Occlusal wear evaluation apparatus and occlusal wear evaluation method

摘要

An occlusal wear evaluation apparatus capable of quantitatively evaluating an occlusal wear of a used denture reads three dimensional data of the denture before use and three dimensional data of the denture after use. The apparatus calculates a difference in a set value of an articulator allowing a maxillary dental arch and a mandibular dental arch of the denture to occlude between the denture before use and the denture after use, by way of simulating movements of a jaw in the articulator with the three dimensional data of the denture before use and the three dimensional data of the denture after use, and indicates the calculated difference.

主权项

1. A denture occlusal wear evaluation method for evaluating a denture by a comparison between the denture before being used by a person and the denture after being used by the person, said wear evaluation method comprising:
first receiving three dimensional data of the denture before use; first simulating movements of a jaw in an articulator with the three dimensional data of the denture before use so that a first set of values in the articulator are calculated, wherein the first set of values includes at least one of a distance between condyle paths, a distance between a maxillary dental arch and a mandibular dental arch, an inclination of a sagittal condylar path, an angle of a balancing side lateral condylar path, an amount of an immediate side shift, an angle of a working side lateral condylar path, an inclination of a sagittal incisal path, and a guidance angle of a lateral incisal path; second receiving three dimensional data of the denture after use; second simulating movements of a jaw in an articulator with the three dimensional data of the denture after use so that a second set of values in the articulator are calculated, wherein the second set of values includes at least one of a distance between condyle paths, a distance between a maxillary dental arch and a mandibular dental arch, an inclination of a sagittal condylar path, an angle of a balancing side lateral condylar path, an amount of an immediate side shift, an angle of a working side lateral condylar path, an inclination of a sagittal incisal path, and a guidance angle of a lateral incisal path; calculating differences between the first set of values and the second set of values; and displaying the calculated differences, wherein each of said first simulating and said second simulating includes calculating a volume of the denture, and wherein the displaying includes indicating the volume calculated by said calculating.