Patent Application
20190069977
This application claims priority from German Patent Application No. 10 2017 008 261.8, filed Sep. 2, 2017, entitled “Anordnung von einen Aufsatzelement auf einem Implantatkörper”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present embodiments generally relate to dental implants.
It is generally known to screw an implant body with the aid of a tool into the jaw bone of a human in order to replace missing dental roots. After insertion of the implant body into the jaw bone, the implant body is usually closed by a cover screw in order to prevent entry of microorganisms. The arrangement of implant body and cover screw remains in the jaw of the patient for a certain time without further working, so as to allow the jaw bone to fuse with the implant body. Later, the cover screw is detached from the implant body and, in its place, a gingiva former is fitted onto the implant body. The gingiva former is intended to prepare the gum to receive a tooth replacement. The gingiva former is usually adapted in shape to the tooth replacement that is later to be fitted, and it provides a corresponding shaping of the gum. At a further treatment session, an impression is taken. For this purpose, the gingiva former is replaced by an impression post. Thus, the position of the subsequent tooth replacement in the jaw can be simulated in the dental laboratory, and the tooth replacement can be prepared for fitting onto the implant body. At a further session, the tooth replacement prepared in the laboratory is fitted in place. For this purpose, an abutment structure is initially fitted onto the screwed-in implant body and is anchored in the implant body, preferably screwed into the implant body. In a final work step, the artificial tooth replacement is lastly mounted on the abutment structure. In the preceding work steps, particular care is taken to ensure that entry of microorganisms into the interior of the implant body is avoided.
In this regard, the various attachments provided for introduction into the implant body are screwed into the latter only as far as a predefinable depth. For this purpose, an abutment with an abutment surface is fitted on the implant body, as far as which surface a corresponding surface of an attachment is screwed. In this way, the attachment sits at a structurally predefined position.
In order to improve the sealing action at the abutment surface between an implant body and an extension bushing and thereby more safely avoid entry of microorganisms, EP 0 893 105 B1 proposes placing a flat seal at the abutment surface between the implant body and the extension bushing. A disadvantage of this is that the sealing force acts only in the axial direction and, in addition, the axial position of the attachment relative to the implant body is changed by the interposition of the flat seal. Moreover, the axial position of the attachment may change in an undesirable and disadvantageous manner depending on the torque that is applied to screw the attachment against the seal and the implant body.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an arrangement of an implant body and an attachment element which predefines the axial position of the attachment element relative to the implant body as precisely as possible and which additionally has an excellent sealing action.
In the accompanying drawings, structures are illustrated that, together with the detailed description provided below, describe exemplary embodiments of the claimed apparatus. The drawings are provided for purpose of illustration only and merely depict aspects of typical or example embodiments. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader's understanding of the disclosure and shall not be considered limiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure.
The elements in the drawing are not necessarily drawn to scale and the proportion of certain elements may be exaggerated for the purpose of illustration. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding elements throughout the several views. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that elements shown as a single component may be replaced with multiple components, and elements shown as multiple components may be replaced with a single component.
It should be understood that aspects, features or functions that are described in relation to an embodiment are not necessarily limited to the embodiment described, but rather may be applicable to one or more embodiments, unless expressly described otherwise. Also, the description set forth herein is not to be construed as limited to the embodiments shown. Rather, it is appreciated that various modifications may occur to those skilled in the art that, while not specifically set forth herein, are nevertheless within the spirit and scope of the description. When an embodiment is described as “exemplary” herein, it is to be understood as one non-limiting example embodiment and does not preclude other embodiments that may not include the limitations described in the exemplary embodiment.
The present disclosure describes and illustrates one or more novel embodiments of a dental implant arrangement comprising an implant body and an attachment element, wherein the implant body is designed matching the attachment element in such a way that the attachment element is partially insertable into the implant body as far as an abutment surface on the implant body, wherein the attachment element is connected to the implant body by a connection element.
In particular, the present disclosure describes and illustrates one or more novel embodiments of a dental implant arrangement comprising an implant body and an attachment element, wherein the implant body is designed matching the attachment element in such a way that the attachment element is partially insertable into the implant body as far as an abutment surface on the implant body (i.e., implant body abutment surface), wherein the attachment element is connected to the implant body by a connection element, and an abutment surface on the attachment element (i.e., attachment element abutment surface) is held against the implant body abutment surface by the connection element, wherein the implant body has a first sealing surface, which is located opposite a second sealing surface of the attachment element, and wherein the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface has a sealing seat into which a sealing element is inserted by which the interior of the implant body is sealed off from the environment.
In the one or more embodiments described herein, the abutment and the seal may be arranged at different locations. By inserting the attachment element into the implant body as far as the abutment on the implant body allows, the attachment element is positioned exactly at a structurally predefined location. The attachment element abutment surface and the implant body abutment surface touch each other directly, i.e. without the interposition of a further component, for example a seal. In this way, the axial position of the attachment element relative to the implant body can be very precisely predefined, for example subject only to the measurement imprecision of manufacturing tolerances in the production of the attachment element. The connection element ensures the secure positioning and fixing of the attachment element abutment surface against the implant body abutment surface.
The attachment element may be in particular a gingiva former, an impression post, an abutment structure, a covering or a cover screw which, as has been described above, are made available to the dentist at different stages of treatment, from inserting the implant into the jaw to arranging the tooth replacement on an abutment structure that is provided to connect to the implant body.
The connection element for connecting the attachment element to the implant body is preferably a screw. However, in addition to other conceivable connection elements, it can also be a threaded piece which is mounted, worked or moulded integrally on the attachment element.
Furthermore, in the dental implant arrangement according to the embodiments described herein, the seal/sealing system may include a sealing element and a sealing seat. Advantageously, the sealing seat is either arranged in the attachment element or implant body, i.e. either in the first or as part of the first or second sealing surface. The seal introduced into the sealing seat is dimensioned such that the interior of the implant body is sealed off from the environment. This prevents entry of microorganisms without the axial positioning of the attachment element with respect to the implant body thereby being adversely affected or modified.
In an advantageous embodiment of the dental implant arrangement according to the embodiments disclosed herein, provision is made that the seal is completely enclosed by the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface. In this way, the sealing system composed of a seal and of first and second sealing surface can be constructed in a particularly simple manner, and the tightness can be defined by the nature or shape of the seal.
It is particularly advantageous if the sealing element is an O-ring or a sealing ring with an approximately wedge-shaped cross section, and if the sealing seat is an annular groove whose cross-sectional surface area is adapted to the sealing element.
Thus, for example, cross-sectional surface areas for an O-ring can in particular be square, rectangular, arc-shaped or in the shape of a portion of an oval. Moreover, the cross sections of the O-ring itself are not necessarily circular and instead can also be oval or elliptic or have other shapes. In order to achieve a desired sealing action, the distance between the groove bottom and the groove opening is less than the diameter of the O-ring in the corresponding direction of said distance. In this way, the O-ring protrudes from the groove opening and is deformable, by the connection of the attachment element to the implant body, such that there is sufficient sealing against entry of microorganisms into the interior of the implant body. The distance between the first and second sealing surface can be structurally dimensioned accordingly.
The advantage of a sealing ring with a wedge-shaped cross section is that, by the insertion of the attachment element into the implant body or the connection to the implant body, the forces applied to the sealing ring are introduced areally, since either the first or the second sealing surface acts on a side surface of the sealing ring. The seal or sealing surface is advantageously enlarged.
It is moreover advantageous if, in the arrangement according to the embodiments disclosed herein, the shape of the sealing seat and the shape of the sealing element are adapted to each other such that an elastic deformation of the sealing element is ensured when implant body and attachment element are joined together, and if the sealing force is introduced axially and/or radially into the implant body and into the attachment element by the elastic deformation. An improved sealing action is thereby achieved.
Moreover, it is expedient if the sealing force can be applied by connecting the attachment element to the implant body.
In the arrangement according to the embodiments disclosed herein, provision is also made that a desired sealing force can be predefined by the choice of material of the sealing element and/or by the adaptation of the size and/or shape of the sealing seat to the sealing element and/or by the adaptation of the size or shape of the sealing element to the sealing seat. In this way, the arrangement acquires a high degree of structural freedom since the sealing force is predefinable, in particular by a possible combination of choice of material, size and shape both of the sealing seat and also of the sealing element.
In this connection, provision is also made according to the embodiments disclosed herein, that the seal may be produced from polyether ether ketone or from polyether ketone ketone.
An advantageous development of the arrangement according to the embodiments disclosed herein is characterized in that the implant body and the attachment element can be connected to each other with form-fit engagement, such that a rotation of the implant body takes place during a rotation of the attachment element. In this way, the radial position of the attachment element relative to the implant body can be predefined. This position is independent of the procedure of connecting attachment element and implant body. The connection element alone, for example a screw, ensures a secure connection of the two structural elements.
A particularly advantageous embodiment of the arrangement according to the embodiments herein is characterized in that the implant body abutment surface may be configured as the implant body sealing surface and the attachment element abutment surface may be configured as the attachment element sealing surface, such that the interior of the implant body is sealed off from the environment.
In this way, two sealing systems are realized which achieve a particularly good overall sealing action. On the one hand, the sealing system composed of abutment surfaces that also serve as sealing surface can already ensure good sealing in order to prevent entry of microorganisms into the interior of the implant body. On the other hand, even in the event of micro-movements, the sealing element ensures that the interior of the implant body is protected from contamination with microorganisms. Micro-movements are, for example, those comparatively small radial movements of the attachment element with respect to the implant which, on account of forces caused by chewing or biting forces, act on the attachment element or on the arrangement of attachment element and implant body.
It is particularly advantageous if the implant body sealing surface is configured as a conically extending implant body sealing surface, which can be applied to the conically extending attachment element sealing surface in such a way that the interior of the implant body is sealed off from the environment. The sealing action in each of the two sealing systems is advantageously supported by the conical shapes. In this case, the force applied by the connection element is introduced into the implant body and the attachment element not only in the axial direction but instead both in the axial and radial directions. Accordingly, the sealing action also takes place in the axial and radial directions
In one or more embodiments herein, the implant body configured substantially as a hollow body is stabilized by the inserted attachment element and, for example, by a fastening screw extending therein and secured against possible deformation during the screwing into the jaw bone. This is advantageous particularly in the case of slender implant bodies of small diameter, since these may be damaged by the tension during the screwing-in procedure.
In one or more embodiments herein, provision is moreover made that the implant body sealing surface and the attachment element sealing surface each have two-part surfaces, namely a first and second implant body sealing surface and a first and a second attachment element sealing surface, that a grip portion of the attachment element is arranged axially between the first and the second attachment element sealing surface and sits with form-fit engagement in a receiving portion of the implant body which is arranged axially between the first and the second implant body sealing surface.
According to the embodiments disclosed herein, the conically extending sealing surfaces are placed sealingly on each other, wherein an axially upper sealing portion is separated from an axially lower sealing portion by a form-fit engagement portion.
In this way, a double cone is created which has two sealing portions structurally separated from each other. By means of two sealing portions, i.e. also an implant body abutment surface with two portions or an attachment element abutment surface with two portions, the sealing safety is as it were doubled and is additionally improved with a sealing element.
It is particularly advantageous if the implant body and/or the attachment element is produced from a ceramic or produced from a sintered material, which comprises 98-50% by volume of zirconium oxide as matrix, or produced from polyether ether ketone or produced from polyether ketone ketone.
In particular, it has been surprisingly observed that an implant body produced from a sintered material comprising 98-50% by volume of zirconium oxide as matrix can be screwed together with a gingiva former as a whole into a jaw bone without the implant body breaking. Moreover, it has been observed that such an implant body, which itself has a relatively rough and porous surface, nonetheless has a sealing surface that can be placed sealingly onto another sealing surface. On account of their favourable material properties, the plastics polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polyether ketone ketone (PEKK) are also suitable for the production of the implant body which, in the aforementioned manner, can have sealing surfaces that can be placed sealingly on each other.
It has been surprisingly observed that such an implant body is mechanically stable enough to withstand a high torque load of more than 30 Ncm. Such high torques arise when an implant body with a thread is screwed into a jaw bone.
The following table lists elements of the illustrated embodiments of the disclosure and their associated reference numbers for convenience.
With continuing reference to the embodiment shown in
Referencing
With continuing reference to
A further exemplary embodiment of a sealing system for an implant body 1″ is shown in
The receiving portion 8 of the implant body 1 and the receiving portion 10 of the gingiva former 2 may be configured as hexagonal inner contours into which a hexagonal grip portion 7 of a gingiva former 2, a grip portion 17 of an abutment structure 14, 14′, a grip portion 13 of an impression post 9 and/or a grip portion of a tool 18 can be inserted with form-fit engagement.
An alternative arrangement of a seal on the abutment structure 14′ is shown in
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below” and words of similar import, when used in this application, refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. “Or” means “and/or.” Further, the conjunction “or” covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list. It should further be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” “primary,” “secondary,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.
The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made to the principles described herein without following the example embodiments illustrated and described herein, and without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. We therefore claim as our invention all that comes within the scope of these claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102017008261.8 | Sep 2017 | DE | national |
