Containers for dental implants

Abstract

Container (1) for a dental implant (10), comprising a base body (11) with a receiving space (12) extending in a principal axis (13), wherein a retaining clip (14) is provided in the receiving space (12), into which the dental implant (10) can be inserted from its longitudinal axis (15), wherein the longitudinal axis (15) is parallel to or coincides with the principal axis (13), characterized in that a manually operable rotary element (16) is arranged on the base body (11), which is operatively connected to the retaining clip (14) in such a way that, when the rotary element (16) is rotated, the retaining clip (14) is axially displaced in the principal axis (13).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a container for a dental implant, comprising a base body with a receiving space extending in a main axis, wherein a retaining clip is provided in the receiving space into which the dental implant can be inserted from its longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis being parallel to or coinciding with the main axis. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] The term dental implant refers to a replacement for a tooth root, which is screwed into the jawbone of a patient. After a healing process, the dental prosthesis is completed with the crown and the connecting element, the abutment. Unlike the dental implant itself, these two components do not require sterile packaging and are therefore easier to handle. During the healing process, a healing abutment is screwed into a threaded hole on the top of the implant, into which the abutment is then screwed after healing is complete. The dental implant and the healing abutment are usually packaged together and therefore preferably stored in a single container.

[0003] The implantation procedure itself is discussed in more detail in the documents listed below, so it will not be repeated here. It should be noted that this is an operation on open tissue, bone, and blood vessels; therefore, sterility and extreme cleanliness are required when handling the dental implant at all times. The sterility of the dental implant itself, and consequently also of the container, is achieved through further sterile and germ-proof packaging in the form of a blister pack, as long as this remains unopened and the maximum storage period is not exceeded.

[0004] Historically, containers are known that consist of a so-called primary part, which, in contrast to a secondary part, has a germ-free sealed volume, thus enabling sterile storage of the implant. The secondary part is not sterile and offers only limited protection against environmental influences such as dust and moisture. In the simplest case, it merely forms an outer packaging whose purity is equivalent to that of the surrounding environment. Therefore, it is of only minor medical significance and is often either not described at all or not described in detail in subsequent patent specifications.

[0005] An older cylindrical container is described, for example, in US 5,558,230 A, which—like many other solutions—provides access to an axially removable implant at one end. The disadvantage here, as with all such solutions, lies in the risk of unintentional contact with the implant during removal due to the general uncertainty associated with manual handling. In particular, an angular misalignment between the longitudinal axes of the container and the implant is difficult to avoid, thus significantly increasing the risk of unintentional contact. This risk increases not only with the length of the implant but also with its thickness, as the distance to the constant diameter of the inner wall of the primary container decreases.

[0006] WO 02 / 30315 A1 aims to remedy this deficiency by means of axially guided implant removal. This document also describes in detail the risk of contamination with foreign material and its consequences. The disadvantage of this solution is the need to house the complex mechanism for guiding the implant within the primary container.

[0007] US Patent 8,292,075 B2 describes a container with a rectangular cross-section and a laterally pivoting lid, which is rotatably mounted around a vertical axis located at the rear. The implant is clamped to the front of the housing by means of an additional component. The advantage of this solution is the ability to remove the implant from the top via the shortest possible route, significantly reducing the risk of contact with the container's inner wall due to the short distance, which is also well away from any internal walls. The disadvantage of this solution is the considerable effort required to create an airtight and sterile seal for the interior. According to the patent, this should be achieved in a conventional manner, but is not described in detail, leaving the execution to the experienced professional. A sterile barrier in the form of a blister pack was not considered.

[0008] A new, further developed generation of containers circumvents this fundamental problem and is disclosed in EP 2 745 800 B1. This new generation differs fundamentally from its predecessors not only in its deviation from a cylindrical shape and the method of securing the implant. A metallic insert ensures that the implant comes into contact exclusively with metal, specifically titanium. The receiving body is made of a plastic material, and it is essential to prevent microparticles from being abraded from the plastic and adhering to the implant, for example, at sharp edges on the implant.

[0009] US Patent 2007 / 0181446 A1 discloses a container for a dental implant comprising a receiving body and a receiving chamber formed therein, into which the dental implant is inserted, and a lid element that is pivotably arranged on the receiving body between a closed and an open position. The dental implant is clamped between a titanium base plate and an elastic polymer element in the lid, such that the clamping occurs along the longitudinal axis of the dental implant. The lid must therefore be fully opened to remove the dental implant. The elastic element that comes into contact with the dental implant must have specific material specifications, and it must be ensured that no microparticles can detach from the elastic element and adhere to the implant.

[0010] The current state of the art shows that there are containers whose basic structure comprises a base body with a receiving chamber extending along a main axis. A retaining clip is integrated into this receiving chamber, into which the dental implant can be inserted from its longitudinal axis, which coincides with the main axis. The design always aims to make the removal of the dental implant as easy as possible without any external contact with the implant. REVELATION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The object of the invention is to further improve a container for a dental implant that is easy to use and with which the removal of the dental implant is as easy as possible.

[0012] This problem is solved starting from a container according to the preamble of claim 1 with the characterizing features. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0013] The invention includes the technical teaching that a manually operable rotary element is arranged on the base body, which is operatively connected to the retaining clip in such a way that, when the rotary element is rotated, the retaining clip is axially displaced in the main axis.

[0014] The core concept of the invention is the design of a container for a dental implant that features an operating function modeled on that of a lipstick. A lipstick typically also has a base and a rotating element, and when the rotating element is manually turned relative to the base around its main axis, the lipstick extends from an opening on the top for use. By turning the element in the opposite direction, the lipstick is returned to the receiving chamber and thus back into the base. Similar functions are known in glue sticks.

[0015] Inspired by this lipstick or glue stick function, the invention aims to operate a container for a dental implant so that the dentist or an assistant can axially extend the dental implant from the receiving space for removal, allowing the dental implant to finally be removed from the retaining clip using the insertion tool. The axial direction, in this context, describes the direction in which the main axis extends, which can coincide with the longitudinal axis of the dental implant.

[0016] The receiving chamber in the base body has an opening at the top, from which the retaining clip can be at least partially extended when the rotating element is turned. It is also conceivable to design the inner contour of the base body in such a way that the retaining clip is guided within it. The retaining clip can be U-shaped and have a first and a second leg, between which a base section extends at the bottom, so that the legs and the base section are formed as a single unit. The retaining clip can be geometrically designed to hold the dental implant with a preload force. Furthermore, the inner surface of the base body can be contoured so that the preload force increases or decreases as the legs contact and slide against the inner surface of the base body when the retaining clip is extended from the receiving chamber.

[0017] The functional connection between the rotating element and the retaining clip incorporates a rotary-stroke mechanism to fulfill the lipstick or glue stick function. This mechanism is preferably designed such that the retaining clip, and therefore the dental implant, does not rotate with the rotating element. The rotary-stroke mechanism can be implemented in various ways, for example, comprising a threaded connection, such as a threaded spindle, a helical cam guide, or any other form of converting a rotary motion into a linear motion.

[0018] According to a possible first embodiment of the rotary-lift mechanism, it can include a lifting element that is rotationally fixed but movable along its main axis within the base body. The retaining clip can be attached to this lifting element, allowing it to be axially displaced along the main axis. The lifting element can then be moved towards the upper opening of the receiving chamber until the dental implant is also, for example, partially removed from the receiving chamber.

[0019] According to a first exemplary variant for the implementation of the rotary-lift mechanism, the rotary element can form a threaded connection with the lifting element, wherein the lifting element is guided axially in the base body in a rotationally secure manner, so that when the rotary element rotates, the threaded connection acts like a threaded spindle. The rotary element is thereby secured in its axial position and has only the degree of freedom of rotation about the main axis.

[0020] The threaded connection can comprise a threaded shank and a threaded passage through which the threaded shank extends, wherein the threaded shank is arranged on or integrally formed with the rotating element, and wherein the threaded passage extends through the lifting element. To guide the lifting element in the base body in a rotationally secure manner, it may be sufficient for the lifting element to be non-circular, for example, by having at least one flat surface, or by providing a tongue-and-groove connection between the outer surface of the lifting element and the inner surface of the base body.

[0021] The rotary element is axially secured to the base body, with the lifting element preferably incorporating an O-ring that presses against the inside of the base body. This creates slight resistance in the lifting movement, thereby improving the feel of the container and its operation.

[0022] According to a possible second embodiment of the rotary-lift mechanism, it can have a guide sleeve with at least one helical guide groove in which the lifting element is inserted. Furthermore, the lifting element has at least one, preferably two, opposing guide pins on its outer circumferential surface, which engage in the guide groove(s).

[0023] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rotary element has a grooved sleeve as part of the rotary-lifting mechanism, wherein the grooved sleeve and the guide sleeve are designed to lie within each other, and wherein the guide pin on the lifting element penetrates the groove of the grooved sleeve and engages at its end in the helical guide groove of the guide sleeve. The groove in the grooved sleeve extends at least partially along the main axis. If the guide sleeve and the grooved sleeve are now rotated relative to each other, the guide pin is consequently displaced axially.

[0024] The groove in the slotted sleeve is at least partially straight and parallel to the main axis, ensuring that the lifting element is rotationally fixed to the slotted sleeve. The guide sleeve can be formed by the base body, particularly if the helical guide groove is formed on the inside of the guide sleeve and has a shallower depth than the wall thickness of the guide sleeve, so that the guide sleeve effectively forms the base body. Alternatively, the groove in the slotted sleeve can be designed as a cam and completely penetrates the wall of the slotted sleeve, allowing the guide pin to first pass through the groove in the slotted sleeve and then project into the guide groove of the guide sleeve. In this way, the base body can be rotated while the rotating element is held in place, or conversely, the rotating element can be rotated while the base body is held in place.

[0025] The function of axial displacement of the guide pin, and thus of the lifting element, relative to the base body is also fulfilled if the groove in the guide sleeve has a helical shape and the guide groove in the guide sleeve is straight. If, in this design, the guide sleeve, which forms the base body, is held in place and the rotating element is turned, the retaining clip, and therefore the dental implant, does not rotate.

[0026] To close the opening on the top and thus the receiving chamber, a cover element can be provided, which can be placed on top of the base body. The base body and the rotating element can each be cylindrical and have approximately the same outer diameter. Likewise, the cover element can be adapted to the diameter of the base body and also have a cylindrical shape.

[0027] Finally, a receiving chamber for a healing screw can be formed in the rotating element or the cover element. The receiving chamber can be closed with a fastener. PREFERRED EXAMPLE OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Further measures improving the invention are described in more detail below, together with a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1. A side view of the container, Fig. 2. A cross-sectional view of the container Fig. 3 an exploded view of the components of the container according to a first possible embodiment, Fig. 4 a perspective view of the container according to a second possible embodiment and Fig. 5 an exploded view of the components of the container according to the second possible embodiment.

[0029] Fig. Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a container 1 for a dental implant, the container 1 essentially having a cylindrical base structure. The container 1 has a base body 11, which can be closed at the top with a cover element 30 to protect the non-visible dental implant. On the lower side of the base body 11, opposite the cover element 30, there is a rotating element 16, which can be rotated relative to or on the base body 11 to ultimately guide the dental implant out of an opening at the top, which is closed in the figure by the cover element 30.

[0030] Container 1 can be used to dispense and ultimately remove the dental implant, much like a lipstick or a glue stick. To remove the dental implant, the cover element 30 must first be removed from the base body 11. Then, the rotating element 16 is rotated around the main axis 13 of container 1, while the base body 11 is held in place with the other hand. This rotates the rotating element 16 relative to the base body 11 around the main axis 13, causing the dental implant to move at least partially out of the upper opening of the base body 11. The dentist or an assistant can then use the insertion tool to completely remove the dental implant.

[0031] Fig. Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the container 1, in which the dental implant 10 is also visible. The view shows the base body 11 with a receiving chamber 12 in which the dental implant 10 is received and whose opening 17 is closed on the top side by the cover element 30. The dental implant 10 has a longitudinal axis 15 that coincides with the main axis 13 of the container 1, so that the dental implant 10 lies centrally in the upper receiving chamber 12.

[0032] The dental implant 10 is held by a retaining clip 14, which is made of metal, in particular titanium, while the remaining components of the container 1 may be made of plastic. The retaining clip 14 is attached to a lifting element 19, which can move up and down along the main axis 13 of the container 1, thus allowing the dental implant 10 to be moved out of the receiving chamber 12 from above for removal.

[0033] To generate the lifting movement of the lifting element 19, and thus also of the retaining clip 14 and ultimately of the dental implant 10, a rotary element 16 is used, which is rotatably mounted on the underside of the base body 11. A rotary-lifting mechanism 18 is arranged between the rotary element 16 and the lifting element 19; this mechanism can be designed in various ways, with the embodiment shown in the figure below. Fig. Figure 2 shows a rotary-stroke mechanism 18 based on a threaded connection 20 with a threaded shaft 21 and with a threaded passage 22.

[0034] The threaded shaft 21 is formed in one piece with the rotating element 30 and screwed into the threaded passage 22, which is provided in the lifting element 19. The threaded connection 20 thus forms a type of spindle-nut connection, so that the rotating element 16, which is axially fixed to the base body 11 with respect to the main axis 13, triggers the lifting movement of the lifting element 19 in the main axis 13 by its rotation. To enable a smooth lifting movement of the lifting element 19 with slight resistance inside the base body 11, an O-ring 23 is provided on the outer circumference of the lifting element 19, which presses against the base body 11 on the inside and slides off.

[0035] On the underside of the rotating element 16, a receiving chamber 31 for receiving a healing screw 32 is provided, wherein the receiving chamber 31 can be closed with a closing element in a manner not shown in detail, in order to secure the healing screw 32 in the receiving chamber 31 in a loss-proof manner.

[0036] Fig. Figure 3 shows the first embodiment of the container 1 in an exploded view, and in the view from left to right, the rotating element 16 with the integrally formed threaded shaft 21 is shown first, followed by the base body 11 with the visible receiving space 12, further followed by the lifting element 19, which is provided with the threaded passage 22, furthermore the lifting element 19 has a shape that deviates from a cylindrical body with, for example, two opposing flat surfaces 33, in order to prevent the lifting element 19 from rotating with the rotating element 16 or the threaded shaft 21 within the base body 11.

[0037] The retaining clip 14, attached to the front face of the lifting element 19, is shown below. The retaining clip 14 has two opposing legs connected by a base section, giving it a U-shape. This allows the adjacent dental implant 10 to be held securely in the retaining clip 14. To prevent the dental implant 10 from falling out, the cover element 30 is positioned on the top of the base body 11.

[0038] The Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows a further embodiment of the container 1 and the rotary-lifting mechanism 18 with a base body 11, a rotating element 16, and a retaining clip 14 in which the dental implant 10 is received. This embodiment features an alternative rotary-lifting mechanism 18, which is described below. The basic function is identical to the rotary-lifting mechanism 18 of the first embodiment according to Figure 5. Fig. 1 to 3, so that when the rotating element 16 is rotated, the dental implant 10 can move out of the receiving space 12 of the base body 11 from the top.

[0039] The rotary-lifting mechanism 18 of this embodiment has a guide sleeve 24 with two opposing, helical guide grooves 25 formed on the inside, wherein the lifting element 19 is inserted into the inside of the guide sleeve 24. The lifting element 19 has two opposing guide pins 27 on its outer circumferential surface 26, which engage in the guide grooves 25. Furthermore, the rotary-lifting mechanism 18 has a grooved sleeve 28, which is integrally formed on the rotary element 16, wherein the grooved sleeve 28 is arranged within the guide sleeve 24, i.e., the guide sleeve extends between the lifting element 19 and the guide sleeve 24, so that the guide pins 27 penetrate the grooves 29 of the grooved sleeve 28 and engage at their ends in the inner, helical guide grooves 25 of the guide sleeve 24. The grooves 29 in the groove sleeve 28 extend at least partially or completely along the main axis 13.Because the guide pins 27 run up and down in the grooves 29 of the groove sleeve 28, the lifting element 19 cannot perform a rotational movement relative to the groove sleeve 28, since the grooves 29 extend along the main axis 13.

[0040] The lifting movement is triggered by a rotation of the grooved sleeve 28 relative to the guide sleeve 24, the latter forming the base body 11 of the container 1. The user can thus hold the rotary element 16 with their first hand and rotate the guide sleeve 24, thereby triggering the axial movement of the lifting element 19. This movement also extends the dental implant 10, arranged in the retaining clip 14, out of the upper opening 17. The lifting movement is generated by the fact that the end faces of the guide pins 27 run in the helical guide grooves 25, while the guide pins 27 are axially guided by the grooves 29 in the grooved sleeve 28. Consequently, the rotation of the guide sleeve 24 relative to the grooved sleeve 28 triggers the lifting movement of the lifting element 19, since the grooves 29 and the guide grooves 25 form an angle with each other.

[0041] The invention is not limited in its implementation to the preferred embodiment described above. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable, which utilize the solution presented even in fundamentally different designs. All features and / or advantages arising from the claims, the description, or the drawings, including design details or spatial arrangements, can be essential to the invention, both individually and in various combinations. Reference symbol list: 1 container 10 dental implants 11 Basic shapes 12 Recording room 13 Main axis 14 retaining clip 15 Longitudinal axis 16 rotating elements 17 Opening 18 Rotary-stroke mechanism 19 lifting element 20 threaded connection 21 threaded shaft 22 thread passage 23 O-ring 24 Guide sleeve 25 guide groove 26 External perimeter area 27 guide pins 28 Grooved sleeve 29 Nut 30 lid element 31 Recording Room 32 Healing screw 33 Plan area 34 Resting agents QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 5,558,230 A

[0005] WO 02 / 30315 A1

[0006] US 8,292,075 B2

[0007] EP 2 745 800 B1

[0008] US 2007 / 0181446 A1

[0009]

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