Patent ID: 9452029
Filing Date: 2016-09-27
CPC Classification: A61C,A61K

Claim Text:
1. A method for securing a dental appliance in a subject's mouth by a dental professional, comprising the steps of: engaging a first, attachment portion of an abutment into an existing non-vital tooth root, implant, or intermediary abutment, a second portion of the abutment outside the non-vital tooth root, implant, or intermediary abutment having a convex outer surface and a socket having an open end facing away from the first, attachment portion; retentively engaging a head portion of a one-piece removable ball through the open end of the socket with the head portion in swivel engagement in the socket, the removable ball having a shaft extending from the head portion and secured to a cap that is secured to or integral with a dental appliance; and retentively engaging a concave surface portion of the cap in face to face engagement over the convex outer surface of the abutment; wherein the head portion is in swivel engagement in the socket during use of the dental appliance to allow a range of divergence between the cap and the abutment, and a retention force is provided by the retentive engagement of the removable ball into the abutment.