Dental attachment assembly
DC CAFCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A dental attachment assembly, comprising:
- an abutment member for attachment to a tooth root, implant, or adjacent tooth, the abutment member having an upper end, and an outer locating surface portion projecting downwardly from the upper end, the outer locating surface portion being positioned to project above a tissue level when the abutment member is secured in a tooth root or implant;
a male member for attachment to the abutment member, the male member having an upper end comprising a swivel joint for swivel engagement within a cap in a recess in a dental appliance, and a skirt projecting from the upper end of the male member for engagement over the outer locating surface of the abutment member, the skirt having a rounded, convex outer surface;
the abutment member and male member having mateable snap-engaging formations for releasable snap engagement when the male member is attached to the abutment member;
the outer locating surface portion being outwardly tapered at least adjacent the upper end of the abutment member for centering the male member over the abutment member as the members are secured together; and
a cap for securing in a recess in a dental appliance, the cap having a cavity for containing said swivel joint, the cavity having a rounded, concave inner surface for releasable snap engagement over the rounded outer surface of the skirt, the swivel joint and cap cavity together comprising means for permitting swivelling of the cap over the male member relative to the dental appliance.
11 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A dental attachment assembly has an abutment member for attachment to a tooth root, implant, or adjacent tooth, and a male member for hinged engagement in a cap secured in a dental appliance. The male and abutment members are designed for releasable snap engagement to secure the members together. A skirt projects from the upper end of the male retention member and engages an outer locating surface of the abutment member as the members are secured together, acting to align the male member with the abutment members.
145 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A dental attachment assembly, comprising:
-
an abutment member for attachment to a tooth root, implant, or adjacent tooth, the abutment member having an upper end, and an outer locating surface portion projecting downwardly from the upper end, the outer locating surface portion being positioned to project above a tissue level when the abutment member is secured in a tooth root or implant; a male member for attachment to the abutment member, the male member having an upper end comprising a swivel joint for swivel engagement within a cap in a recess in a dental appliance, and a skirt projecting from the upper end of the male member for engagement over the outer locating surface of the abutment member, the skirt having a rounded, convex outer surface; the abutment member and male member having mateable snap-engaging formations for releasable snap engagement when the male member is attached to the abutment member;
the outer locating surface portion being outwardly tapered at least adjacent the upper end of the abutment member for centering the male member over the abutment member as the members are secured together; anda cap for securing in a recess in a dental appliance, the cap having a cavity for containing said swivel joint, the cavity having a rounded, concave inner surface for releasable snap engagement over the rounded outer surface of the skirt, the swivel joint and cap cavity together comprising means for permitting swivelling of the cap over the male member relative to the dental appliance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A dental attachment assembly, comprising:
-
an abutment member for attachment to a tooth root, implant, or adjacent tooth, the abutment member having an upper end, a socket projecting inwardly from the upper end, and an outer locating surface portion projecting downwardly from the upper end, the outer locating surface portion being positioned to project above a tissue level when the abutment member is secured in a tooth root or implant; a male member for attachment to the abutment member, the male member having an upper end comprising a swivel joint for swivel engagement within a cap in a recess in a dental appliance, a skirt projecting from the upper end of the male member for engagement over the outer locating surface of the abutment member, and a retention head projecting from the upper end of the male member; the outer locating surface portion being outwardly tapered at least adjacent the upper end of the abutment member for centering the male member over the abutment member as the members are secured together; a cap for securing in a recess in a dental appliance, the cap having a cavity for containing said swivel joint, the swivel joint and cap cavity together comprising means for permitting swivelling of the cap over the male member relative to the dental appliance; and the outer locating surface portion of the abutment member being convex and the skirt has an inner surface with concave portion matching said convex outer surface portion of said abutment member, said convex outer surface portion and concave portion comprising means for releasable snap engagement of the skirt over the outer locating surface portion of the head, whereby both an inner and an outer snap retention of the male member on the abutment member is provided.
-
-
22. A method of anchoring a dental appliance in a patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising the steps of:
-
securing an abutment member at a predetermined position in a patient'"'"'s mouth with a head facing upwardly and a predetermined portion of the head projecting above a gum line, the predetermined portion having an outer locating surface; securing a cap in a recess in a dental appliance, the cap having a cavity with a rounded, concave inner surface portion; releasably snap engaging one end of a male retention member in the cavity in the cap, the cap engaging end having a rounded, concave outer surface for snap engagement in the cavity whereby a skirt on the male retention member projects downwardly from the appliance and a swivel joint is provided between the cap and male retention member permitting swiveling of the cap over the male retention member; positioning the dental appliance in the mouth and moving the skirt downwardly towards the abutment member; engaging the skirt with the outer locating surface of the head to align the male retention member with the head; and urging the male retention member downwardly into snap engagement with the head.
-
-
23. A dental attachment assembly, comprising:
-
a first, abutment member for attachment to a tooth root, implant, or adjacent tooth, the abutment member having a head having an upper end and an outer locator surface portion projecting downwardly from the upper end and positioned to project above a tissue level when the abutment member is secured in a tooth root or implant; a second, retention member for releasable snap engagement with the abutment member, the retention member comprising part of a swivel joint for swivel engagement in a recess in a dental appliance, and being generally cup-shaped with an upper end and a peripheral skirt projecting downwardly from the upper end, the skirt having an inner surface for engagement over said outer locator surface portion of said abutment member; the outer locator surface portion of the abutment member and the inner surface of the skirt having mateable snap-engaging formations whereby the skirt can be releasably snap engaged over the head to releasably secure the parts together; and the abutment member having a socket projecting inwardly from the upper end and the male member having a retention head projecting from the upper end for releasable snap engagement in the socket, the skirt surrounding the retention head, whereby both an inner and an outer snap engagement is provided between the abutment member and retention member. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A dental attachment assembly, comprising:
-
an abutment member having an upper end and a flat lower end face for attachment to a tooth root or a bar, the abutment member having an outer, generally cylindrical surface and a socket projecting inwardly from the upper end; a male member having an upper end comprising a swivel joint for swivel engagement within a cap in a recess in a dental appliance, a retention head projecting from the upper end for releasable snap engagement in the socket, and a skirt projecting from the upper end and surrounding the retention head along at least part of the length of the retention head, the skirt having a rounded, convex outer surface; and a cap for securing in a recess in a dental appliance, the cap having a cavity for containing said swivel joint, the cavity having a rounded, concave inner surface for releasable snap engagement over the rounded outer surface of the skirt, and the swivel joint and cap cavity together comprising means for permitting swiveling of the male member relative to the dental appliance.
-
Specification