Dental implant system

Abstract

A dental implant assembly is provided, as well as a system and method for exposing an embedded implant after osseointegration has taken place. The implant assembly comprises an implant member for embedding in the jaw and a rest factor member for securing to the implant member, the rest factor member having an upper rest surface just above the tissue level for opposing an overlying portion of a prosthesis anchored elsewhere in the jaw to form a non-retentive rest or support for accepting down pressure from the prosthesis. The implant member is relatively short and can be installed in distal jaw regions without interference with the mandibular nerve. A bore is cut out in the jaw for receiving the implant, inserting the implant and an attached healing screw in the implant. The implant site is closed and osseointegration takes place over an extended period. Subsequently, the implant site is uncovered, the healing screw is removed, and the rest factor member is secured in the implant.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a dental implant system.Dental implants are embedded in the jaw bone and serve to anchor one or more artificial teeth or dentures. Most implant systems involve a relatively long implant cylinder which is placed into a custom bored hole in the jawbone, then left for several months to allow healing and bone integration. Then the implant must be exposed for attachment of a dental prosthetic appliance such as a crown, denture, partial denture or bridge. This generally involves the dentist cutting out a flap of tissue which is peeled back to expose the implant, and secured by sutures after installing the prosthesis. This results in a relatively large area of trauma with a certain degree of pain to the patient and risk of post-operative infection.Another problem with conventional implants is their length, which makes them difficult to implant in the distal jaw region, where there is insufficient depth to enable their insertion wi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved dental implant system and method which is less likely to cause significant tissue trauma and which reduces bone erosion as a result of denture wear.

The implant system and method described above provides a rest surface for an overlying cantilevered bridge or denture which is anchored elsewhere in the jaw, on which the denture can rest and which accepts down pressure from the denture, reducing tissue trauma. Rest surfaces may be provided wherever needed, in conjunction with the conventional implants and anchors used for securing the denture or prosthesis in the jaw. The improved implant recovery tool and method produces minimal trauma when exposing a previously embedded implant for subsequent connection to either a rest factor or to a conventional anchor or magnet abutment.

Problems solved by technology

This results in a relatively large area of trauma with a certain degree of pain to the patient and risk of post-operative infection.

Another problem with conventional implants is their length, which makes them difficult to implant in the distal jaw region, where there is insufficient depth to enable their insertion without interference with the mandibular nerve, without the assistance of a dental surgeon to locate the precise position of the nerve and ensure that the implant does not interfere with it.

A shorter cylindrical implant would not normally be suitable since it would provide insufficient "hold" and would likely become loosened with time if anchored to a denture or bridge.

Also, side to side forces on the implant lead to bone erosion and trauma.

However, this has the disadvantage that trauma to the tissue and underlying bone beneath the denture occurs as a result of the denture repeatedly impacting the bone, particularly with long dentures which will tend to tilt or rotate about their attachment or anchor points during chewing or other jaw motions.

This biting pressure can result in bone erosion or resorption down to the level of the nerve.

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