Denture measurement means
United States Patent 1 Seaman [451 Apr. 22, 1975 DENTURE MEASUREMENT MEANS [76] Inventor: Benjamin C. Seaman, 522  
 Richmond Rd., Richmond Heights. Ohio 44143 22 Filed: Nov. 8, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 413,843  
 [52] US. Cl. 32/71 [51] Int..Cl. A6lc 19/00 [58] Field of Search 32/60, 19, 71  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,654,387 12/1927 2,169,719 8/1939 Bush 2.789.353 4/1957 Biggs 32/71 Primary E.\&#39;aminerRobert Peshock [57] ABSTRACT There is disclosed a strip of material, having a plurality of segments, each segment adapted to conform to and be adhered to a bite block and placed in the mouth of a person, and which provides the basis for preparation of dentures, each segment having indicia thereon which will provide a record including the range of lip line, width and sizes of the anterior teeth. the cuspid positions and ultimate adjustment of posterior teeth and determination of the preferred composition thereof, facilitating duplication of these elements in dentures to be produced in accordance therewith.  
 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures DENTURE MEASUREMENT MEANS OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It&#39; is a principal object of this invention to provide a means for recording denture measurements, which are desirable for use in conjunction with a bite block, which is in turn used as a basis for the preparation of dentures, this being in the form of a strip of material having a series of identical segments upon which indicia are printed and providing for indication of various positions in respect to the teeth to be included in the denture.  
  A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of recording means, which may be removed from a strip and adhered to a bite block whilst the bite block is in place in the mouth of the person who is being fitted with dentures, the strip making possible the indication thereon of the width of the anterior teeth, the location of the frenum muscle position, the size and position of the cuspids, and the position and form of the posterior teeth which will be determinative of the type of material from which the same are usually to be made.  
  Another object of the invention is to provide a strip of material whose segments are individually severable and provided with symetrically arranged indicia, the placement of the segment upon the bite block and adherence thereto making possible the perforation of the segment so as to make a permanent record of the width of the one by six anterior teeth, the lip line position, the type and form of the posterior as well as anterior teeth, all to the end of making more realistic dentures in accordance with desired modern practice.  
  Other and further objects of the invention will be understood from a consideration of the specification appended hereto and disclosed in the drawing wherein:  
  FIG. 1 is a front view in elevation of the model portion of an articulator unit wherein the gum portion thereof is duplicative of the mouth of a person who is being fitted with dentures.  
  FIG. 2 is a front view of a bite block adapted to fit over the model portion of FIG. 1, and providing the basis for subsequent use as the location of the segment upon which the permanent record is to be made.  
  FIG. 3 is a side view of the bite block as shown in FIG. 2.  
  FIG. 4 shows a bite block with the measurement means of this invention applied thereto in the form of a segment of a strip of material, having the indicia thereon.  
  FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the segment of the strip showing in greater detail the various indicia which are used and provide the basis for duplication and ultimate formation of the dentures.  
  FIG. 6 is a view in front elevation, showing the model portion of the articulator with the bite block applied thereto and the area of the so-called one by six anterior teeth after the same have been located on the bite block and having been measured by the means of this invention.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1, the model which provides the basic means for making dentures ultimately, is in reality a replica of the gum portion of the patient, and in this case the upper jaw is used as an example for this invention with the part of the model which is normally affixed to an articulator being designated 1, and the gum portion therebelow indicated at 2.  
  It will be appreciated that the dentist in the first place makes an impression of the gums and in turn makes the plaster casting which is denoted the model in this description and in common usage in the dental art.  
  With the model made, the same is forwarded to a dental laboratory, and this laboratory in turn makes what is known as a bite block, generally shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, as comprising a hard plastic portion 3 which conforms to the roof of the mouth and surrounds the gums in large part, with the lower edge portion thereof being made of a suitable wax material suggested at 4 which will in turn make it possible to provide indications for positions of teeth and the type and sizes thereof.  
  With the foregoing in mind, it will thus be appreciated that the so-called bite block is in essence a substitute for the tooth portion of a normal person, prior to the making of the ultimate form of denture for replacing the teeth removed therefor.  
  In order to assist the dentist in providing the laboratory with better indication of the form and position of teeth, as well as the location of the same, this invention is provided, and as indicated in FIG. 5, comprises a segment generally denoted at 5 which is part of a strip of material generally denoted at 6 in dotted lines for the purposes of this description, but indicative of the width of the strip and the general relationship thereof and the segment 5 which is a part of such strip.  
  It is intended that the strip of material can be supplied so that the individual segments 5 are duplicated therealong, and these segments in turn are provided with adhesive at the rear faces thereof, for application of the segment to the bite block along the lines suggested in FIG. 4, with portions not required for use, being removable at the perforation 6a, 6b and 6c.  
  The segments are, as suggested hereinbefore, provided in each case with indicia, the indicia along the axis center line 7 which extends substantially vertical of the segment 5, to provide for an indication of the location of the so-called lip line, both high and low, which is generally in the area of the frenum muscle, in this case the various indicia such as 5, 10 and 15 with the small marks extending transversely of the axis or line 7 being arranged so that they can be used for those purposes.  
 &#39; location of the teeth as applied to the body of the denture, or plate, these indicia such as 5, 10, 15 etc. being arranged symmetrically at opposite sides of the line 7 for purposes which will now appear.  
  It is explained that the so-called anterior teeth, usually the designation being a one by six set will extend, for example, to the indicia 15 at the left-hand portion of the segment 5, and to the indicia 17 at the right thereof.  
  This will define the width of the one by six anterior teeth and in order to indicate this, it being understood that the segment is placed over the bite block of FIG. 2 and 3 in the manner shown in FIG. 4, by the application of a stylus at the indicia 15 as suggested by the round hole A for the left-hand area as viewed in the FIG. 5 disclosure, this being the right-hand side of the person whose denture is being formed, the indicia at 17 being indicated by the perforation at B on the right of the segment in FIG. 5 disclosure.  
  This will determine the total width of the one by six anterior teeth, and facilitate the selection of the same and location desired.  
  Since this segment 5 will be in the mouth of the patient while the dentist is making the perforations, the perforation may be made for the lip line and in this case we will assume that it will be made by a perforation at the point 9 on the vertical line 7, this being denoted C. This will be the high lip line so-called, and is intended to be at the maximum opening of the lips, and thus the maximum exposure of the teeth applied to the denture,  
  It will be seen in this case that the dentist would have indicated the lip line center location at or about the frenum muscle as being slightly toward the right of center, FIG. 5 being referred to at this point.  
  The denture teeth may be made of different materials depending upon the preference of the patient and the dentist, as well as the lengths thereof and the amount of material in the bite block. Porcelain teeth for example, are necessarily equipped with peg-like protrusions by which the same are maintained in the plastic plate by what may be termed a mechanical connection, and since it is often necessary to grind that portion, here designated the mounting portion, in the area of or adjacent such protrusions of these teeth, the indication of the mounting portion thereof as falling within the socalled porcelain zone, denoted by the circle at J, below the indicia D, will permit such teeth to be used since they are not required to be ground as much, if at all, as would otherwise be the case if the said mounting portions of the teeth were necessary to be located above the indicia D.  
  If the mounting portions are to be located above D, it is usually preferred to use acrylic teeth in the area within the circle K since such teeth may be ground, and since they do not have the pegs thereon which might be ground off, and thus permit the artificial teeth to become disengaged from the basic plate material itself.  
  This is not critical where acrylic teeth are used, since even if the mounting portions are severely ground to provide the proper appearance for the dentures, since the acrylic teeth are virtually integrated with the acrylic backing providing the plate portion when the plate is prepared, and they will be held in place securely without the mechanical interlock necessary with porcelain teeth.  
  To this end therefore, the dentist will mark the portion on tne indicia at the ends of the segment 5 by perforating along the indicia above that indicated at D for example by the perforation E, indicating acrylic teeth should be used.  
  This will be duplicated at the opposite side, and in this instance we will assume that the perforation F will indicate the area of the mounting portions of the anterior teeth at the side, suggesting that acrylic teeth will best be used because of the necessity to grind them off above the porcelain zone.  
  Further in this connection, the cuspid sizes and position are usually determinative of the width of the anterior teeth, and thus the indicia along thehorizontal line between the extremities of the one by six set of anterior teeth and the numerals 30 are provided, and the stylus will be used at positions suggested by the letters G and H.  
  This is necessarily a question of judgement on the part of the dentist, as to whether to widen the anterior teeth or not to do so, and thus indicate to the laboratory whether the dentist wishes the teeth to be widened to a certain extent that is, the six anterior teeth or whether the cuspids will be disclosed in the mouth corners.  
  In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that a segment such as 5 equipped with the various indicia thereon symmetrically arranged and provided ultimately with the indications by perforation therein of the location of various aspects of tooth location and lip positions, will enable the dentist to more accurately provide the ultimate in dentures, the strip serving as a permanent record if the dentist desires, or the same being disposed of if found no longer useful.  
  Of course, the fact that strips 6 including the segments 5 can be made in a sterile condition for application, is a decided advantage and the fact that each segment is for an individual, is important for record as well as handling purposes.  
  The type of material from which the strip is formed is not controlling, but may be a waterproof material which will readily be adhered to the bite block in the manner and used as described herein.  
 I claim:  
  1. In denture measurement means of the class described, in combination, a strip of material divided into individual substantially identical segments, severable for separate use, each such segment including sets of indicia on the face thereof designating a range of lip line, anterior teeth width, cuspid positions, together with areas and indicia determinative of the composition from which the posterior teeth may be made and the size thereof.  
  2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicia are symmetrically arranged about a first line denoting the central frontal axis of a denture.  
  3. The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein the central axis is substantially vertical, certain of the indicia being located therealong, other of the indicia being located along a substantially horizontal line extending oppositely from the first line, generally conforming to the incisal edges of the one by six anterior teeth, whereby the width of said group of teeth may be indicated on said line.  
  4. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the segment of material is formed to overlie and generally conform to the portion of a bite block which will in turn provide for anterior teeth position, form and size indication, said strip having suitable adhesive thereon to maintain the segment inplace on such bite block, the lip line indicia extending upwardly along a first line about centrally of said strip, the incisal edge indicia lying along a generally horizontal line extending at about a right angle to said first line, said horizontal line likewise providing indicia for mouth corner indication, and tooth composition indicia being provided along the opposite extremities of said segment.  
  5. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the strip is comprised of material facilitating perforarecord of the position and relationships of teeth to be incorporated in a denture.