Dental Implant Insertion Tool With Break Zone And Auxiliary Drive

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing insertion tools for dental implants can cause damage to the implant and bone if excessive torque is applied, leading to jamming or breakage, requiring replacement and additional tools for manipulation, which complicates surgical procedures.

Innovation Solution

An insertion tool with a break zone and an auxiliary torque receiving means that allows torque transmission from a drive tool to the dental implant, enabling manipulation even after breakage without replacing the tool, using identical cross-sectional contours for efficient torque transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the insertion tool is designed with a break zone to prevent damage to implant and bone, then safety is improved, but the tool requires replacement after breakage which increases device complexity and surgery time

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insertion tool is segmented into a proximal portion and a distal portion separated by a break zone. The distal portion with the torque applying means remains in the implant after the proximal portion breaks off, allowing continued manipulation without tool replacement. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining safety through controlled breakage while eliminating the need for tool replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The break zone is extracted as a separate functional element between the torque applying means and the torque receiving means. When excessive torque is applied, only the proximal portion containing the torque receiving means breaks off, while the distal portion with the torque applying means remains intact in the implant. This extraction allows the tool to safely break while preserving the implant manipulation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the insertion tool breaks at predetermined torque to prevent damage, then harmful factors are reduced, but additional tools are required for manipulation after breakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamage to implant and boneVSAvoidease of manipulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The tool is divided into proximal and distal portions at the break zone. After breakage, the distal portion remains attached to the implant with its torque applying means intact, allowing the surgeon to continue manipulation using the same tool without requiring additional instruments. This segmentation ensures both safety and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The break zone acts as an intermediary element that selectively breaks under excessive torque while leaving the torque applying means intact. This intermediary design allows the harmful force to be absorbed at the break zone while preserving the functional interface with the implant, eliminating the need for additional manipulation tools.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the insertion tool is replaced after breakage, then reliability is maintained, but surgery time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidsurgery time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The insertion tool is segmented such that only the proximal portion breaks off while the distal portion with the torque applying means remains in the implant. This allows the surgeon to continue the procedure without replacing the tool, significantly reducing surgery time while maintaining reliability through the controlled breakage mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The break zone is pre-designed in the insertion tool to break at a predetermined torque level. This preliminary action of controlled breakage prevents the need for tool replacement, as the distal portion with the torque applying means remains functional in the implant. The surgeon can immediately continue manipulation without interruption, reducing surgery time while maintaining procedural reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2903554B1Insertion tool
Publication Date: 2018.02.28 STRAUMANN HOLDING AG
  • EP2903554B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2903554B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2903554B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The present invention relates to an insertion tool for transmitting torque from a drive tool to a dental implant, the insertion tool comprising a tool shaft (4) extending along a longitudinal axis (L) from a coronal end (6) to an apical end (8), said tool shaft (4) comprising, at its apical end a dental implant engagement section (18) comprising a torque applying means (20) adapted for engaging the dental implant in a torque transmitting manner such that torque can be transmitted from the insertion tool to the implant, a drive tool engagement section (10) coronal of the dental implant engagement section comprising a primary torque receiving means (12) adapted for engaging the drive tool in a torque transmitting manner such that torque can be transmitted from the drive tool to the insertion tool, and a break zone (32) arranged between the drive tool engagement section (10) and the dental implant engagement section (18) and designed to break upon application of a predetermined amount of torque Tbreak, characterized in that the tool shaft (4) comprises, between the dental implant engagement section (18) and the break zone (32), an auxiliary torque receiving means (36) adapted for engaging a drive tool in a torque transmitting manner such that torque can be transmitted from the drive tool to the insertion tool.