Dental implant
OwnerSteven B Lombardiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dental implant assembly comprises an implant, a driver/abutment device, and a spacer. The device includes a bottom portion having a protrusion comprising an inferior aspect and a superior aspect. The spacer prevents the oversized, superior aspect of the device from engaging an interior cavity of the implant so that the driver is easily removable after insertion of the implant in the jaw of a patient. Removing the spacer permits the superior aspect to engage the interior cavity, thereby permanently fixing the driver to the implant.
Claims21
1-18. (canceled)
A dental implant assembly comprising:
- a. an implant defining an interior cavity;
- b. a device including a bottom portion comprising a protrusion, the protrusion including an inferior aspect and a superior aspect, the inferior aspect dimensioned to fit removably within the interior cavity, at least a section of the superior aspect oversized relative to the interior cavity;
- c. a fixation screw that secures at least a portion of the protrusion in the interior cavity by the fixation screw passing through the device and engaging an interior threaded portion of the interior cavity;
- and
- d. a spacer separating the superior aspect of the protrusion from the interior cavity when the implant and the device are connected, and the spacer capable of being removed so that the superior aspect contacts the interior cavity.
A method of fixing a dental implant using a dental implant assembly comprising:
- a. implant defining an interior cavity;
- b. a device including a bottom portion comprising a protrusion, the protrusion including an inferior aspect and a superior aspect, the inferior aspect dimensioned to fit removably within the interior cavity, at least a section of the superior aspect oversized relative to the interior cavity;
- c. a fixation screw that secures at least a portion of the protrusion in the interior cavity by the fixation screw passing through the device and engaging an interior threaded portion of the interior cavity;
- and
- d. a spacer separating the superior aspect of the protrusion from the interior cavity when the implant and the device are connected, and the spacer capable of being removed so that the superior aspect contacts the interior cavity. wherein the method includes (a) fixing the implant with the spacer between the implant and the device, and (b) securing the device to the implant by removing the spacer, placing the device on a top end of the implant, and tightening the fixation screw through the device and into the interior threaded portion.
A dental implant assembly comprising:
- a. an implant defining an interior cavity;
- b. a device including a bottom portion comprising a protrusion, the protrusion including an inferior aspect and a superior aspect, the inferior aspect conforming to the interior cavity and dimensioned to fit removably within the interior cavity, the superior aspect including a taper that diverges from the inferior aspect towards the bottom portion of the device and having at least a section oversized relative to the interior cavity;
- c. a fixation screw that secures at least a portion of the protrusion in the interior cavity by the fixation screw passing through the device and engaging an interior threaded portion of the interior cavity;
- and
- d. a spacer separating the superior aspect of the protrusion from the interior cavity when the implant and the device are connected, the spacer matingly engaging the bottom portion of the device, and the spacer capable of being removed so that the superior aspect contacts the interior cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.