HEALING ABUTMENT SYSTEM FOR CONFIGURING CROWN ABUTMENTS AT AN IMPLANT SITE

Abstract

An anatomical healing abutment is configured to connect to a dental implant. The healing abutment has a body portion which includes at least three reference marks that provide data to orient the connection axis of the abutment with the that of the dental implant so that certain conventional steps, including healing abutment manipulation, multiple scans, and the taking of impressions, can be eliminated, thereby saving time and effort on the part of the practitioner.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a prosthetic abutment for attachment to a dental implant held in an osteotomy at a site of an extracted tooth, the method comprising the steps of: a) installing an anatomical healing abutment to said dental implant at said site along a common longitudinal connection axis, said anatomical healing abutment comprising at least three reference marks on an upper portion of thereof; b) scanning at least said site of said extracted tooth, including said anatomical healing abutment and said reference marks, as well as surrounding jaw structure and dentition; c) using data from said step of scanning, developing i) implant position data and anatomical healing abutment position data from the scanned scan position of said reference marks, and ii) a model of gingiva at said site based upon a negative image of said anatomical healing abutment; d) combining scanned and developed data to generate a virtual image of said implant site, surrounding gingiva and jaw structure; and, e) developing an image of a virtual model of a prosthetic abutment to be placed on said dental implant and conform to said virtual image of said implant site.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: f) generating a virtual image of a prosthetic device to be placed upon said virtual model of said prosthetic abutment in conformity with said virtual image of said implant site.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of: g) generating multiple images of virtual models of prosthetic devices and corresponding virtual prosthetic abutments for comparison.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said anatomical healing abutment comprises concavities configured to facilitate collection a bone graft material.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said position data comprises implantation depth, implantation angle, implantation position, and location of implant axis of connection.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said anatomical healing abutment comprises at least five reference marks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of a prosthetic device and a corresponding prosthetic abutment require only a single scan of said site and said anatomical healing abutment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of a prosthetic device and a prosthetic abutment require placement of only a single anatomical healing abutment at said implant site.

9. A method of configuring a prosthetic abutment for attachment to a dental implant held in an osteotomy at a site of an extracted tooth, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing only a single installation of only a single anatomical healing abutment onto said dental implant at said site along a common longitudinal connection axis; b) scanning at least said site of said extracted tooth, including said anatomical healing abutment, as well as surrounding jaw structure and dentition; and, c) using data from said step of scanning, developing: i) implant position data and anatomical healing abutment position data from the scanned position of said anatomical healing abutment; and, ii) a model of gingiva at said site based upon a negative image of said anatomical healing abutment; d) combining scanned and developed data to generate a virtual image of said implant site, surrounding gingiva and, and jaw structure; and, e) developing an image of a virtual model of a prosthetic abutment to be placed on said dental implant and conform to said virtual image of said implant site.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said anatomical healing abutment comprises at least three reference marks on an upper portion thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising the additional step of: f) generating a virtual image of a prosthetic device to be placed upon said model of said prosthetic abutment.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: g) generating multiple images of virtual models of prosthetic devices and corresponding virtual anatomical healing abutments for comparison.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said anatomical healing abutment comprises concavities configured to facilitate collection of bone graft material.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein selection of a prosthetic device and corresponding prosthetic abutment require only a single scan of said anatomical healing abutment.

15. A method of configuring a prosthetic abutment for attachment to a dental implant held in an osteotomy at a site of an extracted tooth, the method comprising the steps of: a) installing an anatomical healing abutment to said dental implant at said site along a common longitudinal connection axis; b) conducting only a single scanning operation of at least said site of said extracted tooth, including said anatomical healing abutment, as well as surrounding jaw structure and dentition; c) using data from said step of scanning, developing: i) implant position data and anatomical healing abutment position data from the scanned position of said anatomical healing abutment; and, ii) a model of gingiva at said site based upon a negative image of said anatomical healing abutment; d) combining scanned and developed data to generate a virtual image of said implant site, surrounding gingiva and jaw structure; and, e) developing an image of a virtual model of a prosthetic abutment to be placed on said dental implant, and conform to said virtual image of said implant site.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising the additional step of: f) generating a virtual image of a prosthetic device to be placed upon said virtual model of said prosthetic abutment.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of: g) generating multiple images of virtual models of prosthetic devices and corresponding virtual prosthetic abutments for comparison.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said anatomical healing abutment comprises an upper portion having three reference marks.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] FIG. 1 is a side view of one example of an anatomical healing abutment of the present invention.

[0061] FIG. 2 is a top view of the anatomical healing abutment from FIG. 1.

[0062] FIG. 3 is a front view (as seen looking into a patient's mouth) of the anatomical healing abutment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0063] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the anatomical healing abutment of FIGS. 1-3, depicting the mechanical arrangement for connecting to an implant (not shown).

[0064] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the anatomical healing abutment.

[0065] FIG. 6 is a front view of a dental implant site, in a jaw, between two existing teeth.

[0066] FIG. 7 is a front view of a jaw with dental implants having prosthetic devices, alongside natural teeth, illustrating key interseptal contact points.

[0067] FIG. 8 is a top view of an anatomical healing abutment having five reference points.

[0068] FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of an anatomical healing abutment having three reference points.

[0069] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an anatomical healing abutment having five reference points.

[0070] FIG. 11 is a side view of the anatomical healing abutment of FIG. 8.

[0071] FIG. 12 is a top view of an anatomical healing abutment having three reference points.

[0072] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of an implant site, with the gingival tissue configured by a conventional round healing abutment.

[0073] FIG. 14 is a side view of an anatomical healing abutment.

[0074] FIG. 15A is a perspective view depicting the gingiva configured by the anatomical healing abutment of FIG. 14.

[0075] FIG. 15B is a top perspective view of an anatomical healing abutment.

[0076] FIG. 16 depicts an implant site including a conventional round healing abutment.

[0077] FIG. 17 depicts the implant site of FIG. 16, with the round conventional healing abutment removed and a scanning post provided in its place.

[0078] FIG. 18 is a side view of a dental implant with an anatomical healing abutment mounted thereon.

[0079] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the implant of FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENTS

[0080] The present invention operates in conjunction with the anatomical healing abutment of U.S. Pat. No.: 8,382,477, to the instant inventor, and incorporated herein by reference. The subject anatomical healing abutment 1 depicted in FIGS. 1-6 of the present application is a crucial part of the current inventive system, which is directed to modeling prosthetic abutments 201 to be used at the implant site 100 were the subject anatomical healing abutment 1 has been used to configure bone graft 30 and the surrounding gingiva 300.

[0081] An anatomical healing abutment 1, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No: 8,382,477 is an integral part of the present invention. A major benefit of an anatomical healing abutment 1 is that the surrounding bone graft 30 is contoured in such a manner that the surrounding gingiva 300 is ultimately configured to resemble that around the original extracted tooth. This is considered very desirable aesthetically, which is one major goal of the present invention. Depending upon all of the circumstances for a particular extraction site, the anatomical healing abutment 1 can use the contours 5 (as depicted in FIG. 1), or not, depending upon the amount of bone graft contouring and gum configuration required for that particular site. The only requirement for the present invention is that the healing abutment 1 be anatomical in nature. The details for exact bone grafting and contouring are left to the judgment of the practitioner's evaluation of a specific extraction site.

[0082] Another major advantage of using the anatomical healing abutment 1 is that its size, shape and connection axis 102 are already well-known and contained in the database of the virtual modeling processor (via STL file transfer) used with the inventive system. Since the surrounding gingiva has already been shaped by the presence of the anatomical healing abutment, a negative image of the anatomical healing abutment will provide all the data that is necessary to obtain a true model of the surrounding gingiva. Thus, the gingiva data is already contained in the database of the present system. All of the aforementioned data is absolutely necessary to generating a virtual model (in a standard virtual modeling processor) of a proposed prosthetic abutment to be used at the site 100 of the implant 10 (where the anatomical healing abutment 1 was formally installed).

[0083] To create a virtual model of a proposed prosthetic abutment, and then a proposed prosthetic device to fit thereon, such as a crown, a full virtual image of the surrounding jaw structure is absolutely necessary. Virtual modeling allows a wide range of different proposed prosthetic abutments 201 and crowns 400 to be considered for optimum aesthetic value, as well as a proper fit at the implant site. The use of the anatomical healing abutment 1 in the present invention assures precision in the generation of virtual models for crown 400 and supporting prosthetic abutments 201.

[0084] The use of the anatomical healing abutment 1, as modified per the present invention, also provides an expedited scanning process, which is necessary to create actual virtual models of the overall implant site 100, implant 10 position, and surrounding gingiva 300 and dentition 200.

[0085] FIG. 8 is a top view depicting an anatomical healing abutment, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No.: 8,382,477, as modified in accordance with the present invention. Reference marks 500 have been added to the crown portion or upper occlusion portion 46, so that they can be readily scanned. Because of the irregular upper contour on upper occlusion section 46, reference marks 500 will not be at the same height as each other. These differences are detected by the scanning process and determine the exact position of the healing abutment 1, the healing abutment's axis of connection 102, and thus, the position of the implant 10 (via its axis of connection 101). Preferably, at least three reference marks 500 are used within the operation of the present invention. However, five or even more reference marks can be used. Further, while the reference marks 500 are shown as being circular, the reference marks need not be limited thereby. Rather, different sizes and shapes of marks can be used to further facilitate accurate location of both the anatomical healing abutment 1 and the dental implant 10.

[0086] For the sake of clarity, the same drawing designation numerals are used in the present application as have been used in U.S. Pat. No.: 8,382,477. New drawing designation numerals are used to identify new elements of the present invention, such as a reference marks 500. In the present application, emphasis is placed upon elements that were not previously discussed in the subject patent, but which require additional consideration for purposes of explaining the present invention.

[0087] In particular, at connection axis 101 for the implant, and connection axis 102 for the anatomical healing abutment 1 are now important considerations, since the newly disclosed reference marks 500 relate to the position of both axes of connection 101, 102. The precise alignment of both axes of connection 101, 102 are not identified by conventional scanning techniques, but are provided by a scan of the reference marks 500. This information is crucial in order to provide a virtual model of both the implant site 100, surrounding dentition 200, papilla 300 and all information regarding implant 10. Without all of this, a comprehensive virtual model becomes impossible, and selection and design of the proper prosthetic abutment, and later crown, become far more problematic. Conventionally, in order to provide the proper information regarding the implant and its axis of connection 101, a scanning body or post 105 is used in place of the healing abutment 1, and a second scan is made, which is then combined with a first scan. The time, effort and inconvenience to the patient caused by these additional steps are eliminated by the present invention since only the reference marks 500 need to be used in a single scan in order to identify the characteristics (including connection axis 101) of the implant 10.

[0088] It is noted that in U.S. Pat. No.: 8,382,477, as well as the rest of the conventional art, the alignment of the connection axis 101 for the implant 10 and connection axis 102 for the abutment 1 is a requirement. Otherwise, a proper connection cannot be made between the two. It is the existence of this proper connection that facilitates the identification of data related to the connection axis 101 of the implant 10 to the connection axis 102 of the anatomical healing abutment 1. Once the connection axis 102 of the anatomical healing abutment 1 is identified, then the connection axis 101 of implant 10 is also known from a single scan. The necessity of a scanning post or body 105 is thereby eliminated by the present invention, as well as the steps necessarily inflicted on a patient in order to use the scanning post or body 105.

[0089] The relationship between reference marks 500 and the axis of connection 102 of the anatomical healing abutment 1 are contained within a database that is utilized to supplement the data gathered during a scan of the implant site 100. The data relating to the connection axis 102 of the anatomical healing abutment 1, which is already derived from the location of the scanned reference marks 500 also identifies the axis of connection 101 of the implant. With this data, virtual modeling of potential prosthetic abutments 201, and later crowns 400 becomes viable with a high degree of accuracy. Without the reference marks 500, this accuracy is only possible by using additional scans and the inconvenience that goes along with a scanning post 105.

[0090] The reference marks 500 on the upper occlusion section 46, of anatomical healing abutment 1 are the key to the success of the present invention. While a minimum of three reference marks 500 are necessary for the operation of the present invention, a wide variety of shapes, sizes and configurations of reference marks can be used, depending upon the size and shape of the anatomical healing abutment 1 required.

[0091] A major benefit of the present invention is the use of a single scan to obtain all the necessary information in order to begin virtual modeling of appropriate prosthetic abutments (to replace the existing anatomical healing abutment 1). The same virtual modeling process can also be extended to include future crowns such as 400 in FIG. 6.

[0092] FIGS. 8-12 depict anatomical healing abutments 1, emphasizing the upper occlusion section 46, depicting two preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, more embodiments of the present invention are contemplated by way of more than five reference marks 500, with varying patterns, configuration and mark types to provide greater facility during the scanning operation. It is noted that with the present invention, a wide variety of different marking patterns is possible.

[0093] The present invention is directed to a complex configuration of gingiva or papilla 300 as depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7. An anatomical healing abutment 1, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No.: 8,382,477, renders the process and a system of the present invention necessary for expeditious scanning of an implant site 111 for purposes of configuring a future prosthetic abutment 102. Compared to an implant site that has been configured by an anatomical healing abutment 1 (such as that depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7), an implant site for which a round conventional healing abutment 106 has been used, the gingiva is relatively non-configured.

[0094] The arrangement in FIG. 13 illustrates a general lack of gingiva 300 contouring found with non-anatomical healing abutments 106. Such a configuration is relatively easy to measure when configuring a future prosthetic abutment 201 for that particular implant site 100. However, as previously discussed in the present application, and in U.S. Pat. No.: 8,382,477, the resulting combination of gingiva and prosthetic abutment at such a site is relatively unappealing in appearance.

[0095] FIG. 14 is a generalized representation of FIGS. 6 and 7, depicting the use of an anatomical healing abutment 1. The use of such a device configures the gingiva 300 surrounded the anatomical healing abutment by means of configuring a bone graft 30 around the anatomical healing abutment 1. This creates a far better aesthetic aspect at the implant site 100. However, it does complicate the process of fitting a proper prosthetic abutment 201 to maximize the aesthetics at the site. This is the result of the gingiva 301 being far more complex than that found at the site at which a conventional rounded healing abutment is used (FIG. 13).

[0096] FIG. 15A depicts a generalized version of an implant site 100 on which an anatomical healing abutment 1 has been used. The gingiva 300 at the site is far more complex, requiring very precise measurements, and conventionally, an additional scanning operation. The present invention avoids this through use of an anatomical healing abutment 1, such as of that depicted in FIGS. 1-7, and a particular process for measuring for the prosthetic abutment 201. The anatomical healing abutment 1, and the process together constitute a system for measuring that is superior in speed and patient convenience to that of conventional systems.

[0097] It is noted that conventional systems for measuring for a prosthetic abutment (and a crown) for an implant site 100 require the use of two scanning operations. The first scan is of the overall site. A second scan takes place when a scanning body or post is connected to the implant 10 in the same manner as the healing abutment 1, replacing the healing abutment. The first conventional scan is to provide an overall view of the implant site 100 and any surrounding dentition 200,400.

[0098] The second scan is used to locate the axis of connection 100 for implant 10. Conventionally, this cannot be done with the conventional healing abutment in place. Nor can it be done using an anatomical healing abutment without the improvement of the reference marks 500 provided in the present invention. Then, scanning post 105, as depicted in FIG. 16, provides the exact location of the axis of connection 101 for implant 10.

[0099] In conventional systems, this data is fed into modeling software that generates virtual images to be configured for implant site 100. Such images represent models that can be manufactured to fit into implant site 100, and are oriented so that the best aesthetic appearance of the future prosthetic abutment 201 matches the axis of connection 101 of implant 10.

[0100] The present invention also facilitates the generation of virtual models or images of proposed prosthetic abutments. Further, the system of the present invention provides the necessary data for the axis of connection 101 for the implant 10 with only a single scan of the implant site 101 (and surrounding gingiva 300 and dentition 200, 400).

[0101] FIG. 17 depicts scanning body or post 105 connected implant 10. If scanning post 105 can be connected directly to the implant, then the conventional process can proceed. If not, other arrangements have to be made to connect the scanning post 105 to implant 10. The use of scanning posts 105 are further complicated by the providers of different scanning systems that are currently on the market. Different providers have different sizes and shapes of scanning posts, some of which can be difficult to fit onto a standard dental implant 10. These difficulties are not limited to the necessity of individual practitioners getting used to different scanning post designs. Rather, with conventional systems, the awkwardness of different types of scanning posts are also inflicted upon the client by way of additional time and discomfort endured. This is all eliminated by the system of the present invention, which eliminates the use of scanning posts altogether.

[0102] The present invention avoids the complications of the scanning post or body 105 because a single scan takes place with the anatomical healing abutment 1 in place. There is no reason to move the anatomical healing abutment 1 until it is time to replace it with a permanent prosthetic abutment 201 and crown 400. Because the anatomical healing abutment 1 does not have to be removed for a second scan, it can remain in place as depicted in FIG. 18.

[0103] This is a major convenience for both the patient and the practitioner. After all, when removing a healing abutment from an implant, the patient must tolerate the procedure and the time spent thereon. Further, any additional device, such as scanning post 105, must have its axis of connection aligning with the axis of connection 101 of the implant 10 so that there is a connection such as that shown in FIG. 19. Aligning axes of connection can be problematical, especially if multiple insertions and removals are necessary. It should be remembered that reinserting any kind of abutment into implant 10 can be awkward and time-consuming since the axis of connection 102 of the abutment must line up perfectly with axis of connection 101 of the implant, as depicted in FIG. 19. The present invention eliminates the removal and reinsertion of the healing abutment, as well as the insertion and removal of scanning post 105 during the measuring process for future prosthetic abutments and crowns.

[0104] Consequently, the steps of the present invention are much reduced from those of conventional systems. A single scan takes place. This scan is able to gather the information of the gingiva 300 at the implant site 100, as well as data on the surrounding dentition 200 around the implant site. Further, the first scan gathers the information of the axis of connection 101 of the implant 10, and integrates it with all the other data. An accurate virtual model of the gingiva 300 surrounding anatomical healing abutment 1 is provided by a negative image of the healing abutment since the gingiva grows closely around, and is configured to the anatomical healing abutment 1. Generating a negative image of a known healing abutment is easy, and can be integrated with all of the other data gathered during the single scan. All data regarding the anatomical healing abutment 1 can easily be entered into any virtual modeling system using STL files, such as those used in the creation of the original anatomical healing abutment. These files also include the relationship between the reference marks 100 and the connection axis 102 of the anatomical healing abutment 1. This data is integrated with the data input from the single scan required so that a wide range of virtual models for proposed prosthetic abutments can be considered for accurate placement at the implant site 100.

[0105] As a result, all the data necessary for generating a virtual model is collected in a single scan. From this point, virtual imaging of perspective prosthetic abutments that will fit to the implant 10 can be computer-generated in a standard fashion. Likewise, crowns that can be matched aesthetically to the surrounding dentition 200 can also be virtually generated using standard techniques. Once the best aesthetic models of both prosthetic abutment and the crown have been virtually generated and selected for optimum aesthetics, manufacturing can be carried out. The virtual model of the selected proposed prosthetic abutment 201 can be expressed as an STL file, and input into a manufacturing system. Such a system can include milling machines and 3-D printers capable of using any materials that are appropriate for use as a permanent prosthetic abutment. In the same manner, virtual models of crowns can be configured, and an optimal crown design selected. These can also be input by way of STL file into appropriate manufacturing systems.

[0106] The present invention is adaptable to current hardware and software configurations. In particular, standard scanners can be used. Examples of standard intraoral scanners are made by 3shape; Carestream 3600; Dental Wings; and, Medit i500. Of course, other scanner manufacturers can be used with the present invention. The key with the present invention is that only a single scan need be taken, rather than the multiple scans of the conventional art.

[0107] Likewise, implant treatment planning systems and software can be used in the same manner as is done in the conventional art. The conventional systems are modified only by the additional data that is input in accordance with the concepts of the present invention. Examples of implant treatment planning systems are provided by 3shape; Anatamage; 360 Imaging; and 3D Diagnostics. Each of these systems is capable of reading the position of the reference marks 500 on the anatomical healing abutment 1 when the scan of the anatomical healing abutment and the surrounding jaw structure and then dentition is made. It should be noted that other types of implant treatment planning software can be used if they accommodate the import of the anatomical healing abutment data relating the axes of connection to the position of the reference marks. The integration of the present invention with existing systems is one of the major advantages of the present invention since brand-new scanners and imaging systems for planning crowns and crown abutments are not necessary.

[0108] Another advantage of the present invention is that a restorative dentist, treating a patient using the present invention, need not take an impression of the implant site. The exclusion of this necessary conventional step saves at least five steps from the conventional procedure, and at least one patient appointment. With the present invention, the final crown and its prosthetic abutment can be sent as a unit to the general dentist. These are then connected to the dental implant 10 upon removal of the anatomical healing abutment 1, all without additional procedural steps that are required conventionally. The general dentist need take no measurements and make no adjustments.

[0109] It is noted that many manufacturing systems need take only the selected virtual model from a virtual imaging system, and carry out manufacturing (either by milling, or 3-D generation) to provide the selected prosthetic abutment and crown. All of this is done with the minimum of inconvenience to both the patient and the practitioner.

[0110] 3-D generation is one preferred method of manufacturing the anatomical healing abutment of the present invention. Equally important is the type of material that is used. One preferred material for the present invention is the E-Shell 200 series low-viscosity, liquid photopolymerizable, made by Envision TEC. However, other E-shell materials can also be used when appropriate. This material is FDA approved, and has been used for hearing aid applications. Its use in dental applications is one aspect of one embodiment of the present application.

[0111] While a number of embodiments have been described by way of example, the present invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the present invention should be interpreted to include any and all variations, modifications, derivations, and embodiments that would occur to one skilled in this technology and in possession of the knowledge of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention should be understood to be limited only by the following claims.