High load factor titanium dental implant screw

• US 5,711,669 A
• Filed: 11/12/1996
• Issued: 01/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nobel Biocare USA LLC (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Steri-Oss, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Hurson, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Application Number:
  US08/747,226
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 433/172, 433/173, 433/174, 433/175, 433/176, 433/177
• US Class Current: 433/174
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0012 characterised by the material or composition, e.g. ceramics, surface layer, metal alloy use of specific materials A61K6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0013 with a surface layer, coating
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0016 polymeric material
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0068 with an additional screw

Abstract

A dental prosthesis system comprising a titanium dental implant, a dental implant and a titanium screw coated with a biocompatible material that is malleable or subject to cold flow and is sufficiently softer than titanium that such material will, upon application of torque to the screw, deform and be largely displaced without any deformation of the titanium screw is disclosed.

Claims

1. A dental prosthesis system comprising a titanium dental implant having formed therein a threaded orifice, a titanium screw in the threaded orifice, and a coating on the titanium screw consisting essentially of a malleable biocompatible material that is sufficiently softer than titanium that upon application of torque to the screw such material will deform and be displaced without deformation of the titanium screw.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the coating material comprises gold.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the coating material comprises silver.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the coating is so thick that upon deformation thereof the torque forces are substantially evenly distributed along a substantial portion of the screw thread.

5. A dental prosthesis system comprising a titanium dental implant having formed therein a threaded orifice, a titanium screw in the threaded orifice, and a coating on the titanium screw consisting essentially of a polymeric biocompatible material that is sufficiently softer than titanium that upon application of torque to the screw such material will cold flow and be displaced without deformation of the titanium screw.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the coating material is polytetrafluoroethylene bonded so firmly to the surface of the titanium as to be non-removable when the screw is torqued.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein the coating is so thick that upon cold flow thereof the torque forces are substantially evenly distributed along a substantial portion of the screw thread.