US-12616558-B2 - Direct-snap dental abutment systems

Abstract

Example dental assemblies and methods involve snap-fitting a denture or other dental prosthesis to a patient's jaw. In some examples, an implant is anchored to the jaw, an abutment is screwed to the implant, and a head of the abutment snaps directly into a pocket created in the dental prosthesis. In some examples, a polymeric cap couples the abutment's head to the pocket. Based on coordinate data from a CT or intraoral scanner, the pocket can be created by CNC milling or 3D printing. The method eliminates the need for bonding a metal housing or casing to the dental prosthesis.

Inventors

• Patrick C. Bell
• Michael A. Mathews
• Thomas J. Arendt
• Leo J. Malin

Assignees

• Patrick C. Bell
• Michael A. Mathews
• Thomas J. Arendt
• Leo J. Malin

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230401

Claims (15)

1. 1 . A dental assembly connectable to a jaw of a patient, the dental assembly comprising: a dental prosthesis to be attached to the jaw, the dental prosthesis comprising a pocket inner surface defining a pocket in the dental prosthesis, the pocket having a pocket rim ID, the pocket inner surface being of a first material selected from the group consisting of a polymer and a zirconia-based ceramic; and an abutment comprising a head extending from an abutment body, the head having selectively an engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the dental prosthesis, the head having a snap-fit head OD, at least most of the head being sized to fit within the pocket, the abutment body being connectable to the jaw of the patient, the head engaging the pocket inner surface when the head is in the installed position, the head being spaced apart from the dental prosthesis when the head is in the removed position, and the snap-fit head OD being greater than the pocket rim ID, wherein the abutment comprises a base material coated with titanium nitride, and the first material of the dental prosthesis is harder than the base material.
2. 2 . The dental assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an implant attachable to the jaw, and the abutment body being attached to the implant by way of a threaded connection.
3. 3 . The dental assembly of claim 1 , wherein the head of the abutment has a titanium nitride coating.
4. 4 . The dental assembly of claim 1 , wherein the snap-fit head OD is 0.001 to 0.006 inches larger than the pocket rim ID.
5. 5 . The dental assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dental prosthesis is a first unitary monolithic structure including the pocket inner surface.
6. 6 . The dental assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dental prosthesis is a first unitary monolithic structure including the pocket inner surface, and a combination of the abutment body and the head is a second unitary monolithic structure.
7. 7 . The dental assembly of claim 1 , wherein the head comprises a frustoconical portion with an apex angle substantially equal to 43 degrees.
8. 8 . A dental assembly connectable to a jaw of a patient, the dental assembly comprising: a dental prosthesis to be attached to the jaw, the dental prosthesis comprising a pocket inner surface defining a pocket in the dental prosthesis, the pocket having a pocket rim ID, the pocket inner surface being of a first material selected from the group consisting of a polymer and a zirconia-based ceramic; a polymeric cap comprising a plug extending from a cap body, the plug having selectively an installed position and a removed position relative to the dental prosthesis, the plug comprising a polymeric outer surface, the plug having a plug OD on the polymeric outer surface, the cap body defining a cap receptacle having a cap mouth ID, the plug being sized to fit within the pocket, the polymeric outer surface engaging the pocket inner surface when the plug is in the installed position, the plug being spaced apart from the dental prosthesis when the plug is in the removed position; an abutment comprising a head extending from an abutment body, the head having selectively an engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the polymeric cap, the head having a snap-fit head OD, at least most of the head being sized to fit within the cap receptacle, the abutment body being connectable to the jaw of the patient, the head engaging the polymeric cap when the head is in the installed position, the head being spaced apart from the polymeric cap when the head is in the removed position, and the snap-fit head OD being greater than the cap mouth ID; and an adhesive between the plug and the pocket inner surface.
9. 9 . The dental assembly of claim 8 , further comprising an implant attachable to the jaw, and the abutment body being attached to the implant by way of a threaded connection.
10. 10 . The dental assembly of claim 8 , wherein the head of the abutment has a titanium nitride coating.
11. 11 . The dental assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plug OD is 0.001 to 0.006 inches larger than the pocket rim ID.
12. 12 . The dental assembly of claim 8 , wherein the snap-fit head OD is 0.001 to 0.006 inches larger than the cap mouth ID.
13. 13 . The dental assembly of claim 8 , wherein the dental prosthesis is a first unitary monolithic structure including the pocket inner surface.
14. 14 . The dental assembly of claim 8 , wherein the dental prosthesis is a first unitary monolithic structure including the pocket inner surface, and the polymeric cap is a second unitary monolithic structure.
15. 15 . The dental assembly of claim 8 , wherein the abutment comprises a base material coated with titanium nitride, and the first material of the dental prosthesis is harder than the base material.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE This patent generally pertains to dentistry and more specifically to abutments for connecting a denture or other dental prosthesis to a patient's jaw. BACKGROUND Dental implants and prostheses have been used for decades to replace missing teeth and have become an increasingly popular treatment option due to their durability, reliability, and natural appearance. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are surgically placed into the jawbone to support replacement teeth or bridges, while dental prostheses are artificial teeth that are designed to replace one or more missing teeth. Abutments are small connectors for fastening a dental prosthesis to an implant. To create a custom-fitted prosthesis, a dentist will typically take impressions or molds of the patient's teeth and jaw. In addition or alternatively, the dentist may also use CT scans and CAD/CAM technology to create three-dimensional images of the jaw, including images of any teeth, implants and fiducial markers that may exist. The images can be used to help design and fabricate a custom prosthesis. Prostheses can be made from a variety of materials, including acrylic and ceramic. Overall, dental implants and prostheses are effective and long-lasting treatment options for patients with missing teeth. With advances in technology and materials, dentists are able to create custom-fitted prostheses that look and function like natural teeth, helping patients to regain their confidence and oral health. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of an example dental abutment about to be screwed into an implant that's attached to the jaw of a patient, wherein the implant and jaw are shown in cross-section, and the dental assembly is constructed in accordance with the teachings disclosed herein. FIG. 2 is a top view of an example upper dental prosthesis taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a top view similar to FIG. 2 but showing an example lower dental prosthesis. FIG. 4 is a front view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the dental abutment attached to the implant. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the abutment and implant of FIGS. 1 and 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 but showing an angular abutment attached to an implant but not yet connected to a dental prosthesis. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the dental prosthesis snapped onto the angular abutment. FIG. 8 is a front view similar to FIG. 4 but showing a straight abutment and an angular abutment attached to the jaw. FIG. 9 is a front view similar to FIG. 8 but showing the dental prosthesis snapped onto the two abutments. FIG. 10 is a front view similar to FIG. 8 but showing two straight abutments attached to the jaw. FIG. 11 is a front view of another example dental abutment about to be screwed into an implant that's attached to the jaw of a patient, wherein the implant and jaw are shown in cross-section, and the dental assembly is constructed in accordance with the teachings disclosed herein. FIG. 12 is similar to FIG. 11 but showing the abutment attached to the implant and showing a polymeric cap attached to the dental prosthesis. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the abutment, the polymeric cap, and the implant of FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 14 show end views comparing the snap-fit head OD of a straight abutment and an angular abutment. FIG. 15 show end views comparing an abutment's snap-fit OD to the pocket rim ID and relief ID of a pocket in a dental prosthesis. FIG. 16 show end views comparing an abutment's snap-fit OD to the cup mouth ID and relief ID of a polymeric cap. FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing various steps of a dental method in accordance to the teachings disclosed herein. FIG. 18 is a flow diagram showing various steps of a dental method in accordance to the teachings disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1-18 pertain to devices, assemblies, systems and methods for snap-fitting a dental prosthesis 10 (e.g., dental prosthesis 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d) to a jaw 12 of a patient 14. The terms, “snap-fit” and “snap-fitting” refer to two interlocking parts such that as the two parts are being pressed together, an interference fit between the two parts is initially relatively tight but is subsequently looser upon reaching the final fully connected configuration of the two parts. Snap-fitting parts often provide a tactile or audible click when pressed together. A snap-fit is one example of removable means for connecting two or more parts. The term, “removable means” refers to parts that can be separated without breaking any bonding material or parts. The terms, “dental prosthesis” and “dental prosthetic” refer to any structure attachable to a patient's jaw, wherein the structure includes a feature that resembles at least one tooth. Some examples of a dental prosthesis include an upper denture, a lower denture, a crown, a set of crowns, bridges, etc. In the illustrated e