Method and apparatus for growing jaw bone utilizing a guided-tissue regeneration plate support and fixation system

A method of growing bone in order to increase the volume of the bony ridge of the maxilla or mandible by creating a protected and supported space between the underside of the gum tissue and the jaw bone which is protected from outside chewing forces, muscular or tissue pressure, or any other premature loading by utilizing a guided-tissue regeneration plate support and fixation system, which method comprises:

• A) fixing a bone screw to the jaw bone, the bone screw including a head configured as a receiver cap to receive and intimately mate with a guided-tissue regeneration plate, the bone screw being further characterized in that:
• 1) it is fabricated from a bio-compatible material selected from the group including titanium, chromium cobalt alloy and polytetrafluoraethylene-coated surgical steel;
• and
• 2) has a portion of the shaft near the head that is not threaded in order to create a stop and seat as the bone screw threads into the bone to facilitate better anchorage of the bone screw and fixing the distance from the bony ridge to the guided-tissue regeneration plate in the region of the bone screw;
• B) securing a perforated guided-tissue regeneration plate to the jaw bone, which guided-tissue regeneration plate is pliable, easily bendable and moldable, but keeps its shape after being molded, the guided-tissue regeneration plate being further characterized in that it is fabricated from a bio-compatible material selected from the group including titanium, chromium cobalt alloy and polytetrafluoraethylene-coated surgical steel and has a periphery and a generally centrally located aperture for the purpose of intimate attachment and direct fixation to the bone screw head, thereby creating an indirect fixation of the guided-tissue regeneration plate to the jaw bone and a direct fixation of the bone screw to the jaw bone, the perforations being characterized in that they are of sufficient size as to promote the exchange of nutrients and blood supply across the guided-tissue regeneration plate;
• C) coupling the guided-tissue regeneration plate to the bone screw to thereby establish a protected space for bone growth such that the bone screw head functions as a receiver cap configured to receive and to be intimately mated with the guided-tissue regeneration plate while at the same time supporting and securing the guided-tissue regeneration plate in a tenting fashion a predetermined distance from the bony ridge;
• and
• D) waiting for bone to grow in the resulting protected space.

Apparatus for use in conjunction with the practice of a method of growing bone in order to increase the volume of the bony ridge of the maxilla or mandible by creating a protected and supported space between the underside of the gum tissue and the jaw bone which is protected from outside chewing forces, muscular or tissue pressure, or any other premature loading, which apparatus comprises:

• A) a bone screw provided with a head configured as a receiver cap to receive and intimately mate with a guided-tissue regeneration plate, said bone screw being further characterized in that:
• 1) it is fabricated from a bio-compatible material selected from the group including titanium, chromium cobalt alloy and polytetrafluoraethylene-coated surgical steel;
• and
• 2) is configured with a snap undercut area on head of said bone screw in order to snappingly receive said centrally located aperture and thus securely retain said guided-tissue regeneration plate;
• and
• B) said guided-tissue regeneration plate being perforated and fabricated from a pliable, easily bendable material which retains its shape after molding, said guided-tissue regeneration plate having a periphery and a generally centrally located aperture dimensioned and configured to intimately receive said bone screw head such that said guided-tissue regeneration plate is directly supported by said bone screw and indirectly supported by the jaw bone;
• said guided-tissue regeneration plate being further characterized in that it is fabricated from a bio-compatible material selected from the group including titanium, chromium cobalt alloy and polytetrafluoraethylene-coated surgical steel, said perforations being characterized in that they are of sufficient size as to promote the exchange of nutrients and blood supply across the guided-tissue regeneration plate;
• such that said bone screw head functions as a receiver cap configured to receive and to be intimately mated with said guided-tissue regeneration plate while at the same time supporting and securing said guided-tissue regeneration plate in a tenting fashion a predetermined distance from the bony ridge while bone grows in the resulting protected space.

Apparatus for use in conjunction with the practice of a method of growing bone in order to increase the volume of the bony ridge of the maxilla or mandible by creating a protected and supported space between the underside of the gum tissue and the jaw bone which is protected from outside chewing forces, muscular or tissue pressure, or any other premature loading, which apparatus comprises:

• A) a bone screw provided with a head configured as a receiver cap to receive and intimately mate with a guided-tissue regeneration plate, said bone screw being further characterized in that:
• 1) it is fabricated from a bio-compatible material selected from the group including titanium, chromium cobalt alloy and polytetrafluoraethylene-coated surgical steel;
• and
• 2) has a portion of the shaft near said head that is not threaded in order to create a stop and seat as said bone screw threads into the bone to facilitate better anchorage of said bone screw and establishing the distance from the bony ridge to said guided-tissue regeneration plate in the region of said bone screw
• B) said guided-tissue regeneration plate being perforated and fabricated from a pliable, easily bendable material which retains its shape after molding, said guided-tissue regeneration plate having a periphery and a generally centrally located aperture dimensioned and configured to intimately receive said bone screw head such that said guided-tissue regeneration plate is directly supported by said bone screw and indirectly supported by the jaw bone;
• said guided-tissue regeneration plate being further characterized in that it is fabricated from a bio-compatible material selected from the group including titanium, chromium cobalt alloy and polytetrafluoraethylene-coated surgical steel, said perforations being characterized in that they are of sufficient size as to promote the exchange of nutrients and blood supply across the guided-tissue regeneration plate;
• such that said bone screw head functions as a receiver cap configured to receive and to be intimately mated with said guided-tissue regeneration plate while at the same time supporting and securing said guided-tissue regeneration plate in a tenting fashion a predetermined distance from the bony ridge while bone grows in the resulting protected space.

A method of growing bone in order to increase the volume of the bony ridge of the maxilla or mandible by creating a protected and supported space between the underside of the gum tissue and the jaw bone which is protected from outside chewing forces, muscular or tissue pressure, or any other premature loading by utilizing a guided-tissue regeneration plate support and fixation system, which method comprises:

• A) fixing a bone screw to the jaw bone, the bone screw including a head configured as a receiver cap to receive and intimately mate with a guided-tissue regeneration plate, the bone screw being further characterized in that it:
• 1) is fabricated from titanium;
• 2) is sharply pointed with a cutting flute at its tip to allow for self-threading;
• and
• 3) has a major/minor diameter ratio of its threads that is at least two in order to facilitate secure anchorage to the jaw bone;
• and
• B) securing a perforated guided-tissue regeneration plate to the bone screw, which guided-tissue regeneration plate is pliable, easily bendable and moldable, but keeps its shape and is rigid after molded, the guided-tissue regeneration plate being further characterized in that it:
• 1) is fabricated from titanium;
• 2) has a generally centrally located aperture at least fifty thousandths of an inch in diameter for the purpose of intimate attachment and direct fixation to the bone screw head, thereby creating an indirect fixation of the guided-tissue regeneration plate to the jaw bone and a direct fixation of the bone screw to the jaw bone;
• 3) is relatively rigid in the region proximate the generally centrally located aperture and is relatively pliable in the region toward its periphery to facilitate adequate support adjacent the generally centrally located aperture, which support is thereby coupled to the underlying support medium while achieving adequate flexibility and moldability in the region of the periphery of the guided-tissue regeneration plate;
• and
• 4) includes perforations of sufficient size as to promote the exchange of nutrients and blood supply across the guided-tissue regeneration plate;
• C) configuring the bone screw with a snap undercut area on the head of the screw in order to snappingly receive the centrally located aperture and securely retain the guided-tissue regeneration plate;
• D) coupling the guided-tissue regeneration plate to the bone screw to thereby establish a protected space for bone growth such that the bone screw head functions as a receiver cap configured to receive and to be intimately mated with the guided-tissue regeneration plate while at the same time supporting and securing the guided-tissue regeneration plate in a tenting fashion a predetermined distance from the bony ridge;
• and
• E) waiting for bone to grow in the protected space.

Apparatus for use in conjunction with the practice of a method of growing bone in order to increase the volume of the bony ridge of the maxilla or mandible by creating a protected and supported space between the underside of the gum tissue and the jaw bone which is protected from outside chewing forces, muscular or tissue pressure, or any other premature loading, which apparatus comprises:

• A) a bone screw, said bone screw including a head configured as a receiver cap to receive and intimately mate with a guided-tissue regeneration plate, said bone screw being further characterized in that it:
• 1) is fabricated from titanium;
• 2) is sharply pointed with a cutting flute at its tip to allow for self-threading;
• and
• 3) has a major/minor diameter ratio of its threads that is at least two in order to facilitate secure anchorage to the bone;
• and
• B) a guided-tissue regeneration plate, said guided-tissue regeneration plate:
• 1) being fabricated from titanium;
• 2) having a periphery and a generally centrally located aperture at least fifty thousandths of an inch in diameter for the purpose of intimate attachment and direct fixation to said bone screw head, thereby creating an indirect fixation of said guided-tissue regeneration plate to the jaw bone and a direct fixation of said bone screw to the jaw bone;
• 3) being relatively rigid in the region proximate said generally centrally located aperture and relatively pliable toward said periphery to facilitate adequate support adjacent said generally centrally located aperture, which support is thereby coupled to the underlying jaw bone while achieving adequate flexibility and moldability in the region of said periphery of said guided-tissue regeneration plate;
• and
• 4) being perforated with perforations characterized in that they are of sufficient size as to promote the exchange of nutrients and blood supply across the guided-tissue regeneration plate;
• and
• C) said bone screw being configured with a snap undercut area on the head of the screw in order to snappingly receive the centrally located aperture and securely retain the guided-tissue regeneration plate;
• such that said bone screw head functions as a receiver cap configured to receive and to be intimately mated with said guided-tissue regeneration plate while at the same time supporting and securing said guided-tissue regeneration plate in a tenting fashion a predetermined distance from the bony ridge while bone grows in the resulting protected space.