Methods for taking an impression or scanning without requiring removal of a temporary healing abutment
Methods of taking an impression or scan of a patient's oral cavity without requiring removal of a healing cap coupled within the implant in the subgingival void. The method may include providing an anatomical healing cap received within the subgingival void of a given tooth position, where the anatomical healing cap is coupled into an implant in the void. A scanning body or an impression post is inserted into an open end (e.g., the hollow core) of the anatomical healing cap, in-situ, with the anatomical healing cap positioned in the subgingival void, and the implant thereunder (or thereover for a maxillary tooth position). The scanning body or impression post is used as a reference in making the impression or scan. Because this is done without requiring removal of the healing cap, further collapse of the gingival tissue surrounding the void is prevented.
1. A method of taking an impression or scan of a patient's oral cavity, the method comprising:
providing an anatomical healing abutment/cap received within a subgingival void of a given tooth position, the anatomical healing abutment/cap being threadably coupled into an implant disposed adjacent the anatomical healing abutment/cap; and
providing a scanning body or impression post that is initially separate from the anatomical healing abutment/cap, and inserting the scanning body or impression post into an open end of the anatomical healing abutment/cap with the anatomical healing abutment/cap positioned in the subgingival void, such that insertion of the scanning body or impression post occurs without requiring removal of the anatomical healing abutment/cap;
wherein the scanning body or the impression post is selectively removable from the open end of the anatomical healing abutment/cap, and a screw is not required to selectively secure the scanning body or the impression post to the open end of the anatomical healing abutment/cap, such that the scanning body or impression post is slidably received into the open end of the anatomical healing abutment/cap, and the anatomical healing abutment/cap is threadably coupled into the implant;
wherein the anatomical healing abutment/cap and the scanning body or impression post are keyed to one another;
wherein the anatomical healing abutment/cap comprises one or more vertical grooves formed into an interior surface of the anatomical healing abutment/cap;
wherein an exterior surface of the scanning body or impression post inserted into the anatomical healing abutment/cap includes one or more vertical protrusions which mate with the one or more vertical grooves of the anatomical healing abutment/cap; and wherein:
the one or more vertical grooves comprise a plurality of vertical grooves which are of different lengths and/or widths relative to one another; and
the one or more vertical protrusions comprise a plurality of vertical protrusions which are of different lengths and/or widths relative to one another.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more vertical grooves formed into an interior surface of the anatomical healing abutment/cap are formed into an interior surface of a hollow core about which the anatomical healing abutment/cap is formed.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the anatomical healing abutment/cap comprises one or more radiopaque markers.
4. The method as recited in claim 3 , the method further comprising taking a scan of the patient's oral cavity, using an imaging device.
5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the scan of the patient's oral cavity is taken using CT scan.
6. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the scan of the patient's oral cavity is taken using x-ray.
7. The method as recited in claim 4 , the method further comprising applying a radiopaque powder around a gingival cuff surrounding the anatomical healing abutment/cap so that the powdered surface better shows up on the scan.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein inserting the scanning body or the impression post into the anatomical healing abutment/cap comprises inserting the impression post into the anatomical healing abutment/cap, the method further comprising taking an impression of the impression post, the anatomical healing abutment/cap, and surrounding surfaces.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vertical grooves are of different lengths relative to one another; and the plurality of vertical protrusions are of different lengths relative to one another.
10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vertical grooves are of different widths relative to one another; and the plurality of vertical protrusions are of different widths relative to one another.
11. A method of taking an impression or scan of a patient's oral cavity, the method comprising:
providing an anatomical healing abutment/cap received within a subgingival void of a given tooth position, the anatomical healing abutment/cap being threadably coupled into an implant disposed adjacent the anatomical healing abutment/cap; and
providing a scanning body or impression post that is initially separate from the anatomical healing abutment/cap, and inserting the scanning body or impression post into an open end of the anatomical healing abutment/cap with the anatomical healing abutment/cap positioned in the subgingival void, such that insertion of the scanning body or impression post occurs without requiring removal of the anatomical healing abutment/cap;
wherein the scanning body or the impression post is selectively removable from the open end of the anatomical healing abutment/cap, and a screw is not required to selectively secure the scanning body or the impression post to the open end of the anatomical healing abutment/cap, such that the scanning body or impression post is slidably received into the open end of the anatomical healing abutment/cap, and the anatomical healing abutment/cap is threadably coupled into the implant;
wherein the anatomical healing abutment/cap and the scanning body or impression post are keyed to one another;
wherein the anatomical healing abutment/cap comprises one or more vertical protrusions formed into an interior surface of the anatomical healing abutment/cap;
wherein an exterior surface of the scanning body or impression post inserted into the anatomical healing abutment/cap includes one or more vertical grooves which mate with the one or more vertical protrusions of the anatomical healing abutment/cap; and wherein:
the one or more vertical grooves comprise a plurality of vertical grooves which are of different lengths and/or widths relative to one another; and
the one or more vertical protrusions comprise a plurality of vertical protrusions which are of different lengths and/or widths relative to one another.
12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the anatomical healing abutment/cap comprises one or more radiopaque markers.
13. The method as recited in claim 12 , the method further comprising taking a scan of the patient's oral cavity, using an imaging device.
14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the scan of the patient's oral cavity is taken using CT scan.
15. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the scan of the patient's oral cavity is taken using x-ray.
16. The method as recited in claim 13 , the method further comprising applying a radiopaque powder around a gingival cuff surrounding the anatomical healing abutment/cap so that the powdered surface better shows up on the scan.
17. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein inserting the scanning body or the impression post into the anatomical healing abutment/cap comprises inserting the impression post into the anatomical healing abutment/cap, the method further comprising taking an impression of the impression post, the anatomical healing abutment/cap, and surrounding surfaces.
18. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the plurality of vertical grooves are of different lengths relative to one another; and the plurality of vertical protrusions are of different lengths relative to one another.
19. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the plurality of vertical grooves are of different widths relative to one another; and the plurality of vertical protrusions are of different widths relative to one another.