US4413979A — Preform for molding custom dental impression trays

Claim 1

Independent Claim 102 words

A dental tray for use in taking a dental impression comprising a thin planar sheet, said sheet being constructed of a material which is rigid at mouth temperature but which is pliant when heated to a predetermined temperature, and a handle protruding outwardly from one end of the sheet, wherein said dental tray is of a one-piece construction and includes a first elongated side and a second opposing, elongated side, said first and second sides extending asymmetrically from said handle, whereby said tray is reversible and can be used in taking a dental impression on all four quadrants of a human dentition.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 102 words

A dental tray for use in taking a dental impression comprising a thin planar sheet, said sheet being constructed of a material which is rigid at mouth temperature but which is pliant when heated to a predetermined temperature, and a handle protruding outwardly from one end of the sheet, wherein said dental tray is of a one-piece construction and includes a first elongated side and a second opposing, elongated side, said first and second sides extending asymmetrically from said handle, whereby said tray is reversible and can be used in taking a dental impression on all four quadrants of a human dentition.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 199 words

A preform for use in molding custom, partial, dentulous impression trays, comprising: a sheet formed of a thermoplastic having a hardening temperature above body temperatue and below about 160° F., the sheet having a central axis with an elongated handle formed at one end of the central axis, the central axis dividing the sheet into a first section having an edge contour adapted to extend along the buccal tissue of the patient when the sheet is bent into tray form and a second section asymmetrical with respect to the first section and having an edge contour adapted to mate with the lingual area of the patient when the sheet is bent into a dental impression tray, whereby the sheet may be formed into a custom dental impression tray adapted to fit either the maxillary left and the mandibular right of the patient or the maxillary right and the mandibular left of the patient by raising the sheet above its hardening temperature, bending the buccal and the lingual sections in a common direction about the central axis, the direction in which the sections are bent controlling the type of tray formed, and cooling the resulting tray below its hardening temperature.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 199 words

A preform for use in molding custom, partial, dentulous impression trays, comprising: a sheet formed of a thermoplastic having a hardening temperature above body temperatue and below about 160° F., the sheet having a central axis with an elongated handle formed at one end of the central axis, the central axis dividing the sheet into a first section having an edge contour adapted to extend along the buccal tissue of the patient when the sheet is bent into tray form and a second section asymmetrical with respect to the first section and having an edge contour adapted to mate with the lingual area of the patient when the sheet is bent into a dental impression tray, whereby the sheet may be formed into a custom dental impression tray adapted to fit either the maxillary left and the mandibular right of the patient or the maxillary right and the mandibular left of the patient by raising the sheet above its hardening temperature, bending the buccal and the lingual sections in a common direction about the central axis, the direction in which the sections are bent controlling the type of tray formed, and cooling the resulting tray below its hardening temperature.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

The preform of claim 2 in which the thermoplastic has a glass transition temperature above body temperature.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 67 words

The preform of claim 2 wherein the first and second sections of the tray have substantially uniform thickness and the section of the tray along the central axis has a greater thickness so as to form raised ridges along the central axis on both sides of the preform, whereby the first and second sections may be bent about the central ridge to form the partial impression tray.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

The impression tray of claim 2 wherein the partial section for which the preform may be formed into a custom tray constitutes a quadrant of the dental arch.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 39 words

The preform of claim 4 including sections of reduced thickness relative to the thickness of said first and second sections, extending along both edges of the central ridge to allow easy bending of the sections about the central axis.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 144 words

The method of forming a custom, quadrant, dentulous impression tray of either a first type which may be used with the maxillary left quadrant or the mandibular right quadrant or a second type that may be used with the maxillary right quadrant or the mandibular left quadrant, comprising: forming a planar preform of thermoplastic material having a hardening temperature above human body temperature and below about 160° F., the preform having a central axis with an elongated handle at one end, the axis dividing the preform into a pair of asymmetrical sections, one contoured to fit the buccal musculature and the other to fit the lingual musculature; heating the preform above its hardening temperature; bending both sections in the same direction, about the central axis, so that their ends extend generally parallel to one another; and cooling the formed tray below its hardening temperature.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 144 words

The method of forming a custom, quadrant, dentulous impression tray of either a first type which may be used with the maxillary left quadrant or the mandibular right quadrant or a second type that may be used with the maxillary right quadrant or the mandibular left quadrant, comprising: forming a planar preform of thermoplastic material having a hardening temperature above human body temperature and below about 160° F., the preform having a central axis with an elongated handle at one end, the axis dividing the preform into a pair of asymmetrical sections, one contoured to fit the buccal musculature and the other to fit the lingual musculature; heating the preform above its hardening temperature; bending both sections in the same direction, about the central axis, so that their ends extend generally parallel to one another; and cooling the formed tray below its hardening temperature.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 88 words

The method of claim 7 in which the preform, heated above its hardening temperature, is placed in the patient's mouth with the central axis aligned over the web of the ridge and the top surface of the teeth of the quadrant of the dental arch with which it is to be employed, and after the side sections are bent the tray is allowed to cool to body temperature in this position, whereby the side sections may be shaped to a form adapted to accommodate the dental arch section.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 8 in which the thermoplastic material has a glass transition temperature above body temperature and the formed preform is allowed to cool below the glass transition temperature before removal from the patient's mouth.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 7 in which the section of the tray along the central axis of the tray is thickened on both surfaces, relative to the side sections, and one of the resulting ridges is brought into alignment with the top surfaces of the teeth of the dentulous ridge.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-11-07	1987-05-09	1987-11-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-11-07	1991-05-09	1991-11-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-11-07	1995-05-09	1995-11-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Preform for molding custom dental impression trays

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