Porous Implant Device for Supporting a Denture

Abstract

A dental implant device has an implant portion for being placed in a bore in bone. The implant portion has a coronal end portion and a porous metal portion. A metal coupling has a coronal end configured for connection to a denture support piece. The coupling also has an apical end integrally formed with the coronal end and engaging the porous metal portion. In one form, the coupling is attached to the porous metal portion in a threaded connection so that the coupling is removable from the porous portion without significantly damaging the porous metal portion sufficiently to re-engage another metal coupling.

1 . A dental implant device comprising:
 an implant portion for being placed in a bore in bone and having a coronal end portion and a porous metal portion; and   a metal coupling having a coronal end configured for connection to a denture support piece, and an apical end integrally formed with the coronal end and engaging the porous metal portion,   wherein the coupling is removable from the porous metal portion without significantly damaging the porous metal portion sufficiently to re-engage a coupling to support a denture support piece.   
     
     
         2 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the porous metal portion comprises tantalum or niobium. 
     
     
         3 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  further comprising a threaded connection between the coupling and the porous metal portion having a pitch allowance no greater than about 0.000844 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  further comprising a threaded connection between the coupling and the porous metal portion wherein the porous metal portion has threads with a thread depth at most about 70% of the thread depth of corresponding threads on the coupling. 
     
     
         5 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the implant portion is at most about 4.0 mm in total height. 
     
     
         6 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the implant portion is about 2.3 to 3.3 mm in total height. 
     
     
         7 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the coronal end of the coupling is configured to snap-fit to the denture support piece. 
     
     
         8 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the coronal end of the coupling comprises at least one of:
 male connection structure, 
 female connection structure, 
 a ball, 
 a recess opening coronally for receiving a projection of the denture support piece, and 
 a recess opening laterally relative to a coronal-apical direction for receiving a bar to support a denture. 
 
     
     
         9 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the porous metal portion forms a first bore and the coupling comprises an extension received within the first bore. 
     
     
         10 . The dental implant device of  claim 9  wherein the extension is integrally formed with the coupling. 
     
     
         11 . The dental implant device of  claim 9  wherein the porous metal portion comprises a wall defining the first bore and having pre-formed threads for engagement with the extension. 
     
     
         12 . The dental implant device of  claim 9  wherein the apical end of the coupling defines a second bore, and wherein the extension comprises a separately formed shaft received by the second bore for securing the implant portion to the coupling. 
     
     
         13 . The dental implant device of  claim 12  wherein the shaft has a first end threadedly attached to the coupling, and a second end threadedly attached to the porous portion. 
     
     
         14 . The dental implant device of  claim 12  wherein the porous portion comprises an outer surface forming an opening to the first bore, and wherein the shaft comprises a radially extending shoulder facing apically for engaging with the outer surface. 
     
     
         15 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the implant portion comprises a block of the porous metal portion, the dental implant device comprising a plurality of the couplings mounted on the block and spaced from each other. 
     
     
         16 . The dental implant device of  claim 15  wherein the block comprises bore for receiving each coupling, and the dental implant device having a sleeve disposed in at least one bore for receiving one of the couplings. 
     
     
         17 . The dental implant device of  claim 16  wherein the sleeve is bonded to the block and has internal threads. 
     
     
         18 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  comprising a locking member extending through the porous metal portion and engaging the coupling for securing the coupling to the porous metal portion. 
     
     
         19 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the porous metal portion comprises a bore for receiving the coupling, and wherein the coupling is secured within the bore by a friction fit. 
     
     
         20 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the implant portion comprises a non-porous apical end portion disposed apically of the porous metal portion, and wherein the coupling comprises an extension extending through the porous metal portion to engage the apical end portion. 
     
     
         21 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the coronal end portion is non-porous. 
     
     
         22 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  wherein the coronal end portion has a threaded exterior surface. 
     
     
         23 . The dental implant device of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of the couplings, the apical end of each coupling being configured for alternative connection to the implant, and the coronal end of each coupling being configured for connection to a differently shaped denture support piece. 
     
     
         24 . A dental implant device comprising:
 an implant having a porous metal portion with passages through the porous metal portion for engaging bone;   a coupling configured for supporting a dental restoration; and   a metal shaft connecting the coupling to the implant and having a threaded apical end directly engaging the porous metal portion in a separable threaded connection and a threaded coronal end for engaging the coupling.