A dental implant with elastic support elements

Abstract

Disclosed is a dental implant. The dental implant comprises an implant body and one or more support element(s) protruding from the implant body. The implant body has a longitudinal axis extending from a coronal end to an apical end of the implant. The one or more support element(s) comprise a first support element extending from an outer surface of the implant body. The first support element has a first end attached to the outer surface of the implant body at a first position and a second end attached to the outer surface of the implant body at a second position.

Description

[0001] A DENTAL IMPLANT WITH ELASTIC SUPPORT ELEMENTS

[0002] The present disclosure pertains to the field of dental implants. The present disclosure relates to a dental implant for use together with a bioadhesive composition for bonding the dental implant to a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket. The dental implant comprises one or more support element(s) having a first end and a second end connected to an implant body of the dental implant.

[0003] BACKGROUND

[0004] The field of biomaterials includes fixation of implants to tissues as well as tissue repair. To date, a range of synthetic, naturally-derived and biomimetic-based adhesive compositions have been developed for use in a range of clinical applications, including bone repair and dental implantology. Still, the limited mechanical strength of implants in combination with adhesives has remained an issue within the field of implants and biomaterials.

[0005] Even though there are several tissue adhesives available today on the market, none of them are ideal sealants or even adhesives. Cyanoacrylates were one of the first synthetic adhesives used as bone adhesives, demonstrating a high potential for bone bonding, together with methacrylates and the most promising synthetic adhesives in the dental area, since they are able to polymerize in wet conditions and achieve strong wet adhesion. At the same time, they are able to react with the amines on the surface of the tissue creating a covalent bond, thus achieving rapid curing at low cost. Cyanoacrylates have shown good adhesion but have shown inflammatory response during degradation. Thus, making the clinical use of cyanoacrylate-based adhesives limited to application needing only small amount of adhesives, for example, wound healing or repair damage to the skin, as large quantities of the cyanoacrylate-based adhesives can cause chemical burns, chronic inflammatory response, tissue necrosis and dermatitis, due to the toxic nature of its byproducts.

[0006] Fibrin glues have low adhesive strengths but are more biocompatible. Other adhesives struggle with high costs and long curing times or lack of tailoring of the curing time dependent on the tissue and the situation.

[0007] Calcium phosphates (CaP) and in particular hydroxyapatite (Hap, HAp, or HA; with the formula Cas PO^sOH or Caio(P04)e(OH)2 to denote that the crystal unit cell comprises two entities and is in the form of a dimer), is a mineral that is widely used in medical applications due to its similarity to the mineral components of bone and teeth. Hydroxyapatite is nontoxic, biocompatible and bioactive. This means that on one hand hydroxyapatite is not harmful and not recognized as a foreign body, and on the other hand that it may have a positive effect on remodeling the bone. Hence hydroxyapatite has been widely used in bone repair and as drug / gene delivery vehicle, catalyst, ion adsorption / exchange agent, photoelectric reagent and so on. Calcium phosphate composites are known and used as bone substitutes and bone grafts. These calcium phosphate composites tend to form complexes primarily between calcium-based salts through charge interactions. These composites are used as general bone void fillers and generally lack the adhesive strength sufficient to adhere or fix bones together, for example, fractured bone surfaces. These compositions lack sufficient chemical interactions between the calcium phosphate composite and the bone surface or other surface materials, and lack sufficient strength to be used to bond bone to bone or bone to other materials.

[0008] US2012288446 (LIS'446) discloses an adhesive comprising a multivalent metal compound, and an effective amount of a compound that is structurally similar to phosphoserine, such as for example a phosphoserine oligomer or a phosphoserine capped polymer. LIS'446 discloses, for example, experimental data using tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) as the multivalent metal compound and phosphoserine-ethyleneglycol-diglycidyl-phosphoserine and obtains adhesive strength of up to 3.76 MPa when adhered to bone.

[0009] LIS20130122057 (IIS'057) discloses a bone restorative composition comprising amino acid phosphate species, a multivalent metal compound and a bioactive glass material containing ionic functional groups. IIS'057 discloses examples using a composition comprising TTCP as the multivalent metal compound, phosphoserine as the amino acid species together with various amounts of Combeite Bioactive glass and water. The corticol bone to bone shear strengths obtained varied between 0.75-2.13 MPa.

[0010] W02019106173A1 describes a composition of a calcium phosphate such as tetracalcium phosphate or a-TCP and an additive compound selected from nucleic acid or nucleotides, phospho(enol)pyruvic acid and phosphocreatine. The composition may be used as a tissue adhesive on a subject. WO2016196371A1 relates to a composition comprising a multivalent metal compound and a compound of formula (I) that is an organic phosphate compound (e.g., a small organic phosphate compound) such as phosphoserine. The composition is said to possess the properties of adhesion, conforming to a surface, being capable of luting, and becoming a solid that can be adhesively applied to bone or device surfaces. In some embodiments, the shape of the applied composition can be altered by flowing, molding, forming, or plastic deformation of any other kind, to obtain the desired shape and size prior to it becoming generally rigid and solid.

[0011] Notwithstanding the development of a variety of bioadhesive compositions, the use of these compositions in dental implantology has met with limited success, in part due to the immediate and extremely high shear impact / compressive forces on the dental implants, a problem that has been hard to solve in the field.

[0012] Dental implant stability is a critical parameter influencing the overall success of dental implant treatments. The concept of dental implant stability is typically separated into two regimes, namely: I) primary stability, characterized by the purely mechanical interaction between the dental implant and the host bone and II) secondary stability, characterized by biological stabilization of the implant through the process of osseointegration.

[0013] Research within the field of time-dependent stability of dental implants suggests a positive correlation between primary and secondary implant stabilities, meaning that high primary stability is a strong indicator that the implant will reach a high secondary stability.

[0014] The major factors affecting primary implant stability are the surgical protocol, host bone quality and the macroscopic implant design. Efforts to improve the primary stability of dental implants in poor quality bone or with reduced thread engagement are ongoing and, recently, a calcium phosphate-based cement material, having glue-like properties, has been developed (Bystrom JL, Pujari-Palmer M, J. Fund. Biomater. (2019), 10(4), 54 “Phosphoserine functionalized cements preserve metastable phases, and reprecipitate octacalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, dicalcium phosphate, and amorphous calcium phosphate, during degradation in vitro"’, Pujari-Palmer M et al. Materials (2018), 11 (12), 2492 “A novel class of injectable bioceramics that glue tissues and biomaterials” (Basel); Pujari-Palmer M et al. ChemEngineering (2020), 4(1), 19 “Factors that determine the adhesive strength in a bioinspired bone tissue adhesive”; US2020030483A1 / W02019106173A1). This technology utilizes the reported properties of the amino acid phosphoserine to facilitate adhesive bonding between the cement components and, e.g., tissues and metals, under both wet and dry conditions. While this material might hold the promise to enhance the primary stability of dental implants, considering the glue-like nature and the fact that the material is a viscous liquid at the time of implant placement, so far, widely diverging results on improved primary stability have been reported.

[0015] Generally, adhesive-based primary stability generation for dental implants is not well represented in the literature and the imaginable parameters that might contribute to the stability of the initial bond have not been fully elucidated. It has been reported that the surface area of the bond interface is a key component affecting bond strength. For dental implants, surface area is contingent upon 3 principal factors: implant length, implant radius / diameter, and implant geometry (thread-to-core ratio and shape). Additionally, depending on the specific adhesive being used, setting time has been reported to play an important role in adhesive bond strength.

[0016] SUMMARY

[0017] Accordingly, there is a need for an implant solution, which mitigate, alleviate, or address the shortcomings existing and provides improved stability and bond strength of the dental implant, for example in the presence of a bioadhesive composition.

[0018] Disclosed is a dental implant. The dental implant comprises an implant body and one or more support element(s) protruding from the implant body. The implant body has a longitudinal axis extending from a coronal end to an apical end of the implant. The one or more support element(s) comprise a first support element extending from an outer surface of the implant body. The first support element has a first end attached to the outer surface of the implant body at a first position and a second end attached to the outer surface of the implant body at a second position.

[0019] It is an advantage of the present disclosure that the support element elastically deforms upon insertion of the dental implant into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket. The support element is configured to contact a surface of the cavity, such as the bone cavity and / or the extraction socket, when inserted into the cavity, such as the bone cavity and / or the extraction socket. The support element can thereby provide an initial stability to the implant by contact with the surface, preventing a movement of the implant before the bioadhesive composition has cured and provides further stability of the implant. The support element is further configured to prevent a rotation of the dental implant around the main axis, when inserted into the cavity, such as the bone cavity and / or the extraction socket, with the bioadhesive composition, by allowing the bioadhesive composition to surround the support member and contact the first primary support surface and the first secondary support surface. Upon curing of the bioadhesive composition, the bioadhesive composition will create a form fit with the support element which prevents a rotation of the dental implant. By distributing the bioadhesive composition around the dental implant and rotationally securing the dental implant with the bioadhesive composition, the curing of the bioadhesive composition is promoted, which improves the strength of the bond between the dental implant and the bioadhesive composition. Due to the first end and the second end of the support element being fixedly arranged on the implant body of the dental implant, a center section of the support element may buckle upon applying a force to the support element. The protrusion of the support element, such as the distance the support element protrudes from the outer surface of the implant body can thus adapt to the size, such as the available space, of the cavity, to ensure a primary stability of the dental implant in various cavities having different sizes and shapes. The one or more support element(s) can further space the implant body of the dental implant from the surface of the cavity, such as the bone cavity and / or extraction socket, thereby enabling the bioadhesive composition to evenly distribute around the implant body which can increase the strength of the bond between the bioadhesive composition and the implant body upon curing of the bioadhesive composition.

[0020] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art by the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0022] Figs. 1A-1C illustrate an example dental implant having a longitudinal support element according to this disclosure,

[0023] Figs. 2A-2C illustrate an example dental implant having a support element arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the dental implant according to this disclosure, Figs. 3A-3C illustrate an example dental implant having a longitudinal support element according to this disclosure,

[0024] Figs. 4A-4C illustrate an example dental implant having two support elements arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the dental implant according to this disclosure,

[0025] Figs. 5A-5C illustrate an example dental implant having four longitudinal support elements according to this disclosure, and

[0026] Figs. 6A-6C illustrate an example dental implant with three longitudinal support elements having a pointed arch-shape according to this disclosure.

[0027] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Various exemplary embodiments and details are described hereinafter, with reference to the figures when relevant. It should be noted that the figures may or may not be drawn to scale and that elements of similar structures or functions are represented by like reference numerals throughout the figures. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the disclosure or as a limitation on the scope of the disclosure. In addition, an illustrated embodiment needs not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment and can be practiced in any other embodiments even if not so illustrated, or if not so explicitly described.

[0029] The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity, and they merely show details which aid understanding the disclosure, while other details have been left out. Throughout, the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding parts.

[0030] The current disclosure relates to a dental implant. The dental implant comprises an implant body and one or more support element(s) protruding from the implant body. The implant body has a longitudinal axis extending from a coronal end to an apical end of the dental implant. The implant body may herein also be referred to as a main body of the dental implant. The one or more support element(s) comprise a first support element extending from an outer surface, such as a bioadhesive composition contacting surface, of the implant body. The first support element has a first end attached, such as fixedly attached, to the outer surface of the implant body at a first position and a second end attached, such as fixedly attached, to the outer surface of the implant body at a second position. In other words, the first support element is attached to the implant body at two attachment points, such as a primary attachment point and a secondary attachment point. The first end of the support element may be attached to the implant body at the primary attachment point and the second end of the support element may be attached to the implant body at the secondary attachment point. The first end may herein refer to a first longitudinal end surface of the support element and the second end may refer to a second longitudinal end surface of the support element. The surface of the dental implant can herein be seen as a bioadhesive composition contacting surface, such as a surface being configured to contact the bioadhesive composition upon insertion of the dental implant with the bioadhesive composition into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket.

[0031] The one or more support element(s), such as the first support element, may be flexible element(s), such as spring elements. The one or more support element(s), such as the first support element, may be an integral part of the implant body or may be a separate part attached to the implant body. In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) may be attached to the implant body using a “click on” feature. In other words, the implant housing may comprise one or more first support element receptacle(s) for receiving a first end of a support element and one or more second support element receptacle(s) for receiving a second end of the support element. The first support element receptacle may comprise a retention feature for retaining the first end of the support element within the first support element receptacle. The second support element receptacle may comprise a retention feature for retaining the second end of the support element within the second support element receptacle. The first end and the second end of the one or more support element(s) may comprise a corresponding feature configured to engage with the retention feature of the first support element receptacle and the second support element receptacle, respectively.

[0032] In accordance with conventional dental terminology, “apical” refers to the direction towards the bone and “coronal” to the direction towards the occlusal surface of the teeth. Therefore, the apical end of a component is the end which, in use, is directed towards or into the jawbone and the coronal end is that which is directed towards or into the oral cavity.

[0033] The dental implant may be a threadless dental implant, such as a dental implant being configured to be joined to a bone and / or a tissue using a bioadhesive composition. In other words, the dental implant may be configured to not be screwed into any bone upon insertion into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket. As used herein, the term dental implant refers herein to a threadless implant or a threadless element. The dental implant of the present invention differs from a traditional dental implant in that said implant has no thread, thus it cannot be screwed into the bone, or a jawbone. In addition, said dental implant also differs from other threadless implants known in the art, in that it is not designed to be hammered into the bone, or a jawbone.

[0034] As used herein, the term bioadhesive or bioadhesive composition refers to a dental bioresorbable cement like structure. Said cement like structure is a biocompatible and biodegradable composition that is suitable to join two surfaces together where at least one of them is a tissue such as, for example, a living tissue, a bone tissue, oral soft tissue, or a dental tissue. The bioadhesive composition, as used herein, can also join together a non- biological surface (such as a dental implant surface) to a tissue, thus securing a dental implant into a bone cavity or an extraction socket. The bioadhesive composition according to the present disclosure has the particularity to be osteofriendly and osteoconductive, providing dental primary stability (and / or secondary stability) of the dental implant while in contact with at least one tissue and maintaining said stability over time while the bone regenerates and grows around the dental implant. The bioadhesive composition will slowly disappear in favor of the newly grown bone.

[0035] In one or more examples according to the current disclosure, the bioadhesive composition is a biadhesive composition comprising a calcium phosphate for dental procedures for use in enhancing primary and / or secondary stability of a dental implant and / or tooth replacement when placed into a bone cavity or an extraction socket. In one or more examples according to the current disclosure, the bioadhesive composition comprises an organic phosphate compound, as well as calcium phosphate.

[0036] As used herein, the term organic phosphate compound refers to an organic compound comprising a phospho-amino acid moiety, for example, but not limited to phosphoserine or a phosphoserine derivative. As used herein the term phosphoserine derivative refers to a compound with a phosphoserine like skeleton. Illustrative examples of organic phosphate compounds include, but not limited to, phosphoserine, phosphoserine derivatives such as a phosphoserine polymer, a phosphoserine oligomer, phosphoserine-ethyleneglycol- diglycidyl-phosphoserine, as well as distinct phospho amino acid moieties like tyrosine phosphate, and threonine phosphate. More specifically, the disclosure applies to bioadhesive compositions comprising calcium phosphate for use as described herein. In one or more examples according to the current disclosure, the bioadhesive composition comprises an organic phosphate compound as well as a calcium phosphate. Typically, the composition may comprise phosphoserine as well as a calcium phosphate.

[0037] In one or more examples according to the current disclosure, the composition comprises a calcium phosphate selected from the group consisting of hydroxyapatite, octacalcium phosphate, tetracalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, and combinations thereof. In a currently preferred embodiment, the calcium phosphate is tetracalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, or combinations thereof.

[0038] Upon insertion of the dental implant into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or extraction socket and / or a soft tissue cavity, the first support element may be compressed, such that the first support element buckles between the first end and the second end. Due to the elasticity, such as the spring rate, of the support element, the support element may exert a force on an inner wall of the cavity, such as the bone cavity and / or extraction socket, causing the implant body to perform a translational movement so that a side of the dental implant opposite the support element is moved into contact with a surface of the cavity opposite the contact area of the cavity with the support element.

[0039] In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) comprise one or more protrusions and / or indentations arranged on an outward surface of the support element(s), such as a surface of the support element(s) facing away from the implant body. The one or more protrusions and / or indentations may be one or more of teeth, barbs, and / or protruding portions of the support element(s). The protrusions may have a triangular shape, a convex shape, and / or a square shape. The indentations may have a triangular shape, a concave shape, and / or a square shape. By providing the one or more support element(s) with protrusions, the flexibility of the support element(s) can be reduced, making the support element(s) harder to deform, such as requiring a higher force to deform, than a support element(s) without protrusions. By providing the one or more support element(s) with indentations, the flexibility of the support element(s) can be increased, making the support element(s) easier to deform, such as requiring a lower force to deform, than a support element(s) without indentations. In one or more example support elements, the indentations, such as the triangular grooves, in the external surface of the one or more support element(s) have a circular cross section at the bottom, such as at a tip, of the groove, when seen in a radial plane extending from the center of the implant body, such as from the main axis of the dental implant, through the support element(s). By providing the bottom of the groove with a circular cross section, the elasticity of the support element(s) may be further reduced, which makes the support element(s) easier to deform, such as requiring a lower force to deform. The circular cross section further reduces the risk of the support element(s) tearing and / or cracking at the tip of the groove.

[0040] In one or more example dental implants, the first support element is arch-shaped, such as arc-shaped and / or pointed arch-shaped, in an uncompressed state of the dental implant. The support element being arch-shaped can herein be seen as the support element being a curved structural element that spans an open space. According to the current disclosure the arch-shaped support element spans a space, such as an open space, between the support element and the implant body. In other words, a distance between the first support element and the outer surface of the dental implant may be smaller at the first end and the second end of the support element than at a center section of the first support element. The space spanned by the support element is herein referred to as an opening formed by the support element and the outer surface of the implant body. The support element being arcshaped can herein be seen as the arch of the support element having the shape of a segment of a circumference of a circle or a smooth, continuous curvature. The support element having a pointed arch-shape can herein be seen as the arch of the support element having a pointed center section, such as having an apex at the center section. The archshape of the support element(s) allows the support element(s) to deform during insertion of the support element(s) into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket. Upon adding pressure on the arch-shaped support element, such as compressing the arch, the arch-shaped support element(s) deforms creating a tight fit with the cavity. Upon compression of the support element(s), the support element(s) may buckle between the first end and the second end, which are attached, such as fixedly attached, to the implant body. Furthermore, the stress in the support element(s) can be distributed along the arch instead of being concentrated in one single point, which allows the support element(s) to be made out of a thinner material while providing the necessary support for the dental implant when inserted into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket. The arch-shape of the support element(s), such as of the first support element, may be achieved by the support element having a first length larger than a longitudinal distance between the primary attachment point and the secondary attachment point on the implant body. The first length can be seen as the length of the support element(s) from the first end to the second end, such as the arch-length of the support element(s). In other words, a length of each support element of the one or more support elements may be longer than a distance between the primary attachment point and the secondary attachment point at which the ends of the support element(s) are attached to the outer surface of the implant body. In one or more example dental implants, the first support element and the outer surface of the implant body form a first opening. In one or more example dental implants, the first opening has a maximum radial extension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in the range from 0,1 mm to 1 mm. In other words, a maximum distance between the first support element and the surface of the dental implant may be in the range from 0,1 mm to 1 mm.

[0041] In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) comprise a second support element. The second support element may comprise one or more of the features described herein for the first support element. In one or more example dental implants, the second support element corresponds, such as is identical, to the first support element.

[0042] In one or more example dental implants, the second support element is arranged opposite to the first support element, such as on an opposite side of the implant body. The first support element and the second support element may thus be separated by an angular distance of 180° around a main axis, such as a longitudinal axis, of the dental implant, such as around the circumference of the implant body.

[0043] In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) comprise more than two support elements, such as a third support element, and / or a fourth support element, and / or a fifth support element.

[0044] In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) comprise a third support element and / or a fourth support element. In one or more example dental implants, the third support element and the fourth support element are arranged opposite to each other. The third support element and the fourth support element may thus be separated by an angular distance of 180° around a main axis, such as a longitudinal axis, of the dental implant, such as around the circumference of the implant body. In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s), the first support element and the second support element, and / or the third support element, and / or the fourth support element, are equidistantly, such as symmetrically, distributed around the main axis, such as around the circumference of the implant body. The one or more support element(s) may thus be separated by an angle 3607N, where N is the number of support elements.

[0045] In one or more example dental implants, the plurality of support elements, such as the first support element and the second support element, and / or the third support element, and / or the fourth support element, may be unequally, such as asymmetrically, distributed, such that the distance between the first support element and the second support element in a clockwise circumferential direction is different to the distance in a counterclockwise direction.

[0046] In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s), such as the first support element, the second support element, the third support element, and / or the fourth support element, is / are flexible, such as is / are configured to elastically deform when exposed to a force acting radially inward on the support elements. The force may for example be exerted by a tissue, such as a bone tissue, a living tissue, and / or a dental tissue, contacting the one or more support element(s), for example upon insertion of the dental implant into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or extraction socket. The one or more support element(s) may thus collapse upon being exposed to the radial force, such that the support element(s) buckle. The center section of the support element(s) may thus be pressed against the outer surface of the dental implant until the center section abuts, without connecting to, the outer surface. Elastically deform can herein be seen as the support element(s) being compressible but having a spring rate forcing the support element to return to its original position when being released. The support element(s) may thus act as a spring.

[0047] In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) are made from a resorbable material, such as a material being configured to be absorbed by a bone tissue during or after osseointegration of the dental implant with the bone tissue. By being absorbed by the bone tissue, the support element(s) providing initial stability to the dental implant can be replaced by bone tissue during and / or after osseointegration, which increases the strength of the bond between the dental implant and the bone tissue. The resorbable material may in one or more example dental implants be a bioresorbable material, such as a bioresorbable polymer. Bioresorbable polymers can be metabolized and excreted by the body leaving no toxic traces behind. In one or more example dental implants, the bioresorbable polymer may be selected from, but not limited to, bioresorbable polymers based on polylactide (such as, but not limited to, polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), or poly(lactide-co-PEG)), poly(ethylene-glycol) (PEG), polycaprolactone, polyglycolide, polyglycolid acid (PGA), poly(-3-hydroxybutyrate), polyhyaluronic acid esters, polydioxanone (PDO), copolymers and polymer composites. For example, PLGA and / or PEG may provide the support element with an increased compatibility with bone tissue and a good degradability.

[0048] In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) have a longitudinal extension substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the implant body.

[0049] In one or more example dental implants, the first position, such as the first end of the support element, is arranged at a coronal section of the implant body and the second position, such as the second end of the support element, is arranged at an apical section, such as closer to the apical end of the implant body than the first position. In other words, the second end of the support element may be facing the apical end of the implant body. The coronal section of the implant body can herein be seen as extending from the coronal end to the center of the implant body. Correspondingly the apical section of the implant body can herein be seen as extending from the apical end to the center of the implant body.

[0050] In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) have a longitudinal extension substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the implant body. In other words, the one or more support element(s) may be circumferentially arranged on the implant body, such as having a longitudinal extension along a circumference of the implant body of the dental implant. By arranging the one or more support element(s) so that the longitudinal extension is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the implant body, the dental implant may be stabilized by the support element(s) along a larger portion of the circumference during insertion of the dental implant into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or extraction socket. By arranging the one or more support element(s) so that the longitudinal extension is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the implant body, the support element(s) may act as a barrier to prevent or reduce an overflow of the bioadhesive composition upon insertion of the dental implant into a cavity in the presence of the bioadhesive composition, such as when pressure is added to the top of the dental implant in the presence of a limited amount of bioadhesive composition. This may reduce and / or prevent an irritation of the soft tissue, since an overflow of bioadhesive composition may irritate the soft tissue of the subject.

[0051] In one or more example dental implants, the longitudinal extension of the one or more support element(s) may be arranged at an angle in relation to the main axis of the dental implant in the range of 0-90°. An angle in the range of 0-5° can herein be seen as the longitudinal axis of the one or more support element(s) being substantially parallel to the main axis of the dental implant. An angle in the range of 85-90° can herein be seen as the longitudinal axis of the one or more support element(s) being substantially perpendicular to the main axis of the dental implant.

[0052] In one or more example dental implants, the dental implant comprises a receptacle for receiving a secondary body, such as one or more of a crown, an adapter, such as an abutment or a healing cap, or a scanbody. The receptacle may comprise threads for receiving the secondary body. The threads may be arranged on an inner surface of the receptacle. In one or more example dental implants, the receptacle is arranged at the coronal end of the dental implant.

[0053] In one or more example dental implants, the implant body has a conical shape along the main axis. In other words, the bioadhesive composition contacting surface can be seen as a flat surface tapering outwards in relation to the main axis from the apical end of the implant body towards the coronal end.

[0054] In one or more example dental implants, the dental implant has a concave shape along the main axis.

[0055] The conical and / or concave shape of the bioadhesive composition contacting surface, may facilitate a desirable pressure distribution profile on a bioadhesive composition during insertion of the dental implant into the cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket, in the presence of the bioadhesive composition. The conical and / or concave shape transfers a longitudinal pressure applied on the coronal end in the apical direction to a nonlongitudinal pressure, such as radial pressure or a pressure component in a direction between the radial direction and the longitudinal direction. The pressure distribution profile increases the pressure exerted on the bioadhesive composition in a radial direction and in a longitudinal direction.

[0056] The conical and / or concave shape causes a faster change in volume available for the bioadhesive composition compared to a strictly conical shape implant when the implant is inserted into an enclosed space such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket, in the presence of the bioadhesive composition. The change in volume causes a pressurizing and compacting effect on the bioadhesive composition, which enhances curing of the bioadhesive composition.

[0057] The concave shape of the bioadhesive composition contacting surfaces further increases the surface area of the dental implant compared to a straight surface, such as compared to a dental implant having a strictly conical shape. Thereby, the contact surface between the bioadhesive composition and the dental implant can be increased without increasing the overall footprint of the dental implant, thus increasing the stability and the strength between the bioadhesive composition and the dental implant upon curing of the bioadhesive composition.

[0058] In one or more example dental implants, the implant body, such as the bioadhesive composition contacting surface, has a wider radius at a coronal end of the first primary surface than at the apical end of the bioadhesive composition contacting surface, so that the dental implant has a substantially conical shape. Upon insertion of the dental implant and the bioadhesive composition into the bone cavity and / or extraction socket, the conical shape of the dental implant exerts a pressure on the bioadhesive composition causing the bioadhesive composition to be compacted and evenly spread around the dental implant. Thus, increasing the interaction between the bioadhesive composition and the bioadhesive composition contacting surface leading to the bioadhesive composition and the dental implant being strongly bonded.

[0059] The concave shape may further increase a change in volume available for the bioadhesive composition compared to the conical shape implant when the implant is inserted into an enclosed space, such as a bone cavity, in the presence of the bioadhesive composition. The change in volume may cause a pressurizing and compacting effect on the bioadhesive composition, thus increasing the interaction between the dental implant and the bioadhesive composition. In one or more example dental implants, the dental implant has a wider radius at the coronal end of the outer surface than the radius at the apical end of the outer surface. In other words, the radius of the dental implant may be larger at a coronal end of the outer surface than at an apical end of the outer surface. Upon insertion of the dental implant into the cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or extraction socket, in the presence of the bioadhesive composition, due to the dental implant being wider at the coronal end of the first outer surface than at the apical end of the first outer surface, the dental implant exerts a pressure on the bioadhesive composition causing the bioadhesive composition to be compacted and evenly spread around the dental implant. Thus, the interaction between the bioadhesive composition contacting surface and the bioadhesive composition is improved leading to the bioadhesive composition and the dental implant being strongly bonded.

[0060] In one or more example dental implants, a coronal end of the dental implant is cylindrical. The coronal end of the dental implant may be a bone level type coronal end or a tissue level type coronal end.

[0061] In one or more example dental implants, the coronal end of the dental implant is multi-sided, such as may have a triangular shape, a quadrilateral shape, a pentagonal shape, a hexagonal shape, a heptagonal shape, an octagonal shape, etc. The multisided shape of the coronal end may be used for securing the dental implant to one or more tools used for positioning the dental implant in a cavity.

[0062] Figs. 1A to 1C illustrate an example dental implant 1 according to the current disclosure. Fig 1A shows a perspective view of the example dental implant 1 , Fig. 1 B shows a side view of the example dental implant 1 , and Fig. 1C shows a side view from the coronal end along a main axis, such as a longitudinal axis XL, of the example dental implant 1. The dental implant 1 may be configured to be used together with a bioadhesive composition to secure the dental implant to a cavity (such as an extraction socket and / or a bone cavity) or a tissue (such as a tissue of a subject). The example dental implant 1 comprises an implant body 10 having a main axis XL extending from a coronal end 11 to an apical end 12 of the implant body 10. The example dental implant 1 comprises a support element 20, such as a first support element 20A, protruding from the implant body 10, such as from an outer surface 14 of the implant body 10. The outer surface 14 of the implant body 10 may be a bioadhesive composition contacting surface. The outer surface 14 extends in a first angular range of 0-360 degrees about the main axis XL of the dental implant 1 . The first support element 20A has a first end 21 attached to the outer surface 14 of the implant body 10 at a first position and a second end 22 attached to the outer surface 14 of the implant body 10 at a second position of the implant body. Under load, such as upon insertion of the first support element 20A into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or extraction socket, the first support element 20A may buckle. During insertion of the dental implant 1 into a cavity, such as a dental cavity and / or an extraction socket, a force may act radially inwards on the first support element. Since the first end 21 and the second end 22 of the first support element 20A are attached to the outer surface 14 of the implant body 10, the first support element 20A may buckle around the center section 23 and may cause a flat spot in the arc-shape of the first support element 20A which can increase the contact area of the first support element with a surface of the cavity. This may provide the dental implant with an improved initial stability upon insertion of the dental implant into a cavity, compared to the first support element 20A being in an uncompressed state. Radially inwards can herein be seen in the radial direction of the dental implant. In the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 1A-1C, the first support element 20A is longitudinally arranged on the dental implant. Longitudinally arranged can herein be seen as a longitudinal axis of the first support element 20A, extending from the first end 21 to the second end 22 of the first support element 20A, being arranged in parallel to the main axis XL of the dental implant 1 . In the example first support element 20A of Figs, 1A-1C, the first end 21 of the first support element 20A is arranged closer to the coronal end 11 of the dental implant than the second end 22 of the first support element 20A.

[0063] A distance between the primary attachment point, such as the first position, and the secondary attachment point, such as the second position, of the support element is shorter than the length of the support element, such that the support element forms an arch-shape when the first end 21 is attached at the primary attachment point and the second end 22 is attached at the secondary attachment point on the implant body 10. In the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 1A-1C, the first support element 20A is arc-shaped, such as has a concave inner surface 26 and a convex outward surface 27, in an uncompressed state of the dental implant. In other words, the arch of the support element 20A has the shape of a smooth continuous curvature. The outward surface 27 can herein be seen as the surface facing away from the implant body 10 in a radial direction of the implant body 10. The inner surface 26 can herein be seen as a surface facing the implant body 10 and the outward surface 27 can be seen as a surface facing away from the implant body 10. In other words, a distance, such as a distance in a direction perpendicular to the main axis XL of the dental implant 1 , between the first support element 20A and the outer surface 14 of the dental implant may be smaller at the first end 21 and the second end 22 of the support element 20A than at a center section 23 of the support element 20A. The first support element 20A and the outer surface 14 of the implant body 10 may thus form a first opening 25, such as an opening between the first support element 20A and the implant body 10 of the dental implant 1. The first opening 25 may have a maximum extension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, such as in a radial direction R, in the range from 0,1 mm to 1 mm. In other words, a maximum distance between the first support element and the surface of the dental implant may be in the range from 0,1 mm to 1 mm. During compression of the first support element 20A, the opening 25 may close, so that the size of the opening 25 reduces. The first support element 20A can thus be seen as an arch-shaped, such as an arc-shaped, element, spanning the first opening 25. In other words, the first opening 25 may be framed by the first support element 20A and the outer surface 14 of the implant body 10.

[0064] Upon insertion of the dental implant into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket, the first support element 20A may abut an inner surface of the bone cavity and / or the extraction socket and may be compressed. Due to the elasticity of the first support element 20A the implant body 10 may be pushed away from the contact point between the first support element 20A and the bone cavity and / or extraction socket, until the implant body 10, such as the outer surface 14 of the implant body 10, abuts the inner surface of the bone cavity and / or extraction socket.

[0065] The example dental implant 1 comprises a receptacle 13 for receiving a secondary body, such as a crown, or an adapter, such as an abutment or a healing cap, or a scanbody. The receptacle 13 may comprise threads 13A for receiving the secondary body. The threads 13A may be arranged on an inner surface of the receptacle 13.

[0066] In the example dental implant shown in Figs. 1A-1C, the outer surface 14 is a straight surface being parallel to the main axis XL. In other words, the implant body 10 of the dental implant 1 may be cylindrical. However, in one or more example dental implant, the outer surface may be concave or slanted towards the main axis XL. In other words, the implant body 10 of the dental implant 1 may be concave or conical. Being slanted towards can herein be seen as being arranged at an angle different than 0° to the main axis XL. When the bioadhesive composition contacting surface 14 is a straight surface slanted towards the main axis Xi_, the apical part of the implant body 10 is conical.

[0067] The example dental implant shown in Figs. 1A-1C is a bone level implant, however, the dental implant 1 of Figs. 1A-1C may in one or more examples be configured as a tissue level implant having a tissue level top part (not shown in Figs. 1A-1C) arranged on the coronal end 11 of the implant body 10 of the dental implant 1 .

[0068] Figs. 2A to 2C illustrate a dental implant 1 according to one or more examples of the current disclosure. Fig 2A shows a perspective view of the example dental implant 1 , Fig. 2B shows a side view of the example dental implant 1 , and Fig. 2C shows a side view from the coronal end along a main axis, such as a longitudinal axis Xi_, of the example dental implant 1. The example dental implant of Figs 2A-2C differs from the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 1A- 1C in that the first support element 20A of the one or more support element(s) 20 is circumferentially arranged on the implant body 10. Being circumferentially arranged can herein be seen as the one or more support element(s) 20, such as the first support element 20A, having a longitudinal extension substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis XL of the implant body 10. In other words, the second end 22 of the first support element 20A may be arranged at a same distance, such as a distance along the longitudinal axis XL, from the apical end 12 and / or the coronal end 11 of the implant body 10 as the first end 21 of the first support element 20A.

[0069] Similar to the example dental implant of Figs. 1A-1C, the first support element 20A and the outer surface 14 of the implant body 10 form a first opening 25, such as an opening between the first support element 20A and the implant body 10 of the dental implant 1. The first opening 25 may have a maximum extension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, such as in a radial direction R, in the range from 0,1 mm to 1 mm. In other words, a maximum distance between the first support element and the surface of the dental implant may be in the range from 0,1 mm to 1 mm. During compression of the first support element 20A, the opening 25 may close, so that the size of the opening 25 reduces. In one or more examples, the support element(s) 20, such as the first support element 20A, may be compressed until it abuts the implant body 10, such as the outer surface 14 of the implant body 10. Due to the elasticity of the first support element 20A, the implant body may be forced in a direction opposite the support element(s), until the implant body 10, such as the outer surface 14 of the implant body 10, abuts an inner surface of the cavity, such as the bone cavity and / or extraction socket. As discussed for the example dental implant of Figs. 1A-1C, the distance between the primary attachment point and the secondary attachment point of the support element is shorter than the length of the support element, such that the support element forms an arch-shape when the first end 21 is attached at the primary attachment point, such as the first position, and the second end 22 is attached at the secondary attachment point, such as the second position. In the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 2A-2C, the first support element 20A is arc-shaped.

[0070] Figs. 3A to 3C illustrate an example dental implant 1 according to the current disclosure having two support elements 20 longitudinally arranged on the implant body 10. Fig 3A shows a perspective view of the example dental implant 1 , Fig. 3B shows a side view of the example dental implant 1 , and Fig. 3C shows a side view from the coronal end 11 along the main axis XL of the example dental implant 1. In the example dental implant 1 shown in Figs. 3A to 3C, the dental implant 1 comprises two support elements 20, such as a first support element 20A and a second support element 20B. The first support element 20A of the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 3A to 3C corresponds to the first support element 20A of dental implant 1 of Figs. 1A-1C. The second support element 20B of the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 3A to 3C is similar to the first support element 20A of dental implant 1 of Figs. 1A-1C but differs in that the second support element 20B comprises one or more protrusions and / or indentations 24. In the example shown in Figs. 3A to 3C, the first support element 20A and the second support element 20B are equidistantly distributed, such as symmetrically distributed, around the main axis XL of the implant body 10 of the dental implant 1. In other words, the first support element 20A and the second support element 20B are equally distributed around the circumference of the implant body 10. The first support element 20A and the second support element 20B are thus separated by an angle of 180°. Due to the dental implant 1 comprising two support elements equidistantly distributed around the main axis XL of the implant body 10, the implant body 10 is centered within a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or extraction socket, upon insertion of the dental implant into the cavity, due to the counteracting spring forces of the first support element 20A and the second support element 20B. The first support element 20A and the second support element 20B provide the dental implant with an initial stability upon insertion of the dental implant 1 into a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket. Furthermore, the first support element 20A and the second support element 20B enable the bioadhesive composition to evenly distribute around the implant body 10 and the outer surface 14, such as the bioadhesive composition contacting surface 14, which increases the strength of the bond between the bioadhesive composition and the implant body 10 upon curing of the bioadhesive composition. Although shown with a cylindrical implant body 10 in the example dental implant of Figs. 3A-3C, the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 3A- 3C may have a conical or concave implant body.

[0071] One or more of the support element(s) 20 may comprise one or more protrusions and / or indentations 24 arranged on the outward surface 27 of the support element(s) 20. The one or more protrusions and / or indentations may act as barbs configured to engage an inner surface of a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or an extraction socket, upon insertion of the dental implant 1 into the cavity. The protrusions and / or indentations may secure the dental implant in the cavity and prevent the dental implant from slightly moving out of its optimal position (such as tilting), or falling out of the bone cavity and / or extraction socket prior to curing of the bioadhesive composition. In the example shown in Figs. 3A-3C, only the second support element 20B comprises indentations 24, however, in one or more example dental implants, the first support element 20A may also comprise protrusions and / or indentations. In the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 3A-3C, the indentations have a triangular shape. The indentations may, for example, be grooves, such as triangular grooves, in the outward surface 27 of the one or more support element(s) 20. In one or more example dental implants, the indentations may have different shapes, such as concave and / or square. When the one or more support element(s) 20 comprise protrusions, the shape of the protrusions may be triangular, square, and / or convex. In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) 20 may be provided with protrusions to reduce the flexibility of the support element(s) 20, thereby making the support element(s) 20 harder to deform, such as requiring a higher force to deform, than a support element(s) 20 without protrusions. In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) 20 may be provided with indentations to increase flexibility of the support element(s) 20, thereby making the support element(s) 20 easier to deform, such as requiring a lower force to deform, than a support element(s) 20 without indentations.

[0072] In the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 3A-3C, the first end 21 of the first support element 20A and the second support element 20B is arranged closer to the apical end 12 of the implant body 10 than the second end 22. Figs. 4A to 4C illustrate an example dental implant 1 according to the current disclosure having two support elements 20, such as a first support element 20A and a second support element 20B, having a longitudinal extension substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis XL of the implant body 10. Fig. 4A shows a perspective view of the example dental implant 1 , Fig. 4B shows a side view of the example dental implant 1 , and Fig. 4C shows a side view from the coronal end 11 along the main axis XL of the example dental implant 1. In the example dental implant 1 shown in Figs. 4A to 4C, the dental implant 1 comprises two support elements 20, such as a first support element 20A and a second support element 20B. The first support element 20A of the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 4A to 4C corresponds to the first support element 20A of dental implant 1 of Figs. 2A-2C. The second support element 20B of the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 4A to 4C is similar to the first support element 20A of dental implant 1 of Figs. 2A-2C but differs in that the second support element 20B comprises one or more protrusions and / or indentations 24. In the example shown in Figs. 4A to 4C, the first support element 20A and the second support element 20B are equidistantly distributed, such as symmetrically distributed, around the main axis XL of the implant body 10 of the dental implant 1. In other words, the first support element 20A and the second support element 20B are equally distributed around the circumference of the implant body 10. The first support element 20A and the second support element 20B, such as the first end 21 A of the first support element 20A and the first end 21 B of the second support element 20B are thus separated by an angle of 180°. Due to the dental implant 1 comprising two support elements 20 equidistantly distributed around the main axis XL of the implant body 10, the implant body 10 can be centered within a cavity, such as a bone cavity and / or extraction socket, upon insertion of the dental implant into the cavity, due to the counteracting spring forces of the first support element 20A and the second support element 20B. The first support element 20A and the second support element 20B thus provide the dental implant with an initial stability upon insertion of the dental implant 1 into a cavity. Furthermore, the first support element 20A and the second support element 20B enable the bioadhesive composition to evenly distribute around the implant body 10 and the outer surface 14, such as the bioadhesive composition contacting surface 14, which increases the strength of the bond between the bioadhesive composition and the implant body 10 upon curing of the bioadhesive composition. Although shown with a cylindrical implant body 10 in the example dental implant of Figs. 4A-4C, the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 4A- 4C may have a conical or concave implant body as disclosed in Figs. 5A-7C. As discussed in relation to the example dental implant of Figs. 3A to 3C, one or more of the support element(s) 20 may comprise one or more protrusions and / or indentations 24 arranged on the outward surface 27 of the support element(s). The one or more protrusions and / or indentations 24 may act as barbs configured to engage an inner surface of a cavity upon insertion of the dental implant 1 into the cavity. The protrusions and / or indentations may secure the dental implant 1 in the cavity and prevent the dental implant from moving, such as rotating, within the cavity prior to curing of the bioadhesive composition. In the example shown in Figs. 4A-4C, only the second support element 20B comprises indentations 24. However, in one or more example dental implants 1 , the first support element 20A may also comprise protrusions and / or indentations 24. In the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 4A-4C, the indentations 24 have a triangular shape. The indentations 24 may for example be grooves, such as triangular grooves, in the outward surface 27 of the one or more support element(s) 20. In one or more example dental implants 1 , the indentations may have different shapes, such as concave and / or square. When the one or more support element(s) 20 comprise protrusions, the shape of the protrusions may be triangular, square, and / or convex. In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) 20 may be provided with protrusions to reduce the flexibility of the support element(s) 20, thereby making the support element(s) 20 harder to deform, such as requiring a higher force to deform than a support element(s) 20 without protrusions. In one or more example dental implants, the one or more support element(s) 20 may be provided with indentations to increase flexibility of the support element(s) 20, thereby making the support element(s) 20 easier to deform, such as requiring a lower force to deform than a support element(s) 20 without indentations.

[0073] Figs. 5A to 5C illustrate an example dental implant 1 according to the current disclosure having four support elements 20, such as a first support element 20A, a second support element 20B, a third support element 20C, and a fourth support element 20D having a longitudinal extension substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis XL of the implant body 10. Fig 5A shows a perspective view of the example dental implant 1 , Fig. 5B shows a side view of the example dental implant 1 , and Fig. 5C shows a side view from the coronal end 11 along the main axis XL of the example dental implant 1. The four support elements 20A-20D are, in this example, equidistantly distributed, such as symmetrically distributed, around the main axis XL of the implant body 10 of the dental implant 1 . In other words, the support elements are mutually separated by 90°. The example dental implant 1 of Figs. 5A to 5C further comprises a top part 30 configured as a tissue level top part 30A. The top part 30 is arranged at the coronal end 11 of the dental implant 1 . The tissue level top part 30A enables an addition or a removal of parts from the dental implant 1 without disturbing the soft tissue of a patient.

[0074] In the example shown in Figs. 5A-5C, the support elements 20A-20D correspond to the support element 20B of the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 3A-3C, with the difference that the first end 21 of the respective support elements 20A-20D is arranged closer to the apical end 12 than the coronal end 11 of the dental implant 1. In other words, the support elements 20A-20D have one or more protrusions and / or indentations 24 arranged on the outward surface 27 of the support elements 20A-20D. However, in one or more example dental implants 1 , one or more of the support elements 20A-20D may have a smooth outward surface 27, such as shown in the example dental implants of Figs. 1A-1C, and the first support element 20A of the dental implant 1 shown in Figs. 3A-3C. The outer surface 14 of the implant body 10 of the example dental implant of Figs. 5A to 5C is substantially cylindrical, such as is parallel to the main axis XL. The example arrangement of the support elements of Figs. 5A-5C has the benefit that the support element(s) contacts the cavity in four different directions and thus centers the dental implant in the cavity. Thereby, an even space may be provided between the implant body 10 and a surface of the cavity, thereby enabling the bioadhesive composition to evenly distribute around the implant body 10 and the outer surface 14, such as the bioadhesive composition contacting surface 14 of the dental implant 1 , which increases the strength of the bond between the bioadhesive composition and the implant body 10 upon curing of the bioadhesive composition.

[0075] Figs. 6A to 6C illustrate an example dental implant 1 according to the current disclosure having three support elements 20, such as a first support element 20A, a second support element 20B, and a third support element 20C having a longitudinal extension substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis XL of the implant body 10. Fig 6A shows a perspective view of the example dental implant 1 , Fig. 6B shows a side view of the example dental implant 1 , and Fig. 6C shows a side view from the coronal end 11 along the main axis XL of the example dental implant 1. The three support elements 20A-20C are, in this example, equidistantly distributed, such as symmetrically distributed, around the main axis XL of the implant body 10 of the dental implant 1 . In other words, the support elements are mutually separated by 120°. The example dental implant 1 of Figs. 6A to 6C further comprises a top part 30 configured as a tissue level top part 30A. The top part 30 is arranged at the coronal end 11 of the dental implant 1. The tissue level top part 30A enables an addition or a removal of parts from the dental implant 1 without disturbing the soft tissue of a patient. While the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 6A-6C is configured with a tissue level top part 30A, the dental implant 1 may also be configured with a bone level top part, such as shown in Figs. 4A-4C.

[0076] In the example shown in Figs. 6A-6C, the support elements 20A-20C have a similar arrangement as the support elements 20A-20B of the example dental implant 1 shown in Figs. 4A-4C, in that the first end 21 and the second end 22 of the support elements 20A- 20C are arranged at a same longitudinal distance from the apical end 12 of the implant body 10. However, instead of the center section 23 of the support elements 20A-20C being arranged at the same longitudinal distance as the first end 21 and the second end 22 of the support elements 20A-20C, the center section 23 is arranged closer to the coronal end 11 of the implant body 10 than the first end 21 and the second end 22 of the support element 20A-20C. A distance between the primary attachment point and the secondary attachment point of the respective support element is shorter than the length of the support element, such as the arch-length of the support element, such that the support element forms an arch-shape when the first end 21 is attached at the primary attachment point and the second end 22 is attached at the secondary attachment point on the implant body 10. In the example dental implant 1 of Figs. 6A-6C, the support elements 20A-20C have a pointed arch-shape, such as a triangular shape, such as an inverted V-shape, where the center element 23 is pointed, such as is a pointed tip. The pointed arch-shape spans an open space, such as the opening 25. The opening 25 is framed by the support element 20A-20C and the outer surface 14 of the implant body 10. Upon insertion of the example dental implant 1 into a cavity, such as a bone cavity or an extraction socket, the pointed tip of the center section 23 may engage the wall of the cavity. By engaging the wall of the cavity, the dental implant may be secured in the cavity and may be prevented from moving out of position or falling out of the cavity prior to curing of the bioadhesive composition. By arranging the center section 23 of the support elements 20A-20C closer to the coronal end of the implant body 10 than the first end 21 and the second end 22, the support elements 20A-20C act as barbs. This allows the dental implant to be inserted into the cavity in an apical direction, while applying a force in the coronal direction of the dental implant causes the center section 23 to further engage and / or penetrate the wall of the cavity thereby preventing a movement of the dental implant out of the cavity. The support elements 20A- 20C may have a string-like structure. In other words, the support elements may be made of a thin elongated material, such as a wire, extending from the first end 21 via the center section 23 to the second end 22 of the support element 20A-20C.The support elements 20A-20C of the example dental implant of Figs. 6A-6C can thus be seen as open between the first end 21 and the second end 22.

[0077] It shall be noted that the features mentioned in the embodiments described in Figs. 1A-5C are not restricted to these specific embodiments. Any features relating to the support elements and / or the implant body and the components comprised therein and mentioned in relation to the dental implant 1 of Figs. 1A-1C and 3A-3C, such as dimensions, orientations, and / or relations of the support elements and / or the implant body, and / or the protrusions and / or indentations, are thus also applicable to the dental implants described in relation to Figs. 5A-5C, and vice versa. The same applies for the features relating to the support elements and / or the implant body and the components comprised therein and mentioned in relation to the dental implant of Figs. 2A-2C, which are also applicable to the dental implant of Figs. 4A-4C, and vice versa. The features relating to the support elements and the components comprised therein and mentioned in relation to the dental implants of Figs. 1A-1C and 3A-3C, are also applicable to the dental implants of Figs. 2A-2C and 4A- 4C, and vice versa.

[0078] The use of the terms “first”, “second”, “third” and “fourth”, “primary”, “secondary”, “tertiary” etc. does not imply any particular order, but are included to identify individual elements. Moreover, the use of the terms “first”, “second”, “third” and “fourth”, “primary”, “secondary”, “tertiary” etc. does not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms “first”, “second”, “third” and “fourth”, “primary”, “secondary”, “tertiary” etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Note that the words “first”, “second”, “third” and “fourth”, “primary”, “secondary”, “tertiary” etc. are used here and elsewhere for labelling purposes only and are not intended to denote any specific spatial or temporal ordering. Furthermore, the labelling of a first element does not imply the presence of a second element and vice versa.

[0079] It is to be noted that the word "comprising" does not necessarily exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed. It is to be noted that the words "a" or "an" preceding an element do not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

[0080] Although features have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the claimed disclosure, and it will be made obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed disclosure. The specification and drawings are, accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. The claimed disclosure is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A dental implant, the dental implant comprising an implant body, one or more support element(s) protruding from the implant body, wherein the implant body has a longitudinal axis extending from a coronal end to an apical end of the implant, wherein the one or more support element(s) comprise a first support element extending from an outer surface of the implant body, wherein the first support element has a first end attached to the outer surface of the implant body at a first position and a second end attached to the outer surface of the implant body at a second position, wherein the first support element is arch-shaped and forms a first opening with the outer surface of the implant body.

2. The dental implant according to claim 1 , wherein the first support element comprises one or more protrusions and / or indentations arranged on an outward surface of the first support element.

3. The dental implant according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the first position is arranged at a coronal section of the implant body along the longitudinal axis and the second position is arranged closer to the apical end of the implant body than the first position.

4. The dental implant according to claim 1 , wherein the first support element is arcshaped.

5. The dental implant according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the first opening has a maximum radial extension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in the range from 0,1 mm to 1 mm.

6. The dental implant according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the one or more support element(s) comprise a second support element.

7. The dental implant according to claim 6, wherein the second support element is arranged opposite to the first support element.

8. The dental implant according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the one or more support element(s) comprise a third support element and / or a fourth support element.

9. The dental implant according to claim 8, wherein the third support element and the fourth support element are arranged opposite to each other.

10. The dental implant according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the one or more support element(s) are configured to elastically deform when exposed to a force acting radially inward on the support element(s).11 . The dental implant according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the one or more support element(s) are made from a resorbable material.

12. The dental implant according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the one or more support element(s) are equidistantly distributed around the longitudinal axis.

13. The dental implant according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the one or more support element(s) have a longitudinal extension substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the implant body.

14. The dental implant according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the one or more support element(s) have a longitudinal extension substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the implant body.

Images