A fixture (10) to be embedded in a bone (H), comprising: a fixture body (11) through which a central hole (13) penetrates over the entire length thereof; and a cap body (21) which closes an opening on a root end side of the central hole (13). The cap body (21) has a first shaft section (24) to be fitted into the central hole (13). The central hole (13) has a first tapered hole section (14) which decreases in diameter from the root end side toward a top end side, and the cap body (21) has a first tapered shaft section (25) to be fitted into the first tapered hole section (14).

Casting jigs, methods, and kits that may be used in manufacture of anatomical healing caps. A casting jig may include a body having one or more wells within the body, each well being open at a proximal end thereof and having a negative shape corresponding to an anatomical healing cuff body of a given tooth position. The casting jig includes an opening through the bottom surface through which an elongate handle may be inserted, allowing a temporary abutment to be coupled into the distal end of the elongate handle, so that the abutment is disposed in the well, held in place by the handle, as it is used as a core about which the anatomical healing cuff body is formed. A crown forming jig for forming an inexpensive, chair-side prepared bis-acrylic temporary crown that may be easily and quickly installed over the anatomical healing cuff body is also disclosed.

A dental insert consists of a spherical body of a medical grade elastomer. The body has a circumference with a plurality of outwardly extending projections of uniform size and shape distributed evenly about the circumference. The body is not more than 10 mm in diameter, as measured from an outer extremity of the projections. This dental insert has application in implant dentistry and endodontics.

A partially customizable single-piece dental implant includes a preformed bone-anchorage component and an abutment component that is custom milled from a block either preoperatively, (i.e., Process A) or intraoperatively, (i.e., Process B). In Process A, the planned abutment shape is designed by a computer-aided design (CAD) software based on a computerized tomographic scan and other patient data. Alternatively, under Process B, the position of the planned implant with respect to the alveolus is digitally captured (e.g., by an optical impression device or an intraoperative computerized tomographic scan). In both Process A and Process B, a blank implant having the millable block is held to allow a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) machine to customize the abutment component, as well as part of the bone-anchorage component. The resultant dental implant is then inserted in the alveolus and either a provisional or permanent prosthesis can then be immediately loaded on the implant.

Methods, devices, systems, and series of appliances are provided for dental implant positioning. One method for positioning an implant with dental treatment includes determining an implant location based on a virtual model of an optimized dental occlusion, moving one or more teeth using a first number of a series of dental appliances, from a first orientation to a second orientation, the second orientation exposing the implant location, placing an implant at the exposed implant location using a landmark included in at least one of the series of dental appliances, repositioning one or more teeth using a second number of the series of dental appliances, from the second orientation to a successive orientation.

Dental implants including radiopaque markers provided therein or thereon. The implant may also include customizable length characteristics. For example, a kit may include implants with different diameters (e.g., 3 diameters), where all of the implants are of a single (e.g., long) length. The appropriate diameter implant may be selected from the kit by the practitioner, and the long length implant may be cut (e.g., with a dental drill) to the appropriate length needed. The implants include radiopaque markers on or within the implant. For example, three series of markers may be provided on different faces of the implant, so that the three series of markers serve as reference points when scanning, allowing triangulation of the exact position of the implant in relation to the surrounding hard and soft oral tissues.

A pontic device for preserving soft tissue in a tooth-extraction site includes a generally curved apical end. The apical end has a first perimeter and is configured to rest in a tooth extraction socket and substantially conform to soft tissue of a tooth-extraction site immediately after a tooth has been extracted. The pontic device further includes an opposing, generally concave coronal end. The coronal end has a second perimeter that is configured to substantially correspond to and form a seal with gingival tissue surrounding the tooth-extraction site. The coronal end is configured to receive a tooth-shaped coronal pontic portion to form a final restoration.

The invention discloses a modular surgical bone screw assembly having a threaded base portion and a screw head adapted to attach a variety of structures to bone. The features of the screw include a modular design for the assembly that separates the function of anchorage to the recipient bone to one of the modules of the device (threaded portion) from the other function of attaching another element (such as bone block, membrane, orthodontic wires, elastics etc) to a second module (the screw head). The design also allows the head to be exchanged after the implant has been placed.

Methods, devices, systems, and series of appliances are provided for dental implant positioning. One method for positioning an implant with dental treatment includes determining an implant location based on a virtual model of an optimized dental occlusion, moving one or more teeth using a first number of a series of dental appliances, from a first orientation to a second orientation, the second orientation exposing the implant location, placing an implant at the exposed implant location using a landmark included in at least one of the series of dental appliances, repositioning one or more teeth using a second number of the series of dental appliances, from the second orientation to a successive orientation.

In a method for optical recording of the surface geometry of gums, an object with known surface geometry, in particular a gingiva former, is located in the region of the gum to be recorded. A surface geometry of the region is recorded optically together with the object and the known surface geometry of the object is subtracted from the recorded surface geometry.