Dental implant and tool and method for effecting a dental restoration using the same

Abstract

A novel dental implant comprising an implant fixture assembly for attachment to a jaw bone at a first end thereof, the fixture assembly having a longitudinal axis; an abutment for mounting on a second end of the fixture assembly, the abutment having a longitudinal axis; and a fastener for connecting the abutment to the second end of the implant fixture assembly such that the abutment is movable on the second end of the implant fixture assembly and, upon disposition of the abutment axis at a selected angle to the implant fixture assembly axis, for connecting the abutment to the second end of the implant fixture assembly such that the abutment is fixed on the implant fixture assembly at the selected angle. A novel tool for deploying the novel dental implant is also disclosed. And a novel method for effecting a dental restoration is also disclosed.

1 . A dental implant comprising: 
 an elongate implant fixture assembly having a first end and a second end, said implant fixture assembly being adapted for attachment to a jaw bone at a first end thereof and having a first longitudinal axis;    an abutment for mounting on said second end of said implant fixture assembly, said abutment having a second longitudinal axis;    a fastener for connecting said abutment to said second end of said implant fixture assembly such that (i) said abutment is adjustably movable on said second end of said implant fixture assembly when the connection formed by said fastener is loose, and (ii) upon disposition of said second longitudinal axis of a selected angle to said first longitudinal axis, said abutment is fixedly connectable on said second end of said implant fixture assembly when the connection formed by said fastener is tight; and    securement means for preventing movement of said abutment relative to said implant fixture assembly when the connection formed by said fastener is tight.    
   
   
       2 . A dental implant according to  claim 1  wherein said fastener comprises an abutment retainer screw having a threaded shaft and an enlarged head portion, said threaded shaft being adapted to threadedly engage an interior portion of said implant fixture assembly, and said head portion being adapted to engage an interior portion of said abutment.  
   
   
       3 . A dental implant according to  claim 1  wherein said abutment is adapted to receive and retain a prosthetic tooth which extends along said second longitudinal axis at said selected angle to said first longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       4 . A dental implant according to  claim 1  wherein said implant fixture assembly comprises a tubular housing having external threads for said attachment to the jaw bone.  
   
   
       5 . A dental implant according to  claim 4  wherein said implant fixture assembly further comprises a floating nut captured in said housing at said second end thereof, said floating nut having internal threads for threaded engagement with said fastener.  
   
   
       6 . A dental implant according to  claim 5  wherein said implant fixture assembly further comprises a plug disposed in said tubular housing to retain said floating nut in said second end of said tubular housing.  
   
   
       7 . A dental implant according to  claim 6  wherein said tubular housing is open at said second end, and said second end of said housing is tapered inwardly to retain said floating nut therein and to provide a rounded second end.  
   
   
       8 . A dental implant according to  claim 1  wherein said second end of said implant fixture assembly is rounded, said abutment is provided with a concave end shaped complementarily to said second end of said implant fixture assembly, and said fastener is adapted to connect said abutment to said second end of said implant fixture assembly such that said implant fixture assembly and said abutment are movable relative to one another when the connection formed by said fastener is loose, and is adapted to tightly connect said abutment to said implant fixture assembly when said connection formed by said fastener is tight.  
   
   
       9 . A dental implant according to  claim 8  wherein said securement means comprises a lip peripherally of said concave end of said abutment, and concentric facets on said second end of said implant fixture assembly, said facets and said lip being operative to assist in positioning of said abutment so as to dispose said second longitudinal axis at said selected angle relative to said first longitudinal axis, and to assist in holding said abutment at said selected angle on said implant fixture assembly.  
   
   
       10 . A dental implant according to  claim 1  wherein said fastener comprises a screw having a distal threaded shaft portion, a proximal shaft portion and an enlarged head portion, said distal shaft portion being threadedly engageable with said implant fixture assembly, and a second shaft portion and said head portion being disposed in a recess in said abutment, said recess being configured to permit said abutment to be tilted on said implant fixture assembly, and said screw head portion being engageable with a wall of said abutment for connecting said abutment to said implant fixture assembly at said selected angle.  
   
   
       11 . A tool for setting an abutment on a free end of an implant fixture assembly by way of a screw interconnecting said abutment and said implant fixture, said tool comprising: 
 a first elongated handle having a first hole therethrough;    a first driver fixed proximate a distal end of said first handle, said first driver having a hole extending centrally therethrough and in alignment with said first handle hole;    a second elongated handle;    a second driver fixed proximate a distal end of said second handle and extendible through said first handle hole and said first driver hole and distally beyond said first driver;    said first driver being engageable with an interior portion of said abutment and said second driver being engageable with an interior portion of a head portion of said screw.    
   
   
       12 . A tool for setting an abutment on a free end of an implant fixture assembly, the implant fixture assembly adapted to be fixed at a first end thereof in a jaw bone, and said abutment being adapted to receive and retain an artificial tooth, said abutment having an cavity therein and extending therethrough, said implant fixture assembly having a recess in said free end thereof in communication with a threaded bore in said implant fixture assembly, said abutment cavity being shaped to receive a head portion and first shank portion of a retaining screw, said implant fixture assembly being adapted to receive and engage a second shank portion of said screw, said tool comprising a first elongated handle and a driver fixed on an end of said first handle, said driver and said handle having a hole extending therethrough centrally of said driver, said driver being engageable with the cavity of said abutment to hold said abutment in a non-rotative manner, and a second elongated handle and a second driver fixed on an end of said second handle, said second driver being extendible in said hole through said first handle and through said first driver to engage an internal recess in said head portion of said screw, wherein movement of said handles together serves to tilt said abutment on said implant fixture assembly to a desired position, and holding said first handle stationary while rotating said second handle serves to advance said screw in to said implant fixture assembly so as to lock said abutment in the desired position on said fixture assembly.  
   
   
       13 . A method for effecting a dental restoration, the method comprising the steps of: 
 attaching an implant fixture assembly to a jaw bone;    attaching an abutment to said fixture assembly by a retaining screw so as to permit tilting movement of said abutment on said implant fixture assembly;    tilting said abutment on said implant fixture assembly so as to place a longitudinal axis of said abutment at a selected angle to a longitudinal axis of said implant fixture assembly; and    tightening said retaining screw so as to secure said abutment to said implant fixture assembly at said selected angle and engage securement means for preventing movement of said abutment relative to said fixture assembly.    
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein said implant fixture assembly includes a floating nut therein, and said step of attaching said abutment to said implant fixture assembly comprises advancing said threaded shank portion of said screw into said floating nut.  
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein said step of tilting said abutment on said implant fixture assembly comprises moving said floating nut in said implant fixture assembly by tilting said abutment.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein said abutment includes an axial bore through said abutment for receipt of said retaining screw, said bore being configured so as to permit said step of tilting said abutment on said implant fixture assembly and relative to said screw.  
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16  wherein said bore through said abutment is provided with a wall engageable by a head portion of said retaining screw as said screw is advanced in said implant fixture assembly, and said step of tightening said retaining screw comprises advancing said screw into said implant fixture assembly until said head portion of said screw engages said abutment wall to press flattened portions of said abutment against facets located on said second end of said implant fixture assembly so as to lock said abutment at said selected angle relative to said implant fixture assembly.  
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein said step of attaching said implant fixture assembly to the jaw bone includes permitting said implant fixture assembly to osseo-integrate with the bone before attaching said abutment on said implant fixture assembly.  
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein said implant fixture assembly comprises an opening, and further wherein said step of attaching said implant fixture assembly to the jaw bone includes (i) positioning said implant fixture assembly in the jaw bone, (ii) closing off said opening with a cap, (iii) permitting said implant fixture assembly to osseo-integrate with the bone, and (iv) removing said cap.  
   
   
       20 . A dental implant according to  claim 5  wherein said securement means comprise an opening having a polygonal transverse cross-section at said second end of said housing and a substantially polygonal external transverse cross-section defined by said floating nut, whereby when said fastener is tightened, at least some of the sides of said external transverse cross-section of said floating nut engage at least some of the sides of said transverse cross-section of said opening at said second end of said housing.  
   
   
       21 . A dental implant according to  claim 8  wherein the movement of said second longitudinal axis of said abutment relative to said first longitudinal axis of said implant fixture assembly is restricted to a preselected range of angles on either side of said first longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       22 . A dental implant according to  claim 8  wherein the movement of said second longitudinal axis of said abutment relative to said first longitudinal axis of said implant fixture assembly is restricted to a preselected range of angles on one side of said first longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 14  shown wherein said floating nut and said implant fixture assembly together define securement means comprising an opening having a polygonal transverse cross-section at said second end of said housing and a substantially polygonal external transverse cross-section defined by said floating nut, whereby when said fastener is tightened, at least some of the sides of said external transverse cross-section of said floating nut engage at least some of the sides of said transverse cross-section of said opening at said second end of said housing.  
   
   
       24 . A dental implant according to  claim 1  wherein the outer surface of said abutment is tapered.  
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein said step of attaching said implant fixture assembly to the jaw bone includes permitting said implant fixture assembly to osseo-integrate with the bone after attaching said abutment on said implant fixture assembly.  
   
   
       26 . A dental implant according to  claim 24  wherein said outer surface of said abutment is tapered with a hollow ground surface providing a concave geometry.  
   
   
       27 . A dental implant comprising: 
 an elongate implant fixture assembly having a first end and a second end, said implant fixture assembly being adapted for attachment to a jaw bone at a first end thereof and having a first longitudinal axis;    an abutment for mounting on said second end of said implant fixture assembly, said abutment having a second longitudinal axis;    a fastener for connecting said abutment to said second end of said implant fixture assembly such that (i) said abutment is adjustably movable on said second end of said implant fixture assembly when the connection formed by said fastener is loose, and (ii) upon disposition of said second longitudinal axis of a selected angle to said first longitudinal axis, said abutment is fixedly connectable on said second end of said implant fixture assembly when the connection formed by said fastener is tight;    said elongate implant fixture assembly comprising a floating nut captured in said housing at said second end thereof, said floating nut having internal threads for threaded engagement with said fastener.