Stepped-Thread Dental Implants to Limit Biofilm Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental implants face issues with surface treatments that promote biofilm attachment, leading to peri-implantitis and failure due to their favorable surface characteristics.
Innovation Solution
Dental implants are machined to incorporate micrometer-sized features such as steps and grooves during the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for secondary surface treatments like blasting or acid etching, which are designed to match the size of bone cells and fibrinogen dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If surface treatments like plasma spraying or acid etching are applied to dental implants, then the surface area is altered to improve bone integration, but the surface becomes favorable for biofilm attachment leading to peri-implantitis and implant failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the surface topology through controlled machining processes that create specific geometric features (steps, grooves, ridges) with controlled dimensions and distributions. These physical parameter modifications achieve bone integration without creating the chemical or surface conditions that promote biofilm attachment, thereby resolving the contradiction between bone integration and biofilm resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces chemical/physical surface treatment methods (plasma spraying, acid etching) with a mechanical machining approach. By using computer-controlled mills and lathes to create precise surface geometries during manufacturing, the invention eliminates the need for secondary surface treatments that create biofilm-favorable surfaces, while still achieving the desired bone integration through controlled mechanical surface modification.
2Strength
If secondary surface treatments are performed after machining, then surface area is modified for better bone integration, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating surface feature creation directly into the primary manufacturing process. The stepped threads and surface geometries are machined during the initial forming operation rather than being added as a separate secondary treatment step. This integration eliminates the need for additional processing equipment and operations while achieving the same bone integration benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the surface modification function with the primary manufacturing process. By combining the creation of surface features (steps, grooves, ridges) with the initial machining operations, the invention eliminates the need for separate surface treatment steps, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and time while maintaining bone integration capabilities.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional machining is used without integrated surface features, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the surface lacks consistent roughness characteristics needed for reliable bone integration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes to control surface roughness consistency by defining specific geometric parameters (step heights, groove depths, ridge dimensions) that can be precisely controlled during machining. These controlled parameter variations create consistent surface roughness characteristics across all implants while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized processing procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A dental implant includes a body and a thread. The body has a central axis, a coronal end, and an apical end. The thread is coupled to the body. The thread has a coronal facing surface, an apical facing surface, and a crest surface positioned between the coronal facing surface and the apical facing surface. The coronal facing surface of the thread has a plurality of steps formed therein.