Fixed hybrid dental attachment assembly and methods of use
A dental attachment assembly is provided, which includes an abutment member for attachment to a tooth root, implant, or adjacent tooth. The abutment member has an upper end, and an outer locating surface portion projecting downwardly from the upper end, the outer locating surface portion being positioned to project above a tissue level when the abutment member is secured in a tooth root or implant. The dental attachment assembly includes a male member for attachment to the abutment member, the male member having an upper end including a swivel joint for swivel engagement within a cap in a recess in a dental appliance, and a continuous, unbroken skirt projecting from the upper end of the male member for engagement over the outer locating surface of the abutment member, the skirt having a rounded, convex outer surface, the male member being constructed from a rigid material.
1 . A dental attachment assembly convertible between a patient-removable state and a non-patient-removable state by interchanging retention members, the dental attachment assembly comprising:
an abutment member configured to attach to a tooth root, implant, or adjacent tooth, the abutment member having
an upper end, and
an outer locating surface portion extending downwardly from the upper end, the outer locating surface portion configured to extend above a tissue level when the abutment member is secured in a tooth root or implant;
a cap configured to be in a recess of a dental appliance;
a non-patient-removable retention member comprising a snap engaging portion configured to couple to the abutment member to form a non-patient-removable attachment to the abutment member based on a retentive force of 10 to 75 pounds to convert the dental attachment assembly to a non-patient-removable state, the non-patient-removable retention member having an upper end comprising a swivel joint configured to form swivel engagement within the cap in the recess in the dental appliance, and a continuous, unbroken skirt extending from the upper end of the non-patient-removable retention member to engage over the outer locating surface portion of the abutment member, the continuous, unbroken skirt having a rounded, convex outer surface, the non-patient-removable retention member comprising a rigid material configured to provide the retentive force of 10 to 75 pounds when the non-patient-removable attachment forms to convert the dental attachment assembly to the non-patient-removable state;
wherein the abutment member comprises an engaging portion configured to engage the snap engaging portion of the non-patient-removable retention member to form snap engagement between the non-patient-removable retention member and the abutment member based on the retentive force of 10 to 75 pounds, wherein the outer locating surface portion is outwardly tapered at least adjacent the upper end of the abutment member for centering the non-patient-removable retention member over the abutment member as the engaging portion engages the snap engaging portion;
wherein the abutment member is configured to engage with a patient-removable replacement retention member to form a patient-removable attachment to the patient-removable replacement retention member to convert the dental attachment assembly to a patient-removable state based on a retentive force of less than 10 pounds, wherein the patient-removable replacement retention member comprises:
a resilient material more resilient than the rigid material to provide the retentive force of less than 10 pounds when the patient-removable attachment forms to convert the dental attachment assembly to a patient-removable state,
a second upper end, and
a second continuous, unbroken skirt extending from the second upper end over the outer locating surface portion of the abutment when the abutment member is engaged with the patient-removable replacement retention member, in place of the first-non-patient-removable retention member, and
wherein the cap has a cavity configured to contain the swivel joint, the cavity having a concave inner surface to be disposed over the outer surface of the continuous, unbroken skirt when the snap engagement forms, wherein the swivel joint and cap cavity together permit swiveling of the cap relative to the non-patient-removable retention member of the dental appliance converted to the non-patient-removable state when the dental attachment assembly is in the non-patient-removable state and the snap engagement is formed.
2 . The dental attachment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rigid material is PEEK.
3 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the abutment member has a socket extending inwardly from the upper end of the abutment member and a retention head extends from the upper end of the non-patient-removable retention member for releasable snap engagement in the socket.
4 . The assembly as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the retention head has a lower end, and the continuous, unbroken skirt extends downwardly beyond the lower end of the retention head, whereby the continuous, unbroken skirt will contact the abutment member before the lower end of the retention head reaches the socket on insertion of the non-patient-removable retention member into the abutment member.
5 . The assembly as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the retention head does not extend downwardly beyond the lower end of the continuous, unbroken skirt, whereby the lower end of the continuous, unbroken skirt contacts the abutment member prior to any other part of the attachment assembly.
6 . The assembly as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the abutment member has a weep hole connecting the socket to the outside of the abutment member for allowing saliva to escape.
7 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outer locating surface portion terminates at a predetermined location above the tissue level when the abutment member is secured in a patient's mouth.
8 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the abutment member comprises a generally cylindrical head having a lower end spaced below said upper end.
9 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the continuous, unbroken skirt has an inner surface of predetermined height which is concave and does not contact the outer locating surface portion of the abutment member along at least a major portion of the height of the inner surface when the non-patient-removable retention member and abutment member are secured together.
10 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outer locating surface portion of the abutment member has a pair of diametrically opposed elongated notches for engagement with an insertion tool for engaging the abutment member with an implant.
11 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the abutment member has a minimum height of 1.75 mm.
12 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the abutment member has a minimum height of 2.75 mm.
13 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the abutment member comprises a generally cylindrical head having a convex outer surface portion adjacent said upper end, and the non-patient-removable retention member is generally cup-shaped with an internal cavity for fitting over said generally cylindrical head, the continuous, unbroken skirt having a concave inner surface portion for snap engagement over said convex outer surface portion to releasably secure the members together.
14 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the abutment member has a head portion at the upper end and a shaft depending downwardly from the head portion.
15 . The assembly as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the shaft is at a predetermined angle to the head portion.
16 . The assembly as claimed in claim 15 , including a plurality of abutment members for selective engagement with the tooth root, implant or adjacent tooth, including a non-patient-removable abutment member having a shaft aligned with said head portion, a second, angled abutment member having a shaft at an angle of 10° to said head portion, and a third, angled abutment member having a shaft at an angle of 20° to said head portion.
17 . The assembly as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the outer locating surface portion of said head portion is convex.
18 . The assembly as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said abutment member has a through bore extending from the upper end to said lower end, and the non-patient-removable retention member has a retention head extending from its upper end for releasable snap engagement in said through bore.
19 . The assembly as claimed in claim 18 , wherein said continuous, unbroken skirt has a lower end extending beyond said retention head for contacting said abutment member before said retention head reaches the upper end of said abutment member.
20 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a generally cup shaped member having a central longitudinal axis, a top wall and an annular side wall extending away from the top wall, the top wall and annular side wall having an outer surface shaped to engage with a recess in a dental appliance;
the top wall having an interior top surface with a concave recess extending radially in an annular path along an outer annular peripheral portion of the interior top surface, the concave recess forming a curve having a first radius of curvature; and
the curve of the concave recess continuing along at least part of the inner surface of the annular side wall towards an open end of the rounded, concave inner surface of the cavity; and
wherein the non-patient-removable retention member has a central, longitudinal axis, and wherein the curve is configured to provide swivel engagement of the cap with the non-patient-removable retention member between a non-swiveled position with the central, longitudinal axis of the generally cup shaped member of the cap in axial alignment with the central longitudinal axis of the non-patient-removable retention member, and a fully-swiveled position in which the central longitudinal axis of the generally cup shaped member of the cap is at an angle to the central longitudinal axis of the non-patient-removable retention member.
21 . The cap of claim 20 , further comprising a central portion of the interior top surface which protrudes vertically into the cavity, the protruding central portion adapted to contact a central portion of an opposing surface of the first-non-patient-removable retention member in the non-swiveled position.
22 . The cap of claim 20 , wherein the curve of the concave recess and inner surface of the side wall of the cavity comprise a plurality of consecutive tangent circular arcs having different radii of curvature along the length of the curve from the top wall along the side wall.
23 . The cap of claim 22 , wherein the radii of curvature of the series of consecutive tangent circular arcs increase in size from the interior top surface towards an open end of the rounded, concave inner surface of the cavity.
24 . The cap of claim 23 , wherein there are three consecutive tangent circular arcs along the curve of the concave inner surface of the cavity.
25 . The cap of claim 24 , wherein the consecutive tangent circular arcs have radii of 0.034, 0.042 and 0.093 inches, respectively.
26 . The cap of claim 20 , wherein an outer diameter of the cap is approximately 5.4 millimeters (mm) and a height of the cap is approximately 2.3 mm.
27 . The cap of claim 20 , wherein the swivel engagement of the concave recess of the cap with respect to the non-patient-removable retention member between the non-swiveled and fully-swiveled position is up to approximately 30 degrees.
28 . The cap of claim 20 , wherein the concave recess in the interior top surface of the cap is adapted to provide a space between the interior top surface and an opposing first end of the non-patient-removable retention member in the non-swiveled position and to engage an opposing outer surface portion of the non-patient-removable retention member in the fully-swiveled position.