Dental implant systems and methods

A prosthodontic assembly for forming of an impression indicating a location of an implant member to allow fabrication of a prosthetic tooth, the prosthodontic assembly comprising:

• an abutment member having an inner surface defining a bore having a first bore portion;
• a screw member that extends through the bore in the abutment member and into the implant member to attach the abutment member to the implant member;
• an impression member having a base portion adapted to mate with the first bore portion, where the impression member is in a desired position relative to the first prosthodontic member when the base portion mates with the first bore portion;
• attachment means integrally formed on both the abutment member and the impression member for attaching the impression member onto abutment member in the desired position, where the impression member is attached to the abutment member in a manner that resists inadvertent removal of the impression member from the abutment member but allows removal of the impression member from the abutment member by application of deliberate, manual force on the impression member in a direction away from the abutment member.

A prosthodontic procedure comprising the steps of:

• osseointegrating a first implant member at a desired location;
• attaching a first temporary abutment member to the first implant member;
• attaching an abutment cap member onto the first temporary abutment member;
• allowing gingival tissue around the first temporary abutment member to heal;
• removing the abutment cap member from the first temporary abutment member;
• attaching an impression member onto the first temporary abutment member;
• applying impression material to the impression member;
• allowing the impression material to solidify to form an impression in which the impression member is embedded;
• removing the impression member from the first temporary abutment member with the impression member still embedded in the impression;
• attaching a second implant member onto a second temporary abutment member
• attaching the second temporary abutment member to the impression member embedded in the impression;
• applying model material to the second temporary abutment member and second implant member;
• allowing the model material to solidify to form a model in which the second implant member is embedded;
• removing the second temporary abutment member from the impression member;
• removing the second temporary abutment member from the second implant member;
• attaching a permanent abutment member to the second implant member;
• forming a prosthetic member on the permanent abutment member;
• removing the first temporary abutment member from the first implant member;
• and
• attaching the permanent abutment member and prosthetic member to the first implant member.

A prosthodontic procedure comprising the steps of:

• placing an implant member into a patient's jaw bone;
• providing a first temporary abutment member having a bore defined by an inner wall of the first temporary abutment member;
• attaching the first temporary abutment member to the implant member;
• providing a impression member having a base portion and a flanged portion;
• forming a recess on one of the abutment member inner wall and the base portion of the impression member;
• forming a projection on the other of the abutment member inner wall and the base portion of the impression member;
• and
• displacing the impression member towards the first temporary abutment member until the projection engages the recess to form a snap fit that prevents inadvertent removal of the impression member but which allows the impression member to be removed by application of deliberate, manual force thereon;
• making an impression of the patient's mouth such that the flanged portion of the impression member is embedded in the impression;
• fabricating a prosthetic tooth by making a model from the impression and the impression member;
• mounting the prosthetic tooth onto the implant.

A prosthodontic procedure for transferring a location of an implant member implanted in a patient's mouth to a model of the patient's mouth, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first temporary abutment member having a bore defined by an inner wall of the first temporary abutment member;
• displacing the first temporary abutment member such that it engages the implant member;
• fastening the first temporary abutment member to the implant member by passing a fastener through the bore in the first temporary abutment member and into a threaded cavity in the implant member;
• providing a prosthodontic member having a base portion;
• forming a recess on one of the abutment member inner wall and the base portion of the prosthodontic member;
• forming a projection on the other of the abutment member inner wall and the base portion of the prosthodontic member;
• displacing the prosthodontic member towards the first temporary abutment member until the projection engages the recess to form a snap fit that prevents inadvertent removal of the prosthodontic member but which allows the prosthodontic member to be removed by application of deliberate force thereon;
• forming an impression of the patients mouth such that the prosthodontic member is embedded in the impression;
• applying deliberate force to the impression such that the projection disengages from the recess, thereby allowing the impression and the prosthodontic member embedded therein to be removed from the patient's mouth;
• providing a second temporary abutment member;
• attaching the second temporary abutment member to the prosthodontic member embedded in the impression;
• providing an analog of the implant member;
• attaching the analog of the implant member to the second temporary abutment member to form an impression assembly;
• and
• forming the model of the patient's mouth from the impression assembly.

A prosthodontic assembly comprising:

• an implant member implanted into a patient's jaw bone;
• a first prosthodontic member having an inner surface defining a bore having first and second bore portions, where the first bore portion is adapted to mate with a portion of the implant member;
• a second prosthodontic member having a base portion adapted to mate with the second bore portion, where the second prosthodontic member is in a desired position relative to the first prosthodontic member when the base portion mates with the second bore portion;
• a fastener extending through the bore and into a threaded cavity in the implant member to fix the first prosthodontic member relative to the implant member;
• and
• attachment means comprising a projection and a recess for attaching the second prosthodontic member onto the first prosthodontic member in the desired position, where the projection engages the recess such that the second prosthodontic member is attached to the first prosthodontic member in a manner that resists inadvertent removal of the second prosthodontic member from the first prosthodontic member but allows removal of the second prosthodontic member from the first prosthodontic member by application of deliberate, manual force on the second prosthodontic member in a direction away from the first prosthodontic member.

A prosthodontic procedure for forming a dental impression assembly used to fabricate a prosthetic member for a patient, the procedure comprising the steps of:

• providing an implant member having an upper surface and an internal surface defining an internal cavity, where the internal surface intersects the upper surface such the internal cavity communicates with the exterior through the upper surface;
• placing the implant member into the patient's jaw bone;
• providing an impression member having a base portion and an impression portion, where the base portion comprises a lower post sized and dimensioned to be snugly received within the internal cavity of the implant member;
• attaching the impression member to the implant member by inserting the lower post of the impression member into the internal cavity of the implant member to form a friction fit that inhibits removal of the impression member from the implant member;
• embedding the impression portion of the impression member in impression material;
• allowing the impression material to harden to form the impression assembly;
• and
• applying deliberate force to the hardened impression material to displace the impression assembly from the implant member.