Dental Implant Interface Segmentation for Sealing and Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental implant and abutment connections face challenges in maintaining mechanical strength while ensuring a sealed interface to prevent bacterial intrusion, as conical connections can compromise the implant's integrity and fail to adequately offset the micro-gap, affecting crestal bone height and tissue health.
Innovation Solution
A combination of shoulder, conical taper, and anti-rotational connections with interference fits is used to create a stable and sealed interface between the dental implant and abutment, providing mechanical strength, preventing bacterial intrusion, and maintaining crestal bone height through precise engineering of taper angles and dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a conical connection is used to offset the micro-gap, then crestal bone height is maintained, but the mechanical strength of the restoration is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The connection interface is divided into three distinct functional components: a shoulder portion for mechanical strength, a conical taper portion for micro-gap offsetting, and an anti-rotational means portion for stabilization. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without compromising the others, resolving the contradiction between maintaining crestal bone height and preserving mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines three connection features (shoulder, conical taper, anti-rotational means) into a single integrated interface. This merging allows the system to simultaneously achieve mechanical strength from the shoulder portion, micro-gap offsetting from the conical taper, and rotational stabilization from the anti-rotational means, thereby resolving the contradiction between these competing requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a conical connection is used to create a sealed interface, then bacterial penetration is discouraged, but the implant is prone to cracking and splitting
Solution Approach 1:
The connection interface is segmented into a shoulder portion that provides mechanical strength and crack resistance, and a conical taper portion that creates the sealed interface. This segmentation allows the shoulder to bear mechanical loads and prevent cracking while the conical taper maintains the seal against bacterial penetration.
Solution Approach 2:
The shoulder portion acts as an intermediary element between the abutment and implant. It provides a load-bearing interface that distributes forces and prevents direct stress concentration on the conical taper, thereby preventing cracking while still allowing the conical taper to maintain its sealing function.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the micro-gap is offset away from the outer edges of the implant, then crestal bone height is maintained, but the abutment/implant interface area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connection interface utilizes multiple spatial dimensions: the shoulder portion provides a large-area load-bearing surface, while the conical taper creates an offset micro-gap in a different dimensional plane. This dimensional separation allows the interface to maintain both adequate contact area for mechanical strength and proper offset for crestal bone height maintenance.
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 combined connection enhances stability and sealing, preventing bacterial exchange, maintaining tissue health, and ensuring the long-term success of the dental restoration by distributing forces effectively and preventing implant cracking.
Implementation Method 1
at least a portion of the first externally facing surface of the abutment forms an interference fit with a mating conically tapered recess in the dental implant
Implementation Method 2
The conical connection, when used alone, can create a spreading force that tends to crack and split the implant
Implementation Method 3
The combined connection enhances stability and sealing, preventing bacterial exchange, maintaining tissue health, and ensuring the long-term success of the dental restoration by distributing forces effectively and preventing implant cracking
Data Source
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AI summary
Dental implants, dental abutments, and dental systems are disclosed. A dental implant can include an implant body having a longitudinal axis, a coronal end, and an apical end. An internal bore can be provided within the implant body, and can have a coronal end, adjacent to the coronal end of the implant body, and an apical end. The internal bore can include a first internally facing surface, extending from the coronal end of the internal bore towards the apical end of the internal bore, at least a portion of which tapers inwardly towards the apical end of the internal bore. The internal bore can further include an internally threaded portion positioned between an apical end of the first internally facing surface and the apical end of the internal bore. A dental abutment can be configured to engage with the dental implant.