Method and apparatus for locating an ideal site for a dental implant and for the precise surgical placement of that implant
AssigneeHoward C. Weitzman
InventorDaniel G. Pompa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for locating and surgically positioning a hole for an implant and holder in a jawbone of a patient includes constructing a model of a jawbone. A structure is located within the model depicting variations in density within the jawbone. A hole is drilled into the model based on the location of the structure. A rod is placed into the hole and a guide template is fabricated around the model which forms a bore around the rod. The guide template is placed onto the jawbone of the patient and a hole is drilled through the bore into the jawbone to make a hole in the jawbone along the same path as the hole in the model for receiving the implant and holder.
Claims17
A method for locating and surgically positioning a hole for an implant and holder in a jawbone of a patient comprising the steps of:
- i.) constructing model of the jawbone including inner anatomic structures;
- ii.) locating a structure within the model depicting variations in density within the jawbone;
- iii.) drilling a hole into the model based on the location of the structure;
- iv.) placing a rod into the hole;
- v.) fabricating a guide template around the model and forming a bore around the rod;
- and
- vi.) placing the guide template onto the jawbone of the patient and drilling through the bore into the jawbone to make a hole in the jawbone along the same path as the hole in the model for receiving the implant and holder.
An apparatus for locating and surgically positioning a hole for an implant and holder in a jawbone of a patient comprising:
- a jawbone model including inner anatomic structures formed by a method of scanning the jawbone with computed tomography and constructing a stereolithographic model including a structure within said model depicting variations in density within the jawbone;
- means for locating and drilling a hole in said model based on the location of said structure;
- a rod placed into the hole;
- and
- a guide template disposed on said jawbone model including a bore formed around said rod so that when said template is placed on the jawbone of the patient, a drill is guided by said template bore into the jawbone along the same path as the hole in said model to form a hole for receiving the implant and holder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.