Single tooth dental restoration system

A set of dental components for use with a dental root means fixed in a site with an overlying gingiva layer having an opening to the root means, said set comprising:

• a healing member for forming said opening in said gingiva;
• means to attach said healing member to said root means;
• an impression coping having a trans-tissue portion of the same size and shape as said healing member so as to fit fully into said opening in place of said healing member, part of said trans-tissue portion being made of modeling material;
• and
• means to attach said impression coping to said root means with said trans-tissue portion fitted into said opening.

An impression coping for use in fabricating a model of a patient's edentulous jawbone site containing root means with an overlying gingiva layer having an opening to the root means formed from a healing member, said impression coping comprising:

• a transmucosal portion having a size and contour replicating that of said healing member, part of said transmucosal portion being made of modeling material, said transmucosal portion being adapted to fit within said opening formed from said healing member;
• an impression portion adjacent to the transmucosal portion for extending into impression material;
• and
• means for fastening said impression coping to the root means.

A method of fabricating a model of a patient's edentulous jawbone site containing root means with an overlying gingiva layer having an opening to the root means, said method comprising the steps of:

• attaching a healing abutment to a gingival end of said root means, said healing abutment corresponding in size and shape to the trans-tissue portion of a natural tooth, said opening in said gingival layer thereafter conforming to the size and shape of said healing abutment;
• placing a root means analog into a socket formed in the bottom of a modeling receptacle, a body portion of said root means analog being disposed substantially within said socket, a proximal end of said root means analog being accessible through an opening into said socket at a base portion of said modeling receptacle;
• attaching said healing abutment to said proximal end of said root means analog such that said healing abutment is positioned above said base portion and within a sidewall portion of said modeling receptacle;
• pouring an impression material into said modeling receptacle to a desired depth surrounding said healing abutment so as to form a model of said gingiva layer;
• removing said healing abutment from said model of said gingiva layer to define a cavity in said model corresponding in size and shape to said healing abutment;
• attaching an impression coping to the proximal end of said root means analog, said impression coping including a narrow impression portion extending through said cavity and having a width substantially smaller than said cavity;
• pouring a modeling material into said cavity and allowing it to harden around said impression coping so as to form a modified impression coping having a transmucosal portion replicating the size and shape of said healing abutment;
• removing said modified impression coping from said model and attaching said impression coping to said root means;
• taking a dental impression of said patient's jawbone site with said modified impression coping in place;
• and
• using said dental impression to make a stone model of the patient's jawbone site.

A method of fabricating an impression coping for use in dental restorative surgery from a healing abutment adapted to form an opening in a patient's gingival layer corresponding in size and shape to the trans-tissue portion of a natural tooth, said method comprising the steps of:

• attaching said healing abutment to an artificial root means disposed within a modeling receptacle such that said healing abutment is positioned above a base portion and within a sidewall portion of said modeling receptacle;
• pouring an impression material into said modeling receptacle to a desired depth surrounding said healing abutment so as to form a model of said patient's gingival layer;
• removing said healing abutment from said model to define a cavity in said model corresponding in size and shape to said healing abutment;
• attaching a narrow coping shaft to said artificial root means within said modeling receptacle, one end of said narrow coping shaft including an interlocking member adapted to connect to either of said root means and said artificial root means, said narrow coping shaft extending through said cavity and having a width smaller than said cavity;
• and
• pouring a modeling material into said cavity and allowing it to harden around said narrow coping shaft so as to form a transmucosal section replicating the size and shape of said healing abutment, said impression coping being defined by the combination of said narrow coping shaft and said transmucosal section.