Method for manufacturing implant abutments for dental implants, and an implant abutment for a dental implant

1. A method for manufacturing implant abutments for dental implants, wherein the implant abutment comprises a prefabricated base member for joining the implant abutment to the dental implant, and a customized main body,

wherein

the main body is formed by sintering and/or melting pulverized material onto the base member using laser sintering and/or laser melting,

wherein the pulverized material is titanium powder or a powder containing titanium.

2. Method according to claim 1 ,

wherein

a laser beam travels point by point along a layer to be sintered and/or melted.

3. A method according to claim 2 ,

wherein

the laser beam is guided by a control unit on the basis of previously computed model data of a virtual implant abutment.

4. Method according to claim 1 ,

wherein

the base member is a connector element that is independent of the specific implant abutment.

5. Method according to claim 1 ,

wherein

the base member is prefabricated by CNC milling.

6. Method according to claim 1 ,

wherein

the base member is cast.

7. Method according to claim 1 ,

wherein

the sintered and/or melted material is given a ceramic coating.

8. Method according to claim 7 ,

wherein

ceramic coating is performed by electrophoresis.

9. Method according to claim 7 ,

wherein

ceramic coating is performed using laser sintering.

10. Method according to claim 7 ,

wherein

the ceramic coating is not applied to the base member.

11. A method for manufacturing implant abutments for dental implants, wherein the implant abutment comprises a prefabricated base member for joining the implant abutment to the dental implant, and a customized main body, comprising the steps of:

a. placing the base member in a well for receiving pulverized material;

b. putting said pulverized material into said well wherein the pulverized material is titanium powder or a powder containing titanium;

c. locating a laser beam emitter above said well such that it can reach substantially all points on said base member exposed within said well; and

d. building up layers of material onto said base member by melting said pulverized material onto the base member using laser melting in a succession of layers, said laser being computer controlled to melt said material in locations according to user specification.

12. A method for manufacturing implant abutments for dental implants, wherein the implant abutment comprises a prefabricated base member for joining the implant abutment to the dental implant, and a customized main body,

wherein the base member has a plain upper surface and the main body is formed by sintering and/or melting pulverized material onto said plain upper surface of the base member using laser sintering and/or laser melting

wherein the pulverized material is titanium powder or a powder containing titanium.

13. A method for manufacturing implant abutments for dental implants, wherein the implant abutment comprises a prefabricated base member for joining the implant abutment to the dental implant, and a customized main body,

wherein the main body is formed by sintering and/or melting pulverized material onto the base member using laser sintering and/or laser melting, and wherein the base member is positioned on a platform such that a substantially plain surface of an upper part of the base member is positioned in a plane of a surface of a table of an apparatus for laser sintering or laser melting wherein the pulverized material is titanium powder or a powder containing titanium.

14. A method for manufacturing implant abutments for dental implants, wherein the implant abutment comprises a prefabricated base member for joining the implant abutment to the dental implant, and a customized main body,

wherein the main body is formed by sintering and/or melting pulverized material onto the base member using laser sintering and/or laser melting;

and wherein one data set is both used for building up the main body and for building up a crown to be attaches to the main body wherein the pulverized material is titanium powder or a powder containing titanium.

15. A method for manufacturing implant abutments for dental implants,

wherein the implant abutment comprises a prefabricated base member for joining the implant abutment to the dental implant, and a customized main body,

wherein

the main body is formed by sintering and/or melting pulverized material onto the base member using laser sintering and/or laser melting,

wherein the pulverized material is titanium powder or a powder containing titanium;

wherein the base member is cast; wherein a laser beam travels point by point along a layer to be sintered and/or melted;

wherein the laser beam is guided by a control unit on the basis of previously computed model data of a virtual implant abutment; and

wherein the base member is a connector element that is independent of the specific implant abutment.