Patient-Specific Dental Implant With Microscale Cells for Early Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental implants require bone grafting procedures due to insufficient bone height or density, leading to increased complexity, cost, and prolonged healing times, with a high risk of rejection.
Innovation Solution
A patient-customized, digitally manufactured implant with a conformal microscale cell structure for bone integration and microholes for soft tissue adhesion, allowing for immediate or early loading and improved osseointegration, reducing the need for bone grafting and enhancing stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bone grafting procedures are performed to augment bone before implantation, then sufficient bone volume and density are achieved for proper implant fixation, but the procedure becomes more complex, traumatic, and requires extended healing times of 5-6 months
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is designed with a pre-adapted conformal microscale cell structure that matches the patient's specific anatomical requirements before implantation. This preliminary customization eliminates the need for preliminary bone grafting procedures, allowing direct implantation into the existing bone structure and reducing healing time from 5-6 months to immediate or very early loading
Solution Approach 2:
The implant features a conformal microscale cell structure with specific dimensional parameters (cell size, porosity, surface area) that are optimized to match the patient's bone mineral density and quality. These parameter changes enable the implant to integrate directly with existing bone without requiring augmentation procedures, resolving the contradiction between achieving proper fixation and reducing healing time
2Reliability
If bone grafting procedures are performed to augment bone, then sufficient bone volume is achieved for implant placement, but the overall procedure complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The implant employs a conformal microscale cell structure where different regions have different structural properties tailored to the local bone quality and density at each implantation site. This localized adaptation allows the implant to achieve sufficient bone volume integration without requiring uniform bone grafting procedures, thereby reducing procedure complexity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patient-specific implant design is customized beforehand based on digital imaging and anatomical assessment, incorporating the necessary adaptations for the patient's specific bone structure. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex intraoperative bone grafting procedures, reducing both procedure complexity and the number of surgical interventions required
3Ease of manufacture
If standardised implants are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but precision of fit and integration with patient-specific anatomy are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The implant design incorporates variable parameters including conformal microscale cell structure dimensions, porosity levels, and surface area characteristics that are specifically tailored to match the patient's bone mineral density, quality, and anatomical geometry. These parameter changes enable precision of fit for each patient while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through digital additive layer manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The implant features locally optimized structural properties where the conformal microscale cell structure is adapted to the specific anatomical requirements of different regions of the patient's jawbone. This localized customization achieves precision of fit without requiring complex manual manufacturing processes, as the variations are efficiently produced through digital design and additive manufacturing
4Loss of time
If implants are designed for immediate or very early loading, then patient convenience is improved, but the implant requires superior initial stability and osseointegration capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The conformal microscale cell structure is designed with optimized parameters including cell size, porosity, and surface area that enhance mechanical interlocking and biological integration. These parameter changes provide superior initial stability upon implantation, enabling the implant to withstand loading forces immediately or very early in the healing process while maintaining long-term osseointegration strength
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is pre-designed and pre-manufactured with the optimal structural characteristics for immediate loading before implantation. The conformal microscale cell structure is prepared in advance to ensure maximum initial stability and osseointegration potential, allowing the implant to function under load from the beginning without requiring extended healing periods
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The implant provides increased precision fit, lower rejection rates, and immediate stability by integrating with bone and soft tissue, avoiding bone grafting complications and reducing healing time.
Implementation Method 1
The exterior surface of the longitudinally extending distal portion comprises a conformal microscale cell structure... The implant can both integrate into bone and integrate into soft tissue
Implementation Method 2
the exterior surface of the transmucosal portion comprises a plurality of micro holes... promote soft tissue adhesion and attachment through the collagen fibers/collagen fiber bundles of the connective tissue
Data Source
AI summary
An implant to retain facial or dental prostheses includes a bone-engaging portion, a transmucosal portion, and an abutment portion. The bone-engaging portion of the implant includes a longitudinally extending distal portion formed of a conformal microscale cell structure and, optionally, a non-biological coating. The transmucosal portion includes a plurality of micro holes. The abutment portion of the implant may be polished to a mirrored or super-mirrored finish.