Method and apparatus for preparing mucosal tissue for the reception of _denture anchoring intramucosal inserts

A temporary insert for use in preparing a freshly formed cavity in the mucosal tissue of a patent for the reception of an intramucosal insert permanently attached to a denture, said intramucosal insert having a shaft with an enlarged head fixedly secured to and projecting from the inner surface of the denture, said temporary insert comprising:

• a shaft formed with an enlarged head at one end thereof of a size and shape the same as that of the shaft and enlarged head of said intramucosal insert;
• a thin retainer plate fixedly secured to the other end of said shaft of said temporary insert to lie flat against the surface of mucosal tissue of a patient when the shaft and head of said temporary insert are seated within said freshly formed cavity;
• the thickness of said plate being insufficient to exert any substantial interference with a normal denture seated on said mucosal tissue in unattached overlying relationship to said temporary insert when said temporary insert is seated in said cavity;
• and
• a plurality of mucosal penetrating pins mounted upon and projecting from the side of said retaining plate facing the head.

A method for preparing the mucosal tissue of a patient for the reception of denture anchoring intramucosal inserts comprising the steps of:

• 1. forming appropriately located cavities in the mucosal tissue,
• 2. inserting into each of the freshly formed cavities a temporary insert conformed to that portion of the denture anchoring insert to be received and locating a thin retaining plate attached to the temporary insert in substantially flush face to face engagement with the surface of the mucosal tissue adjacent the cavity,
• 3. placing a normal insertless denture on the mucosal tissue in overlying relationship to the inserted temporary inserts for normal usage by the patient until the cavities are at least partially healed;
• and
• 4. removing the temporary inserts from the partially healed cavities for subsequent insertion of a denture bearing permanently attached projections into the prepared cavities for permanently attaching the denture to the mucosal tissue of the user.