Dental Implant System

Abstract

A dental prosthesis system includes a dental implant having a dental implant fixture and an internal locking collar extending upwardly from the dental implant fixture. The internal locking collar defines a central bore extending downwardly into the dental implant fixture. An abutment for cement has a base surface for placement against the dental implant, which defines a central hole aligned with the central bore. A securing mechanism secures the abutment for cement to the dental implant. The securing mechanism including an expansion locking system disposed through the central hole and within the bore. A portion of the expansion locking system is expandable outwardly so as to lock the abutment for cement to the dental implant fixture.

Claims

1. A dental prosthesis securing system for use with a dental implant having a dental implant fixture and an internal locking collar extending upwardly from the dental implant fixture, the internal locking collar defining a central bore extending downwardly into the dental implant fixture, the dental prosthesis securing system comprising: (a) an abutment for cement having a base surface for placement against the dental implant, the base surface defining a central hole aligned with the central bore and including a prosthesis attachment surface extending upwardly therefrom; and (b) a securing mechanism that secures the abutment for cement to the dental implant, the securing mechanism including an expansion locking system disposed through the central hole and within the bore, a portion of the expansion locking system expandable outwardly so as to lock the abutment for cement to the dental implant fixture.

2. The dental prosthesis securing system of claim 1, wherein the expansion locking system comprises: (a) an expansion member that includes manipulation surface from which at least two extendable expansion lock members extend downwardly therefrom, the expansion member defining a partially threaded bore extending concentrically therethrough, a portion of the partially threaded bore adjacent to the manipulation surface being threaded; and (b) a cylindrical expander including a non-threaded lower portion and an upper portion that is threaded so as to be complimentary to the threaded portion of the partially threaded bore, wherein placing the cylindrical expander into the partially threaded bore and screwing the upper portion into the threaded portion of the partially threaded bore causes the extendable expansion lock members to extend outwardly and engage an inner surface of the central bore, thereby locking the abutment for cement to the dental implant fixture.

3. The dental implant system of claim 1, further comprising a washer disposed between the top portion of the male locking mechanism and the base surface of the abutment for cement.

4. The dental implant system of claim 1, wherein the top portion of the male locking mechanism comprises a disk that defines two oppositely disposed notches for engagement with a tool.

5. The dental implant system of claim 1, wherein the dental implant fixture and the male locking mechanism comprise a material selected from a list of materials consisting of: titanium, zirconia, a ceramic, stainless steel, a noble metal, and combinations thereof.

6. A dental prosthesis system, comprising: (a) a dental implant having a dental implant fixture and an internal locking collar extending upwardly from the dental implant fixture, the internal locking collar defining a central bore extending downwardly into the dental implant fixture; (b) an abutment for cement having a base surface for placement against the dental implant, the base surface defining a central hole aligned with the central bore and including a prosthesis attachment surface extending upwardly therefrom; and (c) a securing mechanism that secures the abutment for cement to the dental implant, the securing mechanism including an expansion locking system disposed through the central hole and within the bore, a portion of the expansion locking system expandable outwardly so as to lock the abutment for cement to the dental implant fixture.

7. The dental prosthesis system of claim 6, wherein the expansion locking system comprises: (a) an expansion member that includes manipulation surface from which at least two extendable expansion lock members extend downwardly therefrom, the expansion member defining a partially threaded bore extending concentrically therethrough, a portion of the partially threaded bore adjacent to the manipulation surface being threaded; and (b) a cylindrical expander including a non-threaded lower portion and an upper portion that is threaded so as to be complimentary to the threaded portion of the partially threaded bore, wherein placing the cylindrical expander into the partially threaded bore and screwing the upper portion into the threaded portion of the partially threaded bore causes the extendable expansion lock members to extend outwardly and engage an inner surface of the central bore, thereby locking the abutment for cement to the dental implant fixture.

8. The dental prosthesis system of claim 7, further comprising a washer disposed between the top portion of the male locking mechanism and the base surface of the abutment for cement.

9. The dental prosthesis system of claim 7, wherein the top portion of the male locking mechanism comprises a disk that defines two oppositely disposed notches for engagement with a tool.

10. The dental prosthesis system of claim 7, wherein the dental implant fixture and the male locking mechanism comprise a material selected from a list of materials consisting of: titanium, zirconia, a ceramic, stainless steel, a noble metal, and combinations thereof.

11. A dental implant system, comprising: (a) a dental implant fixture; (b) an internal locking collar extending upwardly from the dental implant fixture, the internal locking collar defining a central bore extending downwardly into the dental implant fixture; (c) an abutment for cement, including a base surface defining a central hole aligned with the central bore and including a prosthesis attachment surface extending upwardly therefrom; and (d) an expansion locking system disposed through the central hole and within the bore, a portion of the expansion locking system expanded outwardly so as to lock the abutment for cement to the dental implant fixture.

12. The dental implant system of claim 11, wherein the expansion locking system comprises: (a) an expansion member that includes manipulation surface from which at least two extendable expansion lock members extend downwardly therefrom, the expansion member defining a partially threaded bore extending concentrically therethrough, a portion of the partially threaded bore adjacent to the manipulation surface being threaded; and (b) a cylindrical expander including a non-threaded lower portion and an upper portion that is threaded so as to be complimentary to the threaded portion of the partially threaded bore, wherein placing the cylindrical expander into the partially threaded bore and screwing the upper portion into the threaded portion of the partially threaded bore causes the extendable expansion lock members to extend outwardly and engage an inner surface of the central bore, thereby locking the abutment for cement to the dental implant fixture.

13. The dental implant system of claim 12, wherein the cylindrical expander defines a wrench engagement surface at an end adjacent to the upper portion, the wrench engagement surface being complimentary in shape to a tool for screwing the cylindrical expander into the expansion member.

14. The dental implant system of claim 11, wherein the dental implant fixture and the expansion locking system comprise a material selected from a list of materials consisting of: titanium, zirconia, a ceramic, stainless steel, a noble metal, and combinations thereof.

15. The dental implant system of claim 11, further comprising a washer disposed between the manipulation surface and the abutment for cement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of one embodiment of a dental implant system.

[0016] FIG. 1B is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, taken along line 2-2.

[0018] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a dental implant system.

[0019] FIG. 3B is a n exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, taken along line 4-4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] A preferred embodiment of the invention is now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. Unless otherwise specifically indicated in the disclosure that follows, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise: the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.”

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2, one embodiment of a dental implant system 100 includes a dental implant fixture 110, which could include either a threaded type implant fixture or a cylinder type implant fixture, that is configured to be placed in a prepared cite in a patient's mandibular or maxillary bone. An internal locking collar 112 extends upwardly from the dental implant fixture 110 and defines a central bore 116 extending downwardly into the dental implant fixture 110. A first slot locking mechanism canal 114a is in communication with the central bore 116. The first slot locking mechanism canal 114a has a first portion 115, terminating in an end, that is parallel to the central bore 116 and a second portion 117 that extends transversely from the end of the first portion 115. A second slot locking mechanism canal 114b that is rotationally symmetric with the second slot locking mechanism canal 114a may also be employed. An external collar 120 is placed around the internal locking collar 112 to protect surrounding tissue once the implant system 100 is in place. The external collar 120 could be removable or it could be welded to the dental implant fixture 110. The external collar 120 can be a cylindrical ring having a height and shape that corresponds to that of the internal locking collar 112.

[0023] An abutment for cement 130 includes a flat surface 136 that defines a central hole 132 that has a diameter greater than the central bore 116 and includes a prosthesis attachment surface 134 extending upwardly therefrom. The abutment for cement 130 has a base surface 138 that does not define an engagement shape that requires alignment with a complementary shape defined by the implant. A washer 140 can fit onto the flat surface 136.

[0024] A male locking mechanism 150 includes at least one first tab 152 extending outwardly therefrom (in most applications, two oppositely disposed tabs 152 will be employed) and a top portion 154 that serves as a wrench engagement surface that defines two oppositely disposed notches 155 for engagement with a wrench-type tool (not shown).

[0025] Once the dental implant fixture 110 has been emplaced for a sufficient amount of time to ensure bone growth into the dental implant fixture 110, the abutment 130 is affixed to the dental implant fixture 110 using the male locking mechanism 150, which is pushed into the central bore 116 so that the tabs 152 slide into the slot locking mechanism canal 114 and then rotational force is applied to the wrench engagement surface top portion 154 with a wrench (not shown) until the tabs 152 lock into place. Once locked into place, the prosthesis may be cemented, or otherwise attached, to the abutment 130.

[0026] In an alternate embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4, the system employs an expansion locking system 250 to secure the abutment 130 to the implant 110. The expansion locking system 250 includes an expansion member 251 that includes manipulation surface 254 from which an expansion member 255 depends. The expansion member 255 includes at least two extendable expansion lock members 256 extend downwardly from the manipulation surface 254. The manipulation surface 254 defines a partially threaded bore 252 that extends into the laterally extendable expansion lock members 256.

[0027] A cylindrical expander 260 has a non-threaded lower rod portion 266 extending to an upper threaded portion 262 and ends by defining a wrench engagement surface 264. The wrench engagement surface 264 is complimentary in shape to a tool (not shown), such as a hex wrench, for screwing the cylindrical expander into the expansion member.

[0028] To secure the abutment 130 to the implant 110, the expansion locking system 250 is pushed through the abutment 130 into the central bore 116 the expander 260 is pushed into the partially threaded bore 252 and then screwed therein. This causes the expander to put outward force on the expansion lock members 256, forcing them to engage the inner surface of the central bore 116, thereby locking the abutment for cement to the dental implant fixture 110. This embodiment could be well suited for use with existing in situ implants when replacing a failed abutment.

[0029] The component parts (including the dental implant fixture and the male locking mechanism) of the dental implant systems disclosed above can be made of materials such as titanium, zirconia, a ceramic, stainless steel, a noble metal, or alloys that include combinations thereof.

[0030] The above-described embodiments, while including the preferred embodiment and the best mode of the invention known to the inventor at the time of filing, are given as illustrative examples only. It will be readily appreciated that many deviations may be made from the specific embodiments disclosed in this specification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims below rather than being limited to the specifically described embodiments above.