Pick-up implant abutment and method

A dental implant abutment arrangement for use with a dental implant (40) having an anchoring portion (46) for anchoring in a jaw bone of a patient and an abutment receiving portion (44) opposite from the anchoring portion, the abutment receiving portion having an outer taper for removably locking to an inner taper of an abutment and an internal implant thread (42) having diameter and a pitch, the arrangement comprising:

• an abutment (10) having a body (12) with a peripheral wall and a distal end (15) for engagement with the implant, the abutment having a proximal end (18) with a retaining member (24) connected to the body, the abutment having an axial bore (20) there through extending between the distal and the proximal ends and having an axis, the retaining member being rotationally asymmetrical about the axis and having an area transverse to the axis that is greater than a transverse area of the body so that the retainer resists rotation and axial motion of the abutment in an impression material for taking a dental impression, the axial bore having a tapered distal bore portion (20a) with an inner taper for matching the outer taper of the abutment receiving portion, a cylindrical proximal bore portion (20c), and an intermediate threaded portion (20e) having a smaller diameter than that of the distal and proximal bore portions and a larger diameter than the internal thread (42) of the implant, the axial bore (20) having a distal step (20b) between the distal bore portion (20a) and a distal end of the threaded portion (20e), and a proximal step (20d) between the proximal bore portion (20c) and a proximal end of the threaded portion (20e);
• an insertion tool (30) having body (32) with a diameter that is smaller than that of the cylindrical proximal bore portion (20c) so that the insertion tool can slide into the cylindrical proximal bore portion, a proximal end (36) with anti-rotation means for engagement of the insertion tool (30) to rotate the insertion tool, and a threaded implant engaging end (34) having a diameter and pitch for threading into the internal thread (42), the threaded implant engaging end (34) being of a smaller diameter than a remainder of the insertion tool body (32) for defining a distal step (32a) around a proximal base of the threaded implant engaging end (34), the threaded implant engaging end (34) being threaded into the internal thread of the implant for pulling the abutment toward the implant to removably lock the inner taper to the matching outer taper as the a distal step (32a) of the insertion tool (30) engaged the proximal step (20d) of the axial bore;
• and
• a removal tool (50) having body (52) with a diameter that is smaller than that of the cylindrical proximal bore portion (20c) so that the removal tool can slide into the cylindrical proximal bore portion, a proximal end (56) with anti-rotation means for engagement of the removal tool (50) to rotate the removal tool, and a threaded abutment engaging end (54) having a diameter and pitch for threading into the threaded portion (20e) of the axial bore, and having a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the internal thread (42) and a length that is sufficient so that the rotation of the removal tool (50) causes pushing of the implant away from the abutment to disengage the lock between the inner taper and the outer taper as the proximal end (56) of the removal tool engages the abutment receiving portion (44).

A method of implant position indexing of at least one dental implant (180) in a jaw bone (70) of the patient in the oral arch, comprising:

• providing a pick-up abutment (150) having a body (152) with a peripheral wall and a distal end (155) for engagement with the implant, the abutment having a proximal end (158) with a retaining member (164), the abutment having an axial bore (160) there through extending between the distal and the proximal ends and having an axis, the retaining member being rotationally asymmetrical about the axis and having an area transverse to the axis that is greater than a transverse area of the abutment body so that the retainer resists rotation and axial motion of the abutment in an impression material for taking the dental impression, the retaining member being adapted to be cut way after an impression is taken;
• connecting the abutment (150) to an abutment receiving portion (184) of the implant (180) using a long fastener (190);
• providing an open tray (60) having an opening and containing impression material (70);
• pressing the tray and the impression material over the pick-up abutment (150), the tray being pressed against the oral arch sufficiently to enclose the retaining member (164) of the abutment inside the impression material (70) so that the retaining member (164) will resist rotation and axial movement of the abutment in the impression material, the long fastener also extending through the impression material and the opening in the tray;
• manipulating the fastener (190) to disconnect the abutment (150) from the implant (180);
• removing the impression and enclosed abutment (150) from the patient's mouth;
• attaching an implant analog (200) to abutment (150) with the help of the long fastener (190) or a retaining screw (170);
• pouring modeling material into the impression to form a model (130, 140);
• cutting the retaining member (164) away along the cutting area (168);
• and
• removing the impression material and the cut-away retaining member (164) from the abutment (150) and the model.

A method of implant position indexing of at least one dental implant (40) having a locking taper abutment receiving portion (44) and an internal thread (42) in a jaw bone (80) of the patient in the oral arch, comprising:

• providing a pick-up abutment (10) having a body (12) with a peripheral wall and a distal end (15) for engagement with the implant, the abutment having a proximal end (18) with a retaining member (24), the abutment having an axial bore (20) there through extending between the distal and the proximal ends and having an axis, the retaining member being rotationally asymmetrical about the axis and having an area transverse to the axis that is greater than a transverse area of the body (12) so that the retainer resists rotation and axial motion of the abutment in an impression material, the retaining member being adapted to be cut way at cutting area (28) after an impression is taken;
• connecting the abutment (10) to an abutment receiving portion (44) of the implant (40) with an insertion instrument (30);
• removing the insertion instrument (30) from the abutment (10);
• inserting a removal instrument (50) into the abutment (10) with light force;
• providing an open tray (60) having an opening and containing impression material (70);
• pressing the tray and the impression material over the pick-up abutment (10), the tray being pressed against the oral arch sufficiently to enclose the retaining member (24) of the abutment inside the impression material (70) so that the retaining member (24) will resist rotation and axial movement of the abutment in the impression material, the removal instrument (50) also extending through the impression material and the opening in the tray;
• rotating the removal instrument (50) to disengage locking taper connection between abutment receiving portion (44) and abutment (10);
• removing the impression and enclosed abutment (10) from patient's mouth;
• attaching an implant analog (120) to the abutment (10) with the help of the insertion instrument (30);
• pouring modeling material into the impression to form a model (130, 140);
• cutting the retaining member (24) away along the cutting area (28);
• and
• removing the impression material and the cut-away retaining member (24) from the abutment (10) and the model.