Granted Patent B2

US 7,850,452 · App. 11/115,654 · Granted Dec 14, 2010

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A dental implant having a central axis and configured to be inserted into bone comprising:

a solid outer shell portion having a first closed end and a second, opposite end having an axial opening therethrough, the axial opening of the outer shell portion having a threaded surface; and

an insert portion configured to receive a screw to hold an abutment to the outer shell portion, the insert portion having a threaded outer surface, the threaded outer surface having a single unitary thread extending along its length, the insert portion further comprising a non-rotational structure to assist in preventing an additional component from rotating relative to the implant, a material forming the outer shell portion having a greater compressive strength than a material forming the insert portion, the material forming the insert portion having a greater tensile strength than the material forming the outer shell portion,

wherein the insert portion is affixed within the axial opening of the outer shell portion, and the affixation of the insert portion within the axial opening of the outer shell portion is configured to apply a compressive pre-load in the outer shell portion.

2. The dental implant of claim 1 , wherein the insert portion is affixed within the outer shell portion by threading the insert portion into the outer shell portion.

3. The dental implant of claim 1 , wherein the insert portion comprises a metal material.

4. The dental implant of claim 1 , wherein the non-rotational structure is an external hex.

5. The dental implant of claim 1 , wherein the non-rotational structure is an internal hex.

6. The dental implant assembly of claim 1 , wherein outer shell portion comprises a ceramic material.

7. The dental implant assembly of claim 6 , wherein the insert portion comprises a titanium based material.

8. The dental implant of claim 1 further comprising an abutment, wherein the abutment is the additional component positioned relative to the implant by the non-rotational structure.

9. A dental implant assembly having a central axis comprising:

a dental implant configured to be inserted into bone having an outer shell portion having a longitudinal-axial opening and an insert portion, the insert portion being affixed within the longitudinal-axial opening of the outer shell portion, such that the insert portion is configured to apply a compressive pre-load on the outer shell portion;

an abutment configured to engage the insert portion of the dental implant; and

a retaining screw configured to fasten the abutment to the insert portion,

wherein at least one of the abutment and retaining screw includes an outer shell section and an insert section affixed within a longitudinal-axial opening of the outer shell section by threading the insert section into the outer shell section, the affixation of the insert section within the outer shell section being configured to apply a compressive pre-load on the outer shell section, a material forming the outer shell portion having a greater compressive strength than a material forming the insert portion, the material forming the insert portion having a greater tensile strength than the material forming the outer shell portion.

10. The dental implant assembly of claim 9 , wherein the dental implant outer shell portion comprises a ceramic material.

11. The dental implant assembly of claim 9 , wherein the dental implant insert portion comprises a titanium based material.

12. The dental implant assembly of claim 9 , wherein the insert portion of the dental implant has a threaded outer circumferential surface and the axial opening of the outer shell portion of the dental implant has an inner threaded surface and the insert portion of the implant is affixed within the outer shell portion of the implant by threading the insert portion into the outer shell portion of the implant.

13. The dental implant assembly of claim 9 , wherein the insert portion of the implant is affixed within the axial opening of the outer shell portion of the implant by a shrink-fit process.

14. The dental implant assembly of claim 9 , wherein the insert portion of the dental implant is affixed within the axial opening of the outer shell portion of the implant by a shape-memory-alloy process.

15. The dental implant assembly of claim 9 , wherein the abutment includes the outer shell section and the insert section.

16. The dental implant assembly of claim 15 , wherein the abutment outer shell section comprises a ceramic material.

17. The dental implant assembly of claim 15 , wherein the abutment insert section comprises a titanium based material.

18. The dental implant assembly of claim 15 , wherein the insert section of the abutment has a threaded outer circumferential surface and the axial opening of the outer shell section of the abutment has a threaded surface.

19. The dental implant assembly of claim 9 , wherein the retaining screw includes the outer section and the insert section.

20. The dental implant assembly of claim 19 , wherein the insert section of the retaining screw has a threaded outer circumferential surface and the axial opening of the outer section of the retaining screw has a threaded surface.

21. A dental implant assembly comprising:

a dental implant configured to be inserted into bone;

an abutment; and

a retaining screw configured to fasten the abutment to the dental implant,

wherein at least one of the abutment and retaining screw includes an outer shell section and an insert section threaded within a longitudinal-axial opening of the outer shell section, the insert section being surrounded by the outer shell section, the affixation of the insert section within the outer shell section being configured to apply a compressive pre-load on the outer shell section, a material forming the outer shell section having a greater compressive strength than a material forming the insert section, the material forming the insert section having a greater tensile strength than the material forming the outer shell section.

Assignments (8)