Dental implants and methods for extending service life

A dental implant for insertion in the jaw bone of a patient, comprising:

• an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and a proximal surface generally transverse to said longitudinal axis, a boss extending from said proximal surface, said boss having a transverse face and a non-round cross section as viewed transversely along said axis, and an axial hole in said body, at least one slot penetrating at least one of said proximal surface and said transverse face of said implant.

A notching jig for use in repairing a dental implant in a jaw bone, said implant having a tapped hole with a longitudinal axis, and a boss adjacent to said tapped hole, said boss extending away from said jaw bone from a proximal surface generally transverse to said tapped hole, said notching jig comprising:

• an elongated stem for axially aligning with said tapped hole;
• a body connected to an end of said stem and having a base surface with a recess therein for receiving said implant boss when said base surface is abutted with said proximal surface, an opening extending through said stem and body;
• at least one guide hole extending from an external surface of said jig to said base surface, said at least one guide hole being positioned and dimensioned on said base surface for passage therethrough of a dental burr to form at least one indentation in at least one of said boss and said proximal surface.

A modified impression coping for use in constructing a prosthesis for use on a jaw bone, said prosthesis including an implant having a tapped hole with a longitudinal axis, a boss adjacent to said tapped hole, said boss extending away from said jaw bone from a proximal surface generally transverse to said tapped hole, and at least one indentation in at least one of said boss and said proximal surface, said modified impression coping comprising:

• a body with a central opening therethrough, said central opening having an axis;
• a mating surface at one end of said body, said mating surface being transverse to said central opening axis and including at least one protrusion sized and positioned for mating with said at least one indentation, and a recess for receiving said boss therein, when said mating surface abuts said proximal surface and said axes are in alignment.

A first implant analog for use in constructing a prosthesis including an implant on a jaw bone, said implant having a tapped hole with a longitudinal axis, a boss adjacent to said tapped hole, said boss extending away from said jaw bone from a proximal surface generally transverse to said tapped hole, and at least one indentation in at least one of said boss and said proximal surface, said first implant analog comprising:

• a body with a central tapped opening, said tapped opening having a longitudinal axis, a mating surface at one end of said body, said mating surface being transverse to said tapped opening axis and including a protrusion and at least one indent, said indent being formed and positioned in at least one of said mating surface and said protrusion to correspond with a size and position of said at least one indentation in said implant.

An abutment for use in fabricating a dental prosthesis, comprising:

• a hollow stem having central opening with a longitudinal axis;
• a head connected at one longitudinal end of said stem, said central opening extending through said head, an axial recess in said head extending from a mating surface of said head toward said stem to form an axially extended rim, a plurality of axially extended teeth, each tooth having a fixed end on said rim and a free end, said teeth being smaller at said fixed end than at said free end.