Temporary Fastener for Dental Coping Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental prosthesis attachment systems face challenges in achieving accurate alignment, clinical efficiency, and patient comfort due to issues with alignment uncertainty, mechanical stability, and complexity in existing screw-attachment and snap-on systems, particularly during the conversion of existing dentures to implant-supported prostheses.
Innovation Solution
A screw-in fastener system with a temporary fastener having a male-threaded bottom portion and an axially separable top portion, allowing easy removal of the dental prosthesis without special tools, and featuring a cap that retains the coping onto the implant abutment with a force identical to the final screw mounting, facilitating easier installation and removal on multiple implant abutments at different angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If snap-on systems are used for attaching copings to implant abutments, then alignment accuracy is improved, but device complexity and mechanical stability deteriorate due to the need for special separation tools and large clearance holes
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is divided into two functional parts: a permanent fastener that remains in the implant abutment and a temporary fastener that is removed after coping attachment. This segmentation allows the temporary fastener to provide alignment during the pick-up process while the permanent fastener provides final retention, eliminating the need for complex snap-on mechanisms and special separation tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The temporary fastener acts as an intermediary component during the coping attachment process. It provides the necessary alignment and retention forces during the pick-up procedure, then is easily removed to allow prosthesis separation without requiring access to the implant abutment or special tools, thus simplifying the overall system.
2Measurement precision
If snap-on systems are used for converting existing dentures, then alignment accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to patient discomfort and mechanical access requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The temporary fastener is extracted or removed from the system after serving its purpose during the pick-up process. This removal eliminates the need for mechanical access to the implant abutment for fastener separation, allowing the prosthesis to be easily separated by simply pulling on the denture itself, thereby improving ease of operation and patient comfort.
3Ease of manufacture
If through-holes are created in existing dentures for snap-on systems, then coping attachment is enabled, but mechanical stability of the denture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The temporary fastener is nested within the denture structure during the pick-up process, fitting into the cavity without requiring through-holes. The fastener is positioned such that its removal path does not compromise the denture structure, allowing coping attachment while preserving the mechanical integrity and stability of the existing denture.
4Reliability
If impression screws are used for open-tray processes, then coping retention is improved, but patient comfort deteriorates due to gag reflex and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The temporary fastener is designed to be self-removing or easily removable without requiring special tools or mechanical access to the implant abutment. The prosthesis can be separated by simply pulling on the denture itself, eliminating the need for impression screws that extend into the oral cavity and cause gag reflex or patient discomfort during the pick-up process.
Data Source
AI summary
A temporary alignment system, methods, and accessories for holding a dental coping to an implant abutment using a separable fastener using the same threads in the implant abutment used for definitive attachment are disclosed. The disclosed temporary fasteners initially orient and hold a coping against an implant abutment with a force along the same axis as the semi-definitive screw. The aligned coping can be picked-up in a closed-tray impression process without unscrewing the temporary fastener. Embodiments include threaded posts that release copings from the implant abutment through axial forces. Some embodiments include a threaded post with separable cap that is picked-up with the coping. Methods and accessories for using the separable fastener assembly or portions of it during conversion of an existing prosthesis for screw attachment or fabrication and fitting of a new prosthesis are described.