Root-Analog Dental Implants with Porous Lattices for Direct Socket Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional dental implants require a lengthy healing process due to bone reabsorption and drilling, which can cause bone and gumline defects, nerve damage, and prolonged waiting times for osseointegration, and are limited in customization and feature integration.

Innovation Solution

Dental implants designed using additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing, with porous lattice structures and customizable features like hollow sections, struts, and macro-features to facilitate osseointegration and mechanical strength, allowing direct insertion into unmodified alveolar sockets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional drilling and osteotomy procedures are used to place dental implants, then standard implant placement can be achieved, but bone and gumline defects occur, nerve damage risk increases, and prolonged healing time is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety of implant placementVSAvoidbone and gumline defects, nerve damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of drilling into healed bone to create an osteotomy site, the invention inverts the approach by placing the implant directly into the fresh extraction socket before the bone heals over. This eliminates the need for subsequent drilling and osteotomy procedures that cause bone and gumline defects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention performs preliminary action by placing the dental implant immediately during the tooth extraction procedure, before the alveolar socket heals and bone reabsorption begins. This timing allows direct placement into the prepared socket without requiring subsequent invasive drilling procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If traditional dental implants are placed after prolonged healing phase, then osseointegration can occur, but lengthy waiting times and multiple procedures are required

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveosseointegrationVSAvoidhealing time, waiting time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges two separate procedures (tooth extraction and implant placement) into a single simultaneous procedure. By combining these steps, the total treatment time is reduced while maintaining osseointegration outcomes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If standard-shaped dental implants are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but customization and adaptation to individual patient anatomy are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplant fabricationVSAvoidcustomization to patient anatomy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes additive manufacturing technology that allows continuous variation of implant parameters (shape, size, porosity, lattice structure) based on patient-specific anatomy. The digital design process enables customization of implant geometry to precisely match the unique characteristics of each patient's extraction socket and surrounding bone structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies local quality by creating implants with spatially varying properties - different porosity levels, lattice densities, and structural characteristics in different regions of the implant. This allows optimization of bone integration in specific areas while maintaining structural integrity in load-bearing regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If porous lattice structures are added to facilitate osseointegration, then bone engagement is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveosseointegrationVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention incorporates porous lattice structures throughout the implant body that provide pathways for bone ingrowth and enhance osseointegration. The porous architecture increases the surface area available for bone attachment and facilitates mechanical interlocking between the implant and surrounding bone tissue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes composite material structures combining solid support frameworks with porous regions. This creates a hierarchical structure that provides both mechanical strength for load-bearing and porous pathways for bone integration, optimizing both structural and biological functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS12458472B2Root-analog dental implants and systems, devices, and methods for designing and manufacturing same

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 IDENTICAL INC

AI summary

A root portion of a root-analog dental implant may include a core positioned in an approximate center of the root portion of the dental implant. The core may provide mechanical strength and/or support for the dental implant and may include one or more struts. The root-analog dental implant may further include a porous surface positioned on a portion of a vertically oriented exterior surface of the core. The struts may be configured and arranged to provide mechanical strength and/or support for the root-analog dental implant.