IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,564,480
Granted Patent B2
US 12,564,480 · App. 18/064,747 · Granted Mar 3, 2026

Smart dental implant system for ambulatory dental care

Inventors: Geelsu Hwang (Wynnewood, PA); Hye-Eun Kim (Philadelphia, PA); Jonathan Korostoff (Philadelphia, PA); Albert Kim (Philadelphia, PA)
Assignees: THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA; TEMPLE UNIVERSITY—OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
A61C8/0006A61C8/0012A61C8/0068A61L27/10A61L27/50A61N5/0601H02N2/181H02N2/186H10N30/852A61L2400/12A61L2430/12A61N2005/0606A61N2005/0652
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,564,480
App. No.
18/064,747
Granted
Mar 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Smart dental implant systems and methods for ambulatory dental care are provided. In some embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes a crown, adapted to mimic a patient's anatomy and location of the smart dental implant system. The crown can include piezoelectric nanoparticles, disposed on a surface of the crown and adapted to generate electricity from a patient's oral motion. In some embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes an abutment, coupled to the crown. The abutment can include an energy harvesting circuit, operationally coupled to the piezoelectric nanoparticles and adapted to harvest the electricity, and a micro LED array, operationally coupled to the energy harvesting circuit and adapted to photobiomodulate surrounding peri-implant soft tissue.

Claims (28)

1 . A smart dental implant system for ambulatory dental care of a patient, comprising:

a crown, adapted to mimic a patient's anatomy and location of the smart dental implant system, further comprising piezoelectric nanoparticles, disposed on a surface of the crown, wherein the piezoelectric nanoparticles are adapted to generate electricity from oral motion of the patient, wherein the oral motion includes one or more of chewing, biting, and brushing; and

an abutment, coupled to the crown, further comprising:

an energy harvesting circuit, operationally coupled to the piezoelectric nanoparticles, adapted to harvest the electricity; and

a micro LED array, operationally coupled to the energy harvesting circuit, wherein the micro LED array is adapted to photobiomodulate surrounding peri-implant soft tissue.

2 . The smart dental implant system of claim 1 , further comprising a metal post, adapted for insertion into a jawbone of the patient, and a retaining screw, adapted to couple the metal post to the abutment.

3 . The smart dental implant system of claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric nanoparticles are disposed in a dental material on the surface of the crown.

4 . The smart dental implant system of claim 3 , wherein the piezoelectric nanoparticles are barium titanate nanoparticles.

5 . The smart dental implant system of claim 4 , wherein the barium titanate nanoparticles are disposed in the dental material at a concentration of between 1% and 40% by weight.

6 . The smart dental implant system of claim 4 , wherein the barium titanate nanoparticles are infused with a ceramic dental material by a sintering process.

7 . The smart dental implant system of claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric nanoparticles are further adapted to have an anti-biofilm effect.

8 . The smart dental implant system of claim 1 , wherein the energy harvesting circuit further comprises an AC-to-DC rectifier, adapted to convert the electricity into a DC voltage, and a power management unit, adapted to store the DC voltage.

9 . The smart dental implant of system of claim 1 , wherein the abutment further comprises an LED driver circuit, adapted to generate two different voltage levels and frequencies such that the micro LED array is adapted to photobiomodulate surrounding peri-implant soft tissue at multiple wavelengths.

10 . The smart dental implant system of claim 1 , wherein the micro LED array further comprises at least four micro LED disposed, disposed 90 degrees apart, such that the micro LED array is adapted to photobiomodulate surrounding peri-implant soft tissue.

11 . The smart dental implant system of claim 1 , wherein the crown is further adapted to have sufficient mechanical strength to withstand large biting forces by a two-phase composite configuration.

12 . A method of promoting healthy tissue and preventing bone loss at an interface of a dental implant and soft tissue of a patient, comprising:

inserting a metal post into a jawbone of the patient;

coupling a dental implant to the metal post, wherein piezoelectric nanoparticles are disposed on a surface of the dental implant such that the piezoelectric nanoparticles generate electricity from oral motion of the patient, wherein the oral motion includes one or more of chewing, biting, and brushing;

harvesting the electricity from the piezoelectric nanoparticles as harvested electricity; and

photobiomodulating surrounding peri-implant soft tissue with the harvested electricity.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the dental implant is coupled to the metal post with a retaining screw.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the harvesting includes converting the electricity into a DC voltage and storing the DC voltage as the harvested electricity.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising fusing the piezoelectric nanoparticles to a dental material to create the dental implant.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the piezoelectric nanoparticles are barium titanate nanoparticles.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the barium titanate nanoparticles are disposed in the dental material on the surface of the dental implant at a concentration of between 1% and 40% by weight.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the barium titanate nanoparticles are infused in the dental material as a bulk material by a sintering process.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the piezoelectric nanoparticles repel biofilm adhesion and block subsequent biofilm colonization on the dental implant.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the photobiomodulating includes multiple wavelengths.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2023
From: KIM, ALBERT
To: TEMPLE UNIVERSITY - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Reel/Frame 065770/0283 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2023
From: HWANG, GEELSU; KIM, HYE-EUN; KOROSTOFF, JONATHAN
To: THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Reel/Frame 065712/0156 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation PCTUS2021037223 · Jun 14, 2021
Provisional Application 63038494 · Jun 12, 2020
Related Publication 20230107743A1 · Apr 6, 2023
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