Dental implant

A dental implant system comprising an implant for attaching a dental appliance to a jaw bone including a sleeve member having a substantially cylindrical vertically extending bottom portion including a plurality of apertures therethrough, an open bottom, and a cylindrical neck portion positioned above said bottom portion, said bottom portion being constructed and arranged to be snugly inserted into an annular cut formed in the upper surface of the jaw bone to there define an upwardly extending substantially cylindrical stump, an electrically non-conductive collar member mounted within said neck portion of said sleeve member and having a central vertically extending opening, and electrode means mounted to said collar member within said central opening and electrically isolated from said sleeve member, said electrode means having an upwardly extending top portion adapted to be releasably electrically connected with a source of electricity and to receive electricity therefrom and to also releasably retain a dental appliance, and a downwardly extending bottom portion constructed and arranged to make electrical contact with said stump;

• and a power supply member adapted to be mounted to said top portion of said electrode including at least one mating member adapted to receive and releasably grasp and make electrical contact with said electrode, and at least one battery electrically connected to said mating member to supply electrical current to said mating member whereby electricity may be transferred to said electrode means when said implant and said power supply member are engaged.

A method of forming a dental implant comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming an annular cut in the top surface of the jaw bone to define an upwardly extending substantially cylindrical stump;
• (b) forming a downwardly extending central opening within said stump;
• (c) inserting an implant into said annular cut and said central opening, said implant including a sleeve member having a substantially cylindrical downwardly extending bottom portion including a plurality of apertures therethrough, an open bottom, an electrically non-conductive collar member mounted within said neck portion of said sleeve member and having a central vertically extending opening, and electrode means mounted to said collar member within said central opening and electrically isolated from said sleeve member, said electrode means having an upwardly extending top portion adapted to be releasably electrically connected with a source of electricity and to receive electricity therefrom and to also releasably retain a dental appliance and a downwardly extending bottom portion, said sleeve member being inserted into said annular cut and said bottom portion of said electrode means being placed in contact with said central opening in said stump;
• and
• (d) applying an electrically current to said top portion of said electrode so that said electrode conducts electricity into said stump to cause bone apposition in said stump causing bone tissue to knit through said apertures in said bottom portion of said sleeve member.