Dental restoration apparatus

• US 6,743,018 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2001
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morrow Intellectual Properties, LLC
• Original Assignee: Morrow Intellectual Properties, LLC
• Inventors: Morrow, Len W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, John J.
• Application Number:
  US09/950,336
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 433/173, 433/174, 433/175, 433/176, 433/172, 433/169, 411/55, 411/60, 411/60.2, 411/61, 411/71, 411/74, 411/204, 411/248, 411/354
• US Class Current: 433/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/005 Connecting devices for joining an upper structure with an implant member, e.g. spacers
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0054 having a cylindrical implant connecting part
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0057 with elastic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0059 with additional friction enhancing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/006 with polygonal positional means, e.g. hexagonal or octagonal
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0065 with expandable or compressible means
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0066 with positioning means A61C8/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0068 with an additional screw

Abstract

The present invention is directed to developments in the fields of dentistry and dental surgery, and particularly to an improvement in dental restoration apparatus. Typically, apparatus of this type includes an implant adapted to be implanted in an anchor site fashioned within the bone of the jaw of the patient. In addition, the apparatus includes an abutment ultimately providing support for a tooth restoration. Finally, the apparatus includes a fastener assembly for engaging both the implant and abutment in their mounted orientation, and securing the two structures together in a manner to positively resist relative movement both axially and rotationally.

Claims

1. A fastener assembly for mounting together components of a dental restoration comprising

a fastener member having

a head and

an elongated body formed about an axis through said head extending to a distal end having

a first portion of diameter D extending from said distal end toward said head, said first portion being threaded externally from said end throughout at least part of its overall length,

a second portion of cylindrical outline of diameter D1 (wherein D1<

D) extending from said first portion toward head, and

a shoulder at the juncture of said first and second portions, and

a sleeve member formed of resilient material mounted on said elongated body within and along said second portion, said sleeve member having

an inner surface,

an outer surface,

an axial length in relaxed condition substantially equal to the length of said second portion,

a slit through both said surfaces from end-to-end creating opposed, spaced-apart, confronting surfaces throughout said length, and

opposite end surfaces each defining a substantially continuous ring having an inner diameter S1 (wherein S1>

D1 and<

D) and an outer diameter S(wherein S>

D) so that at least a portion of an end surface of said sleeve member in mounted location is retained against said shoulder, and

means providing a surface for retaining at least a portion of the opposite end surface of said sleeve member, said retaining means spaced from said shoulder defining the length of said second portion.

2. The fastener assembly of claim 1 wherein said retaining means is coextensive with the undersurface of said head.

3. The fastener assembly of claim 1 wherein said retaining means includes a surface in part inclined outwardly and in part coextensive with the undersurface of said head.

4. The fastener assembly of claim 1 wherein said inner and outer surfaces of said sleeve member between opposite end surfaces are bowed outwardly to substantially a mid-point location.

5. The fastener assembly of claim 1 wherein said inner and outer surfaces of said sleeve member are disposed substantially within concentric planes along diameters S1 and S, respectively.

6. The fastener assembly of claim 5 comprising at least one protuberance, each said protuberance formed on said outer surface of said sleeve member substantially at a mid-point location between opposite end surfaces.

7. The fastener assembly of claim 6 comprising a plurality of protuberances, each protuberance located substantially equidistantly from adjacent protuberances on said outer surface.

8. A fastener for engaging and positively resisting loosening from a workpiece comprising

an elongated body including

a head at one end,

a threaded portion extending toward said head from the other end, said elongated body at least along the length of said threaded portion having a first diametrical dimension, and

a channel of a second, smaller diametrical dimension formed in said body between said head and threaded portion,

a sleeve member formed of resilient material received in said channel circumferentially about said elongated body, said sleeve member having

an inner surface,

an outer surface having a second diametrical dimension greater than said first diametrical dimension, and

a slit through both said surfaces from end-to-end of said sleeve member creating opposed, spaced-apart, confronting surfaces, and

means on said sleeve member responsive to a compressive action exerted by said workpiece for moving said confronting surfaces toward one another closing said slit and reducing said second diametrical dimension as well as the diametrical dimension of said inner surface so that said inner surface substantially along the length of said sleeve member frictionally engages said elongated body thereby binding said fastener against loosening.

9. The fastener of claim 8 wherein each said responsive means comprises an outwardly bowed, substantially mid-point location around said outer surface which yields as a result of forces exerted by said workpiece on said outer surface during initial and final tightening.

10. The fastener of claim 8 wherein said responsive means comprises at least one protuberance generally within a mid-point location of said outer surface which yields as a result of forces exerted by said workpiece on said outer surface during initial and final tightening.

11. The fastener of claim 10 wherein said responsive means includes a plurality of protuberances, each protuberance located at substantially equidistant spacing, one from another.

12. The fastener of claim 8 wherein said elongated body further includes a channel portion having a third diametrical dimension less than said first diametrical dimension, said channel portion located between said threaded portion and head, a shoulder at the juncture of said threaded portion and channel portion, said sleeve member received circumferentially around said channel portion in position that one end of said sleeve member is limited in movement axially against said shoulder, and means providing a surface for restraining movement of the other end of said sleeve member.

13. The fastener of claim 12 wherein said sleeve member has a length substantially equal to the length of said channel portion.

14. The fastener of claim 12 wherein said restraining surface comprises an undersurface of said head around said elongated body.

15. The fastener of claim 12 wherein said restraining surface in part is inclined outwardly and in part coextensive with the undersurface of said head.

16. A fastener assembly for insertion through a bore of a first workpiece into a threaded bore of a second, axially aligned workpiece to engage said workpieces and positively resist relative rotational movement of said first workpiece and fastener assembly, said fastener assembly comprising

a fastener member including

an elongated body substantially of cylindrical cross section throughout, said elongated body having

a head located at one end,

a first portion of diameter D having a threaded length extending from the other end,

a second portion between said head and said first portion having a diameter D1 (wherein D1<

D), and

a shoulder at the juncture of said first and second portions,

a sleeve member formed of a resilient material mounted on said elongated body within and along said second portion, said sleeve member including

inner and outer surfaces,

a length in relaxed condition substantially equal to the length of said second portion,

a slit between said surfaces extending the length of said sleeve member providing opposed, confronting sleeve member surfaces, and

opposite end surfaces each defining a substantially continuous ring having an inner diameter S1 (wherein S1>

D1 and<

D) and an outer diameter S(wherein S>

D) so that at least a portion of an end surface is retained against said first shoulder when said sleeve is mounted, and

means providing a surface for retaining at least a portion of the opposite end surface of said sleeve member, said retaining means spaced from said shoulder defining the length of said second portion,

whereby entry of said fastener assembly into said bore of said first workpiece, movement axially from said position of entry to a position that said threaded length of said first portion begins to engage in said threaded bore of said second workpiece and said sleeve member distorts from said relaxed condition to a final condition when said threaded length engages fully within said threaded bore represented by movement of said confronting sleeve surfaces toward one another to close said slit substantially completely, and compress said sleeve member to an outer surface diameter S2 (wherein S2>

D) so that said inner surface engages frictionally said elongated body and said outer surface engages frictionally said surface of the bore of said first workpiece to positively resist relative rotational movement and loosening of said fastener assembly and workpieces.

17. The fastener assembly of claim 16 wherein said inner and outer surfaces of said sleeve member are bowed outwardly to substantially a mid-point between opposite end surfaces.

18. The fastener assembly of claim 16 wherein said inner and outer surfaces of said sleeve member are located substantially in concentric cylindrical planes along diameters S1 and S, respectively.

19. The fastener assembly of claim 18 comprising at least one protuberance, each protuberance formed on said outer surface of said sleeve member substantially at a mid-point between opposite end surfaces.

20. The fastener assembly of claim 19 comprising a plurality of protuberances located equidistantly from adjacent protuberances around said outer surface.

21. The fastener assembly of claim 16 wherein said shoulder and retaining means are disposed within planes perpendicular to an axis through said elongated body.

22. The fastener assembly of claim 21 wherein the outer diameter of said shoulder is less than the outer diameter of said sleeve member when mounted on said elongated body within and along said second portion.

23. The fastener assembly of claim 16 wherein said first and second workpieces comprise an abutment member and an implant member, respectively, of a dental restoration.

24. The fastener assembly of claim 16 wherein said head engages a surface surrounding said bore of said first workpiece following full threaded engagement of said first portion of said elongated body and in said threaded bore of said second workpiece.

25. The fastener assembly of claim 16 wherein said second portion of said elongated body resides completely within said first workpiece when said workpieces are assembled.

26. Dental restoration apparatus comprising

an implant member adapted for implantation within the jaw bone of a patient having

an implant body formed about a first axis including

a leading end,

a trailing end providing a first mounting surface, and

a bore extending from said trailing end into said body along an axis coaxial with said first axis, said bore being threaded substantially along its length,

an abutment member having

an abutment body formed about a second axis including

a leading end providing a second mounting surface,

a trailing end, and

a bore whose axis is coaxial along a second axis extending throughout said body,

said abutment member adapted to be mounted on said implant member in position that said first and second axes are coaxial and said first and second mounting surfaces contact one another, and

a fastener assembly including

a fastener member providing

a head and

a body formed about a third axis extending through said head to an end including

a first portion of a first diameter substantially along its length

a second portion of a second, larger diameter extending from said end toward said first portion threaded substantially throughout its length, and

a shoulder separating said first and second portions, and

a sleeve member of resilient material supported by said body within said first portion including

inner and outer surfaces,

a slit between said surfaces extending from one end to the opposite end of said body providing opposed, confronting surfaces of said sleeve member,

an axial length in a relaxed condition substantially equal to the length of said first portion, and

said opposite ends of said body defining ring surfaces whose inner diameter is less than said second diameter for support of a ring surface against said shoulder,

whereby said fastener member once moved through said abutment member for full threaded receipt in said implant bore secures said implant and abutment members between said head and threaded length of said second portion tightly along confronting first and second mounting surfaces, and said sleeve member through action of said bore of said abutment member closes from said relaxed position to secure said abutment member rotationally by frictional gripping action between said sleeve member, abutment bore and fastener member.

27. The dental restoration of claim 26 wherein both said first and second mounting surfaces are located in planes substantially perpendicular to said first and second axes, respectively.

28. The dental restoration of claim 26 wherein said first mounting surface includes at least one surface irregularity, and said second mounting surface also includes at least one complementary surface irregularity, whereby said abutment and implant bodies may be mounted together in at least one fixed, angular position.

29. The dental restoration of claim 28 including a pattern of surface irregularities in said first mounting surface, a complementary pattern of surface irregularities in said second mounting surface, and each surface irregularity in each mounting surface located at substantially an equiangularly spaced location from an adjacent irregularity, whereby said abutment and implant bodies may be mounted together in a plurality of fixed, angular positions.

30. The dental restoration of claim 26 wherein said implant body further includes an outer surface between said leading and trailing ends within the region of an outer periphery of said first mounting surface.

31. The dental restoration of claim 30 wherein said outer surface is substantially cylindrical.

32. The dental restoration of claim 30 wherein said outer surface is tapered toward said leading end.

33. The dental restoration of claim 30 wherein said implant body further includes at least one ridge formed on said outer surface extending substantially the distance between said leading end and an outer peripheral portion of said first mounting surface.

34. The dental restoration of claim 33 wherein each ridge includes

a first surface substantially of arcuate outline,

a second surface of similar outline, and

a surface connecting said first and second surfaces.

35. The dental restoration of claim 34 wherein said connecting surface is angled substantially toward an outer terminating edge.

36. The dental restoration of claim 34 wherein said connecting surface is substantially flat.

37. The dental restoration of claim 33 including a plurality of ridges formed on said outer surface, each said ridge spaced apart substantially equidistantly from an adjacent ridge.

38. The dental restoration of claim 30 wherein said outer peripheral region of said first mounting surface extends into a shoulder of a dimension larger than that of said body, and an undersurface connecting an outer peripheral region of said shoulder with said outer surface, said undersurface including a length that is outwardly arcuate.

39. The dental restoration of claim 26 wherein said implant body further includes a post extending from said first mounting surface.

40. The dental restoration of claim 39 wherein said post is cylindrical in outline.

41. The dental restoration of claim 39 wherein said post is irregular in outline.

42. The dental restoration of claim 39 wherein said post includes a threaded bore throughout its length coaxial with said first axis.

43. The dental restoration of claim 39 wherein said post extends along a fourth axis forming an angle Θ

at the intersection of said first axis, and including a threaded bore coaxial with said first axis.

44. The dental restoration of claim 43 wherein said angle Θ

is encompasses about 0 to about 15°

.

45. The dental restoration of claim 43 wherein said angle Θ

is about 15°

.

46. The dental restoration of claim 26 wherein said abutment body includes a neck, said neck extending from said trailing end of said body along said second axis defining an annular shoulder at the base of said neck, said shoulder providing a third mounting surface adapted for supporting a restoration.

47. The dental restoration of claim 38 wherein said bore throughout said abutment body is counterbored from said mounting surface of said leadling end, said counterbore adapted to receive said neck of said implant body when said implant and abutment bodies are mounted together.

48. The dental restoration of claim 46 wherein at least said third mounting surface of said abutment body is formed of a prepable material adapted to be contoured to match the contour of the gum line of the dental patient.

49. The dental restoration of claim 26 wherein said implant body of said dental restoration includes at least a titanium metal surface coating.