Method of installing a final dental prosthesis

An assembly for installing a dental prosthesis on a portion of a bone segment in a patient's jawbone, said assembly comprising:

• a dental appliance comprising a dental appliance body having a top and a bottom;
• wherein the dental appliance body defines a plurality of apertures therein;
• and wherein the dental appliance body further defines a plurality of holes therein where the plurality of holes is spaced from the plurality of apertures;
• a cradle comprising a cradle body having:
• a first wall and a second wall that are connected together by a first end and a second end;
• an open surgical space defined between the first wall and the second wall and between the first end and the second end, said surgical space connecting a top of the cradle body with a bottom of the cradle body;
• wherein the bottom of the cradle body is contoured to conform to a portion of a bone segment of a patient's jawbone;
• and wherein one or both of the first and second walls of the cradle body define one or more holes therein;
• and
• a plurality of fasteners, each fastener being insertable through one of the one or more holes defined in the dental appliance body or through one of the one or more holes defined in the cradle body;
• wherein each of the plurality of fasteners is adapted to be inserted into one of a plurality of receiving holes defined in the portion of the bone segment;
• and wherein the one or more holes in the dental appliance body and the one or more holes in the cradle body are defined in locations that are complementary to each other and to positions of the plurality of receiving holes in the portion of the bone segment;
• and wherein the plurality of fasteners and the aligned one or more holes in the dental appliance body or the aligned one or more holes in the cradle body and the plurality of receiving holes act as reference points for correctly positioning the dental appliance or the cradle on the portion of the bone segment.

A system for installing a final dental prosthesis on a portion of a bone segment of a patient's jaw;

• said system comprising:
• a computer;
• programming installed on the computer;
• data gathered during a series of CT scans of the patient's jaw, said data being manipulable by the programming to cause a plurality of dental appliances to be fabricated;
• and wherein the plurality of dental appliances comprises:
• a surgical template having a bottom wall that is contoured to conform to the portion of the bone segment on the patient jaw;
• wherein said surgical template has a body with a top and bottom and the surgical template body defines a plurality of apertures therein that correspond to positions on the portion of the bone segment where dental implants are to be installed;
• a final dental prosthesis that includes at least one tooth;
• and
• a cradle having a cradle body with a bottom that is contoured to conform to the portion of the bone segment;
• and a top that is contoured to temporarily engage the final dental prosthesis and retain the final dental prosthesis proximate the portion of the bone segment.