Artificial salivary gland
First Claim
1. A dental implant assembly comprising:
- an implant member, the implant member configured and dimensioned to be at least partially disposed within a mouth of a user; and
an insert member at least partially disposed within the implant member;
wherein the implant member and the insert member are configured and dimensioned to capture and harvest existing fluid of the user as replacement saliva to the user,wherein the implant member is configured and dimensioned to be at least partially implanted in mandibular or maxillary bone of the user;
wherein the fluid is interstitial fluid or marrow fluid; and
wherein the implant member and the insert member utilize fluid from a first fluid reservoir within the mandibular or maxillary bone as the replacement saliva for the user, and wherein the implant member includes a second fluid reservoir at an apical portion of the implant member, the first fluid reservoir in communication with the second fluid reservoir.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Artificial salivary gland devices and assemblies are provided. The present disclosure provides artificial salivary pump/gland devices and assemblies, and related methods of use. One embodiment utilizes the interstitial/marrow fluid reservoir within the underlying mandibular or maxillary bone as a source for replacement saliva. The salivary pump/assembly, which is implantable in the mandibular or maxillary bone as a dental implant and driven by incidental tooth contact and masticatory forces, harvests interstitial/marrow fluid and treats it via semi-permeable membrane technology and soluble particles as a continuously available saliva replacement. Masticatory forces and tooth contact power the pump to both harvest interstitial/marrow fluid and drive flow through a bed of ion-exchange resins and/or soluble particles to adjust fluid chemistry providing a continuously available saliva-like solution. Exemplary devices and assemblies can also be utilized to introduce beneficial bacteria into the oral cavity and/or be utilized as a delivery system for drugs/therapeutic agents.
13 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A dental implant assembly comprising:
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an implant member, the implant member configured and dimensioned to be at least partially disposed within a mouth of a user; and an insert member at least partially disposed within the implant member; wherein the implant member and the insert member are configured and dimensioned to capture and harvest existing fluid of the user as replacement saliva to the user, wherein the implant member is configured and dimensioned to be at least partially implanted in mandibular or maxillary bone of the user; wherein the fluid is interstitial fluid or marrow fluid; and wherein the implant member and the insert member utilize fluid from a first fluid reservoir within the mandibular or maxillary bone as the replacement saliva for the user, and wherein the implant member includes a second fluid reservoir at an apical portion of the implant member, the first fluid reservoir in communication with the second fluid reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A dental implant assembly comprising:
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a hollow and substantially cylindrical implant member, the implant member configured and dimensioned to be at least partially implanted in jaw bone of a mouth of a user; and a hollow and substantially cylindrical insert member at least partially disposed within the implant member; wherein the implant member and the insert member are configured and dimensioned to harvest interstitial fluid or marrow fluid of the user as a source for replacement saliva for the user; wherein the implant member and the insert member utilize fluid from a fluid reservoir within mandibular or maxillary bone as the source for replacement saliva for the user; wherein the insert member includes a piston member, the piston member configured to be driven, at least in part, by masticatory forces or incidental tooth contact during swallowing forces of the user on the piston member to harvest the interstitial fluid or marrow fluid as the source for replacement saliva for the user; wherein the insert member includes treatment materials to adjust or alter the chemistry of the interstitial fluid, the treatment materials including semi-permeable membranes or soluble particles; and wherein the piston member utilizes the masticatory forces or incidental tooth contact during swallowing forces of the user to;
(i) harvest the fluid, (ii) drive the fluid to flow through the treatment materials to alter or adjust the chemistry of the fluid, and (iii) drive the fluid to an oral cavity of the user.
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19. A method for harvesting fluid comprising:
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providing an implant member, the implant member configured and dimensioned to be at least partially disposed within a mouth of a user; and disposing an insert member at least partially within the implant member; wherein the implant member and the insert member are configured and dimensioned to capture and harvest existing fluid of the user as replacement saliva to the user, wherein the implant member is configured and dimensioned to be at least partially implanted in mandibular or maxillary bone of the user; wherein the fluid is interstitial fluid or marrow fluid; and wherein the implant member and the insert member utilize fluid from a first fluid reservoir within the mandibular or maxillary bone as the replacement saliva for the user, and wherein the implant member includes a second fluid reservoir at an apical portion of the implant member, the first fluid reservoir in communication with the second fluid reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification