ABUTMENT FOR HOLDING A DENTAL PROSTHESIS TO A JAW IMPLANT, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A DENTAL PROSTHESIS

Abstract

An abutment for holding a dental prosthesis to a jaw implant, having: an apical section detachably fastening the abutment to the jaw implant, the apical section being structured along a first central axis; a coronal section detachably fastening the dental prosthesis to the abutment, the coronal section being structured along a second central axis, wherein the second central axis extends at an angle to the first central axis; and an indexing element in a shell surface of the coronal section specifying an orientation of a display element that is coupleable to the coronal section for a digital scanning operation, based on an orientation of the first central axis. A display element coupling to an abutment coronal section, and displaying a position and orientation of the abutment for a digital scanning operation, a tooth model system having an abutment and a display element, and a method producing a dental prosthesis.

Claims

1. An abutment for holding a dental prosthesis to a jaw implant, having: an apical section for detachably fastening the abutment to the jaw implant, the apical section being structured along a first central axis; a coronal section for detachably fastening the dental prosthesis to the abutment, the coronal section being structured along a second central axis, wherein the second central axis extends at an angle to the first central axis; and an indexing element in a shell surface of the coronal section for specifying an orientation of a display element that is coupleable to the coronal section for a digital scanning operation, based on an orientation of the first central axis.

2. The abutment according to claim 1, wherein the indexing element is designed as a first recess in the circumference of the coronal section.

3. The abutment according to claim 2, having a second indexing element that is designed as a second recess in the circumference of the coronal section.

4. The abutment according to claim 3, wherein in order to unambiguously specify the orientation of the coupleable display element, the first recess and the second recess have different sizes and different shapes, and/or are situated at an angle different from 180 with respect to the second central axis.

5. The abutment according to claim 1, wherein the coronal section includes a truncated cone-shaped area in which the indexing element is situated and which widens in the direction of the apical section.

6. The abutment according to claim 2, wherein a delimiting surface of the first and/or second recess extends parallel to the second central axis.

7. The abutment according to claim 6, wherein the delimiting surface includes an undulated structure that is symmetrical with respect to a plane of symmetry of the first and/or second recess.

8. The abutment according to claim 1, having a stop surface, which is oriented perpendicularly with respect to the second central axis and circumferentially surrounds the second central axis, for applying the dental prosthesis.

9. The abutment according to claim 8, having a shoulder, extending parallel to the stop surface, between the indexing element and the stop surface.

10. The abutment according to claim 1, having a first borehole, extending through the coronal section and the apical section along the first central axis, for receiving a fastening element for fastening the abutment to the jaw implant, wherein the first borehole penetrates a shell surface of the coronal section; and a diameter of the first borehole in the apical section is preferably smaller than a diameter of the first borehole in the coronal section.

11. The abutment according to claim 2, having a first borehole, extending through the coronal section and the apical section along the first central axis, for receiving a fastening element for fastening the abutment to the jaw implant, wherein the first borehole penetrates a shell surface of the coronal section; and a diameter of the first borehole in the apical section is smaller than a diameter of the first borehole in the coronal section, wherein a segment of the shell surface of the coronal section that is interrupted by the first borehole is smaller than a segment of the shell surface of the coronal section that is interrupted by the first recess.

12. The abutment according to claim 1, having a second borehole, extending through the coronal section along the second central axis, having an internal thread for screwing on the dental prosthesis.

13. A display element for coupling to a coronal section of an abutment according to claim 1 and for displaying a position and orientation of the abutment for a digital scanning operation, having: an indexing coupling, corresponding to the indexing element, for specifying the orientation of the display element, wherein the indexing coupling is designed as a protrusion that corresponds to a recess in the circumference of the coronal section.

14. A tooth model system, having an abutment according to claim 1; and a display element for coupling to a coronal section of the abutment and for displaying a position and orientation of the abutment for a digital scanning operation, having: an indexing coupling, corresponding to the indexing element, for specifying the orientation of the display element, wherein the indexing coupling is designed as a protrusion that corresponds to a recess in the circumference of the coronal section.

15. A method for producing a dental prosthesis, having the steps: fastening an abutment according to claim 1 to a jaw implant; coupling a display element to the abutment, the display element having: an indexing coupling, corresponding to the indexing element, for specifying the orientation of the display element, wherein the indexing coupling is designed as a protrusion that corresponds to a recess in the circumference of the coronal section; and carrying out a digital scanning operation for capturing the position and orientation of the first central axis of the abutment.

Description

[0036] The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to several selected exemplary embodiments, in conjunction with the appended drawings, which show the following:

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective side view of an abutment according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a tooth model system according to the invention;

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a display element according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0040] FIG. 4 shows an abutment according to the invention in a view perpendicular to the first central axis;

[0041] FIG. 5a shows an illustration of a first embodiment of an abutment according to the invention in a view perpendicular to the second central axis;

[0042] FIG. 5b shows an illustration of a second embodiment of an abutment according to the invention in a view perpendicular to the second central axis; and

[0043] FIG. 6 shows a side view of an abutment according to the invention.

[0044] FIG. 1 illustrates an abutment 10 according to the invention for holding a dental prosthesis in a jaw implant. The abutment 10 includes an apical section 12, i.e., a section that faces the jaw and is fastened to the jaw implant. The abutment 10 also includes a coronal section 14, i.e., a section that faces the dental crown or the dental prosthesis and is fastened to the dental prosthesis. The two sections 12, 14 of the abutment 10 are fixedly connected to one another and constitute parts of a body.

[0045] The apical section 12 has an essentially cylindrical design, wherein in the area of the coupling to the jaw implant in the illustrated embodiment, multiple flat outer surfaces 16 are provided that cooperate with a correspondingly designed jaw implant in order to prevent rotation of the abutment 10 with respect to the jaw implant. The apical section 12 is structured along a first central axis 18. The first central axis 18 is a vertical line in the illustration shown.

[0046] The coronal section 14 includes a truncated cone-shaped area 20 which as a cone engages with a correspondingly shaped protrusion in the dental prosthesis and is fastenable to the dental prosthesis. The coronal section 14 is structured along a second central axis 22 which is at an angle to the first central axis 18. The angle between the central axes is to be selected so that the two central axes 18, 22 do not extend in parallel to one another. Both central axes 18, 22 preferably lie in a plane, so that a point of intersection of the central axes is present.

[0047] It is understood that the apical section 12 as well as the coronal section 14 are normally not structured rotationally symmetrically with respect to their central axes. However, both sections have an essentially cylindrical design.

[0048] The present invention relates to angled abutments, i.e., abutments in which the first central axis 18 and the second central axis 22 are at an angle relative to one another. Examples of typical angles are 15-45, 20-40, 25-35, preferably 30. It is understood that other angles are also possible and advantageous. The angular position of the two central axes 18, 22 allows the abutment 10 to also be used for jaw shapes that permit little play with regard to the positioning and orientation of the jaw implant, and for which it is necessary for multiple jaw implants to be introduced into the jaw in different directions. Angled abutments are likewise used when the position of the jaw implants is specified within narrow limits due to the size and type of the required dental prosthesis.

[0049] The illustrated embodiment of the abutment 10 according to the invention is designed as a so-called multi-unit abutment. This multi-unit has become established as a quasi-standard that is offered by various manufacturers and is characterized in particular by the truncated cone-shaped area 20 in the coronal section 14. The connection sites correspondingly provided on the dental prosthesis are usually designed as recesses which accommodate the coronal section of the abutment and in which the coronal section is anchored.

[0050] The abutment 10 according to the invention includes an indexing element 24 that is situated in a shell surface 26 of the coronal section 14. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the indexing element 24 is designed as a first recess in the circumference of the coronal section 14. A portion of the truncated cone is milled off parallel to the second central axis 22. Due to the indexing element 24 being designed as such a recess, the coronal section 14 may be additionally fitted into the same opening in a dental prosthesis. At the location of the first recess, only a cavity results within the opening in the dental prosthesis. However, it is not necessary to adapt the dental prosthesis or the further production process, and compatibility remains ensured.

[0051] FIG. 2 illustrates a tooth model system 28 according to the invention. In addition to the abutment 10, the tooth model system 28 includes a display element 30 which may be coupled to the coronal section 14 in a digital scanning operation for producing a printed model. To allow production of the dental prosthesis, it is usually necessary to provide modeling for the situation in the jaw of the patient. For this purpose, on the one hand an impression may be taken, and on this basis a model may be manually produced. On the other hand, it is possible and customary nowadays to carry out a digital scanning operation in which automatic, scanning capturing of the situation is carried out. A computer model is created, on the basis of which a 3D print may then be generated.

[0052] For this digital scanning operation, a display element 30 (scanbody) is coupled to the abutment 10. The display element 30 is scanned and is recognized by means of an appropriate computer program, and may then be used as the basis for determining the position of the abutment and the orientation of the second central axis.

[0053] In tooth model systems thus far, it has not been possible to determine the position or the orientation of the first central axis 18 in relation to the second central axis 22, based on a scan of the display element 30. The second central axis 22 corresponds to a central axis of the display element 30. However, due to the cone-shaped design of the coupling it has been possible to rotate the display element, in the coupled state, about the second central axis. It has not been possible to draw conclusions concerning the orientation of the first central axis, and thus the location of the abutment or the position of the jaw implant, based on the orientation and position of the coronal area or of the second central axis that are detectable during the scanning. This rotation is prevented by the indexing element 24.

[0054] The position and orientation of the display element 30 relative to the abutment 10 or its second central axis 18 are unambiguous due to the use of the indexing element 24. Thus, it is possible to draw conclusions concerning the orientation of the first central axis 18 based on the position and orientation of the first central axis 18, which corresponds to the position and axis of the display element 30. The orientation may be determined in the form of an angle in a plane perpendicular to the second central axis 22. The orientation may be indicated in Cartesian or polar coordinates and corresponding reference systems. The processing preferably takes place in an automated manner. As a result, the abutment according to the invention 10 may be used with standard prostheses that have indentations or a blind hole for attachment to multi-unit abutments.

[0055] FIG. 3 illustrates such a display element 30 in a perspective view. In particular, the display element 30 includes a coupling area 32 in the form of an opening in which the coronal section of the abutment 10 may be accommodated. Situated within this coupling area 32 is an indexing coupling 34 that corresponds to the indexing element 24 on the abutment. In this regard, the indexing coupling 34 preferably corresponds to a protrusion in a coupling area 32 of a display element 30.

[0056] FIG. 4 illustrates a view of the abutment 10 according to the invention in the direction of the first central axis 18. Both the apical section 12 and the coronal section 14 are traversed by a first borehole 36 that extends along the first central axis 18 and is situated concentrically with respect to same. The first borehole 36 is used to receive a fastening element via which the abutment 10 may be fastened to the jaw implant. A detachable fastening is understood in particular to mean screwing on. However, other types of fastening or coupling are also conceivable.

[0057] A screw is preferably used for the fastening. The head of the screw is preferably accommodated within the abutment 10 in such a way that a diameter D1 of the first borehole in the apical section of the abutment is smaller than a diameter D2 of the first borehole in the coronal section. The screw head then rests on the shoulder thus created, and is situated within the abutment 10.

[0058] A second borehole 38 that extends along the second central axis 22 is provided for fastening the abutment 10 to the dental prosthesis. The second borehole 38 includes an internal thread. A screw that fixes a dental prosthesis or also a display element to the abutment 10 may engage with the internal thread. It is understood that some other fastening means may also be used.

[0059] As illustrated, the first borehole 36 passes through the shell surface 26 of the coronal section. An indexing element 24 designed as a recess is provided in the exemplary embodiment of the abutment 10 shown. The recess is situated in the truncated cone-shaped area 20 in the coronal section of the abutment 10. A partial section of the truncated cone is absent, resulting in a delimiting surface.

[0060] The indexing element 24 or the recess is dimensioned in such a way that a segment S1 of the shell surface 26 that is interrupted by the recess is larger than a segment S2 of the shell surface 26 that is interrupted by the first borehole 36; in the illustrated example, the interrupted segment S2 in its maximum extension perpendicular to the first central axis 18 corresponds to the diameter D2 of the first borehole 36 in the coronal section 14. The indexing element 24 is divided, so to speak, into two portions by the first borehole 36. This size relationship ensures that the indexing coupling of the display element 30 cannot engage with the interruption in the shell surface 26 of the coronal section formed by the first borehole 36. This results in unambiguous positioning of the display element 30.

[0061] FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrate two embodiments of an abutment 10 according to the invention, in which two indexing elements 24 are situated in each case in the shell surface 26 of the coronal section. FIGS. 5a and 5b each illustrate a top view of the coronal section 14 in the direction of the second central axis 22. For an unambiguous description, reference is made below to a first indexing element 24a and a second indexing element 24b, it being understood that these designations are interchangeable.

[0062] Due to the use of two indexing elements, it is not possible for an individual indexing coupling to inadvertently engage in the first borehole 36, which could result in an ambiguous coupling of the display element 30.

[0063] In both FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b, the indexing elements 24a, 24b are designed as recesses in the circumference of the coronal section 14 or in the shell surface 26 of the coronal section 14. Such recesses may be produced by milling. The recesses have a delimiting surface 40 that extends parallel to the second central axis 22. In both of the illustrated embodiments, each of the delimiting surfaces 40 has an undulated structure in a view perpendicular to the second central axis 22, as illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b. The undulated structure is preferably symmetrical with respect to a plane of symmetry that is spanned by the second central axis 22 and a midpoint of the recess.

[0064] In FIG. 5a, the first indexing element 24a is situated in the area of the first borehole 36. The indexing element 24a is designed as a recess in the circumference of the coronal section 14, the recess in the illustrated exemplary embodiment being interrupted by the first borehole 36, so that the indexing element 24a is divided into two portions. Portions of the recess are situated on each side of the first borehole 36. The second indexing element 24b, which likewise is designed as a recess in the circumference of the coronal section 14, is situated in another portion of the shell surface 26.

[0065] In the illustrated embodiment, the two indexing elements 24a, 24b have different sizes. In this regard, a different size means that portions of the truncated cone-shaped area 20 having different sizes have been withdrawn or removed in each case. On the one hand it is necessary for an indexing element to have a sufficiently large support surface for resting against a corresponding indexing coupling in the display element 30 to ensure that wobbling or damage is avoided. On the other hand, the stability of the abutment must be maintained so that only an amount of material that does not endanger the stability is allowed to be removed.

[0066] In addition, the rotatably fixed, unambiguous attachment capability of the display element 30 must be ensured. For this purpose, in the illustrated embodiment it is provided that the two indexing elements 24a, 24b are not opposite one another with respect to the second central axis 22, but instead are situated at an angle that is different from 180. In addition, the two indexing elements 24a, 24b have different sizes.

[0067] The differently sized indexing elements 24a, 24b, situated at an angle that is different from 180, ensure that the display element 30 cannot be rotated when it is mounted on the coronal section 14. The display function remains unambiguous. It is understood that it would alternatively or additionally likewise be possible to use different shapes (not shown).

[0068] FIG. 5b illustrates an alternative arrangement of the two indexing elements 24a, 24b. The indexing elements 24a, 24b are likewise situated in the circumference or in the shell surface of the coronal section 14 at an angle that is different from 180. However, both indexing elements 24a, 24b have the same size. A nonrotatable coupling to the display element 30 is likewise ensured by the arrangement at an angle that is different from 180.

[0069] FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of the abutment 10. A stop surface 42 that circumferentially surrounds the second central axis 22 is provided for attaching the abutment 10 to the dental prosthesis. The second central axis 22 is perpendicular to the stop surface 42.

[0070] A portion of the truncated cone-shaped area 20 of the coronal section 14 is milled off during production of the indexing element 24. To ensure that the stop surface 42 is not damaged during this milling operation, a shoulder 44 that extends parallel to the stop surface 42 is provided between the indexing element 24 and the stop surface 42. The height of this shoulder 44 is several microns above the stop surface 42. In this regard, the shoulder 44 represents a remainder of the truncated cone-shaped area 20 in the area of the indexing element 24.

[0071] As a result, the dental prosthesis may be placed against the stop surface 42 without damage by the shoulder 44. The shoulder 44 must be taken into account and appropriately milled out during the construction of the display element and the corresponding indexing coupling. It is ensured that the stop surface 42 is not damaged or scratched during production of the indexing element 24.

[0072] The invention has been explained in detail with reference to the drawings and the description. The description and explanation are to be understood as an example, and are not to be construed as limiting. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other embodiments or variations result for those skilled in the art for use of the present invention and for a precise analysis of the drawings, the disclosure, and the subsequent patent claims.

[0073] In the patent claims, the words include and have do not exclude the presence of further elements or steps. The indefinite article a or an does not exclude the presence of a plurality. An individual element or an individual unit may carry out the functions of multiple units mentioned in the patent claims. The mere statement of several measures in multiple various dependent patent claims is not to be construed such that a combination of these measures likewise cannot be advantageously used. Reference numerals in the patent claims are not to be construed as limiting.