WO2013138821A1

WO2013138821A1 - A dental implant

Info

Publication number: WO2013138821A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2013/000012
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frederick Cornelius Janse Van Rensburg
Original assignee: Frederick Cornelius Janse Van Rensburg
Priority date: 2012-03-15
Filing date: 2013-03-14
Publication date: 2013-09-19
Also published as: ZA201407458B

Abstract

The invention provides a dental implant and abutment arrangement for use in a dental implant procedure for a dental prosthesis such as a crown. The implant procedure typically includes placement of the dental implant which is integrally formed with a machinable abutment arrangement into an osteotomy site before a dental prosthesis is connected to the implant, and machining said abutment arrangement to obtain a patient specific abutment arrangement profile that corresponds with said patient's gingival construction to provide a natural appearance around the prosthesis.

Description

A DENTAL IMPLANT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to dental implantology and, in particular, to an abutment arrangement for a dental implant, a dental implant, and use of same in a dental implant procedure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that dental implants go hand in hand with tooth reconstruction and allow people with missing teeth who struggled previously to eat, speak or smile, to do same with ease.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root. A person's jawbone fuses with a dental implant to provide a secure platform for a prosthesis, or artificial tooth. Typically, a dental implant consists of a metallic screw with a roughened surface and resembles a tooth root.

A common dental implant procedure requires the dental professional to use the dental implant to anchor the prosthesis. During this procedure, an osteotomy, or precision hole, is carefully drilled into jawbone where a tooth is missing and the implant is installed in the osteotomy. Thereafter, osseointegration, also known as healing and integration of the implant with jawbone, occurs over several months. An abutment is a connecting piece which joins the prosthesis to the dental implant and is generally made of titanium or zirconium. Installation of the dental implant and mounting of an abutment to the implant usually follows one another during the procedure. Alternatively, time is allowed to lapse therebetween so as to permit fusing of the jawbone to the implant before the abutment is mounted thereto. When the dental implant and abutment are mounted to each other, part of the abutment protrudes from a patient's gingiva. Restorations can then be bonded to said abutment to provide the prosthesis with an aesthetically pleasing tooth-like finish.

At the abutment/implant interface a prosthetic finish line is created. The height of the prosthetic finish line of currently available abutment and implant arrangements is usually very close to the abutment/implant interface and, as such, substantially below the gingival crest, making placing and polishing of said line extremely difficult inside the mouth. By creating a new prosthetic finish line at a level approximate the height of upper gingival areas, a dental professional's work would be considerably simplified. As a result easy access to the patient's mouth and abutment/implant interface is created and repeated disturbance of the peripheral gingival tissue surrounding the implant, which may be caused by removing and replacing of components, temporary abutments, and final restorations, can be eliminated.

A titanium abutment is relatively cheap in comparison to a zirconium abutment, but the metallic colour thereof becomes visible through a restored tooth. The tooth coloured zirconium abutment alleviates this problem, but provides further difficulties such as having a high degree of hardness and pre-contoured crest surfaces. Consequently, polishing and/or adaptation of tooth coloured zirconium abutments to suit the gingival anatomy of a specific patient is quite difficult.

It is also known that the colours of zirconium abutments are not aesthetically pleasing and need to be hidden underneath the gingival margin. Basic colours of zirconium are such that it is not possible to match it to normal enamel in both colour and opacity. Although, different shapes and sizes of zirconium abutments are available in the marketplace, dental technicians often struggle to customize the position and fitment of the zirconium abutment to shape and build up varying gingival contours as well as emergence profiles of the gingival tissue.

In this specification the following terms or expressions are used with the meanings indicated:

"chair-side" means a position or stance that a dental professional takes alongside a chair in which a dental patient is seated while the dental professional performs a dental investigation or procedure on said patient.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

This invention addresses the above mentioned problems and aims to eliminate the need for laboratory customization of dental implants as a new dental implant or an existing dental implant having a new abutment arrangement is positioned into an osteotomy site at a level easily accessible to a dental professional. Thus, a new prosthetic finish line is created at a more biologic-friendly height by using the new dental implant or an existing dental implant having a new abutment arrangement.

It is a further object of this invention to, at least in part, provide a dental implant solution that allows patients with varying gingival constructions to receive customized shaping and building up of gingival contours as aesthetically pleasing finishing of the implant/abutment interface can be obtained chair-side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In broad terms and in accordance with this invention there is provided a dental implant for facilitating the creation of a natural appearance around an implant borne prosthesis, the dental implant being integrally formed with an abutment arrangement which is intra-orally machinable chair-side so as to obtain a patient specific abutment arrangement profile that corresponds with said patient's gingival construction.

The invention also provides a dental implant for use in a dental implant procedure including: placement of the dental implant which is integrally formed with a machinable abutment arrangement into an osteotomy site before a dental prosthesis is connected to the implant; and machining said abutment arrangement to obtain a patient specific abutment arrangement profile that corresponds with said patient's gingival construction to provide a natural appearance around the prosthesis.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention there is provided an abutment arrangement operable to fit a dental implant, the abutment arrangement being intra-orally machinable chair-side so as to obtain a patient specific abutment arrangement profile that corresponds with said patient's gingival construction to provide a natural appearance around the prosthesis.

The invention also provides an abutment arrangement for use in a dental implant procedure including: installing a dental implant into an osteotomy site; connecting the abutment arrangement to the dental implant; and machining the abutment arrangement to obtain a patient specific abutment arrangement profile that corresponds with said patient's gingival construction, before a dental prosthesis is connected to the abutment arrangement.

There is further provided for the abutment arrangement to comprise a core portion and a machinable distal portion, the latter being, preferably, but not necessarily, separate from the former and cementable thereto so as to surround said core portion. Alternatively, the core and distal portions are integrally formed and of unitary construction, with the distal portion surrounding the core portion. There is further provided for the distal portion to have a suitable Rockwell hardness, so as to allow machining thereof.

Moreover, there is provided for the distal portion to comprise a colour that corresponds with colour of teeth adjacent to the crown.

Additionally, there is provided for the core portion to be metallic, preferably titanium or stainless steel.

In a particular embodiment of the invention the dental prosthesis is a crown.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention there is provided an abutment arrangement for use in a dental implant procedure including: installing a dental implant into an osteotomy site; mounting a metallic abutment, forming a core portion of the abutment arrangement, to said implant; cementing a distal portion of the abutment arrangement to fit around said core portion; manufacturing said distal portion to obtain a patient specific abutment profile that corresponds in divergence, convexity and peripheral gingival height with said patient's gingival construction. cementing a suitable crown onto said distal portion with the cementation being carried out on a level being substantially similar to the gingival height of the patient.

There is also provided for the manufacturing to be selected from machining or casting.

There is further provided for the distal portion to be selected from the group of materials consisting of glass-ceramics, such as lithium- disilicate glass ceramic, feldspar porcelain; alumina-based ceramics; micaceous dental material; densely sintered ceramic material; dental material in the form of porcelain with an aluminium oxide, zirconium oxide, or zirconium core; resin-based composites; and polymers obtained by reacting polyacrylic acid with a special anion-leachable glass, such as, alumina-silicate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying non-limiting diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a section view of a commonly known hollow implant as inserted into a patient's jawbone during tooth reconstruction;

Figure 2 shows a section view of a commonly known zirconium abutment connected to the implant of Figure 1 ; Figures 3 & 4show respective section views of a titanium abutment fitted to the hollow implant of Figure 1 , the titanium abutment forming a core portion of an abutment arrangement according to the invention;

Figure 5 shows a section view of a distal portion of the abutment arrangement in accordance with the invention, covering the core portion shown in Figures 3 and 4;

Figure 6 shows a section view of a reconstructed tooth fitted around the core portion of Figure 5, in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 7 shows a side view of a dental implant having an abutment arrangement integrally formed therewith in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, reference numerals 10.1 , 10.2, and 10.3 respectively represent three different embodiments of the invention and generally refer to a single piece abutment arrangement that can be fitted to a regular dental implant as shown in Figures 5 and 6; a composite abutment arrangement comprising a sleeve for fitment to a known abutment which, in turn, is mounted to a known implant, as shown in Figure 4; and a dental implant being integrally formed with an abutment arrangement, as shown in Figure 7. It should be understood that the exemplary embodiments 10.1 , 10.2, and 10.3 described below are not intended to limit the invention in any way, but are only provided to describe preferred embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates how a commonly used dental implant 2 is installed in an osteotomy, or precision hole 4, which is carefully drilled into jawbone 6 where a tooth is missing so that a tooth reconstruction can be effected at the site of the implant 2.

Figure 2 depicts how a prior art abutment 8, typically from Zirconium or titanium, is fitted to the implant 2 during an ubiquitous dental implant procedure. The dental procedure, in which any of these abutments are used with an implant, has a number of drawbacks as explained in the background to the invention.

Referring to Figures 3 to 6, the abutment arrangement 10.1 and composite abutment arrangement 10.2 both comprises a core portion 12 made from a metal such as titanium or a metal alloy, and a distal portion or sleeve 14 having a chair-side customizable and machinable porcelain base arranged to surround and cover the core portion 12. The core and distal portions 12, 14 of abutment arrangement 10.1 are of unitary construction with the distal portion 14 surrounding the core portion 12, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. In contrast, the core and distal portions 12, 14 of abutment arrangement 10.2 are separate from each other, but operatively, cementable, screwable, or otherwise connectable to one another, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The latter case, thus, allows dental professionals to make use of existing titanium abutments 12 and cement a distal portion or sleeve 14, which is machinable, onto the titanium abutment to cover same. Both abutment arrangements 10.1 , 10.2 allows dental professionals to create a "new" shoulder that lifts the cementation junction at the implant/abutment interface above or thereabout in relation to the gingival margin having so as to provide a "clinical clean" transitional zone which is also aesthetically pleasing.

It will be appreciated that other machinable materials may also be used for manufacturing the distal portion or sleeve 14. Such materials may, for example, be glass-ceramics, i.e., lithium-disilicate glass ceramic, feldspar porcelain; alumina-based ceramics; micaceous dental material; densely sintered ceramic material; dental material in the form of porcelain with an aluminium oxide, zirconium oxide, or zirconium core; resin-based composites; and polymers obtained by reacting polyacrylic acid with a special anion-leachable glass, such as, alumina-silicate. It is also envisaged that castable materials may be used when the distal portion or sleeve 14 is casted instead of being machined.

Typically, but not necessarily, the core portion 12 consists of a generally cylindrically cone shaped foundation 16 and elongate protrusion 18. Foundation 16 has an implant abutting end 20 opposite a soft tissue abutting end 22. Side walls 24 of foundation 16 taper at about 3 to 5 degrees from soft tissue abutting end 22 to the implant abutting end 20. A step 26, which is optionally present, is defined between the foundation 16 and the protrusion 18 while side walls 24 are shaped to be operatively in contact with internal side walls of implant 2. Protrusion 18, forming part of core portion 12, extends from the centre of step 26 and is laterally covered with the machinable porcelain base of the distal portion or sleeve 14 of said abutment arrangement 10.1 , 10.2. A substructure 30 of distal portion 14 is provided with side walls 32 that form a linear extension of side walls 24 and ends in a step 34, which encircles tubular part 36 and from which the tubular part 36 projects upwardly as it covers protrusion 18. It will be appreciated that either the tubular part 36 or the substructure 30 may be chairsideably machinable thereby allowing the dental professional to adjust and customize the abutment arrangement intra-orally so as to fit a patient specific gingival construction 38 and to provide a natural appearance around the prosthesis. Thus, an abutment arrangement 10.1 , 10.2 having a profile that corresponds in divergence, convexity and peripheral gingival height with said patient's gingival construction can be prepared.

Using angulated abutment arrangement 10.1 , 10.2 enables the dental implant professional to build the tooth in a downward angle that will be in line with the rest of the teeth and achieve an anatomically aesthetic result. Thus, a cementation line is created that will not disturb the surrounding tissues, and this new line of cementation can be accessed without difficulty and allows polishing thereof in the mouth saving time and money.

The invention, read with Figures 3 and 4, thus provides a dental implant procedure comprising installing a known implant 2 into an osteotomy and mounting a known metallic abutment 12, forming a core portion of an abutment arrangement 10.2, to implant 2. The procedure also typically includes cementing a distal portion or sleeve 14 around the metallic abutment 12 and then machining and polishing sleeve 14 to obtain a patient specific abutment profile that corresponds with the patient's gingival construction 38. Afterwards, a suitable dental prosthesis or crown 40 is mounted to sleeve 14 to complete tooth reconstruction.

Alternatively, and as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the invention provides a dental implant procedure comprising installing a known implant 2 into an osteotomy and mounting an abutment arrangement 10.1 comprising a core portion 12 and distal portion or sleeve 14 of an abutment arrangement 10.1 , to implant 2. The procedure also typically includes machining and polishing sleeve 14 to obtain a patient specific abutment profile that corresponds with the patient's gingival construction 38. Afterwards, a suitable dental prosthesis or crown 40 is mounted to sleeve 14 to complete tooth reconstruction.

Further alternatively, and as shown in Figure 7, implant 10.3 has an abutment arrangement as described for 10.2 which is integrally formed with a corresponding implant. It is anticipated that implant 10.3 can be located and secured as a complete unit in an osteotomy in the jawbone and have its distal portion 14 worked or machined during an initial implant procedure so that said procedure can be followed by construction of a dental prosthesis that fits over distal portion 14.

Typically, the distal portion 14 has suitable Rockwell hardness, so as to allow machining thereof. Portion 14 also allows colour variation and as such comprise a colour that corresponds with colour of teeth adjacent to the crown. It may be opaque internally to exclude the metal effect seen as a grey toned material underneath the esthetic porcelain crown.

It will be understood that the description and drawings is not intended to limit the extent of the invention, but rather it is intended to cover all modifications and methods, including: methods, for manufacturing components of abutment arrangement 10.1 ,10.2 or implant 10.3 falling within the spirit and the scope of the invention.

The abutment arrangement 10.1 , 10.2, implant 10.3, or the use thereof, as discussed in the present invention, provides a means by which an improved dental aesthetic result can be achieved, a dental professional's time is used more efficiently, and a patient is saved money by reducing laboratory cost and components needed.

The present invention also presents a prosthetic finish line at a workable location intra-orally at a fracture of cost for zirconium abutments currently available. The abutment arrangement 10.1 , 10.2, or implant 10.3 is further securable first-time out within a patients mouth and can be worked intra-orally without the need to remove components etc. thereby enhancing a proper seal formation of keratinized tissue around the prosthesis.

Claims

1. A dental implant for use in a dental implant procedure including: placement of the dental implant which is integrally formed with a machinable abutment arrangement into an osteotomy site before a dental prosthesis is connected to the implant; and machining said abutment arrangement to obtain a patient specific abutment arrangement profile that corresponds with said patient's gingival construction to provide a natural appearance around the prosthesis.

2. An abutment arrangement for use in a dental implant procedure including: installing a dental implant into an osteotomy site; connecting the abutment arrangement to the dental implant; and machining the abutment arrangement to obtain a patient specific abutment arrangement profile that corresponds with said patient's gingival construction, before a dental prosthesis is connected to the abutment arrangement.

3. An abutment arrangement, which comprises a core portion and a machinable distal portion, the latter being separate from the former and cementable thereto so as to surround said core portion.

4. An abutment arrangement, which comprises a core portion and a machinable distal portion, the latter being integrally formed and of unitary construction, with the distal portion surrounding the core portion.

5. An abutment arrangement as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the distal portion has a suitable Rockwell hardness, so as to allow machining thereof.

6. An abutment arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the distal portion comprises a colour that corresponds with colour of teeth adjacent to the crown.

7. An abutment arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the core portion is of titanium or stainless steel.

8. An abutment arrangement for use in a dental implant procedure including: installing a dental implant into an osteotomy site; mounting a metallic abutment, forming a core portion of the abutment arrangement, to said implant; cementing a distal portion of the abutment arrangement to fit around said core portion; manufacturing said distal portion to obtain a patient specific abutment profile that corresponds in divergence, convexity and peripheral gingival height with said patient's gingival construction; and cementing a suitable crown onto said distal portion with the cementation being carried out on a level being substantially similar to the gingival height of the patient.