Endosteal bionic tooth and implantation method
First Claim
1. An endosteal bionic tooth comprising:
- an implant socket portion for implantation into bone, a crown portion attached to said lower socket portion and extending therefrom and means for supplying energy to said implant socket portion for inducing the formation of callus and for preventing infection.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An endosteal tooth in one form is made of an electrically conductive material and is provided with an implant (e.g., lower) socket portion and a removably mounted crown (e.g., upper) portion which houses therein a source of electrical current for the implant socket portion. By supplying electrical current or voltage to the implant socket portion, which is embedded in bone in the region of the implantation, the growth of bone is induced and the prevention of infection provided. The rate of growth of the bone and the type of bone growth can be controlled by the amount of current supplied to the implant socket portion. In one embodiment of the invention, the source of electrical current is housed in the crown portion of the tooth which is replaced with a final crown after the growth of bone has been completed. In another form of the invention, the source of electrical current is supplied externally of the tooth. According to different procedures of the invention, current or voltage can be supplied by battery, thermocouple junction or by immersing contacting metals in body fluids.
122 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An endosteal bionic tooth comprising:
an implant socket portion for implantation into bone, a crown portion attached to said lower socket portion and extending therefrom and means for supplying energy to said implant socket portion for inducing the formation of callus and for preventing infection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
14. A method of implanting an endosteal bionic tooth in which the growth of callus is promoted and infection prevented, said method comprising:
- implanting at least a portion of the endosteal bionic tooth in bone adjacent an oral cavity in which the tooth is to become permanent; and
supplying energy to the tooth portion. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
- implanting at least a portion of the endosteal bionic tooth in bone adjacent an oral cavity in which the tooth is to become permanent; and
Specification