Denture fixing attachment

Abstract

Provided is a denture fixing attachment including: a rod-shaped joint member, having an upper end for supporting a denture fixed thereto and a locking protruding portion protruding laterally from a lower portion of the joint member; and an abutment having a coupling portion formed in an outer surface of a lower portion thereof so as to be coupled to a fixture recess formed in the fixture, and a receiving portion formed in an upper portion thereof so as to receive the lower portion of the joint member therein, wherein the receiving portion of the abutment includes a receiving recess for receiving the lower portion of the joint member inserted thereinto, and a stop protruding portion provided in the receiving portion above the receiving recess and having a guide groove disposed adjacent to the stop protruding portion for guiding coupling movement of the locking protruding portion fitted thereinto.

Claims

1. A denture-fixing attachment for freely connecting a denture to a fixture implanted into an alveolar bone in a slanted direction by adjusting a denture angle of the denture with respect to the fixture, the denture-fixing attachment comprising: a rod-shaped joint member having an upper end for supporting the denture fixed thereto and a locking protruding portion protruding laterally from a lower portion of the joint member; and an abutment having a coupling portion formed in an outer surface of a lower portion thereof so as to be coupled to a fixture recess formed in the fixture, and a receiving portion formed in an upper portion thereof so as to receive the lower portion of the joint member therein, wherein the receiving portion of the abutment includes a receiving recess for receiving the lower portion of the joint member inserted thereinto, and a stop protruding portion provided in the receiving portion above the receiving recess and having a guide groove disposed adjacent to the stop protruding portion for guiding coupling movement of the locking protruding portion fitted thereinto, wherein the guide groove includes a first guide groove part formed in a vertical direction, a second guide groove part formed at an end of the first guide groove part in a horizontal direction, and a third guide groove part formed at an end of the second guide groove part in the vertical direction, and wherein a bottom end of the vertical third guide groove part is open downward along the vertical direction at a distal end thereof, such that the locking protruding portion moves through and out of the guide groove and into the receiving recess as the joint member is inserted thereinto.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic exemplary sectional view showing a denture-fixing attachment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic exemplary sectional view showing the assembly state of the denture-fixing attachment according to the embodiment.

(3) FIG. 3 is an exemplary partially enlarged sectional view showing the operational state of the denture-fixing attachment according to the embodiment.

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic exemplary sectional view showing the in-use state of the denture-fixing attachment according to the embodiment.

(5) FIG. 5 is an exemplary partially enlarged sectional view showing the denture-fixing attachment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is an exemplary partially enlarged sectional view showing an abutment applied to a denture-fixing attachment according to another embodiment of the present invention.

(7) TABLE-US-00001 1: Attachment 2: Alveolar Bone 3: Fixture 4: Denture 5: Joint Member 6: Abutment 7: Receiving Recess 8: Locking Protruding Portion 9: Guide Groove 10: Stop Protruding Portion 11: Lower End of Joint Member 12: Upper End of Joint Member 13: Connection Portion of Joint Member

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) Hereinafter, a denture-fixing attachment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

(9) The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the shapes of components are exaggerated for clarity of illustration. In the drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals even though they are depicted in different drawings. In the following description, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

(10) FIGS. 2 to 4 are views showing a denture-fixing attachment according to one embodiment of the present invention. A denture-fixing attachment 1 according to the embodiment is configured to adjust the angle at which a denture 4 is fixed to a fixture 3 implanted into an alveolar bone 2, thereby freely connecting the denture 4 to the fixture 3 implanted in a slanted direction.

(11) That is, an implant recess used to implant the fixture 3 is formed in the alveolar bone 2 using a tool such as, for example, a drill, the fixture 3 is implanted into the implant recess, and the attachment is fixed to the fixture 3 and serves as a connection component for connecting the denture 4 to the fixture 3.

(12) The implant recess has female threads formed therein, and the fixture 3 has male threads formed in the outer peripheral surface thereof to mesh with the female threads, so that the fixture 3 is screwed to the implant recess.

(13) The denture-fixing attachment 1 according to the embodiment includes a rod-shaped joint member 5, to an upper end of which the denture 4 is fixed, and an abutment 6 having a coupling portion formed in the outer surface of a lower portion thereof, which is coupled to a fixture recess formed in the fixture 3, and a receiving portion formed in an upper portion thereof, in which a lower portion of the joint member 5 is received.

(14) That is, the denture-fixing attachment includes the abutment 6, which is coupled to the fixture 3, and the joint member 5, which is pivotably and rotatably jointed to the abutment 6 and is connected with the denture 4, so that the denture 3 is fixed to the alveolar bone 2.

(15) Preferably, the aforementioned fixture recess is embodied as a spiral nut recess, and the coupling portion of the abutment 6 is embodied as male threads, which mesh with the fixture recess, so that the abutment 6 is screwed to the fixture 3.

(16) In the above-described denture-fixing attachment 1 according to the embodiment, the receiving portion of the abutment 6 includes a receiving recess 7, into which the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 is inserted, and a stop protruding portion 10, which is provided in the receiving portion above the receiving recess 7 and has a guide groove 9, into which a locking protruding portion 8, protruding outward from the lower end 11 of the joint member 5, is fitted and which guides the coupling movement of the locking protruding portion 8.

(17) That is, the locking protruding portion 8 of the joint member 5 is inserted into the guide groove 9 in the stop protruding portion 10 and is guided thereby, and the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 is received in the receiving recess 7, so that the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 freely pivots and rotates with respect to the inner peripheral surfaces of the receiving recess 7 and the stop protruding portion 10, thereby adjusting the angle formed by the upper end 12 of the joint member 5 and the abutment 6.

(18) Therefore, even when the fixture 3 is implanted into the alveolar bone 2 in a slanted direction, the denture 4 is capable of being stably connected and fixed to the fixture 3.

(19) In addition, the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 received in the receiving recess 7 is in contact with the stop protruding portion 10 provided above the receiving recess 7 so as to be prevented from being unexpectedly separated from the receiving recess 7, thereby enhancing stability without concern as to the release of the engagement of the denture 4 for a long time period.

(20) That is, since the stop protruding portion 10, which functions to prevent the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 from being separated from the receiving recess 7, is integrally formed with the receiving recess 7, not only additional parts but also additional fastening elements are unnecessary, which enhances structural strength and enables stable long-term use.

(21) In the above-described denture-fixing attachment 1 according to the embodiment, at least a predetermined portion of the guide groove 9 is preferably formed to extend in a horizontal direction in the inner peripheral surface of the stop protruding portion 10.

(22) Accordingly, in the state in which the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 is guided along the inner peripheral surface of the stop protruding portion 10 and is received in the receiving recess 7, the locking protruding portion 8 is in contact with the horizontally extending portion of the guide groove 9 and is prevented from being separated from the receiving recess 7.

(23) That is, the guide groove 9 may be formed to have an L shape or, as illustrated in FIG. 6, to have a shape in the inner peripheral surface of the stop protruding portion 10, and in this case, the locking protruding portion 8 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the lower end of the joint member 5, and is fitted into the guide groove (for example, in a push-turn-push engagement manner).

(24) Alternatively, the locking protruding portion 8 may be preferably formed to have an annular shape around the outer peripheral surface of the lower end of the joint member 5, so that the locking protruding portion 8 is screwed to the spiral guide groove 9.

(25) Therefore, the annular-shaped locking protruding portion 8 provided at the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 is moved from the opening of the receiving portion to the receiving recess 7 through the screw-engagement with the spiral guide groove 9, and is prevented from being unexpectedly separated from the receiving recess 7.

(26) Preferably, the bottom surface of the receiving recess 7 has a hemispherical shape, and the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 also has a hemispherical shape corresponding to the hemispherical-shaped receiving recess 7 so as to come into close contact with the bottom surface of the receiving recess 7, so that the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 easily pivots and rotates with respect to the bottom surface of the receiving recess 7.

(27) More preferably, in the denture-fixing attachment 1 according to the embodiment constituted as above, both the upper end 12 and the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 have curved surfaces, more precisely hemispherical-shaped surfaces, and a connection portion 13 between the upper end 12 and the lower end 11 is formed to have a rod shape, which has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the upper end 12.

(28) Accordingly, even when the upper end 12 of the joint member 5 is coupled to a portion of the denture 4 at a certain inclination angle, the maximum possible area for close contact between the upper end 12 of the joint member 5 and the denture 4 can be secured.

(29) Further, since the angle at which the joint member 5 can pivot with respect to the receiving portion is decided depending on the diameter of the connection portion 13, a user may select a connection portion having a suitable shape, and may use the same.

(30) That is, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, the smaller the diameter H or h of the connection portion 13, the larger the pivot range, and accordingly a user may simply select a joint member having a suitable shape for the dental treatment, and assemble and use the same.

(31) The operational effects of the denture-fixing attachment according to the embodiment constituted as above will now be explained in detail.

(32) When a dental treatment of fixing the denture 4 is performed using the denture-fixing attachment 1 according to the embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the fixture 3 is first implanted into the alveolar bone 2 as described above.

(33) Subsequently, the joint member 5 is fastened to the receiving portion of the abutment 6 in a screw-engagement manner so that the lower end 11 of the joint member 5 is inserted and received in the receiving recess 7, and the attachment 1, formed through the assembly of the abutment 6 and the joint member 5, is fastened to the fixture recess of the fixture 3.

(34) As such, when the attachment 1 is coupled to the fixture 3, a fixing portion of the denture 4 is fixedly coupled to the upper end 12 of the joint member 5, thereby completing the denture-fixing treatment.

(35) Depending on the treatment conditions, for example, in the case in which the denture 4 is connected to the fixture 3 implanted into the alveolar bone 2 in a slanted direction, the treatment can be carried out after the angle of the joint member 5 with respect to the receiving recess 7 is adjusted by pivoting the joint member 5.

(36) As described above, the denture-fixing attachment according to the embodiment has an economic effect due to the simple structure of the abutment to which the joint member is pivotably coupled, highly efficient workability due to a simplified assembly process, and increased stability in long-term use due to structural stability in that the receiving recess and the stop protruding portion, which constitute the receiving portion, are integrally formed.

(37) The embodiment of the present invention as described above is only illustrative, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and other equivalent exemplary embodiments may be made. Therefore, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited only to the forms mentioned in the detailed description. Accordingly, the true technical scope of the present invention should be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims. In addition, it is to be understood that the present invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

(38) The present invention relates to a denture-fixing attachment used to fix a denture after a dental implant treatment and, more particularly, to a denture-fixing attachment, which has an economic effect due to a simple structure and consequent improvement of productivity, highly efficient workability due to a simplified assembly process, and increased stability in use due to the secure maintenance of engagement force for a long time period and the consequent prevention of unexpected release of engagement, and therefore, the present invention has industrial applicability.