IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,653,646
Granted Patent B2
US 12,653,646 · App. 17/926,478 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Dental attachment assemblies, angled implant assemblies, and methods of use

Inventors: Steven Pelote (Carlsbad, CA); Michael Schulzki (Carlsbad, CA); Tom Stratton (Carlsbad, CA); Maxwell Mckinnon (Carlsbad, CA); Eller Torres (Carlsbad, CA)
Assignee: ZEST IP HOLDINGS, LLC
A61C8/0068A61C8/0062A61C8/0095A61C13/2656
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,653,646
App. No.
17/926,478
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Dental attachment assemblies for a mouth of a patient are provided. Contemplated dental attachment assemblies may include an abutment member, and a retention member for attachment to the abutment member. The retention member may have an upper end and a continuous, unbroken skirt projecting from the upper end for fixed, non-patient removable, fixed engagement over an outer locating surface of the abutment member. The retention member can be constructed from a rigid material, such as PEEK, such that it provides a retentive force of about 10 to 75 pounds. The abutment member may be configured for attachment to an implant having an upper portion including a threaded portion configured to screw into a threaded recess of an abutment, and a lower portion including an angled platform and a threaded post extending from the platform.

Claims (15)

1 . A method of converting a patient removable state of a dental assembly to a non-patient removable state of the dental assembly, comprising:

disengaging a patient removable retention member of a dental assembly from an abutment of the dental assembly disposed in an oral cavity of a patient, wherein the patient removable retention member comprises an inner surface portion configured to engage with a portion of an outer locating surface of the abutment, to form a patient removable snap engagement configured to be disengaged by a patient; and

engaging a non-patient removable retention member with the abutment to form a non-patient removable engagement, to convert a patient removable state of the dental assembly to a non-patient removable state of the dental assembly, wherein the non-patient removable retention member is configured to engage with the abutment to provide a retentive force of from 10 to 75 pounds to form the non-patient removable state when an inner surface portion of the non-patient removable retention member engages with at least one portion of an outer locating surface of the abutment to form the non-patient removable engagement.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-patient removable retention member is less elastic than the patient removable retention member.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient removable retention member is made of a nylon plastic.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-patient removable retention member is constructed from a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after removing the patient removable retention member of the dental assembly from the abutment, removing the patient removable retention member from a cavity of a first cap of the dental assembly.

6 . The method of claim 5 ,

wherein replacing the patient removable retention member with the non-patient removable retention member occurs after removing the patient removable retention member from the cavity of the first cap of the removable dental assembly, and wherein replacing the patient removable retention member with the non-patient removable retention member comprises placing the non-patient removable retention member within the cavity of the first cap.

7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

prior to removing the patient removable retention member of the removable dental assembly from the abutment and removing the patient removable retention member from the cavity of the first cap, placing a prosthesis in a mouth of a patient, wherein the first cap is positioned in a recess of the prosthesis, and wherein the patient removable retention member is positioned in the cavity of the first cap.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

removing the prosthesis from the mouth of the patient; and

after removing the prosthesis from the mouth of the patient, placing the prosthesis in a mouth of a patient, wherein the first cap is positioned in the recess of the prosthesis, and wherein the non-patient removable retention member is positioned in the cavity of the first cap.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2023
From: PELOTE, STEVEN; SCHULZKI, MICHAEL; STRATTON, TOM; MCKINNON, MAXWELL; TORRES, ELLER
To: ZEST IP HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 064583/0318 →
Continuity (10)
Continuation In Part 17703512 · Mar 24, 2022
Continuation In Part 17499683 · Oct 12, 2021
Continuation In Part 17499671 · Oct 12, 2021
Continuation In Part 17499683 · Oct 12, 2021
Continuation In Part 17499665 · Oct 12, 2021
Continuation In Part 17478320 · Sep 17, 2021
Continuation In Part 17478320 · Sep 17, 2021
Continuation In Part 17394275 · Aug 4, 2021
Continuation In Part 17394275 · Aug 4, 2021
Related Publication 20240216111A1 · Jul 4, 2024
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