Two-Part Dental Implant Screw Preventing Loss During Insertion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current dental implant fastening systems with one-piece screws are difficult to handle, prone to loss, and require skilled insertion, leading to complications such as screws falling or being swallowed during treatment.

Innovation Solution

A two-part screw system consisting of a nut and a bolt rod or a screw bushing, where the screw is pre-assembled by the dental laboratory, ensuring the screw cannot be lost and simplifying the insertion process by allowing only the protruding part to be inserted into the dental implant thread.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a one-piece screw is used to fasten the abutment to the dental implant, then the fastening structure is simple, but the screw is prone to loss during insertion and handling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening structureVSAvoidscrew retention
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The screw is divided into two separate parts: a screw rod and a nut. The screw rod is inserted through the abutment and secured at the distal end, while the nut is threaded onto the screw rod from the proximal end. This segmentation prevents the entire screw from being lost during insertion, as the divided components are less likely to be misplaced or swallowed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a single screw is inserted through the narrow prosthesis opening, then the fastening is secure, but the insertion requires great concentration and skill

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening securityVSAvoidinsertion difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The screw rod is pre-assembled with the abutment by securing it at the distal end before insertion. This preliminary action simplifies the insertion process, as only the pre-assembled screw rod needs to be inserted through the narrow opening, followed by threading the nut onto the exposed threads. This reduces the skill and concentration required compared to inserting a complete screw through the entire prosthesis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Volume of moving object

If the screw is made relatively small to fit in the tooth crown, then the prosthesis dimensions are satisfied, but the handling becomes more difficult and skill-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescrew sizeVSAvoidhandling ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the screw into a screw rod and a nut, the system allows the screw rod to be made small enough to fit through the tooth crown opening, while the nut can be larger and easier to handle during the threading process. This segmentation enables satisfaction of dimensional constraints without compromising handling ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Device complexity

If a conventional one-piece screw is used, then the structure is simple, but the screw may slip out during insertion and fall on the floor requiring sterilization or replacement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescrew structureVSAvoidsterilization time
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The segmented screw design with the nut threaded onto the screw rod prevents the components from slipping out completely during insertion. Even if the screw rod slips, the nut remains threaded on it, preventing total loss. This eliminates the need for time-consuming sterilization or replacement procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

5Ease of operation

If the screw is pre-assembled by the dental laboratory, then handling is simplified and loss is prevented, but the assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling simplicityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The screw rod is pre-assembled with the abutment by securing it at the distal end during laboratory fabrication. This preliminary action allows the prosthesis to be delivered with the screw rod already in place, requiring only the simple step of threading the nut onto the exposed threads during clinical insertion. This balances pre-assembly benefits with minimal clinical complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP1972297B1Combination of an Abutment and a two-part screw.
Publication Date: 2015.10.21 STRAUMANN HOLDING AG
  • EP1972297B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1972297B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3D
  • EP1972297B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a two-part screw for a dental implant, comprising a screw rod (2) and a nut (1) dimensioned to be axially secured within a screw guide channel (5), and having an internal thread (19) for screw connection with a first coronal thread (9) on the screw rod (2), wherein the screw rod (2) is provided with a second apical thread (13) designed to screw the screw to the dental implant. The assembly consisting of the screw rod (2) and nut (1) can be replaced by a screw (24) with a screw bushing (25).