DENTAL DEVICE FOR REMOVING A PARTIALLY OR FULLY OSSEOINTEGRATED DENTAL IMPLANT

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dental device (1) for removing a dental implant (2) which is at least partially or fully osseointegrated with a patient's jaw (3), comprising: a head portion (6) for rotatingly holding a dental tool (7) for unscrewing the dental implant (2); and a driving means for applying a torque to the dental tool (7) for unscrewing the dental implant (2); characterized in that the driving means is further adapted to apply pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) to the dental tool (7) to unscrew the dental implant (2).

Claims

1. A dental device (1) for removing a dental implant (2) which is at least partially or fully osseointegrated with a patient's jaw (3), comprising: a head portion (6) for rotatingly holding a dental tool (7) for unscrewing the dental implant (2); and a driving means for applying a torque to the dental tool (7) for unscrewing the dental implant (2); characterized in that the driving means is further adapted to apply pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) to the dental tool (7) to unscrew the dental implant (2).

2. The dental device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the driving means is further adapted to vary the frequency and/or the magnitude of the pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3).

3. The dental device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the driving means is further adapted to vary the frequency and/or the magnitude of the pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) according to a non-linear form.

4. The dental device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the non-linear form comprises a stepped form (a) and/or a sinusoidal form (b).

5. The dental device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the driving means is further adapted to apply one or more pulsed torques (τ.sub.1) having a relatively high magnitude within an initial time interval (T.sub.1) and one or more pulsed torques (τ.sub.2) having a relatively low magnitude within a subsequent time interval (T.sub.2) following the initial time interval (T.sub.1).

6. The dental device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the driving means is further adapted to apply one or more pulsed torques (τ.sub.1) having a relatively high magnitude within an initial time interval (T.sub.1) and a constant torque (τ.sub.3) having a relatively low magnitude within a subsequent time interval (T.sub.2) following the initial time interval (T.sub.1).

7. The dental device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the driving means is further adapted to apply pulsed forces to the dental tool (7) along the axis thereof.

8. The dental device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the driving means is further adapted to vary the frequency and/or the magnitude of the said pulsed forces.

9. The dental device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the dental tool (7) has reversed threads for engaging the interior of the dental implant (2) during the removal of the dental implant (2).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In the subsequent description, the present invention will be described in more detail by using exemplary embodiments and by referring to the drawings, wherein

[0018] FIG. 1a to FIG. 1d—are schematic cutaway views of a dental implant installation procedure according to the prior art;

[0019] FIG. 2—is a schematic view of a trephine dental implant removal kit according to the prior art;

[0020] FIG. 3—is a schematic partial view of a dental device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 4—is a diagram including various sequences of pulsed torques applied by the dental device in FIG. 3 when removing a dental implant.

[0022] The reference numbers shown in the drawings denote the elements as listed below and will be referred to in the subsequent description of the exemplary embodiments. [0023] 1. Dental device [0024] 2. Dental implant [0025] 2a. Screw [0026] 2b. Dental Abutment [0027] 2c. Ceramic crown [0028] 3. Patient's jaw [0029] 4. Extracted tooth [0030] 5. Gingiva [0031] 6. Head portion [0032] 7. Dental tool

[0033] τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3 : Pulsed torques

[0034] τ.sub.1: Initial time Interval

[0035] τ.sub.2: Subsequent time Interval

[0036] a: Stepped form

[0037] b: Sinusoidal form

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a schematic partial view of a handheld dental device according to an embodiment. The dental device (1) is suitable for removing a dental implant (2) which is at least partially or fully osseointegrated with a patient's jaw (3) as shown in FIG. 1b. The dental device (1) comprises a head portion (6) which rotatingly holds a dental tool (7) for unscrewing the dental implant (2); and a driving means for applying a torque to the dental tool (7) for unscrewing the dental implant (2). The dental tool (7) has a shape that fits into the internal feature of the dental implant (2). The dental tool (7) is preferably exchangeable. Thereby, different dental tools (7) may be selectively used in accordance with the type of the dental implant (2) to be removed. The dental tool (7) may additionally have reversed threads for engaging the interior of the dental implant (2) during the removal of the dental implant (2).

[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, the driving means is further adapted to apply pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.i, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) to the dental tool (7) to unscrew the dental implant (2). FIG. 4 shows a diagram with various exemplary sequences of pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) that can be applied by the dental device (1) in FIG. 3 when removing the dental implant (2). As shown in FIG. 4, the driving means is further adapted to vary the frequency and/or the magnitude of the pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3). In these exemplary sequences the frequency and the magnitude of the pulsed torques are varied in various ways. The driving means is also further adapted to vary the frequency and/or the magnitude of the pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) according to a non-linear form. As shown in the upper part and the middle part of FIG. 4, the frequency and the magnitude of the pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) are varied according to stepped form (a). As shown in the lower part of FIG. 4, the frequency and the magnitude of the pulsed torque (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) is varied according to a sinusoidal form (b). Different non-linear forms may be used to reduce the sensation of the pulsed torque (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) for the patient. The sequence of pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) may be altered after elapse of a predetermined time interval or after breakage of the bond between the dental implant (2) and the bone. The moment of breakage of the bond can be estimated or detected through a gauge or a sensor. As shown in the upper part of FIG. 4, the driving means applies pulsed torques (τ.sub.1) having a relatively high magnitude within an initial time interval (T.sub.1) and pulsed torques (τ.sub.2) having a relatively low magnitude within a subsequent time interval (T.sub.2) following the initial time interval (T.sub.1). As shown in the middle part of FIG. 4, the driving means alternatively applies a constant torque (τ.sub.3) having a relatively low magnitude within a subsequent time interval (T.sub.2) following the initial time interval (T.sub.1).

[0040] The dental device (1) preferably has a user control for controlling the driving means. The user can set the number and duration of the time intervals (T.sub.1, T.sub.2) to be applied during the removal. The user can also set the frequency, magnitude and form of the pulsed torques (τ; τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, τ.sub.3) in each of the time intervals (T.sub.1, T.sub.2).