ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE PLASMA JET DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention refers to an atmospheric pressure plasma jet device for disinfecting and coating a dental implant. The device comprises a gas supply and a nozzle for providing a gas to a tip of the nozzle wherein the nozzle is a single electrode nozzle having a first electrode. The device comprises further a precursor supply for providing a coating precursor to the nozzle, a second electrode and a connector for electronically connecting the second electrode with the dental implant. In another aspect the present invention refers to a system for disinfecting and coating.

Claims

1. An atmospheric pressure plasma jet device (20) for disinfecting and coating a dental implant (100) comprising a gas supply (30) and a nozzle for providing a gas (2) to a tip of the nozzle (41) wherein the nozzle (40) is a single electrode nozzle having a first electrode (60), a precursor supply (50) for providing a coating precursor to the nozzle (40), a second electrode (80) and a connector (90) for electronically connecting the second electrode (80) with the dental implant (100).

2. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 wherein the precursor supply (50) comprises a gas wash bottle (51) for providing the precursor in a solution or a second gas supply and/or wherein the precursor supply (50) is activatable.

3. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 wherein the first electrode (60) is a conductor arranged within the nozzle (40), preferably arranged coaxially within the nozzle (40).

4. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 being adapted to provide electrical pulses at the first electrode (60) for producing the atmospheric pressure plasma jet at the tip of the nozzle (41).

5. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 wherein the pulses have at least one of a current peak value of 0.1 to 500 mA, preferably of 100 mA, an absolute voltage peak value of 100 V to 100 kV, preferably of 2500 V, and a frequency of 1 Hz to 500 MHz, preferably of 1 kHz.

6. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 wherein the pulses are one of a rectangular, parabolic, saw tooth and a sinus shape and/or have a pulse duration of 10 ns to 10 ms and/or are monopolar, preferably positive.

7. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 wherein the second electrode (80) is connected with ground.

8. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 wherein a maximum outer dimension of the nozzle (40) is less than 5 mm, preferably less than 1.0 mm and/or wherein the nozzle (40) is made of a plastic, preferably of polypropylene.

9. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 wherein the connector (90) is designed such that a distance in use between the first electrode (60) and the dental implant (100) is between 0.1 and 10 mm, preferably about 1 mm.

10. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 wherein the connector (90) comprises a single or dual contact for connecting the second electrode (80) with the dental implant (100).

11. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 wherein the connector (90) comprises a screwing connection, preferably an external thread, for connecting the connector (90) with the dental implant (100), optionally wherein the external parts of the connector (90), preferably the screw head, comprise an electrical insulation.

12. The plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a clamping device (41) adapted to be inserted into bore hole of the dental implant (100).

13. A system for disinfecting and coating (1) comprising a plasma jet device (20) according to claim 1 and a dental implant (100).

14. The system (1) according to claim 13 wherein the dental implant (100) comprises an implant itself (101) and an abutment (103) wherein the connector (90) is adapted to engage with the implant (100) itself and/or the abutment (103).

15. The system (1) according to claim 13, wherein the implant itself (101) and/or the abutment (103) are made of metal or a ceramic material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described by the way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic arrangement of a system comprising a plasma jet device for disinfecting and coating a dental implant and a dental implant,

[0029] FIGS. 2a, b show two alternative electric connections between the dental implant and the second electrode,

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a clamping connector connecting the second electrode with the dental implant,

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a first alternative of a screw connector for connecting the second electrode with the dental implant, and

[0032] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a second alternative of a screw connector for connecting the second electrode with a dental implant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic arrangement of a system for disinfecting and coating a dental implant 1 with an atmospheric pressure plasma jet device 20. The atmospheric pressure plasma jet device 20 comprises a gas supply 30 and a nozzle 40, wherein a device body 21 connects the gas supply 30 with the nozzle 40. The gas supply 30 comprises a tank as a gas reservoir (not shown) for providing a predefined pressure and flow rate of gas 2 to device body 21 and further the nozzle 40. The plasma jet device 20 further comprises a precursor supply 50 in form of a gas wash bottle 51. The gas wash bottle 51 is connected to the device body 21. The gas 2 provided by the gas supply 30 can be directed through the gas wash bottle 51 where it is enriched with a precursor 3. The gas 2 is directed via the gas wash bottle 51 during the process of coating. Therefore, a spool valve 31 is set to a first position in which the gas 2 is directed completely to the gas wash bottle 51 as shown in FIG. 1. In a second position which is not shown, the overflow orifice to the gas was bottle 51 in the valve 31 is closed and the gas 2 is supplied directly to the nozzle without being redirected via the gas wash bottle 51. In this position, the plasma jet device 20 is in the operating mode of disinfecting only without coating. The spool valve may be also set to intermediate positions between the first and second position

[0034] The nozzle 40 in the shown embodiment has the basic shape of a cylindrical tube. At a first end, the tip 41 is providing an exit opening for the gas 2 and/or the plasma 4 generated. At the opposite end, the nozzle 40 comprises a connecting portion 42 for connecting the nozzle 40 with a plasma jet device body 21. The nozzle 40 comprises a tubular nozzle portion 43 between the nozzle tip 41 and the connecting portion 42. The tubular nozzle portion 43 consists in one embodiment of a plastic body made of polypropylene.

[0035] Inside the nozzle 40 is a nozzle portion 61 of the first electrode 60 arranged. The nozzle portion 61 is a wire which is arranged coaxially in the tubular nozzle portion 43. In the shown embodiment the nozzle portion 61 extends into the tip area of the nozzle 40. On the opposite end, the nozzle portion 61 engages with an electrode connector 62 for connecting a nozzle portion of the first electrode 61 with a wiring 63 leading to a base station 70.

[0036] The base station 70 comprises a function generator inside and I/O devices 71 for selecting and monitoring different operating modes. The base station 70 is further connected to a first end 81 of a second electrode 80. An opposite second end 82 of the second electrode 80 is connected to a connector 90 for connecting the second electrode 80 with a dental implant 100. The connector 90 is designed as a ring encircling an abutment 103 of a dental implant 100. The dental implant 100 further comprises the implant 101 itself, which has previously been implanted into the jaw bone, and a crown 102.

[0037] FIGS. 2a and b show two different kinds of electrical contact between the second electrode 80 and the connector 90 respectively and the dental implant 100 with the implant 101 and the abutment 103. In FIG. 2a the second electrode 80 is connected in a single contact 94 via the connector 90 to the implant 100 in form of a metal implant.

[0038] The connector 90 shown in FIG. 2b is designed as a dual contact connector. Such a connector 90 with a dual contact 95 may be used in order to reliably connect the second electrode 80 with the implant 100 in order to generate low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a first embodiment of a connector 90. The dental implant 100 comprises the implant 101 and an abutment 103 being connectable to a crown 102 (not shown) via a screwed connection. Such a dental implant 100 usually contains a blind bore 104 with an inner thread. A clamping device 91 is inserted into the blind bore 104. In the shown embodiment, the clamping device 91 has an R-shape to securely connect the dental implant 100 with the second electrode 80.

[0040] In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 4 in a sectional view the connector 90 comprises a screw 92. The screw 92 fits into the blind bore 104 and can be screwed into the inner thread of the blind bore 104. The second electrode 80 is connected rotatably with the screw 92 in the area of the screw head. In the shown embodiment the second electrode 80 is clamped between the screw head and the dental implant 100.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a further embodiment of a screwed connection between the connector 90 and the dental implant 100. The embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 in that the connector 90 and the second electrode 80 contain an insulation 93. The insulation 93 covers the exposed areas of the head of the screw 92 and the second electrode 80.