Self-Tapping Dental Implant Geometry for Cortical Torque Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental implants cause excessive tissue damage during implantation due to inadequate adaptation to the anatomical variations of jawbones, particularly the cortical and spongiosa tissues, leading to over-compression necrosis and compromised primary stability and osseointegration.
Innovation Solution
A dental self-tapping implant with a body design featuring distinct angles and depths for cortical and spongiosa segments, combined with a multi-step drill, to maintain consistent torque and improve anchoring, reducing the need for additional tools and ensuring precise implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional self-tapping implants are used with uniform flute angles, then the implanting process is simplified, but excessive torque is applied to the cortical tissue causing over-compression necrosis
Solution Approach 1:
The implant body is divided into two distinct segments: a cortical segment with first flute angles specifically designed for cortical tissue, and a spongiosa segment with second flute angles optimized for spongiosa tissue. This segmentation allows each segment to interact with the corresponding bone type using appropriate cutting parameters, preventing excessive torque and over-compression necrosis while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different flute angles are applied to different segments of the implant body according to the local bone characteristics. The cortical segment has larger flute angles suitable for harder cortical tissue, while the spongiosa segment has smaller flute angles appropriate for softer spongiosa tissue. This local differentiation optimizes cutting performance for each tissue type and prevents harmful over-compression effects.
2Stability of the object's composition
If implants with larger body diameter are used, then primary stability in spongiosa tissue is improved, but friction force increases causing compression necrosis of cortical tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The implant body is segmented into cortical and spongiosa portions with different geometric characteristics. The cortical segment has optimized dimensions and flute angles that reduce friction and cutting resistance in hard cortical tissue, while the spongiosa segment provides adequate engagement for primary stability. This segmentation allows the implant to achieve stability in soft tissue without causing excessive compression in hard tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant exhibits local quality variations along its length, with the cortical segment having specific diameter and flute angle characteristics suited for low-friction engagement in hard tissue, and the spongiosa segment having characteristics optimized for stability in soft tissue. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between achieving stability and avoiding compression necrosis.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional reusable drills are used, then drilling capability is maintained, but sterilization and re-sharpening are required increasing complexity and risk of improper maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable drills that are used once and then discarded, eliminating the need for repeated sterilization and re-sharpening operations. These single-use drills maintain sharp cutting edges throughout their service life and remove the complexity of maintenance protocols while providing adequate drilling functionality for the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed so that the implant itself performs the tapping function, eliminating the need for separate reusable tap drills that would require maintenance. The self-tapping capability of the implant reduces the number of reusable tools needed in the procedure, thereby reducing overall device complexity and maintenance requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
The patent refers to a dental self-tapping implant comprising a body having a longitudinal body axis and a length, the body having a proximal neck portion, a proximal-central straight portion of substantially constant body diameter and a distal conical portion of decreasing diameter, the body comprising a core with a thread provided thereon, and a flute of circular arc shape formed in the thread which runs helicoidally around the core the flute having a longitudinal flute axis. The body has two segments: a cortical segment next to the proximal neck portion, a spongiosa segment extending the cortical segment the spongiosa segment including the distal conical portion, the sum of the cortical segment and the spongiosa segment being equal to the sum of the proximal-central straight portion and the distal conical portion; the flute is configured to run helicoidally around the core until it reaches the neck portion, so that the longitudinal flute axis forms a first angle with the longitudinal body axis along the cortical segment, and forms a second angle with the longitudinal body axis along the spongiosa segment; the first angle is larger than the second angle, the value of the first angle is directly proportional to the body diameter with a proportionality parameter within the interval [11;18], preferably within the interval [13,15].The patent further refers to a set comprising a dental self-tapping implant and a multi-step drill configured for the dental self-tapping implant, where the multi-step drill has four steps along the spongiosa segment, each step having a drill diameter and a step height; the drill diameters increase from the portion of the multi-step drill corresponding to the distal conical portion to the proximal-central straight portion; the body diameter is greater than the drill diameters at each step height; the step heights along the spongiosa segment have respective predetermined values irrespective of the body diameter; the drill diameters increase with the respective body diameter.