SOCKET GRAFTING PLUGS SYSTEM

Abstract

A socket grafting plugs system for use in a socket grafting process. Each socket grafting plug has a first cross section, a second cross section parallel to the first cross section and a body portion extending between the first cross section and the second cross section. The first cross section belongs to a group of first plug sections with at least a combination of three different shapes with three different sizes.

Claims

1. A socket grafting plugs system configured to be used in a socket grafting process, the system comprising a plurality of socket grafting plugs, each socket grafting plug comprising a first cross section with a first surface; a second cross section with a second surface smaller than the first surface, the second cross section parallel to the first cross section and configured to rest on an open hole of a patient's cervical soft tissue profile; and a body portion extending between the first cross section and the second cross section, wherein the first cross section of each socket grafting plug belongs to a group of first plug sections comprising at least a combination of three different shapes with three different sizes, and the group of first cross sections and/or the group of second cross sections comprises triangles with rounded edges, squares with rounded edges, a parallelogram with rounded edges or an ovoid.

2. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein the body portion of each socket grafting plug belongs to a group of body portions which comprises continuous and derivable surfaces.

3. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 2, wherein the continuous and derivable surfaces comprise combinations of plane, convex and concave surfaces.

4. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein the socket grafting plugs are made of a resin, a ceramic material, zirconia, PEEK, PEKTON, PMMA, PTFE, silicone, plastic, metal, a combination of at least two of them, or other biocompatible materials able to maintain stable dimensions.

5. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the socket grafting plugs comprises a passing bore or a groove, suitable for a suture to pass through.

6. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the socket grafting plugs comprises a passing hole, the passing hole crossing the plug from the first cross section to the second cross section and having a diameter of at least 1.5 mm.

7. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein each socket grafting plug comprises at least one mark configured to provide information about shape, size and/or the height of the socket grafting plug.

8. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the socket grafting plugs comprises a sharp protrusion protruding from the second cross section, the protrusion being intended to be nailed into soft tissue zone and/or hard tissue zone, thus aiming to improve stabilization of the socket grafting plug in place.

9. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the socket grafting plugs comprises at least one wing protruding from the first section or the body section, the wing being suitable to secure the plug to another tooth.

10. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein the height of each socket grafting plug is defined by the distance between the first cross section and the second cross section, the height being classified according to different heights.

11. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 10, wherein the different heights are ten different heights.

12. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 11, wherein the ten different heights are 2.5 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 6.0 mm, 6.5 mm and 7.0 mm.

13. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein a size of each socket grafting plug is defined by an equivalent diameter of the first cross section, wherein the equivalent diameter is the maximum distance between two points belonging to said cross section, this size being classified into different categories.

14. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 13, wherein the different categories are at least three categories.

15. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 14, wherein the at least three categories include a first distance between 4 and 6 mm, a second distance between 6.5 and 8.5 mm and a third distance between 9 and 12 mm.

16. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the socket grafting plugs has a circular second cross section.

17. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the socket grafting plugs comprises a body portion having a regular surface.

18. The socket grafting plugs system according to claim 17, wherein the regular surface is expressed by a polynomic, exponential or logarithmic mathematical formula, or a combination thereof, with a mean roughness Ra lower than 10 m.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] To complete the description and in order to provide for a better understanding of the invention, a set of drawings is provided. Said drawings form an integral part of the description and illustrate an embodiment of the invention, which should not be interpreted as restricting the scope of the invention, but just as an example of how the invention can be carried out. The drawings comprise the following figures:

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a generic view of a socket grafting plugs system according to the invention.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows a vertical section view of a particular embodiment of a socket grafting plug belonging to a socket grafting plugs system according to the invention.

[0061] FIGS. 3a and 3b show the first and the second cross sections of a plug of a socket grafting plugs system according to the invention.

[0062] FIGS. 4a to 4c show different side views of different examples of plugs according to the invention.

[0063] FIGS. 5a and 5b show particular details of different plugs of a socket grafting plugs system according to the invention.

[0064] FIGS. 6 to 8 show different embodiment of plugs of a socket grafting plugs system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] The example embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.

[0066] Accordingly, while embodiment can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included. Elements of the example embodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate.

[0067] FIG. 1 shows a generic view of a socket grafting plugs system 100 according to the invention. This socket grafting plugs system is suitable for being used in a socket grafting process.

[0068] As will be shown below, each plug 10 belonging to the system 100 comprises a first cross section 1, a second cross section 2 and a body portion 3. The first cross section 1 is different for each plug.

[0069] This system 100 comprises 36 plugs 10, which responds to the combination between four different shapes (rectangular with round edges, triangular with round edges, ovoid and square with round edges), three different sizes (small, medium and large) and three different heights (short, medium and long).

[0070] FIG. 2 shows a vertical section view of a particular embodiment of a plug 10 belonging to a socket grafting plugs system according to the invention.

[0071] As aforementioned, this plug 10 comprises a first cross section 1, a second cross section 2 and a body portion 3 which extends between the first cross section 1 and the second cross section 2. The first cross section 1 is intended to be placed upwards, while the second cross section 2 is intended to be placed downwards in a standard use of this plug 10, resting on the open hole of a patient's cervical soft tissue profile. The first 1 and second 2 sections are parallel, and the second section 2 comprises a smaller surface than the first surface of the first cross section 1.

[0072] The lateral surface of the body portion 3 form a continuous and derivable surface. This surface comprises a convex portion 31 and a concave portion 32, although in different plugs, the body portion may also comprise plane portions.

[0073] The height h of the body portion of this plug 10 is defined as the distance between the first cross section and the second cross section.

[0074] These plugs 10 are made of resin, or zirconia, or peek, or PMMA, or, plastic, or titanium, or metal, or any other material which is a biocompatible material which provides a good dimensional stability, which is advantageous for the grafting process.

[0075] FIGS. 3a and 3b show the first and second cross sections of a particular example of a plug 10. FIG. 3a shows the first cross section 1 which is an ovoid with rounded edges. On the contrary, FIG. 3b shows in turn the second cross section 2 of the same plug 10, which has the shape of a circle.

[0076] This particular embodiment of plug 10 comprises a mark 4, containing information about the shape, the size and the height of the plug 10, which may be easily read and interpreted by a scanning tool or just by the dental practitioner, in order to easily identify the most suitable plug for each dental operation. In other embodiments, the number of marks may be greater than one.

[0077] The size of the plug is defined by the equivalent diameter of the first cross section 1. As a consequence, in this case, this plug would be considered as an ovoid plug. However, the rounded cylindrical shape in the bottom portion shown in FIG. 3b is advantageous, since maximum tissue thickness is desired in this zone and a circular cylindrical shape is advantageous to provide the least diameter circumferentially in comparison to other shapes.

[0078] The size may be classified into at least three categories, the small one being comprised between 4 and 6 mm, the medium one being comprised between 6.5 and 8.5 mm and the big one being comprised between 9 and 12 mm. the height of each socket grafting plug is defined by the distance between the first cross section and the second cross section, and particularly wherein this height is classified in ten different heights, namely 2.5 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 6.0 mm, 6.5 mm and 7.0 mm.

[0079] This plug starts with a cylindrical shape and then expands laterally upwards in a concave manner till it reaches its maximum diameter and at which point comprises a generally ovoid shape with rounded edges. However, many different structures are also possible, depending on the strategy chosen by the dental practitioner. FIGS. 4a to 4c show different side views of different examples of plugs according to the invention.

[0080] FIG. 5a shows a particular embodiment of a plug 10 which comprises a passing bore 5, which is useful for a suture to pass through when the plug 10 is installed in an open end of a socket and this plug 10 is to be fixed to the patient's mouth. An alternative embodiment may be seen in FIG. 5b, where a plug comprises a groove 6, so that this suture may be also stabilized.

[0081] FIG. 6 shows a particular embodiment of a plug 10 which comprises a sharp protrusion 7 protruding from the second cross section 2. This protrusion 7 is intended to be nailed into soft tissue zone and/or hard tissue zone, thus aiming to improve the stabilization of the socket grafting plug in place.

[0082] FIG. 7 shows a particular embodiment of a plug 10 which comprises at least one wing 8, which protrudes from the first section or the body section, the wing being suitable to secure the plug to another tooth 11.

[0083] FIG. 8 shows a particular embodiment of a plug 10 which comprises a passing hole 9, the passing hole crosses the plug from the first cross section 1 to the second cross section 2 and being suitable for a drill to pass through. This hole has an axis that may be perpendicular to the first and second cross sections or not. This passing hole may be used in order to properly direct a suitable implant drill that can pass through this bore and mark an implant osteotomy to the underlying bone. This passing hole could be also used for a pillar of an abutment to pass through, but preventing the abutment shoulder to be inserted in it. This would allow the socket grafting plug to be able to be connected with an abutment by means of bonding on at least part of its pillar and this way modify the shape of the latter.