Dental Implants

Abstract

Dental implants include a threaded body portion having a textured surface, and an externally smooth neck portion having one or more depth gauge lines to guide insertion into a patient's jawbone, with the neck portion projecting above the jawbone, allowing the gingival tissue to be sutured over the implant, or with the neck portion projecting through the gingival tissue.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A dental implant for use with an abutment including a threaded or partially threaded body portion distal to, and distinct from, a cylindrical, externally smooth neck portion atop said body portion, said neck portion including an internal passage with an opening to said internal passage at the top of said neck portion, and with a top surface cross section at a right angle to the vertical axis of said dental implant configured, on its external surface, said otherwise externally smooth neck portion including at least two circumferential depth gauge lines that are parallel to said top surface, and are at a right angle to the vertical axis of said dental implant, and that are spaced apart a first distance from said top surface, said first distance being perceptible/visible to a user of said dental implant, and, separately, a second distance from one another, said second distance also being perceptible/visible to a user of said dental implant, to guide and facilitate positioning of said neck portion, upon placement of said implant in a socket in a patient's jawbone, in at least two different jawbone socket depths corresponding to the location of said two circumferential depth gauge lines, to project at a desired height above and below the crest of said patient's jawbone, wherein said at least two circumferential depth gauge lines depth gauge lines are selected from the transition between said externally smooth neck portion and said body portion, and from one or more circumferential depth gauge lines formed on said externally smooth neck portion, and below said top surface.

10. The dental implant of claim 9 where the overall lengths of the body portion and the neck portion are 1 mm longer than the depth of a socket prepared in said patient's jawbone, using various depth gauge lines on commonly used dental implant drills.

11. The dental-implant of claim 9 wherein said body portion has a textured surface, and, upon said placement, said neck portion projects above the crest of said jawbone, and, in part, below the crest of said jawbone.

12. The dental implant of claim 9 wherein said neck portion has a length in the range of about 1 mm to about 3 mm, said lines extending circumferentially around at least a portion of said neck portion, said lines being spaced apart from one another by at least one millimeter.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. The implant of claim 9 wherein said neck portion flares wider, or tapers narrower, near the top of said neck portion.

17. The dental implant of claim 9 wherein said neck portion includes at least two of said depth gauge lines, with both lines positioned below the top of said dental implant, at least one of said depth gauge lines positioned above the distal end of said externally smooth neck portion, and each of said depth gauge lines extending circumferentially around at least a portion of said neck portion, said lines being spaced equidistant from one another.

18. The dental implant of claim 9 wherein said neck portion includes at least two of said depth gauge lines, with one line positioned below the top of said dental implant, and one millimeter below said top surface, and a second depth gauge line positioned 1 millimeter distal to said one line, above the boundary between said externally smooth neck portion and said body portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] An exemplary embodiment of invention is described in the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of an implant of this invention; and

[0024] FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the implant of FIG. 1, shown in vertical cross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The drawings show an exemplary, non-limiting embodiment 10 of the new dental implants. Implant 10 includes tapered body portion 11, and, atop body portion 10, neck portion 14. Body portion 11 is externally threaded, includes threads 12 along its length, and is tapered along its length, below neck portion 14. Body portion 11 includes vertical groove 13 that facilitates self-tapping insertion of implant 10 in the jawbone of a patient.

[0026] Neck portion 14 is substantially cylindrical in shape along its length, includes two circumferential score lines 15 and 16, located about 1 mm and about 2 mm, respectively, below the top 20, of implant 10. Lines 15 and 16 provide guidance in the placement of the implants in the jawbone of a patient. For example, with an implant that is configured to accept an abutment after implant placement, if the implant body portion is 13 mm in length, and the neck portion is about 1 mm in length, using a 13 mm drill leaves the neck portion, about 1 mm in length, projecting above the bone. As a result, the junction between implant and abutment is spaced from crestal bone.

[0027] Inside implant 10, as FIG. 2 shows, is passage 17, with its opening at the top 20 of neck portion 14. Inside this opening, on the surface of the passage, is beveled, circumferential surface 21. Below beveled surface 21 is wrench-engaging surface/structure 18, here, hex-shaped surface to receive and engage a tool of complementary shape and size to screw, or otherwise place, implant 10 into the jawbone of a patient. Below wrench-engaging surface/structure 17 is threaded passage portion 19, configured to engage an abutment with complementary threads on its external surface.

[0028] While this invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments outlined above, the foregoing description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, is illustrative, not limiting. The invention is not necessarily so constrained. Many alternatives, adaptations modifications, and/or variations may be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0029] Where a range of values is provided, every intervening value, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is included within the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may be included in the smaller ranges, and are likewise included within the invention. Where the stared range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention

[0030] In this specification and in the appended claims, the singular forms a, and, said, and the include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The claims may be so-drafted to require singular elements or exclude any optional element. These statements provide antecedent basis for use of such exclusive terminology as solely, only, and the like in connection with the recitation of claim elements, and/or the use of negative claim limitation(s).