Anchoring element

A screw-shaped anchoring element for permanent anchorage of hearing aid devices or ear and eye prostheses in the skull bone, the anchoring element comprising:

• a main body comprising external threads, the main body having a length less than 5 mm and being operative to be inserted into a hole in a skull bone;
• a flange operative to provide a stop for the anchoring element when the anchoring element is screwed down into the comparatively thin skull bone, the flange having a substantially planar bottom surface for resting against the skull bone when the anchoring element has reached a final screwed-down position;
• a tool engaging socket arranged at one end of the anchoring element;
• an internally threaded inner bore extending at least partially through the main body at the first end of the anchoring element and being operative to connect one of a hearing aid device, an eye prosthesis or an ear prosthesis to the anchoring element;
• and
• a self-tapping second end of the anchoring element, the self-tapping second end comprising at least one cavity and a cutting edge, the at least one cavity having a total volume corresponding to at least half a volume of bone tissue material that could be cut off by the cutting edge when the anchoring element is screwed down into a hole in the skull bone with a diameter corresponding to an inner diameter of the screw thread.