Abstract
In a method and system for producing an implant, the latter is designed with one or more surfaces extending in the longitudinal direction of the implant. Two or three production stages can be used. In one stage, either a topography with a long wave pattern is produced by means of cutting work, or laser bombardment or further cutting work is used to produce a topography with an intermediate-length wave pattern. In addition, an oxidation process or shot-peening or etching is used to produce an outer layer. When using two of said production stages, said cutting work or said laser bombardment or further cutting work is followed by the oxidation process or the shot-peening or etching method. When using all three production stages, cutting work is followed by laser bombardment, or further cutting work, which in turn is followed for example by the oxidation process. The invention also relates to an implant which is produced using the method and is identified, ordered and produced using the system. The invention permits effective treatment of different implant situations.
Claims
1. A system for providing an implant or implants for different treatment situations, the system comprising: a first member for identification and analysis of a hardness of a bone part; a second member for transmitting information related to the identification and analysis of the bone part; and a third member that produces an implant with a surface treatment based upon the information related to the identification and analysis of the hardness of the bone part, wherein the third member produces different surface treatments on the implant corresponding to the identification and analysis of the hardness of the bone part.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the different surface treatments comprise different wave patterns on a dental implant.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first member is configured to identify hard, medium and soft bone parts.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein different surface treatments correspond to hard, medium and soft bone parts.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the different surface treatments comprise different wave patterns on a dental implant.
Description
(1) A presently proposed method, implant and system according to the invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings, in which
(2) FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation, on an enlarged scale, of parts of a first underlying wave pattern which has been obtained by means of cutting work,
(3) FIG. 1a shows a diagrammatic representation of a second wave pattern, enlarged in relation to FIG. 1 and obtained by laser bombardment,
(4) FIG. 1b shows a diagrammatic representation, enlarged in relation to FIGS. 1 and 1a, of a layer which is obtained by means of oxidation,
(5) FIG. 1c shows, in longitudinal section, parts of a threaded implant with troughs and peaks,
(6) FIG. 2 shows, in vertical cross section, an implant in a partially indicated jaw bone,
(7) FIG. 3 shows, in a vertical view, parts of an outer thread of an implant, the outer surface of the thread being designed with underlying troughs covered with an intermediate wave pattern obtained by laser bombardment, and an oxide layer applied on top of the last-mentioned wave pattern,
(8) FIG. 4 shows, in a vertical view, and enlarged in relation to FIG. 1, parts of an outer thread of an implant arranged under an intermediate wave pattern established by laser bombardment, and an oxide layer applied on top of said pattern,
(9) FIG. 5 shows, in a vertical view, at another scale, a wave pattern with a wave height or wave depth of ca. 75 μm,
(10) FIG. 6 shows, in a vertical view, a wave pattern obtained by cutting work and trough depths of 125 μm and outer covering in the form of an oxide layer,
(11) FIG. 7 shows, in a perspective view obliquely from outside, a first embodiment of an oxide layer lying on top,
(12) FIG. 8 shows, in block diagram form, different wave pattern combinations,
(13) FIG. 9 shows a system for assigning wave patterns to different bone parts in the jaw bone and members for identification, transfer and production of implants.
(14) In FIG. 1, an outer part of a thread of an implant is shown by 1. The surface comprises a base structure which is produced in a known manner by cutting work, for example by turning, milling or shot-peening. The base structure is designed with an underlying wave pattern with long waves. The wave length A is chosen in the range of 75 to 250 μm. The outer surface 1 is rippled or undulated with a second wave pattern 3 which has been shown separately and enlarged in FIG. 1a in relation to FIG. 1. The wave length B for the waves or peaks in the second pattern is chosen in the range of 50 to 100 μm, and the waves are joined via troughs or depressions 4. This intermediate layer is obtained by laser application. In the illustrative embodiment according to FIGS. 1, 1a and 1b, the rippled outer surface 3 is in turn provided with an outer layer which consists of an oxide layer 5 shown separately in FIG. 5 and greatly enlarged in relation to FIG. 1b. The trough depth C in the wave pattern 1 can be chosen in the range of 25 to 200 μm, preferably 75 to 150 μm. The wave pattern according to FIG. 1 can be substantially regular or slightly irregular and can be regarded as extending along the main longitudinal direction of the implant, i.e. in a direction parallel to the main direction and indicated by an arrow 6. The course continues along the outer surfaces of the threads, i.e. in a slight zigzag formation along its length. The wave shape can also extend along threaded or unthreaded cone-shaped surfaces.
(15) The wave pattern according to FIG. 1a can have a course substantially corresponding to that of the underlying pattern or can differ from the latter's course. The trough depth D in this pattern can be chosen in the range of 10 to 75 μm.
(16) The oxide layer 5 according to FIG. 1b can be chosen and constructed using a known technique. In one embodiment, the wave pattern 5 can be irregular. The pore depth F can be varied and chosen in the range of 0.01 to 10 μm, preferably 2 to 4 μm.
(17) The invention can be applied to implants 7 in dental situations, for example in connection with the jaw bone 8, which in FIG. 2 has been shown with the trabecular part 8 and the cortical part 9. The implant has one or more outer threads 7a and a part 7b emerging from the upper surface 9b of the jaw bone 9a. A prosthetic structure which can be anchored on the implant is shown symbolically by 10. Different wave pattern combinations can be used on the thread surface(s) and on the outer surface 7b′ of the emerging part 7b, the last-mentioned surface preferably being designed with wave patterns giving a slight surface irregularity in order to counteract bacterial accumulation during the process of tissue incorporation. The longitudinal axis of the implant is shown by 7c.
(18) FIG. 3 shows a topography based on a pattern and layer combination, with an underlying wave pattern with long waves 11 having intermediate troughs 12 with depths of about 75 μm. The troughs extend substantially parallel on the threads and follow their pitch in the main longitudinal direction of the implant. The pattern and layer combination has been indicated by 13 and can also include an intermediate wave pattern (see FIGS. 1, 1a and 1b) with intermediate-length waves or short waves obtained by means of laser equipment. An oxide layer lying on top can also be provided.
(19) FIG. 4 is intended to show a pattern combination which is based on intermediate-length waves obtained by laser bombardment and a top oxide layer obtained by an oxidation process.
(20) FIGS. 5 and 6 are intended to illustrate a wave pattern with long waves obtained by machining and with 75 μm trough depth, and a pattern and layer combination with a machined (turned) wave pattern with 125 μm troughs and covered with oxide layer.
(21) The form of an oxide layer 14 has been shown in more detail in FIG. 7. The oxide layer follows the shape of the underlying wave pattern, i.e. the pattern shape which has been shown by 15. A pore and ridge arrangement which is known per se is present on the top face of the layer.
(22) FIG. 8 shows a number of pattern and layer combinations which have different properties. A first pattern combination 16 includes a long wave topography which has been obtained by means of machining and production of troughs of 75 μm in accordance with the above. The long wave topography serves as an underlying wave pattern, on which an oxide layer has been applied with the aid of an oxidation process, which can be of a type known per se, cf. the references mentioned in the introduction.
(23) In a second pattern combination 17, a double wave topography is used which comprises a wave pattern with intermediate-length waves. This wave pattern can be formed in a manner known per se with the aid of laser equipment, by means of which the implant outer surface or thread outer surface in question is bombarded. In this case, on the pattern with intermediate-length waves, an oxide layer is arranged which is applied in a manner known per se using an oxidation process.
(24) A further topography arrangement is shown by 18. In this case, the original surface of the implant or its thread has been produced by cutting work, for example turning, milling or shot-peening, so that a long wave pattern with troughs of 75 μm is formed. A wave pattern lying in between with an intermediate-length topography, which is obtained for example by said laser bombardment, is arranged on the first wave pattern. An oxide layer is in turn arranged on said layer lying in between.
(25) In FIG. 9, an upper jaw is indicated by 19 and a lower jaw by 20. In the figure, teeth have been indicated by 21 and 22, respectively. The jaw bone in question can comprise different parts 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d and 19e. The different parts have different degrees of hardness and, when being provided with implants, they should be treated differently in order in each case to achieve a satisfactory implantation result.
(26) Thus, the hard part 19a requires an implant with a lower Ra value. Bone growth and tissue incorporation is in this case less dependent on, for example, the surface area and surface volume of the implant with surfaces which can cooperate with the bone. The parts 19b and 19d represent medium-hard bone, where other considerations may apply as regards the choice of parameters. The parts 19c and 19e represent soft bone parts where once again it may be important to have implants with a large surface area and large volume against the bone structure in question. According to FIG. 9, computer-based devices 23, 24 are provided by means of which identifications of jaw-bone status, implant type, etc., can be identified and evaluated. The devices 23 and 24 also permit an analysis of the implant situation in question, and possible adjustments or virtual applications can be made in order to comply with the situation in question. Said analysis, adjustments and so on can be carried out based on the experience of the personnel involved. Library functions can also be used and have been symbolized by 23a and 24a. Experiences, standard functions, algorithms, etc., can be stored in said library functions and can be retrieved for said definition, analysis and/or adjustment.
(27) Scanning functions can be provided for the various bone parts, which has been illustrated by arrows 25, 26 and 27. The bone parts and the jaw bone according to FIG. 9 can be related to different patients, and the solid-line and broken-line arrows show that each patient or patient group can use and be served by the different devices 23 and 24, which can be of a type known per se.
(28) FIG. 9 also indicates the case where identified, analyzed and/or adjusted installations or implants, implant types, etc., can be designed to form part of order information i1 which is symbolized by solid arrows. The order can be sent to a central unit which serves a number of dentists or to a central unit 28 which is intended for a specific group of dentists, surgeons, etc. In one embodiment, the transfer of the information i1 can take place via the public telephone and/or computer networks in a manner known per se. The central unit 28 comprises or in turn uses machinery 29 which obtains data information (data files) from the unit 28 or directly from the devices 23, 24, by means of which information the different machine parts can be controlled. The data information i2 is symbolized by solid arrows in the figure. The solid arrows or the communications for the data information or data information items i1, i2 can be two-directional. The machine unit or production unit can comprise or use different types of equipment. Thus, for example, a device 30 which effects cutting work to give a wave pattern with a trough depth of 75 μm can be used. In FIG. 9, a device 31 has been provided to effect cutting work which gives a wave pattern with a trough depth of 125 μm. Laser treatment of outer surfaces is effected in a device 32, and, in a device 33, an oxide layer is obtained on the outer surfaces with the aid of oxidation equipment. The device 32 can alternatively represent cutting work with oscillation movements in a known manner. Alternatively, the device 33 can represent a shot-peening unit, for example a sandblasting unit of known type, or an etching apparatus which uses acid (hydrofluoric acid) and nitric acid in a known manner. An HF mixture consisting of hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid can be used here.
(29) The various devices 30, 31, 32 and 33 can be designed in a manner known per se, and reference is made to the general prior art, see also the references mentioned in the introduction. A blank for producing the implant or fixture is treated in order to obtain the abovementioned pattern combinations, the implant or equivalent being transferred to the various devices 30, 31, 32 and 33 by a link or by transport which has been indicated by 34. The various treatment stages have been symbolized by 35, 36, 37 and 38. The return of the treated or produced implant to the central unit 28 and to the dentist, surgeon, hospital, etc., has been symbolized by 39. The central unit can constitute an intermediate stage which receives orders and ensures production in the machinery 29 and obtains produced or treated implants which are then sent back to the patient treatment site. The direction(s) in which a wave pattern extends can be calculated from a surface start, for example a thread start, and terminate at the surface end or thread end.
(30) The invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiment given above by way of example, and instead it can be modified within the scope of the attached patent claims and the inventive concept. Reference is also made to the Swedish patent application filed on the same day and by the same Applicant and bearing the title “Method for producing a surface structure on an implant, and such an implant”.
