Patent Application
20140178839
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a detachably attachable dental implant bridge system.
Partial or complete loss of an individual's natural teeth, either or both at the upper and lower jaw, due to age, accident, diseases or other reasons, has some serious effects on an individual, both functionally and socially. Lack of teeth poses several serious functional problems such as distortion of the individual's face, not being able to chew, speech difficulties, etc. Even more so, a smile with a full set of white teeth is considered something to be desired, i.e. esthetics play an important role. These problems become more severe depending on the number of missing teeth.
Utilization of artificial denture appliance poses a general problem concerned with retention of same in position as during normal chewing or talking, the appliance may have the tendency to ride up out of its position, causing speech difficulties, chewing difficulties, spitting and other social unpleasant situations, resulting in general unsatisfactory. In addition, it is desired that the alliance be in minimal contact with the individual's gums so as to prevent or reduce to minimum irritation thereof.
A challenge in this field is designing and manufacturing the bridge so as to achieve perfect fitting thereof to the particular needs and anatomical parameters of the individual. Yet, it is required that the bridge be readily and easily be attached within the individuals mouth at a fixed position (i.e. with substantially no movement once placed) and yet easily removable by the individual.
There are known personalized dentures, such as, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,691 disclosing a removable denture system comprising a support beam fixedly attached to the individual's alveolar ridge above the mucous membrane by a plurality of dental implants, and a denture generally conforming with the dental parameters of the individual and integrated with a super-structure. The super-structure comprises at least a portion shaped in confirmation with the support beam, and a denture locking arrangement for removably though fixedly articulating the denture to the support beam preventing unintentional disengagement of the denture.
Dental bridges are known to be fixedly attached to implants by means of connecting elements, referred to as ‘abutments’, or by direct fixing thereof to the implants. An abutment is usually fastened to the implant at its one end, and to a bridge or another element at its other end. In the installed state the abutments are usually invisible or visible to a limited degree in the patient's mouth.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,328 discloses a device for securing a plurality of teeth to at least two attachment elements implanted in the alveolar bone; said device comprising an essentially rigid splint, preferably of titanium or titanium alloy, and assembly means for removably fastening a row of teeth to said splint, the splint being arranged at least between said attachment elements to absorb and distribute the load arising upon use.
According to the disclosed subject matter there is provided a removable dental implant bridge system configured for fixedly yet detachable anchorage of an implant removable bridge (IRB) over a mini support bar (MSB), which in turn is secured over the jaw bone, in a fashion facilitating fast and easy mounting yet fixedly supporting the implant removable bridge (IRB) so as to obtain a sturdy and secure engagement to the mini support bar, and however configured for easy and readily removal thereof.
The term ‘implant removable bridge’ (IRB) (often simply referred to as ‘bridge’) as used herein the specification and claims denotes an integrated array of artificial teeth mimicking the teeth of an individual and designed for anchoring over a mini support bar fixed to the individual's jaw bone (mandibular or maxillar), substantially without a skirt portion, i.e. a gum mimicking portion (at times referred to as an ‘acrylic flange’ or ‘buccal flange’).
It is however appreciated that a substantially narrow transition zone can extend, for improved aesthetics and to prevent speech/phonetic distortion. Such a strip is hereby defined as a scalloping gingival strip (SGS) and it mimics and merges with the individual's buccal gingival area in appearance and shape, i.e. as far as its scalloping shape, color and stippling thereof.
The term ‘mimicking’ suggests that the implant removable bridge (IRB) and scalloping gingival strip (SGS), where relevant, follows the individual's anatomical parameters, such as shape, texture, size, color etc.
The removable dental implant bridge system is detachably attached to the mini support bar, which in turn is secured to a plurality of fixtures fixed to the jawbone (directly or indirectly through abutments).
The term ‘fixture’ as used herein throughout the specification and claims denotes studs and implants (used interchangeably) fixedly secured within the respective jaw bone. It is appreciated that any form of fixture can be used, such as, subperiostal implants, blade fixtures, and the like. A ‘head portion’ projects through the gum and directly bears the mini support bar (i.e. using a one-piece implant, wherein the fixture is integrated with an abutment portion projecting above the gum), or indirectly, i.e. said head portion is an abutment secured over a head of the fixture.
The term ‘crown portion’ as used herein the specification and claims denotes a body portion of the teeth (the teeth mimicking portion), i.e. a visible portion of the teeth extending above the gum line, mimicking the normally visible natural enamel portion of a tooth, extending above the gum line of an individual.
The bridge system according to the disclosed subject matter comprises:
According to another aspect of the present disclosed subject matter there is provided an implant removable bridge (IRB) generally conforming with dental parameters of the individual, with a crown portion having a bottom surface configured with a super structure fully extending within the IRB, said super structure shaped and configured so as to snugly fit, at high tolerance, over at least portions of a mini support bar (MSB) fixedly secured to a jawbone, however configured for easy and readily removal.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosed subject matter there is provided a mini support bar (MSB) for fixedly securing to a jaw bone of an individual directly over fixtures or indirectly over abetments, said mini support bar shaped and configured for snugly fit, at high tolerance, over at least portions thereof within a super structure and fully extending within a crown portion of an implant removable bridge (IRB).
This structure renders the bridge system suitable in particular, though not restricted, to individuals with a petit structure, i.e. small face, small mouth, small teeth and individuals not experiencing jaw-bone loss;
The present disclosed subject matter further calls for a method for applying an individual with an implant removable bridge (IRB) at a readily removably yet secured fashion, the method comprises the following steps:
The method may further comprise the steps of locking/unlocking the implant removable bridge (IRB) over the mini support bar in position by virtue of one or more locking arrangements.
It is noted that the super structure fully extends within the implant removable bridge (IRB), i.e. fully extends within the crown portion, and can be fixedly embedded within the implant removable bridge (IRB), namely be an element of material applied within the implant removable bridge and integrated therein at a fixed fashion. Alternatively, the super structure is a receiving aperture extending and formed within the bottom face of the implant removable bridge (IRB), born out of the implant removable bridge.
Any one or more of the following features and designs can be applied to the bridge system or to any one of the other aspects subject of the present application, independently or in combination:
In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Attention is directed to the annexed drawings illustrating an implant removable bridge (IRB) system in accordance with the disclosed subject matter and generally designated 10, the system comprising a personalized implant removable bridge (IRB) 14 configured for mounting over a mini support bar (MSB) 18.
The mini support bar 18 is generally shaped in correspondence with the implant removable bridge 14 however, in reduced scale, and as will be discussed hereinafter is configured for bearing the implant removable bridge at a substantially tolerance-free fashion. The mini support bar 18 is made of any rigid material e.g. metallic or non-metallic materials, such as, for example, metals (gold, titanium, chrome-cobalt, any form of zirconium, porcelain, etc.) or any plastic, acrylic or polymeric materials, composite materials and combinations thereof, or glass and carbon, and/or materials reinforced with glass or carbon fibers, natural stone, silicates, etc.
The mini support bar 18 is configured for fixedly securing to a jaw-bone of an individual (the mandibular jaw is represented in the figures by reference numeral 20) by several fixtures (four in the present example) designated 24, wherein each fixture in fact comprises a stud (implant) 26 screw fitted within the mandibular bone 20 in a fixed manner, with a head portion thereof 28 projecting from the gum 30. Typically, though not compulsory, one or more of the head portions 28 of the fixtures is fitted with an abutment 34 (
The mini support bar 18 is fixedly secured over the fixtures 24 (or abutments 34 where appropriate) by a plurality of fixation screws 38 extending through openings 43 at the top surface 35 of the mini support bar 18, whereby the mini support bar is fixedly secured over the fixtures 24 in a steady, motionless fashion.
As can be seen in the drawings, best in FIGS. 2 and 3A-3D, the mini support bar is configured with widened locations identified in
As will be illustrated hereinafter, the positioning locations A, B, C, and D are configured so as to extend at corresponding crown portions 47 of the implant removable bridge 14, namely within an artificial tooth of the implant removable bridge 14, rather than at a portion 48 between neighboring tooth, to thereby maintain a reduced and in-scale structure, not departing from the size and shape of the individual's natural teeth.
As can further be seen, best in
As noted, best in
Turning now in particular to
The super structure 45 is made of any rigid, metallic or non-metallic material (such as, for example, metals- gold, titanium, chrome-cobalt, different forms of zirconium, porcelain, plastic/acrylic/polymeric materials, composite materials, and combinations thereof, glass and carbon, and/or materials reinforced with glass or carbon fibers, natural stone, silicates, etc.).
Whilst in the illustrated example the supper structure 45 fully extends within the implant removable bridge 14 and is fixedly embedded therewithin, namely being an element of material applied within the implant removable bridge 14 and integrated therein at a fixed fashion (e.g. by over molding the implant removable bridge, adhesion within the implant removable bridge, etc.), it is appreciated that the super structure can be configured as a receiving aperture extending and formed within the bottom face 40 of the implant removable bridge 14, i.e. born out of the implant removable bridge (e.g. by milling or during a molding process of the implant removable bridge).
When being a piece of material embedded within the implant removable bridge 14, the supper structure 45 can be made of any rigid, metallic or non-metallic material (such as, for example, metals—gold, titanium, chrome-cobalt, different forms of zirconium, porcelain, plastic/acrylic/polymeric materials, composite materials, and combinations thereof, glass and carbon, and/or materials reinforced with glass or carbon fibers, natural stone, silicates, etc.).
It is however appreciated that the supper structure 45 fully extends within the crown portion of the implant removable bridge 14.
The super structure 45 is shaped and sized so as to snugly fit, and bear over at least portions thereof, over the mini support bar (MSB) 18, at high tolerance, such that when applied thereover it is positioned with substantially no motion/movement therebetween and such that any loads applied to the implant removable bridge 14 (e.g. during biting) are borne by the mini support bar 18 and are transferred via the fixtures 24 to the jaw bone 20.
The implant removable bridge 14 is made of any rigid material e.g. metallic or non-metallic material (such as, for example, metals—gold, titanium, chrome-cobalt, any form of zirconium, porcelain, plastic, acrylic or polymeric materials, composite materials and combinations thereof, glass and carbon, and/or materials reinforced with glass or carbon fibers, etc.). It is appreciated that when the material of which the implant removable bridge 14 is a structural material, there is need to apply thereto a finishing layer mimicking the shape, size, color and texture of the nature teeth.
It is further noted that the implant removable bridge (IRB) 14 follows the individual's anatomical parameters and conforming with resident natural teeth or artificial teeth of the individual such as shape, texture, color, etc. and is of substantially the same size of the individual as natural teeth, however with substantially no real gaps between neighboring teeth or gaps being fine ones and extending only at upper portions of neighboring teeth 47, e.g. gaps designated 48. The shaping of the mini support bar (MSB) 18 is such so as to ensure that it does not show at a gap residing between the individual's gum and a neighboring edge of the implant removable bridge (IRB) 14.
As can further be seen, the bridge is substantially devoid of a skirt portion i.e., a gum mimicking portion and is in fact configured for riding over, or extending in close proximity, with the natural gum 30 of the individual. However, a narrow (i.e. short) transition strip 19 is provided at the bottom of the dental implant removable bridge 14, at the labial face thereof (pointed by arrowed line 41 in
Further appreciated, the scalloping pattern of the scalloping gingival strip (SGS) 19 of the implant removable bridge (IRB) 14 coextends with the scalloping pattern 17 (
It is appreciated that such a transition strip may be avoided, depending on anatomical parameters of the individual, and is provided for aesthetic reasons as well as to prevent functional problems such as distortion of the individual's face, not being able to chew, speech/phonetic distortion, spitting while talking, food debris accumulation under the bridge system, etc.
The super structure 45 within the receiving aperture 44 of the implant removable bridge 14 is configured with a bottom surface 56 and side walls, namely a labial side wall 58 and a lingual side wall 60, extending from the bottom surface 56. The bottom surface 56 and the side walls 58 and 60 are configured for bearing along at least substantial portions thereof or along their entire surface, over corresponding surfaces of the mini support bar 18.
In particular, the arrangement is such that the implant removable bridge 14, namely the super structure 45 (either fixedly integrated or formed within), snugly bears over at least portions of the mini support bar 18 at the positioning locations A, B, C, and D though, in accordance with a particular example the implant removable bridge 14 bears substantially also over the beam portions a, b, and c of the mini support bar 18.
It is thus noted that the super structure 45 of the implant removable bridge 14 is configured with widened portions at discrete locations identified at A′, B′, C′ and D′ corresponding in location with the widened positioning portions A, B, C, and D of the mini support bar 18, said portions configured for snugly fitting, at substantially high tolerance, over the mini support bar 18. It is thus typical that the widened locations A′, B′, C′, and D′ extend at the super structure 45 within the implant removable bridge 14, at locations of mimicking teeth 47 (crown portion), rather than at locations between the mimicking teeth (gaps 48) of the implant removable bridge 14.
The design of the mini support bar 18 and of the mating implant removable bridge 14, and in particular the super structure 45 (either integrated or integral with the mini support bar 18), is such that the tolerance therebetween is tight, at least at several positioning locations, so as to reduce, or substantially eliminate any tolerance and respective motion/movement of the implant removable bridge 14 over the mini support bar 18 and whereby forces applied to the implant removable bridge 14 are fully borne by the mini support bar 18 and are then transferred to the jaw-bone through the fixtures 24. However, in spite of the fit tolerance and snug fitting of the implant removable bridge 14 over the mini support bar 18, removal of the bridge is facilitated substantially without the need of any tools, along the path of insertion (POI).
The super structure 45 of the implant removable bridge 14, and the mini support bar 18 are configured such that their respective side walls (lingual and labial walls) are either parallel to the path of insertion (POI) or constitute an angle therewith (referred to as a ‘retraction angle’) said retraction angle extending between the range of about 0°-30°, with a preferred range being about 0°-20°, and even preferably in the range of about 0°-12°.
Furthermore, the super structure 45 of the mini support bar 18 and correspondingly the implant removable bridge 14, can be configured with different cross-sections to facilitate increase of surface contact therebetween and for that purpose, the mini support bar and bridge may be configured with different lateral projections and corresponding grooves, for improved support of the implant removable bridge 14 over the mini support bar 18.
The mini support bar 18 and the super structure 45 can be configured with any cross-section, i.e. can be configured with corresponding straight or tapering side walls with respect to the path of insertion, and can be configured with flat (planer) top face or said top face can be arced (concave, convex). The bottom surface 56 and side walls, namely a labial side wall 58 and a lingual side wall 60 of the super structure are configured such that at the assembled position at least portions thereof bear in surface contact over corresponding top surfaces 35 and lingual side wall 59 and labial side wall 61 of the mini support bar 18 (MSB).
It is however appreciated that according to yet a configuration of the disclosure, only portions of side walls of the super structure bear in surface contact over respective portions of side walls of the mini support bar (MSB), however contact between the implant removable bridge and the mini support bar provides substantially motion-free engagement, at high tolerance, i.e. with a small gap extending between a bottom surface 56 of the super structure 45 and a top surface 35 of the mini support bar 18. It is appreciated that contact between the respective contacting surfaces of the mini support bar 18 and the super structure 45 can be interrupted or continuous.
Respective surfaces of the super structure 45 and corresponding surfaces of the mini support bar 18 are machined (e.g. during a milling process or otherwise) at high tolerances, such that when said respective surface bare against one another they ensure tight fit between the super structure and the mini support bar, at a substantially motion-free snuggly fitting, however whilst preventing clamping therebetween so as to ensure easy and tool-free removal of the implant removable bridge from the mini support bar.
A locking arrangement is provided for releasable locking of the implant removable bridge 14 the mini support bar 18. In a particular example, the locking arrangement is a pin-type lock mechanism 60 discussed hereinafter in further detail with reference to
For that purpose, a small interstice 81 (
In some cases, the bridge is fitted with a through-going bore 90 extending also at the labial face 83, with a corresponding through-going locking bore formed in the mini support bar 18 and designated 92, where in case of distally extracting the locking pin 74, a sharp article may be inserted through the opening (e.g. a paper staple, and the like) to facilitate in pushing the locking pin 74 in the lingual direction, in its extracted, open position. However, such an opening on the labial surface 83 of the implant removable bridge 14 is minimal and hardly noticeable by the observer.
Whilst a particular locking arrangement, namely a pin-type lock has been disclosed in connection with
It is further noted that the one or more locks are configured at or near the posterior ends of the implant removable bridge 14 though any suitable location may be used, depending on parameters of the individual. However, it is important to note that any loads applied through the implant removable bridge 14 while biting, are fully borne by the mini support bar 18 and directed through the fixtures 24 to the bone tissue 20, whilst the one or more locks 60 substantially do not bear any loads (no shear forces or compression forces, whereby the locks serve merely to prevent unintentional detachment of the implant removable bridge 14 from the mini support bar 18).
As mentioned above, the locks stand at the widened portions of the bridge system, namely extend in register with a fixture supporting the mini support bar. However, it is appreciated that the locking portions may be configured either at the positioning locations (designated A, B, C, and D) or at any other location along the beam portions a, b and c.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IL2012/050298 | 8/8/2012 | WO | 00 | 2/10/2014 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61522038 | Aug 2011 | US |
