Dental implant apparatus and method utilizing a base directly attached to the bone in a jaw

• US 7,806,685 B1
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grant Dental Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Grant Dental Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez; Cris L
• Assistant Examiner(s): EIDE, HEIDI MARIE
• Application Number:
  US12/074,524
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 433172-176, 433/201.1, 433/202.1, 433/215, 433/220, 433/221
• US Class Current: 433/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0009 Consolidating prostheses or implants, e.g. by means of stabilising pins A61C8/0031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/005 Connecting devices for joining an upper structure with an implant member, e.g. spacers
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0066 with positioning means A61C8/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0068 with an additional screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0069 tapered or conical connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0078 with platform switching, i.e. platform between implant and abutment

Abstract

A dental implant system in one embodiment is constructed of a base member that is to be embedded within a patient'"'"'s jawbone. This base member has a central opening that tapers inward from a top surface to a bottom surface. The system also includes an implant screw haying a head and a threaded end which passes through the central opening of the base member and into the patient'"'"'s jawbone. The head has a tapered section to seat within the tapered opening of the base member. In this way, the base member is secured to the jawbone while the base member is embedded within the patient'"'"'s jawbone. A crown is provided to be coupled to the implant screw.

Claims

1. A dental implant system comprising:

a base member that is adapted to be embedded within a patient'"'"'s jawbone at a treatment site, wherein the base member has a generally flat top side, a generally flat bottom side, and a central opening that is geometrically centrally located within the base member, wherein the central opening tapers inward with a constant taper from the top surface to the bottom surface, wherein the top side further includes at least one matable feature that is configured to mate with a corresponding feature on a crown to ensure non-rotatable alignment of the crown with the base member, and wherein the base member has an outer periphery that tapers with a straight taper inward from the top surface to the bottom surface such that the top surface is greater in surface area than the bottom surface;

an implant screw comprising a head and a threaded end, wherein the threaded end is adapted to pass through the central opening of the base member and into the patient'"'"'s jawbone, and wherein the head has a tapered section that is adapted to be seated within the tapered opening of the base member after the threaded end is screwed into the patient'"'"'s jawbone, with the implant screw securing the base member to the jawbone while the base member is embedded within the patient'"'"'s jawbone, wherein the head of the implant screw includes a threaded hole in the head that extends downward through the tapered section; and

a crown that is adapted to be mounted to the head of the implant screw via a screw that passes into the threaded hole in the head of the implant screw, wherein the crown includes a corresponding matable feature that mates with the base member, wherein the matable feature of the base member comprises a projection adjacent the outer periphery that projects upward from the top side of the base member a distance that is below the head of the implant screw, and wherein the matable feature of the crown comprises a recess on a bottom end of the crown.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the base member is roughened.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the base member is generally rectangular in geometry.

4. A method for securing a dental implant within a patient'"'"'s jawbone, the method comprising:

removing a portion of the patient'"'"'s gum at a treatment site sufficient to expose the patient'"'"'s jawbone;

positioning a base member at the treatment site such that the base member is embedded within the patient'"'"'s jawbone at the treatment site, wherein the base member has a generally flat top side, a generally flat bottom side, and a central opening, wherein the central opening tapers inward from the top surface to the bottom surface with a constant taper, wherein the base member is embedded within the patient'"'"'s jawbone such that the bottom surface contacts the jawbone when embedded within the jawbone, wherein the top side further includes at least one matable feature that is configured to mate with a corresponding feature on a crown to ensure non-rotatable alignment of the crown with the base member, and wherein the base member has an outer periphery that tapers with a straight taper inward from the top surface to the bottom surface such that the top surface is greater in surface area than the bottom surface;

inserting an implant screw through the opening, wherein the implant screw has a head with a tapered section and a threaded end, wherein the head of the implant screw includes a threaded hole in the head that extends downward through the tapered section; and

turning the screw to secure the threaded end within the jawbone and to seat the head of the implant screw within the tapered opening of the base member; and

attaching a crown to the implant screw by passing a screw into the threaded hole in the head of the implant screw, wherein the crown includes a corresponding matable feature that mates with the feature on the base member to non-rotationally secure the crown to the base member, wherein the matable feature of the base member comprises a projection adjacent the outer periphery that projects upward from the top side of the base member a distance that is below the head of the implant screw, wherein the matable feature of the crown comprises a recess on a bottom end of the crown, and wherein the crown is attached to the implant screw such that the projection extends in to the recess.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the treatment site is where a tooth previously existed.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the base member is sized to be generally the same size as the removed tooth.

7. A method as in claim 4, wherein the base member is generally rectangular in geometry.

8. A method as in claim 4, wherein the outer periphery of the base member is roughened.

9. A dental implant system comprising:

a base member that is adapted to be embedded within a patient'"'"'s jawbone at a treatment site, wherein the base member has a generally flat top side, a generally flat bottom side, and a central opening, wherein the central opening tapers inward with a constant taper from the top surface to the bottom surface, wherein the top side further includes at least one matable feature that is configured to mate with a corresponding feature on a crown to ensure non-rotatable alignment of the crown with the base member, and wherein the base member has an outer periphery that tapers with a straight taper inward from the top surface to the bottom surface such that the top surface is greater in surface area than the bottom surface, wherein the matable feature of the base member comprises a projection adjacent the outer periphery that projects upward from the top side of the base member a distance that is below the head of the implant screw and is configured to fit within a recess on a bottom end of the crown;

an implant screw comprising a head and a threaded end, wherein the threaded end is adapted to pass through the central opening of the base member and into the patient'"'"'s jawbone, and wherein the head has a tapered section that is adapted to be seated within the tapered opening of the base member after the threaded end is screwed into the patient'"'"'s jawbone, with the implant screw securing the base member to the jawbone while the base member is embedded within the patient'"'"'s jawbone, wherein the head of the implant screw includes a threaded hole in the head that extends downward through the tapered section;

wherein the outer periphery of the base member is roughened; and

wherein the base member is generally rectangular in geometry.