Dental Implant Device and Screw

• US 20100261141A1
• Filed: 04/10/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Texas A&M University System
• Original Assignee: Texas A&M University System
• Inventors: Ajlouni, Khaldoun, Ajlouni, Hanan, Ajlouni, Raed
• Application Number:
  US12/421,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20100261141A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/174
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0022 Self-screwing A61C8/0028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0036 Tooth replica
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/005 Connecting devices for joining an upper structure with an implant member, e.g. spacers
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/006 with polygonal positional means, e.g. hexagonal or octagonal
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0066 with positioning means A61C8/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0089 Implanting tools or instruments

Abstract

In one embodiment of the present invention, a dental implant may include an implant fixture capable of securing the dental implant in bone. An implant neck with a non-metallic coating may surround the coronal end of the implant fixture. An implant abutment attaches to the implant fixture at the implant fixture'"'"'s coronal end. A crown attaches around the implant abutment and adjacent to the neck.

Claims

1. A dental implant, comprising:

an implant fixture operable to secure the dental implant in bone;

am implant neck with a non-metallic finish surrounding the coronal end of the implant fixture;

an implant abutment attached to the implant fixture at the implant fixture'"'"'s coronal end; and

a crown attached around the implant abutment and adjacent to the non-metallic neck.

2. The dental implant of claim 1, wherein the height of the implant neck along the coronal-apical axis is sized to fit between the top of the alveolar bone and the top of the surrounding gingiva in a tooth socket.

3. The dental implant of claim 1, wherein the height of the implant neck along the coronal-apical axis is shorter along the distal-mesial axis and taller along the lingual-facial axis.

4. The dental implant of claim 1, wherein the non-metallic neck is thinner along the distal-mesial axis and thicker along the lingual-facial axis.

5. The dental implant of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the implant neck is sized to match the shape of the crown.

6. The dental implant of claim 1, wherein the implant neck is comprised of a metal core and a ceramic finish.

7. The dental implant of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of ridges protruding from the exterior of the implant abutment; and

a plurality of corresponding grooves sized to receive the plurality of ridges and secure the implant abutment.

8. The dental implant of claim 1, wherein the non-metallic neck is 1.0 millimeter to 3.0 millimeters tall.

9. The dental implant of claim 1, wherein the crown is flush with the implant neck.

10. The dental implant of claim 1, wherein the implant fixture matches a real tooth shape selected from the group consisting of a molar tooth, a premolar tooth, a canine tooth, and a incisor tooth.

11. A screw for anchoring in bone comprising:

a central cylindrical shank with an inclined plane wrapped around the outside surface of the central cylindrical shank to form a helical thread; and

a plurality ridges formed on the surface of the inclined plane and extending outwards from the surface of the inclined plane.

12. The screw of claim 11, wherein the ridges start close to the edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank and move progressively closer to the central cylindrical shank.

13. The screw of claim 12, wherein the ridges are wider at the end opposite the central cylindrical shank and tapers towards a narrower end closer to the central cylindrical shank.

14. The screw of claim 12, wherein the ridges are taller at the end opposite the central cylindrical shank and tapers towards a shorter end closer to the central cylindrical shank.

15. The screw of claim 11, wherein the ridges are “

V”

or “

U”

shaped.

16. The screw of claim 11, wherein each ridge is oriented at an angle of 45 degrees to 135 degrees relative to the inclined plane.

17. The screw of claim 16, wherein each ridge is oriented away from the center cylindrical shank at an angle of 45 degrees to 60 degrees relative to the inclined plane.

18. The screw of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality grooves formed in the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank.

19. The screw of claim 18, wherein the grooves are “

V”

or “

U”

shaped.

20. The screw of claim 18, wherein the sides of the grooves are cut into the inclined plane at an angle of 30 degrees to 45 degrees relative to the tangent of the edge of the inclined plane.

21. The screw of claim 18, wherein the grooves are oriented in a direction so as to move bony fragments towards the central cylindrical shank.

22. The screw of claim 18, wherein the grooves are cut into the inclined plane at an angle of 45 degrees to 135 degrees relative to the surface of the inclined plane.

23. The screw of claim 18, further comprising side-to-surface grooves beginning near the grooves formed in the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank and extending through the inclined plane towards the central cylindrical shank.

24. The screw of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of depressions in the surface of the inclined plane.

25. The screw of claim 24, wherein each depression is associated with a corresponding ridge.

26. The screw of claim 24, wherein the size and shape of each depression is similar to the size and shape of the corresponding ridge.

27. The screw of claim 24, wherein the depressions are sized to be a portion of the volume of the corresponding ridge.

28. The screw of claim 24, wherein two or more depressions form one or more crests between them.

29. The screw of claim 28, wherein the crests extend above the surface of the inclined plane.

30. The screw of claim 29, wherein the depressions spiral around the surface of the inclined plane towards the center cylindrical shank.

31. The screw of claim 30, wherein the depressions form a crest between them.

32. The screw of claim 31, wherein the crests extend above the surface of the inclined plane.

33. The screw of claim 11, further comprising an edge groove cut into the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank and extending a portion of the length of the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank.

34. The screw of claim 11, wherein the inclined plane is perpendicular to the central cylindrical shank.

35. The screw of claim 11, wherein the inclined plane is not perpendicular to the central cylindrical shank.

36. A screw for anchoring in bone comprising:

a central cylindrical shank with an inclined plane wrapped around the outside surface of the central cylindrical shank to form a helical thread; and

a plurality of grooves formed in the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank.

37. The screw of claim 36, wherein the grooves are “

V”

or “

U”

shaped.

38. The screw of claim 36, wherein the sides of the grooves are cut into the inclined plane at an angle of 30 degrees to 45 degrees relative to the tangent of the edge of the inclined plane.

39. The screw of claim 36, wherein the grooves are oriented in a direction so as to move bony fragments towards the central cylindrical shank.

40. The screw of claim 36, wherein the grooves are cut into the inclined plane at an angle of 45 degrees to 135 degrees relative to the surface of the inclined plane.

41. The screw of claim 36, further comprising side-to-surface grooves beginning near the grooves formed in the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank and extending through the inclined plane towards the central cylindrical shank.

42. The screw of claim 36, further comprising an edge groove cut into the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank and extending a portion of the length of the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank.

43. The screw of claim 36, further comprising a plurality of depressions in the surface of the inclined plane.

44. The screw of claim 36, wherein two or more depressions form one or more crests between them.

45. The screw of claim 44, wherein the crests extend above the surface of the inclined plane.

46. The screw of claim 43, wherein the depressions spiral around the surface of the inclined plane towards the center cylindrical shank.

47. The screw of claim 46, wherein the depressions form a crests between them.

48. The screw of claim 47, wherein the crests extend above the surface of the inclined plane.

49. The screw of claim 36, further comprising an edge groove cut into the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank and extending a portion of the length of the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank.

50. The screw of claim 36, wherein the inclined plane is perpendicular to the central cylindrical shank.

51. The screw of claim 36, wherein the inclined plane is not perpendicular to the central cylindrical shank.

52. A screw for anchoring in bone comprising:

a central cylindrical shank with an inclined plane wrapped around the outside surface of the central cylindrical shank to form a helical thread; and

a plurality of depressions in the surface of the inclined plane.

53. The screw of claim 52, wherein two or more depressions form one or more crests between them.

54. The screw of claim 53, wherein the crests extend above the surface of the inclined plane.

55. The screw of claim 52, wherein the depressions spiral around the surface of the inclined plane towards the center cylindrical shank.

56. The screw of claim 55, wherein the depressions form a crest between them.

57. The screw of claim 56, wherein the crests extend above the surface of the inclined plane.

58. The screw of claim 52, further comprising an edge groove cut into the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank and extending a portion of the length of the outside edge of the inclined plane opposite the central cylindrical shank.

59. The screw of claim 52, wherein the inclined plane is perpendicular to the central cylindrical shank.

60. The screw of claim 52, wherein the inclined plane is not perpendicular to the central cylindrical shank.

61. A universal driver for installing a dental implant, comprising:

a body with a first end and a second end;

a handle attached to the first end; and

more than one universal end attached to the second end, the universal ends operable to drive one or more internal components of a dental implant.

62. The universal driver of claim 61, wherein at least one of the universal ends is operable to drive an implant fixture.

63. The universal driver of claim 61, wherein at least one of the universal ends is operable to drive an implant abutment.

64. The universal driver of claim 61, wherein at least one of the universal ends is operable to drive a healing cap.

65. The universal driver of claim 61, wherein the universal ends are stationary relative to the body.

66. The universal driver of claim 61, wherein the universal ends stow inside the body when not in use.