BAR, ASSEMBLY OF AN OVERDENTURE AND A BAR, OVERDENTURE

Abstract

A bar for connecting dental implants, the bar provided to be received in a cavity of a component of a dental prosthesis, a base made of a biocompatible material including a high-performance polymer, and the base including recesses and the bar including click elements that are received in the respective recesses, the click elements provided for making click connections for connecting the bar to the dental implants, assembly of an overdenture and the bar, and an overdenture.

Claims

1. A bar for connecting dental implants that are anchored in a jaw bone, wherein the bar comprises a base with an underside that is provided to be directed towards the jaw bone with the implants, wherein the bar is received in a cavity of a component of a dental prosthesis, wherein this component (4) imitates the gums, wherein the base is made of a biocompatible material comprising a high-performance polymer, and wherein the base comprises two or more recesses that open out on the underside of the base, and the bar comprises two or more click elements that are received in the respective recesses, wherein the click elements make click connections with two or more dental implants for connecting the bar to the dental implants.

2. The bar according to claim 1, wherein the biocompatible material comprises a polyaryletherketone.

3. The bar according to claim 1, wherein the click elements are cup-shaped.

4. The bar according to claim 1, wherein the click elements are glued into the respective recesses.

5. The bar according to claim 1, wherein the bar comprises covers that envelop respective recesses and connecting pieces that connect some of the covers to one another successively, wherein the covers are cylindrical.

6. The bar according to claim 5, wherein the base extends along the jaw bone in a longitudinal direction, wherein the covers extend successively next to each other viewed along the longitudinal direction and form local thickenings of the base.

7. An assembly of an overdenture and a bar according to claim 1.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the overdenture is connectable to the bar and comprises a component with a cavity in which the bar is detachably receivable as a form-fit, wherein the component imitates the gums.

9. The assembly according to claim 7, further comprises a holder in which the bar is receivable as a form-fit and the overdenture comprises a component with a cavity in which the holder is receivable as a form-fit, wherein the component imitates the gums.

10. The assembly according claim 8, wherein the component is made of a plastic.

11. An overdenture that is provided to interact with dental implants anchored in a jaw bone, comprising a component that imitates the gums and comprises click elements for making click connections for connecting the overdenture to the dental implants, wherein the overdenture comprises the bar according to claim 1 and the click elements of the overdenture are the click elements of the bar, and the component (4) comprises an underside that is directed towards the jaw bone with the implants, wherein the underside comprises one or more openings that provide access to a cavity of the component, and wherein the bar is received in the cavity in such a way that the click elements are accessible and are provide to make click connections for connecting the overdenture to the dental implants.

12. The overdenture according to claim 11, wherein the underside comprises several of the openings that provide access to the cavity and the number of openings matches the number of click elements and the mutual position of the openings matches the mutual position of the click elements, and wherein the bar is received in the cavity in such a way that the openings and the respective click elements are in line with each other and the click elements are accessible through the respective openings, and are provided to make click connections for connecting the overdenture to the dental implants.

13. The overdenture according to claim 11, wherein the cavity and the bar are a form-fit, so that the bar occupies a fixed position relative to the component.

14. The overdenture) according to claim 11, wherein the overdenture comprises a holder in which the bar is receivable as a form-fit and the holder is receivable as a form-fit in the cavity of the component that imitates the gums.

Description

[0031] In this detailed description, the reference numbers are used for referring to the appended drawings, wherein:

[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a bar according to the invention, wherein this bar comprises 6 click elements;

[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the bar shown in FIG. 1, wherein this bar is fastened to dental implants;

[0034] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of an overdenture according to the invention comprising a bar with 4 click elements;

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-section of the overdenture as shown in FIG. 3, wherein this overdenture is clicked onto dental implants;

[0036] FIG. 5 is a black and white line drawing of a bar according to FIG. 1;

[0037] FIG. 6 is a black and white line drawing of an overdenture according to FIG. 3;

[0038] FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of an alternative bar according to the invention;

[0039] FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of an alternative overdenture according to the invention, wherein the bar shown in FIG. 7 has not yet been fitted in the holder;

[0040] FIG. 9 shows a bottom view of the overdenture shown in FIG. 8, wherein the bar is fitted in the holder;

[0041] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a click element;

[0042] FIG. 11 shows a bottom view of a specific overdenture according to the invention.

[0043] The bar (1) as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 is used for connecting 6 dental implants (2) that are anchored in the jaw bone of the upper jaw. This bar (1) comprises a base (3) made of PEEK, wherein this base (3) comprises an underside that is provided to be directed towards the gums and the jaw bone with the implants (2) and an upper side located opposite this underside. The base (3) comprises six recesses that open out on the underside of the base (3) and the bar (1) further comprises six click elements (6) that are received in the respective recesses. These click elements (6) are provided for making click connections with 6 dental implants (2) for connecting the bar (1) to these 6 dental implants (2).

[0044] The click elements (6) are cup-shaped and each is provided to click round an end-piece (7) of a dental implant (2) that is a form-fit with the respective click element (6). All of the click elements (6) shown in the figures are two-part click elements (6). These click elements (6) may, however, also be one-piece. These click elements (6) comprise, as shown in FIG. 10, a cap (14) made of stainless steel/titanium and a rubber insert (15). Both the cap (14) and the insert (15) are mainly cup-shaped and the insert (15) is clickably receivable in the cap (14), so that the whole forms a cup-shaped click element (6). The click elements (6) are glued into the recesses.

[0045] The bar (1) as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 comprises 6 cylindrical covers (8), which envelop the respective recesses, and beam-shaped connecting pieces (9), which connect certain of these covers (8) to one another successively.

[0046] Furthermore, in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the base (3) is provided to extend along the gums (gingiva) covering the jaw bone in a longitudinal direction so that the base (3) extends along the jaw bone in the longitudinal direction, wherein the covers (8) extend successively next to each other viewed in this longitudinal direction and form local thickenings of the base (3). Some connecting pieces (9) comprise projections (11) with which the base (3) is slidable as a form-fit in a cavity of a temporary overdenture (not shown in the figures). These projections (11) are not essential and may also have a different shape.

[0047] This temporary overdenture and this bar (1) are used in the following circumstances. When someone switches over to an implant (2) borne overdenture, the necessary implants (2) are fitted in the jaw bone. Thus, for example 6 implants (2) are fitted in the upper jaw and 4 implants (2) in the lower jaw. A bar (1) according to the invention is then provided for both the upper jaw and the lower jaw. After fitting of the implants (2) in the jaw bone, these implants (2) must undergo integration in the jaw bone. During this osseointegration phase, the bars (1) are clicked onto the respective implants (2). For this purpose, an end-piece (7) that is clickably compatible with the respective click element (6) is screwed onto each implant (2). Here, this bar (1) is easily detachably connectable to the respective end-pieces (7), by clicking, so that this bar (1) can be removed again, and all components can be cleaned well. When teeth are needed, temporary overdentures are connected to these bars (1). These temporary overdentures each comprise a component with a cavity in which the bar (1) is receivable as a form-fit and detachably, wherein, among other things, this component imitates the gums, and they also comprise artificial teeth. Said component is made of polymethyl methacrylate. Once the implants (2) have undergone sufficient osseointegration, the switch is made to a permanent overdenture (5).

[0048] A permanent overdenture (5) of this kind is shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6. This relates to an overdenture (5) for the lower jaw, which comprises 4 click elements (6). With this permanent overdenture (5), a bar (1) according to the invention is inserted in a component (4) of the overdenture (5), which among other things imitates the gums. Here, the bar (1) is received in a cavity of said component (4) and this component (4) comprises at the level of its underside, being the side that is provided to be directed towards the jaw bone with the implants (2), four openings (10) that provide access to the cavity and whose mutual position matches the mutual position of the click elements (6), and wherein the bar (1) is received in this cavity in such a way that the openings (10) and the respective click elements (6) are extended in each other and the click elements (6) are thus accessible through the respective openings (10) and are provided to make click connections (6) for connecting the overdenture (5) to the dental implants (2). At the level of the openings (10), the component (4) is made very thin, so that the bar (1) is visible through it. This is shown with dotted lines.

[0049] FIGS. 7 to 9 show an alternative embodiment of a bar (1) and an overdenture (5) comprising this bar (1). This overdenture (5) may serve as a temporary or permanent overdenture (5). In this alternative embodiment, the overdenture (5) comprises a component (4) that among other things imitates the gums, a holder (12), and a bar (1). The component (4) that among other things imitates the gums comprises a cavity, and the holder (12) is glued into this cavity. The holder (12) serves as a holder of the bar (1). The bar (1) is receivable as a form-fit in a cavity (13) of the holder (12). The bar (1) comprises a base (3) with recesses (10) and local projections (11), and click elements (6) that are received in the recesses (10). The bar (1) is glued into the holder (12) when using the overdenture (5). By using such a holder (12), additional stability is obtained. Here, the bar (1) comprises two-part click elements (6) as shown in FIG. 10.

[0050] FIG. 11 shows a specific embodiment of an overdenture (5) according to the invention. This overdenture (5) may serve as a temporary or permanent overdenture (5). The overdenture (5) comprises a component (4) that among other things imitates the gums, and a bar (1) that is received in a cavity (16) of the bar (1). The cavity (16) is a form-fit with the bar (1) and is accessible via an opening that is a form-fit with the bar (1) so that the complete bar (1) is visible in use. The component (4) that among other things imitates the gums is provided to cover the user's complete palate.