Methods and Apparatus For Dental Implantation

• US 20080171305A1
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Image Navigation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: DENX Advanced Medical System Limited
• Inventors: Sonenfeld, Uri, Malul, Uri
• Granted Patent: US 8,172,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/215
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/084 of implanting tools
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 11/001 non-pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/055 Paralleling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0089 Implanting tools or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/0006 Impression trays
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/0026 Syringes or guns for injecting impression material; Mixing impression material for immediate use
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/0053 Optical means or methods, e.g. scanning the teeth by a laser or light beam

Abstract

A method for implanting a tooth implant in an at least partially edentulous patient including the steps of anchoring at least one attachment element in a patient'"'"'s jaw bone, remove ably and replaceably mounting a carrier assembly bearing at least one fiducial marker onto the at least one attachment element in a precisely repeatable position with respect to the patient'"'"'s jaw bone, employing the carrier assembly for providing registration between the at least one fiducial marker and the patient'"'"'s jaw bone and implanting the tooth implant by employing a tracking system which uses the registration to guide a drilling assembly.

Claims

1. A method for implanting a tooth implant in an at least partially edentulous patient comprising the steps of:

anchoring at least one attachment element in a patient'"'"'s jaw bone;

removably and replaceably mounting a carrier assembly bearing at least one fiducial marker onto said at least one attachment element in a precisely repeatable position with respect to said patient'"'"'s jaw bone;

employing said carrier for providing registration between said at least one fiducial marker and said patient'"'"'s jaw bone; and

implanting said tooth implant by employing a tracking system which uses said registration to guide a drilling assembly.

2. A method for implanting a tooth implant according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one attachment element comprises at least one jaw bone fastener.

3. A method for implanting a tooth implant according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one attachment element comprises three jaw bone fasteners each having a generally ball-shaped head.

5. A method for implanting a tooth implant according to claim 1 and also comprising, following said anchoring and prior to said removably and replaceably mounting a carrier assembly:

removeably and replaceably mounting at least one intermediate element on said at least one attachment element;

taking an impression of said patient'"'"'s jaw;

employing said impression of said patient'"'"'s jaw to provide a model of said patient'"'"'s jaw;

mounting at least one carrier mount onto said at least one intermediate element; and

mounting a fiducial carrier bearing said at least one fiducial marker onto said at least one carrier mount, thereby to provide said carrier assembly.

6. A method for implanting a tooth implant according to claim 5, and wherein said removably and replaceably mounting at least one intermediate element comprises removably and replaceably mounting at least one impression cap having a flat surface onto said at least one attachment element.

8. A method for implanting a tooth implant according claim 5 and also comprising, prior to said anchoring:

taking a preliminary impression of said patient'"'"'s jaw; and

employing said preliminary impression for preparing a temporary base and rim suited to said patient'"'"'s jaw.

11. A method for implanting a tooth implant according to claim 5 and wherein said employing said impression of said patient'"'"'s jaw to provide a model comprises:

employing said impression to provide a model, which has anchored therein at least one attachment element analog;

removeably positioning radio-opaque artificial teeth on said model.

13. A method for implanting a tooth implant according to claim 11 and wherein said mounting at least one carrier mount onto said at least one intermediate element comprises adhering said at least one carrier mount to said at least one intermediate element, while said at least one intermediate element is mounted onto said at least one attachment element analog.

16. A method for implanting a tooth implant according to claim 11 and wherein said removably and replaceably mounting a carrier assembly comprises removably and replaceably mounting said at least one intermediate element, said at least one carrier mount, said radio-opaque artificial teeth and said fiducial carrier onto said at least one attachment element in a precisely repeatable position with respect to said patient'"'"'s jaw bone.

17. A method for implanting a tooth implant according to claim 1 and wherein:

said employing said carrier assembly for providing registration comprises providing at least one image of said patient'"'"'s jaw while said carrier assembly is mounted onto said at least one attachment element; and

the method also comprises, prior to said implanting said tooth implant, providing three-dimensional registration between said at least one fiducial marker, said tracking system and said drilling assembly.

4. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9-10. -10. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

14-15. -15. (canceled)

18-20. -20. (canceled)

21. Apparatus for use in implanting a tooth implant comprising:

at least one attachment element including an anchor portion configured for anchoring in a patient'"'"'s jaw bone and an attachment portion; and

a fiducial marker carrier assembly containing a plurality of fiducial markers and including at least one mounting portion configured for removable and replaceable mounting onto said attachment portion of said at least one attachment element in a precisely repeatable position with respect to said patient'"'"'s jaw bone.

23. Apparatus for use in implanting a tooth implant according to claim 21 and wherein:

said at least one attachment element said at least one jaw bone fastener comprises three jaw bone fasteners, each having a generally ball-shaped head; and

said at least one mounting portion includes three mounting portions, each configured for removable and replaceable mounting onto said attachment portion of one of said three jaw bone fasteners in a precisely repeatable position with respect to said patient'"'"'s jaw bone.

25. Apparatus for use in implanting a tooth implant according to claim 21 and also comprising:

at least one intermediate element configured to be mounted onto said attachment portion of said at least one attachment element and to have said fiducial marker carrier assembly mounted thereon;

at least one carrier mount configured to be mounted onto said at least one intermediate element; and

a fiducial carrier bearing said plurality of fiducial marker configured to be mounted onto said at least one carrier mount, thereby to provide said fiducial marker carrier assembly.

27. Apparatus for use in implanting a tooth implant according to claim 25 and wherein said fiducial marker carrier assembly comprises said at least one intermediate element, said at least one carrier mount, said fiducial carrier and a plurality of radio-opaque artificial teeth.

28. Apparatus for use in implanting a tooth implant according to claim 27 and wherein said fiducial marker carrier assembly comprises a first adhesive adhering said fiducial carrier to said at least one carrier mount and a second adhesive adhering said radio-opaque artificial teeth to said fiducial carrier.

29. Apparatus for use in implanting a tooth implant according to claim 21 and also comprising a tracking system including at least one IR emitter configured for providing tracking of motions of said patient during implantation of said tooth implant.

30. Apparatus for use in implanting a tooth implant according to claim 21 and also comprising a dental surgery device including at least one IR emitter configured for providing tracking of motions of a dental surgeon during implantation of said tooth implant.

22. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

31. A method for implanting a tooth implant in a patient comprising the steps of:

attaching at least one attachment element to a patient'"'"'s teeth by exclusively chair-side configuring of at least a portion of said at least one attachment element to match said patient'"'"'s teeth;

mounting a carrier bearing at least one fiducial marker onto said at least one attachment element;

employing said carrier for providing registration between said at least one fiducial marker and said patient'"'"'s jaw bone; and

implanting said tooth implant by employing a tracking system which uses said registration to guide a drilling assembly.

32. A method for implanting a tooth implant in a patient according to claim 31 and wherein said exclusively chair-side configuring comprises molding and hardening to a rigid state of a precise tooth shape retaining material.

34. A method for implanting a tooth implant in a patient according to claim 31 and wherein said attaching at least one attachment element comprises removably and replaceably attaching said at least one attachment element to said patient'"'"'s teeth at a precisely repeatable position with respect to said patient'"'"'s jaw bone.

35. A method for implanting a tooth implant in a patient according to claim 31 and wherein

said employing said carrier for providing registration between said at least one fiducial marker and said patient'"'"'s jaw bone comprises providing at least one image of said patient'"'"'s jaw while said at least one attachment element is attached to said patient'"'"'s teeth and said fiducial marker is mounted onto said at least one attachment element;

and

said method also comprises, prior to said implanting said tooth implant, providing three-dimensional registration between said at least one fiducial marker, said tracking system and said drilling assembly.

33. (canceled)

36-37. -37. (canceled)

38. Apparatus for implanting a tooth implant in a patient comprising:

a material useful for exclusively chair-side configuring of at least a portion of at least one attachment element to match said patient'"'"'s teeth;

a carrier assembly arranged for mounting onto said at least one attachment element and bearing at least one fiducial marker useful for providing registration between said at least one fiducial marker and said patient'"'"'s jaw bone which is employed by a tracking system to guide an implant drilling assembly.

41. Apparatus for implanting a tooth implant in a patient according to claim 38 and wherein said at least one attachment element is configured to be removably and replaceably attachable to said patient'"'"'s teeth at a precisely repeatable position with respect to said patient'"'"'s jaw bone.

42. Apparatus for implanting a tooth implant in a patient according to claim 38 and also comprising a tracking system including at least one IR emitter configured for providing tracking of motions of said patient during implantation of said tooth implant.

43. Apparatus for implanting a tooth implant in a patient according to claim 38 and also comprising a dental surgery device including at least one IR emitter configured for providing tracking of motions of a dental surgeon during implantation of said tooth implant.

39-40. -40. (canceled)

44. A method for implanting a tooth implant in a patient comprising the steps of:

exclusively chair-side attaching at least one radio-opaque tooth shape representation element to a patient'"'"'s jaw;

mounting a carrier bearing at least one fiducial marker onto said patient'"'"'s jaw;

employing said carrier and said at least one radio-opaque tooth shape representation element for providing registration between said at least one fiducial marker, said at least one radio-opaque tooth shape representation element and said patient'"'"'s jaw bone; and

implanting said tooth implant by employing a tracking system which uses said registration to guide a drilling assembly.

47. A method for implanting a tooth implant according to claim 44 and wherein said exclusively chair-side attaching comprises the steps of:

placing a radiolucent hardenable molding material on a patient'"'"'s jaw at a location of an intended tooth implant;

causing a patient to bite down on the hardenable molding material to create an impression of at least one tooth opposed to a tooth which is to be replaced by said tooth implant; and

employing said impression, in vivo, to mold a radio-opaque material into said at least one radio-opaque tooth shape representation element.

45-46. -46. (canceled)