Carry and Drive Device and Method for Dental Implant and/or Components Thereof

Abstract

A carry and drive device and method for a dental implant or a dental implant component with a driving recess. The device includes a drive end with a configuration substantially matching the drive recess and with an interference surface frictionally engageable with a portion of the driving recess.

1 . A carry and drive device for a dental implant or component thereof of the type having a driving recess with a plurality of implant or component driving lobes, at least one of said implant or component lobes having an engagement surface portion with a radial dimension, the device comprising:
 a driver end having a plurality of driver end driving lobes corresponding to the driving lobes of said implant or component thereof and an exterior configuration substantially matching the interior configuration of said driving recess; and   at least one of said driver end driving lobes including an interference surface engageable with said engagement surface portion upon insertion of said driver end into said driving recess, said interference surface having a radial dimension at its distal end which is less than the radial dimension of said engagement surface portion and a radial dimension at its proximal end which is greater than the radial dimension of said engagement surface portion.   
     
     
         2 . The carry and drive device of  claim 1  for a dental implant. 
     
     
         3 . The carry and drive device of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of driver end driving lobes are formed of continuously curved surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The carry and drive device of  claim 3  wherein said driving end driving lobes comprise a plurality of convex lobes and a plurality of concave lobes. 
     
     
         5 . The carry and drive device of  claim 4  wherein each of said convex lobes includes an interference surface. 
     
     
         6 . The carry and drive device of  claim 5  including six convex lobes. 
     
     
         7 . Tile carry and drive device of  claim 1  for an abutment screw. 
     
     
         8 . The carry and drive device of  claim 7  wherein said exterior configuration is substantially a four sided and four cornered configuration and includes a driver end having a lobe at each corner of said four cornered configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The carry and drive device of  claim 8  wherein each of said driver end driving lobes includes an interference surface. 
     
     
         10 . The carry and drive device of  claim 1  wherein each of said driver end driving lobes includes an interference surface. 
     
     
         11 . The carry and drive device of  claim 1  wherein said driver end includes a pilot at the distal end of said driver end driver lobes. 
     
     
         12 . A dental implant carry and drive assembly comprising:
 a driven member comprising a dental implant or a component thereof;   a drive member comprising a carry and drive device;   one of said driven member and said drive member having a driving recess with an internal surface defining a plurality of internal surface driving lobes and the other of said driven member and said drive member having a driving end with an external surface defining a plurality of external surface driving lobes and an external configuration substantially matching the internal configuration of said driving recess;   at least one of said internal surface driving lobes and said external surface driving lobes including an engagement surface portion with a radial dimension and at least one of the other of said internal surface driving lobes and said external driving lobes including an interference surface engageable with said engagement surface portion upon insertion of said driving end into said driving recess, said interference surface having a radial dimension at one of its distal or proximal ends which is less than the radial dimension of said engagement surface portion and a radial dimension at the other of its distal or proximal ends which is greater than the radial dimension of said engagement surface portion.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein said driven member is a dental implant with a driving recess. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13  wherein said dental implant includes a plurality of convex and concave driving lobes and said drive member includes a plurality of corresponding concave and convex lobes. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14  wherein each of the convex lobes of said drive member includes an interference surface. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein said one of said driven member and said drive member includes a pilot recess and said other of said driven member and said drive member includes a pilot end insertable into said pilot recess. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein said driven member is an abutment screw with a driving recess. 
     
     
         18 . A method of making a dental implant carry and drive assembly comprising:
 forming a driver member comprising a dental implant or a component thereof,   said driven member having a multi-lobed driving recess with at least one of said lobes having an engagement surface portion with a radial dimension;   forming a drive member with a multi-lobed driving end having a configuration substantially matching the configuration of said driving recess and having at least one convex lobe with an interference portion having a radial dimension greater than the radial dimension of said engagement surface portion; and   forming an interference surface from said interference portion wherein the distal end of said interference surface has a radial dimension less than the radial dimension of said engagement surface portion and the proximal end of said interference surface has a radial dimension greater than the radial dimension of said engagement surface portion.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said drive member includes a plurality of convex lobes, each of said lobes including an interference portion, and wherein said step of forming an interference surface includes forming an interference surface from the interference portions and each of said convex lobes. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein each of said interference surfaces is a substantially planar surface.