Method of installing a final dental prosthesis

A method of installing a final prosthesis at a surgical site in a patient's body comprising the steps of:

• providing a cradle which has an interior surface and an exterior surface;
• where the interior surface conforms to a region of the surgical site;
• and wherein the cradle defines an aperture therein which extends between the interior and exterior surfaces;
• installing one or more anchoring members at the surgical site;
• placing the interior surface of the cradle adjacent the surgical site and over the implants;
• inserting the final prosthesis into the aperture in the cradle;
• orienting the final prosthesis relative to the one or more anchoring members;
• removing the cradle with engaged final prosthesis from the surgical site;
• disengaging the final prosthesis from the cradle;
• positioning the final prosthesis adjacent the surgical site in the previously determined orientation relative to the one or more anchoring members;
• and
• fixing the final prosthesis to the one or more anchoring members.

A method of installing a final dental prosthesis on a region of a patient's jaw, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a cradle having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein a part of the interior surface is shaped to conform to the region of the patient's jaw;
• wherein the first wall defines an aperture therein which extends between the interior and exterior surfaces thereof and the aperture is complementary to the final dental prosthesis or to a part of the final dental prosthesis;
• installing one or more implants in the patient's jaw;
• positioning the interior surface of the cradle adjacent the region of the patient's jaw such that the one or more implants are accessible through the aperture in the cradle;
• engaging the portion of the final dental prosthesis in the aperture in the cradle;
• orienting the final dental prosthesis relative to the one or more implants;
• inserting a cylinder through each of one or more holes defined in the final dental prosthesis;
• engaging each cylinder with one of the one or more implants;
• bonding each cylinder to the final dental prosthesis;
• removing the cradle with the engaged final dental prosthesis from the patient's jaw;
• disengaging the final dental prosthesis from the cradle;
• discarding the cradle;
• positioning the final dental prosthesis on the region of the patient's jaw;
• aligning each cylinder with one of the one or more implants;
• and
• securing the final prosthesis to the one or more implants.