Retainerless Orthodontic Implant System

Abstract

A retainerless orthodontic dental implant system for positioning the mandible forward relative to the maxilla and for facilitating optimal airflow during sleep and a method of using such a system.

Claims

1. A method of preventing or treating a condition associated with a maxillomandibular aberrancy in a subject, the method comprising: (a) providing a guide stent having one or more apertures; (b) installing one or more implants in the upper and lower jawbone of the subject such that the one or more implants are substantially aligned with the one or more apertures, wherein the one or more implants have at least one orthogonally protruding abutment end; (c) removing the guide stent; and, (d) providing one or more connectors having a first end configured to attach to the at least one abutment end of the one or more implants in the upper jawbone of the subject, and wherein a second end disposed opposite from the first end is configured to attach to the at least one abutment end of the one or more implants in the lower jawbone of the subject.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the guide stent is composed of a thermoplastic material configured as a topological imprint formed by vacuum imprinting, and wherein the guide stent molding functions to direct the positioning of the one or more threaded members through the one or more apertures.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the implanting is between apical root regions of the subject's jawbone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more implants are three right threaded members disposed on the right side of the subject's maxillomandibular midline and three left threaded members disposed on the left side of the subject's maxillomandibular midline.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein two of the three right threaded members are positioned at the subject's right mandible and one of the three right threaded members is positioned at the subject's right maxillae, and wherein two of the three left threaded members are positioned at the subject's left mandible and one of the three left threaded members is positioned at the subject's left maxillae.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one abutment end remains above the gum-line surface in a buccal orientation after implantation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the connectors are composed of a material selected from the group consisting of injection molded urethane plastic, silicone, rubber, vinyl, non-water hardenable urethane, plastic, plastic-based materials, fiberglass, metal, ceramic, monomers, polymers, terpolymers, resin, plaster, and cellulose.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the connectors have openings disposed at the first and second ends.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the attaching occurs through a mechanism selected from the group consisting of snapping, screwing, clamping, adhering, locking, riveting, frictional fitting, and bayonetting.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more implants comprise a threaded section.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more implants are modified by acid etching, decortication and/or blasting.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more implants are modified to include one or more osteoinductive agents, bone graft material, bone substitute material, allograft bone, demineralized bone material, ceramics, coral, collagen and ceramic composite, ossified bone protein, an osteogenesis source, a fusion promoting substance, a bone growth promoting material, bone, bone derived substances, a demineralized bone matrix, a mineralizing protein, a plasma spray coating, an ossifying protein, bone morphogenetic protein, hydroxyapatite, or genes coding for the production of bone.

13. A method of therapeutically adjusting the position of a subject's jaw for preventing or treating a condition selected from the group consisting of sleep apnea, sleep hypopnea, snoring, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and muscular disorders, post-operative oral-maxillofacial immobilization, and obesity, without using a retainer, the method comprising: (a) installing one or more implants in an upper and lower jawbone of the subject, wherein the one or more implants are orthogonal to the upper and lower jawbone when in an implanted position, and wherein the one or more implants possess at least one buccally oriented abutment end; (b) providing one or more bands having a first end and a second end disposed opposite to the first end, wherein the first end of the one or more bands is configured to attach to at least one of the abutment ends in a mandibular position when substantially aligned, and wherein the second end of the one or more bands is configured to attach to at least one of the abutment ends in a maxillary position when substantially aligned; (c) substantially aligning the one or more bands with the at least one mandibular abutment end to form a reversibly engaged lower connection; (d) substantially aligning the one or more bands with the at least one maxillary abutment end to form a reversibly engaged upper connection, wherein the engaged upper connection in conjunction with the engaged lower connection imparts tension to the one or more bands, and wherein the tension functions to therapeutically adjust the position of the subject's jaw without the use of a retainer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the implanting is between apical root regions of the upper and lower jawbone.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one abutment end remains above the gum-line surface after implantation.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the bands are composed of materials selected from the group consisting of injection molded urethane plastic, silicone, rubber, vinyl, non-water hardenable urethane, plastic, plastic-based materials, fiberglass, metal, ceramic, monomers, polymers, terpolymers, resin, plaster, and cellulose.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more implants are modified by introducing one or more osteoinductive agents, bone graft material, bone substitute material, allograft bone, demineralized bone material, ceramics, coral, collagen and ceramic composite, ossified bone protein, a source of osteogenesis, a fusion promoting substance, a bone growth promoting material, bone, bone derived substances, a demineralized bone matrix, a mineralizing protein, a plasma spray coating, an ossifying protein, bone morphogenetic protein, hydroxyapatite, or genes coding for the production of bone.

18. An apparatus for treating or preventing a maxillomandibular condition comprising: (a) a guide stent having one or more apertures; (b) one or more implants, wherein each of the one or more implants has a tip and an abutment end connected by a body; (c) one or more bands; and (d) a securing mechanism that reversibly connects the one or more implants to the one or more bands.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the guide stent molding is composed of a thermoplastic material configured as a topological imprint formed by vacuum imprinting, and wherein the guide stent functions to direct the positioning of the one or more threaded anchors through the one or more apertures.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the tip of the one or more implants is disposed between apical root regions of a subject's jaw.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the abutment end remains above the gum-line surface in a buccal orientation after implantation.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the one or more implants are modified by introducing one or more osteoinductive agents, bone graft material, bone substitute material, allograft bone, demineralized bone material, ceramic, coral, collagen and ceramic composite, ossified bone protein, a source of osteogenesis, a fusion promoting substance, a bone growth promoting material, bone, bone derived substances, a demineralized bone matrix, a mineralizing protein, a plasma spray coating, an ossifying protein, bone morphogenetic protein, hydroxyapatite, or genes coding for the production of bone.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] FIG. 1 is a front view of both upper and lower jaws of a human mouth containing implants of the present invention.

[0063] FIGS. 2A-2C are front elevational views of various embodiments of the implant.

[0064] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a model showing one example of positioning for the implants and connectors.

[0065] FIG. 4 is an elevational side view showing a guide molding stent positioned over the lower jaw of a subject.

[0066] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the preparation for placement of the implant in an upper jaw.

[0067] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a model showing the implant analogs and connectors.

[0068] FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the model shown in FIG. 6.

[0069] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of one example of the connectors.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0070] At the outset, it should be clearly understood that like reference numerals are intended to identify the same structural elements, portions or surfaces consistently throughout the several drawing figures, as such elements, portions or surfaces may be further described or explained by the entire written specification, of which this detailed description is an integral part. Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read (e.g., cross-hatching, arrangement of parts, proportion, debris, etc.) together with the specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this invention. As used in the following description, the terms horizontal, vertical, left, right, up and down, as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof, (e.g., horizontally, rightwardly, upwardly, etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader. Similarly, the terms inwardly and outwardly generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation, or of rotation, as appropriate.

[0071] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a front view of lower jaw 20 and upper jaw 23 each supporting implants 26. Implants 26 are inserted into the bone material of lower jaw 20 and upper jaw 23. The implants 26 may comprise threaded members. The threaded members may include hollow or solid dental screws, rods, poles, distractors, conduits, members, tubes, keys, wrenches, or gripping members. The implants 26 may also comprise threaded anchors. FIGS. 2A-2C are views of several embodiments of implant 26. Implant 26 includes a body 27 ranging in diameter from 1.6 to 2.5 mm. Different diameters may be selected depending on the density of the bone material that will support implant 26. Threaded section 29 extends from tip 32 to carrier section 35. Tip 32 has a point sufficient to enable implant 26 to be self-tapping when it is inserted into lower jawbone 20 or upper jawbone 23. Carrier section 35 is configured in such a way as to allow instruments such as suitably sized wrenches, ratchets or similar tools to grab and turn implant 26 in order to screw implant 26 into bone material. Abutment end 38 is at the opposite end of implant 26 from tip 32. Abutment end 38 may have any shape including a spherical abutment end 38a, a square or rectangular solid abutment end 38b, or a polygonal tapered end, such as a pyramidal shaped abutment end 38c. Other embodiments of abutment end 38 may include any shape suitable for attaching to a connector 41 as described herein.

[0072] Returning to FIG. 1, the implants 26 may be positioned between apical root regions of the subject's jawbone. The implants 26 may include three right threaded members disposed on the right side of the subject's maxillomandibular midline 44 and three left threaded members on the left side of the subject's maxillomandibular midline 44. Two of the three right threaded members may be positioned at the subject's right lower jaw 20 and one of the three right threaded members may be positioned at the subject's right upper jaw 23. Two of the three left threaded members may be positioned at the subject's left lower jaw 20 and one of the three left threaded members may be positioned at the subject's left upper jaw 23. After implantation, the abutment end 38 of the implant 26 remains above the gum-line surface in a buccal orientation.

[0073] The implants 26 may be disposed orthogonal to the lower and upper jawbones 20, 23 when implanted. The implants 26 may be modified to include one or more materials such as osteoinductive agents, bone graft material, bone substitute material, allograft bone, demineralized bone material, ceramics, coral, collagen and ceramic composite, ossified bone protein, an osteogenesis source, a fusion promoting substance, a bone growth promoting material, bone, bone derived substances, a demineralized bone matrix, a mineralizing protein, hydroxyapatite, or genes coding for the production of bone.

[0074] FIG. 3 depicts a model 47 created from an impression made of the lower and upper jaws 20, 23 of the subject. The fabrication of such a model 47 is well known to those skilled in the art. The model 47 provides for determining the positioning of the implants 26 and the positioning and length of the connectors 41. The connectors 41 are used to adjust the mandible shift, maxillary manipulation, to retain the subject's jaw in a desired position, to increase airflow, to adjust upper and/or lower jawbone alignment, to adjust upper and/or lower jawbone proximity with respect to each other, to facilitate optimal airflow during sleep, or to reversibly fix the upper jawbone to the lower jawbone. The mandible shift may be a labial shift.

[0075] Implant orifices or holes 50 are drilled or bored into the model 47 and implant analogs 53 are placed into the holes. Implant analogs 53 have abutment ends and carrier sections similar in size to actual implants 26 but they may lack threaded sections because there is no need to tap into model 47. A guide stent 56 (FIG. 4) is made from any suitable thermoplastic material capable of vacuum forming over the model 47. The vacuum process molds the stent material into the shape of the implant receiving area 48 comprising the implant analogs 53, the gums 54, and the surrounding teeth 55. In one example of the stent forming procedure, cylinders 62 (FIG. 4) may be placed around implant analogs 53 and into the holes 50 so that the cylindrical wall 59 of the cylinders 62 surrounds the body of implant analogs 53 with the abutment end 65 of the implant analog 53 remaining uncovered. With cylinders 62 in place, the vacuum forming process incorporates the cylinders 62 into the molded guide stent 56 creating guide holes 68 as part of the molded guide stent 56.

[0076] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the guide stent 56 with incorporated guide holes 68 which is molded to the shape of the area of a patient's jaw where implants 26 are to be placed. To insert implants 26 into lower jaw 20 or upper jaw 23, the molded guide stent 56 is placed over the teeth 71 where the implants 26 are to be placed. As a result of the vacuum forming process described above, the configuration of the molded guide stent 56 enables it to fit or overlay snugly on the teeth 71 and gums 72 of the subject and the guide holes 68 are positioned at the predetermined locations analogous to the positions of implant analogs 53 in the model 47. Moreover, the incorporation of cylinders 62 into the molded guide stent 56 orients the guide holes 68 orthogonal to the jaw for inserting implants 26 into the bone material.

[0077] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a guide stent 56 for use on the upper jaw 23 depicting the preparation for inserting implant 26 into bone material above the gum line 74. After using a local anesthetic to desensitize the area, drill 77 with drill bit 80 is used to prepare a starter hole 81 by positioning drill bit 80 through the guide hole 68 and drilling through the gum and about 4-8 mm into the underlying bone. By drilling through guide hole 68, the operator and patient are assured that the starter hole 81 is placed at the desired location and is drilled at the desired angle to ensure, as much as possible, that the starter hole 81 is surrounded by bone material of equal mass. Drill bit 80 has a smaller diameter than that of implant 26. After preparing the starter holes 81, implant(s) 26 are threaded or screwed into the starter holes 81 until only a portion of the body 27 and the abutment end 38 are protruding from the gums 72 of the subject. Wrenches, ratchets and similar tools may be used to screw implants 26 into the bone material.

[0078] Returning to FIG. 3, once the implants 26 are installed at their predetermined locations, connectors 41 may be attached to the implants. The connectors 41a, 41b may have a first end 83a, 83b disposed opposite from a second end 86a, 86b. The first and second ends 83, 86 may have first and second openings 89, 92 for securing to the abutment ends 38 of the implants 26. The connectors 41 (best shown in FIG. 8) may be composed of a material selected from the group consisting of injection molded urethane plastic, silicone, rubber, vinyl, non-water hardenable urethane, plastic, plastic-based materials, fiberglass, metal, ceramic, monomers, polymers, terpolymers, resin, plaster, and cellulose. The connectors 41 may be custom designed to have different sizes, lengths, thicknesses, elasticity constants or the like depending on the application and the size of the patient's jaw. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the length of the connectors 41 may be varied by varying the length of the midportion 42. Turning to FIG. 3 a first connector 41a is disposed vertically between an implant analog 53 on the upper jaw 23 and an implant analog 53 on the lower jaw 20. Connector 41a may be used to adjust the air flow path to provide optimal air flow during sleep. A different connector 41a may also be used as a weight management tool by restricting mouth opening during the day.

[0079] Connector 41b is disposed diagonally between an implant analog 53 on the upper jaw 23 and an implant analog 53 on the lower jaw 20. The size and elasticity of connector 41b may be adjusted to provide adjustment of the alignment between the upper and lower jaw of the subject for treatment of conditions such as sleep apnea, sleep hypopnea, snoring, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and muscular disorders. The combined effect of connectors 41a and 41b may also be used to treat these conditions.

[0080] When the system is installed, the attachment of the connectors 41a, 41b to the abutment end 38 of the implant 26 is reversible. The attaching may occur through various mechanisms, including but not limited to, snapping, screwing, clamping, adhering, locking, riveting, frictional fitting and bayonetting. In the example shown, the attaching is accomplished by inserting the connector 41 such that the abutment ends 38 of two implants 26 are received in the opposed openings 89, 92 located on the connector 41. Other means of attaching the connectors 41 may also be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art based on this disclosure.

[0081] Turning to FIGS. 6-7, the model 47 is shown with connectors 41a, 41b, 41c, and 41d attached between implant analogs 53 disposed on the left and right hand sides of the upper and lower jaws.

[0082] The present invention contemplates that many changes and modifications may be made. Therefore, while the presently-preferred form of the retainerless orthodontic implant system has been shown and described, and several modifications and alternatives discussed, persons skilled in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined and differentiated by the following claims.