WO2003078741B1 - Device for securely fixing a prosthetic dental cap to the support thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is used to improve and secure the assembly of a prosthetic dental cap and the support thereof, whereby said two parts are nested together and, optionally, glued. The invention is characterised in that the contact surface between the two parts to be assembled is significantly increased by means of one or more complementary relief designs which form at least one set of alternating elements, namely convex and concave portions of surface or ridges, on the contact surface of each of the parts to be assembled. In this way, when the two parts are nested together, no gap exists between the two parts, either empty or filled with a cement or other substance which is malleable for assembly and subsequent hardening, except a possible housing for a fine layer of glue. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the contact surface between the two parts is a pyramid or a truncated pyramid with a star-shaped base, preferably comprising three or four arms. The invention also relates to parts which are fitted with the aforementioned relief designs in accordance with the invention, the method of fixing a cap to the support thereof using the inventive device, and the method of producing two parts consisting in using preforms and a computer-assisted design and production software program.

Claims

 MODIFIED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 24 October 2003 (24.10.03); claims 1-7-9 replaced by new claims, the remaining claims remaining unchanged. (2 pages) 1). Device for improving and securing the fixing of a dental prosthesis cap on its support characterized in that it is carried out by casing and possibly bonding on a contact surface representing a pyramid or truncated pyramid whose area has has been significantly increased by one or more complementary sculptures forming on the contact surface of each of the two parts to be assembled at least one alternation of elements, surface portions and edges, convex and concave so that, when the two pieces are nested, there is not between the two parts of other gap, which would remain empty or filled with cement or other material malleable to the assembly and hardening later, that the possible housing of a thin layer of glue. 2). Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the contact surface between the two parts, cap and support, is broken by at least one edge. 3). Device according to one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the contact surface of each of the two parts, the cap and its support, includes at least one projecting edge and a re-entrant edge. 4). Device according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that the contact surface between the two parts, cap and support, is that of a pyramid or a truncated pyramid whose base is star. 5). Device according to claim 4 characterized in that the star of the base of the pyramid or truncated pyramid is three or four branches. 6). Assembly consisting of the cap and its support, before or after their assembly, characterized in that it comprises at least one device according to one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. 7). Assembly according to Claim 6, characterized in that the contact surface of the support of the cap carries at least one element of 14 the assembly consisting of a protruding ridge, a re-entrant ridge, a projecting ridge and a re-entrant ridge, a relief pyramid whose base is in a star, a hollow pyramid whose base is in a star, a truncated pyramid of which the base is a star, a truncated truncated pyramid whose base is a star, a pyramid in relief whose base is a star with three branches, a hollow pyramid whose base is a star with three branches, a trunk of pyramid in relief whose base is a star with three branches, a truncated truncated pyramid whose base is a star with three branches, a pyramid in relief whose base is a star with four branches, a hollow pyramid whose base is a star with four branches, a truncated pyramid whose base is a four-pointed star, a truncated pyramid whose base is a star with four branches. 8). Element of the assembly consisting of an insulated cap and an insulated cap support characterized in that it constitutes a cap or a support of an assembly according to any one of claims 6 or 7. 9). A method of fixing a dental prosthesis cap on its support characterized in that it consists of a casing and optionally the application of a thin layer of adhesive and that it is improved by a device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. 10). A method of manufacturing the assembly consisting of a dental prosthesis cap and its support provided with the device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 characterized in that it includes the use of one of the elements of the set including the use of preforms and the use of computer-aided design and manufacturing software.