Packaging systems for dental implants and methods for implanting a packaged implant are provided herein. The packaging system includes a housing and a cap forming an enclosure for a dental implant and corresponding healing screw. The housing includes a first and second base portion that interact with a platform that receives a portion of the dental implant to present the dental implant to a user during use.

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.

Methods and dental prosthetics for providing soft tissue adhesion to a temporary healing abutment, or other dental prosthetic (e.g., temporary or permanent). Existing prosthetics generally do not provide any significant adhesion of the soft tissue surrounding the prosthetic, to the outer surface of the prosthetic itself. Because of the presence of gaps between such structures, or simple non-adhesion even where the structures may touch (but be free and unattached relative to one another), there is a tendency for pathogenic microbes to enter into such space between the structures, and for the soft gingival tissue to recede, particularly in patients with “thin” type periodontal tissue. The present disclosure provides materials and/or surface treatment (e.g., texturing) that ensures good bonding between the prosthetic and the soft tissue, reducing risk of infection, and reducing undesirable gingival recession surrounding the prosthetic anchored on a dental implant.

The invention relates to magnesium screws and screw-like devices for dental implant surgery and, more particularly, to magnesium and magnesium-based tenting devices for implementation in periosteal and gingival tissue overlying an alveolar ridge of a mandible or maxilla to provide vertical ridge augmentation, i.e., bone regeneration. The tenting devices may be composed of magnesium in dry form, such as metallic magnesium and salts thereof; or magnesium alloy including magnesium in dry form and at least one alloying element or compound; or magnesium-polymer composite including magnesium in dry form and at least one polymer.

The method of detection of positioning of a dental implant for dental restoration involves taking a manual or digital impression of the buccal space, including a cicatrisation element secured to the implant and having an emergent surface outside the gum, and automatically detecting the positioning of the implant by identifying (i) the axis of the implant corresponding to an axis of the cicatrisation element identified by the geometry of the emergent surface or association with a cicatrisation element memorized in a database; (ii) the orientation of the implant by the orientation of the emergent surface or association with a cicatrisation element memorized in a database; and/or (iii) the height of the implant by the height of the cicatrisation element, for example based on a color or an indicator of the emergent surface or association with a cicatrisation element memorized in a database.

Methods for manufacturing anatomical healing caps, including forming an anatomical healing cuff body for a given tooth position, the anatomical healing cuff body having a cross-section and an exterior surface so that the anatomical healing cuff body provides substantially custom filling of at least an emergence portion of a void where a natural tooth once emerged from the void or where a tooth would have emerged from a void of the given tooth position, and forming both lateral buccal and lingual handle extensions extending from the anatomical healing cuff body so that the manufactured anatomical healing cap includes a laterally extending buccal handle extension and an oppositely disposed laterally extending lingual handle extension, the buccal and lingual handle extensions being integrally formed with the healing cuff body. The healing caps can be formed using a casting jig, by machining, by 3D printing, or other suitable methods.

A dental implant assembly containing an integrally-formed universal abutment which has a top section, a bottom section integrally joined to the top section, and a passageway extending through these sections. The passageway is formed by different size bores, initially a larger size than decrease in size. The top section of the abutment has a cross-sectional shape substantially like a polygon; the shape is formed by alternating linear and arcuate walls joining to a bottom section having a cross-sectional shape substantially like a polygon.

An anatomical healing abutment is configured to connect to a dental implant. The healing abutment has a body portion which includes at least three reference marks that provide data to orient the connection axis of the abutment with the that of the dental implant so that certain conventional steps, including healing abutment manipulation, multiple scans, and the taking of impressions, can be eliminated, thereby saving time and effort on the part of the practitioner.

A scan body with healing abutment for coupling to an implanted dental component includes: a scannable portion; a healing abutment portion; and a skirt positioned between the scannable portion and the healing abutment portion, the skirt having an upper surface containing scannable indicia. The scannable portion is positioned at an apical end of the healing abutment portion and comprises a tapered body; and the healing abutment portion comprises a lower surface of the skirt and a tapered hollow cuff extending from the lower surface of the skirt toward a distal end.

A temporary alignment system, methods, and accessories for holding a dental coping to an implant abutment using a separable fastener using the same threads in the implant abutment used for definitive attachment are disclosed. The disclosed temporary fasteners initially orient and hold a coping against an implant abutment with a force along the same axis as the semi-definitive screw. The aligned coping can be picked-up in a closed-tray impression process without unscrewing the temporary fastener. Embodiments include threaded posts that release copings from the implant abutment through axial forces. Some embodiments include a threaded post with separable cap that is picked-up with the coping. Methods and accessories for using the separable fastener assembly or portions of it during conversion of an existing prosthesis for screw attachment or fabrication and fitting of a new prosthesis are described.