The abovementioned and other features of the inventions disclosed herein are described below with reference to the drawings of the preferred embodiments. The illustrated embodiments are intended to illustrate, but not to limit the inventions. The drawings contain the following figures:
According to an embodiment of the present inventions, a dental implant is provided that can be formed to match a color or shade of a dental prosthesis in order to enhance the aesthetic qualities and appearance of the implant and prosthesis. The implant can be formed to include inner and outer parts whose physical and aesthetic properties can be determined utilizing the disclosure and teachings herein. The inner part can be fitted in a hole in the jaw bone and can cooperate substantially with the jaw bone to provide a desired fit. Additionally, the outer part can extend through an upper part of the hole, through the gum and into the oral cavity.
The inner part of the implant can be made completely or partially of compressed powder of biocompatible metal. The inner part is preferably made at least partially of titanium or alloyed titanium. Further, the outer part of the implant can be made completely or partially of compressed powder of biocompatible ceramic. The outer part is preferably made at least partially of zirconium dioxide. The metal and/or ceramic powders can be compressed or pressed together, and can be sintered, to form a body shape of the implant in a single piece.
In some embodiments, particle size or grain size of the powder can be modified. The implant can comprise a plurality of individual parts. These parts can be arranged in layered types of powder and can have transition layers between respective parts.
In this manner, it is contemplated that the implant can be selectively manufactured utilizing a method disclosed and taught herein such that an upper part of the implant, which is adjacent gums of a wearer, is formed to have a desirable appearance. In addition, the compression of different types of powder can also provide excellent strength properties in the transition layer between different types of powders. If so desired, the implant can be made up of more than two parts, with different or layered powder types in the different parts.
It is also noted that embodiments of the implant and the method disclosed herein can be utilized in conjunction with a production principle of the Arcam® type. Further, it is noted that “Rapid Prototyping” with stereolithography (“SLA”) can also be implemented in some embodiments. Additionally, other manufacturing processes which concerns use of powder material in plastic, such as selective laser sintering (“SLS”), can also be used.
In accordance with an aspect of embodiments disclosed herein, metal, for example in the form of titanium or alloyed titanium in powder form, can be combined with ceramic, zirconium dioxide and can be used in the formation of such embodiments of the implant. In the illustrative embodiment, the particle size and grain size of the different powder types can be in the range from merely a few nanometers to approximately 200 nanometers. For example, a grade 4 titanium alloy can be used, cf. ASTM B 346, ASTM F 67, ASTM F 136. In the case of alloyed titanium, it is possible to include in the titanium: approximately between 4 to 8% and preferably, approximately 6% aluminum (Al); and approximately between 2 to 6%, and preferably approximately 4% vanadium (V). The implant or dental product can be formed from combined metal and ceramic materials which cannot be alloyed together. The implant can therefore include different types of material which can be optimized with respect to the tissue and jaw bone in terms of strength, appearance, etc.
As illustrated, some embodiments of the implant 5 can be formed to have an external thread 6 by means of which the implant 5 can be screwed into the hole 4 in a known manner. Alternately, other embodiments of the implant 5 can be formed such that the external thread 6 is omitted; in such embodiments, the implant 5 can be driven down into the hole 4 and retained therein by means of a precision fit between the implant 5 and the hole 4.
The partial cross-sectional view of
The inner part 5a can be made of metal powder. The metal powder is preferably of a type that has a substantial and well-proven stability function at the same time as a well-proven biocompatibility with respect to the jaw bone. The outer part 5b can be made of ceramic powder. In many embodiments, the outer part 5b can be configured to have a bright shade of color or to be substantially white. Thus, a dark color, typical of metal powder, will not tend to show through from the implant 5 and prosthesis structure in the direction of viewing 8. Upper parts of the implant 5 and the prosthesis can thus merge naturally with the tooth color at the gum 3 and the upper parts 2a at the gum 3. From the aesthetic point of view, this is a considerable advance in dental treatment techniques. In an illustrative embodiment, the implant 5 can include a transition zone 5c which comprises metal powder and ceramic powder in combination.
The system 9 can have an internal management and treatment function, and reference may be made here for example to International Publication No. WO 98/44865, entitled “ARRANGEMENT AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCTION OF DENTAL PRODUCTS AND TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION.” The system 9 can comprise a unit 14 for controlling and instructing the module 10. As such, the module 10 can comprise identification members 15 which, depending on the information 16 from the unit 14, can determine the shapes and relationships of the inner and outer parts 5a and 5b of the implant 5. The module 10 can also comprise a member 17 which, depending on the powder type and particle and/or grain sizes, can determine the powder quantities for the inner and outer parts 5a and 5b of the implant 5 and can optionally serve to configure the transition layer 5c between the inner and outer parts 5a and 5b. This determination can also be effected from the unit 14 by means of a control 18 in
Application members 19 can also be included in the module 10 for applying the metal and ceramic powders in a pressing tool which can operate with the vacuum cavity and is described in more detail below. The application members 19 can cooperate with or comprise members for setting the compression pressure and duration of the compression pressure as a function of the chosen temperature which is to be present during the compression and pressing together. The application member(s) 19, 20 can be controlled with control information 21 from the unit 14. By means of the module 10, the system 9 can produce other embodiments of the implant, such as the implant 5′ with inner part 5a′, outer part 5b′ and transition layer or transition zone 5c′, as shown in
Furthermore, in accordance with an aspect of some embodiments, the implant 5′ can be sent in a known manner, for example by post or parcel delivery, to the orderer or orderer function 1. The order can be made over the public communications 12, for example via the public telecommunications network, computer networks (Internet), etc. The system 9 can be configured to use different internal signals that are symbolized by 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 in order to carry out various functions.
In addition, the piston parts 29 and 30 can function as two pistons which can move toward and away from one another in the directions indicated by the double arrows 32 and 33. For example, in order to place powder(s) in the cavity 31, the piston part 29 can be removed so that the powder(s) can be inserted into the cavity 31. In some embodiments, zirconium dioxide powder 34 can be introduced, followed by titanium powder 35, or vice-versa. After inserting the powder(s), the piston part 29 can be repositioned in the cavity 31.
Thereafter, the piston parts 29 and 30 can be moved toward one another to compress the powder(s), and energy can thereby be transmitted to the powders, by which the arrangement can provide a vacuum function in the cavity 31. The inner walls or the inner wall of the cavity 31 can be smooth so that the powders thus pressed together can be removed from the cavity 31 via either one of the piston parts 29 and 30. The cavity 31 can be configured to have a rod shape that corresponds to the outer shape of the implant 5 (see
In the illustrative embodiment in
At their upper parts, said cavities 31′, 31″ and 31″′ can be formed to define funnel-shaped portions or extents 40, 41 and 42. In the present embodiment, zirconium dioxide 34″ can be applied in the cavities 31′, 31″, 31″′, after which titanium powder 35″ or alloyed titanium powder can be applied in the cavities 31′, 31″ and 31″′ and in the funnel-shaped parts 40, 41 and 42. In this way, an actuating force on the piston 29′ can be increased in the cavities 31′, 31″ and 31″′ such that sufficient energy is obtained during the compression and pressing together in the cavities.
Although these inventions have been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present inventions extend beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the inventions and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition, while several variations of the inventions have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within the scope of these inventions, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is also contemplated that various combination or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the inventions. It should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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04 02108-5 | Sep 2004 | SE | national |
This application is a U.S. National Phase of International Application No. PCT/SE2005/001201, International Publication No. WO 2006/025777, filed Aug. 11, 2005, which claims priority to Swedish Patent Application No. 0402108-5, filed Sep. 1, 2004, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/SE05/01201 | 8/11/2005 | WO | 00 | 8/27/2007 |