Dental Implant Thread Form Reduces Insertion Torque
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dental implants face challenges in achieving stable insertion and long-term stability due to high insertion torque requirements and micromotion between the implant and bone, leading to prolonged stabilization periods before prosthetic loading.
Innovation Solution
A dental implant design featuring a three-dimensional stabilization thread form with a helical external thread and reverse helix cutting flutes, which reduces insertion torque and enhances stability by creating a mechanical retention mechanism that aligns with the bone anatomy, minimizing micromotion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional dental implants are used, then the implant structure is simple, but the insertion torque is high and stability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The thread structure is divided into multiple functional segments: a three-dimensional stabilization thread form with crest and root portions, and separate cutting flutes. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the stabilization thread provides mechanical retention while the cutting flutes reduce insertion torque - thereby improving overall insertion stability without requiring an entirely complex redesign of the implant.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a three-dimensional thread profile with varying thickness dimensions transverse to the helical path. The crest portion has a larger thickness dimension than the root portion, creating a three-dimensional stabilization effect. This dimensional variation enhances mechanical retention and stability during insertion while maintaining a relatively simple overall implant structure.
2Reliability
If conventional implants are used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but micromotion occurs between implant and bone
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct operations: machining the three-dimensional stabilization thread form in a first helical direction, then machining the cutting flutes in a second helical direction. This segmentation allows each feature to be optimized independently for its specific function while maintaining compatibility with standard manufacturing processes, thereby improving implant stability without excessive manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the implant are given different local qualities: the stabilization thread form has a three-dimensional profile with specific crest and root thicknesses for mechanical retention, while the cutting flutes have a different geometric configuration for torque reduction. This localized optimization of properties allows the implant to address multiple performance requirements simultaneously through a single integrated structure.
3Loss of time
If conventional implants are used, then the structure is simple, but the stabilization period is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The implant incorporates preliminary stabilization features during the insertion phase: the three-dimensional stabilization thread form creates mechanical retention and reduces micromotion immediately upon insertion, while the cutting flutes facilitate easier insertion with reduced torque. These preliminary actions establish stability before the healing period begins, potentially allowing for earlier prosthetic loading while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An implant for insertion within a maxillofacial bone of a patient, for example a dental implant, including a three-dimensional stabilization thread form extending along at least a portion of the implant body in a first helical direction, and one or more grooves or channels extending through the three-dimensional stabilization thread form in a generally opposite second helical direction, whereby one or more cutting edges are formed at the intersection of the one or more grooves or channels with the three-dimensional stabilization thread form.