and then separating the card and support thereby to transfer the teeth as a unit from the support to the card.

7. That method of mounting artificial teeth upon a curved card or holder provided with a body of tooth-attaching plastic, which comprises as steps providing a support having a concavely curved contour substantially complemental to the curvature of the tooth-receiving portion of the holder, said support including resilient means for removably retaining teeth in a predetermined relative arrangement, so engaging teeth with the retaining means of the support that the attaching elements of the teeth are exposed, relatively moving the support and the curved holder until the attaching elements of the teeth are engaged by the tooth-holding plastic of the holder, and separating the holder and support thereby to remove the teeth as a unit from the support without disturbing their relative arrangement.

8. That method of mounting artificial teeth upon a curved card or holder provided with a body of tooth-attaching plastic, which comprises as steps providing a support having a concavely curved contour substantially complemental to the curvature of the tooth-receiving portion of the holder, said support being resiliently yieldable and including means for removably retaining teeth in predetermined relative arrangement, so 7 engaging teeth with the retaining means of the support that the attaching elements of the teeth are exposed, relatively moving the holder and support toward each other until the tooth pins are embedded in the plastic carried by the holder, and then separating the holder and support thereby transferring the entire set of teeth as a unit to the holder.

9. That method of mounting teeth upon a substantially rigid elongate card or holder havinga channel containing tooth-attaching plastic, said method comprising as steps providing a resiliently yieldable support having a surface substantially complemental to the longitudinal contour of the channeled surface of the holder, said surface of the support having therein a series of cavities each shaped to hold, with slight retention, one of the respective teeth of the set, so placing a tooth in each of said cavities that the lingual surfaces of the teeth are exposed, the teeth of the set being thereby accurately located in predetermined relative arrangement, relatively moving the support and holder toward each other until the teeth contact with and adhere to the plastic carried by the holder, and then separating the holder and support thereby to transfer all of the teeth as a unit to the holder without disturbing said relative arrangement.

10. That method of carding artificial teeth which comprises as steps arranging teeth of a selected style upon a support in a row arched to a contour which provides a pleasing appearance as respects the particular style selected, temporarily securing the teeth to the support so as to maintain such arrangement, providing a tooth holder with a body of plastic adhesive, pressing said body of plastic adhesive against the teeth thereby to cause the teeth all to adhere to the holder without disturbing said relative arrangement, and separating the holder from the support thereby to transfer the teeth as a unit to the holder without disturbing said arrangement.

11. That method of mounting artificial teeth preparatory to use in a denture, which comprises as steps providing a substantially rigid carrier having therein an elongate channel, placing Within said channel a narrow, elongate, stifily resilient reinforce member, filling the channel with plastic adhesive in such a Way that the reinforce member is embedded in said plastic, disposing a set of teeth in a row in predetermined relative arrangement, causing said row of teeth to adhere as a unit to the exposed surface of the plastic in the carrier without disturbing the relative arrangement of the teeth, and thereafter stripping the reinforced plastic, with the teeth adherent thereto, as a unit from the carrier without substantially disturbing the relative arrangement of the teeth.

12. That method of mounting artificial teeth in a curved holder, which comprises as steps providing a concavely curved resilient support or jig having therein tooth-receiving cavities properly located for holding teeth in a predetermined relative arrangement, said support or jig also having therein a shallow, elongate recess extending transversely across the gingival ends of the several tooth-receiving cavities, disposing gum-simulating plastic material in said recess, disposing a tooth in each of said cavities, providing a substantially rigid carrier with an elongate body of plastic material, moving the carrier toward the support or jig thereby to cause the plastic material to engage and adhere to the several teeth and to merge with the gum-simulating plastic in said recess, and separating the holder from the support or jig, thereby transferring the gum-simulating plastic and the teeth to the holder with the gingival ends of the teeth disposed behind said gum-simulating plastic.

13. That method of carding artificial teeth which comprises as steps selecting the mould or style of tooth to be carded, preparing a pattern or set-up by arranging teeth of the selected mould or style so as to form an arch similar to that of the human gum ridge and with the teeth so selected disposed in a pleasing and natural arrangement, employing said pattern or set-up in forming a jig or support from molded resilient material, the jig or support having a concavely curved surface complemental to the arch of the pattern or set-up andhaving a series of cavities corresponding in size and relative arrangement to the teeth on the pattern or set-up, disposing individual artificial teeth of the selected mould or style in the respective cavities of the jig or support so that the attaching elements of the teeth are exposed, providing a card or carrier having a body of plastic adhesive, moving the card or carrier toward the jig or support so as to cause the plastic upon the carrier to adhere to the teeth, and separating the carrier from the support, thereby to transfer all the teeth as a unit from the support to the carrier.

14. A support or jig for use in mounting artificial teeth in a curved holder, said support being of vulcanized rubber and having a concave surface complemental to the curvature of the holder, said surface having therein a, series of tooth-receiving cavities designed and arranged to hold the teeth of a set in a definite predetermined relative arrangement, the material which constitutes said concave surface being so arranged as to provide a resilient lip overhanging a part, at least, of each tooth-receiving cavity and adapted, by engagement with a tooth disposed in said cavity, releasably to retain the tooth in place.

SIMON MYERSON.

Images