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  Dental impression tray with impression material retainerRelated Patent Categories: Dentistry, Apparatus, Having Static Product Shaping Surface (e.g., Mold), Intra-oralDental impression tray with impression material retainer description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050244783, Dental impression tray with impression material retainer. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/295,540, filed on Nov. 15, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/105,199, filed Mar. 25, 2002, which applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] The present invention relates generally to dental impression trays and, more specifically, to dental impression trays having a dental impression material retainer incorporated therein. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] EP 0 096 020 B1 discloses a dental impression tray comprising a trough for receiving dental impression material and a porous felt anchoring mat. The trough is provided on at least certain portions of its inside surface with the felt mat. The felt mat serves to hold the hardened impression material in the impression tray when the impression tray is removed from the jaw. The felt mat is made up of filaments which are distributed uniformly in all directions and which lie close to each other on the inside of the trough and are attached to the latter. The filaments are fixed to each other at their contact points so that a relatively stable three-dimensional network is formed. [0006] To use this known impression tray a flowable impression material is first introduced into the trough and then the tray is placed on the patient's jaw and pressed against the teeth. In this way, the impression material is pressed with relatively great force against the felt mat on the inside of the trough, with the result that it penetrates into the outer layer of the felt mat and the filaments of the latter become embedded in the impression material. [0007] One disadvantage of this known impression tray is that an impression material having a relatively high viscosity may penetrate only slightly into the felt mat. For this reason, only a few filaments located on the top of the felt mat may become embedded in the impression material and, as a consequence, may be easily torn out of the hardened impression material when the impression tray is removed from the jaw, because of the high tensile forces that occur during this procedure. [0008] The impression material may push down and compress even a thick felt mat so there will be only a limited penetration of the impression material around the filaments of a thick mat. There is a risk of the impression material detaching from the impression tray and losing its original shape, as a result of which the subsequent dental work loses out on accuracy of fit. [0009] It is further well known in the prior art to achieve a very good "retention capacity" (i.e., a measure of the bond strength between a dental impression material and a dental impression tray) by using a dental adhesive, for example a polyvinyl siloxane adhesive available from 3M ESPE AG, Germany, with a simple dental impression tray. The adhesive is first applied with a small brush to the inner surface of the trough. Then it must dry, typical drying times being between 3 and 6 minutes, and finally the impression material is introduced into the trough. This approach may provide a better retention capacity than the known dental impression tray described in EP 0 096 020 B1, but it requires the dental professional to perform the additional steps of applying an adhesive and waiting for the adhesive to dry. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The dental impression trays of the present invention provide both good retention capacity, and quick and easy handling for the dental professional. [0011] The dental impression trays of the present invention further provide impressions of good quality and precision. [0012] Dental impression trays according to the invention comprise: [0013] a trough for receiving dental impression material; and [0014] at least one retainer on at least one part of an inner surface of the trough, wherein each retainer comprises a plurality of anchoring elements, each of which comprises a first end, a second end, and an arc between the first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends of the anchoring elements are connected to the inner surface of the trough, and the arcs project from the inner surface of the trough. [0015] The term "arc" as used in the context of the present invention means that portion of an anchoring element that projects from the inner surface of the dental impression tray trough, irrespective of the shape of the arc. Since the arcs of the anchoring elements project from the inner surface of the trough, the dental impression material flows through, between and around the arcs when the dental impression material is introduced into the impression tray. Preferably, the arcs become embedded completely in the dental impression material as the impression material hardens. Good retention capacity is achieved as a result of this. [0016] The shape, the size and the material of the anchoring elements can easily be varied to fit different requirements and to adapt to particular circumstances. For example larger arcs can be used for higher viscosity impression materials than are used for lower viscosity impression materials. [0017] Further preferred features and embodiments of the invention are described in the claims. [0018] It is possible for the profile or cross section of the anchoring elements to be round, triangular, quadrangular and star-shaped. However, other profiles are also possible. [0019] In addition, it is possible for the profile or cross section of the anchoring elements to be elongate. [0020] In addition, the side elevation shape of the anchoring elements can be round, triangular or quadrangular. Other shapes are also possible. [0021] Furthermore, each anchoring element can be formed by a fiber which is connected at two sections, preferably at its two ends, to the inner surface of the trough. The term "fiber" as used in the context of the present invention signifies elongate structures in the most general sense. Preferably the fibers have a stiffness which is such that the fibers do not collapse in on themselves and do not lie more or less flat on the inner surface of the trough. Desirably the fibers provide arcs that project from the inner surface of the trough. [0022] In this case, it is possible for the fiber to form a closed arc. The term "closed arc" as used in the context of the present invention signifies a fiber whose two ends are connected to one another. Continue reading about Dental impression tray with impression material retainer... Full patent description for Dental impression tray with impression material retainer Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Dental impression tray with impression material retainer patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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