Abstract:
A dental implant package for supplying a dental implant and healing screw without impacting the sterility thereof is disclosed. The package comprises an elongated tubular housing with an open first end and a closed second end for receiving the dental implant and a cap for closing the tubular housing. The cap has a retainer therein for holding a healing screw and is constructed and arranged so that the cap in the fully open position presents the healing screw and dental implant side-by-side.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a sterilizable packaging for transporting dental implants and related components. 
     The use of dental implants is commonplace in the practice of dentistry. To minimize the risk of infection, it is necessary to sterilize an implant prior to placement. To avoid the need to sterilize implants in the dental office, a number of manufacturers now provide sterilized implants to the practitioner. In an effort to deliver these sterile dental implants to dentists a number of dental implant packages have been developed. 
     It is important when packaging a dental implant, that the implant be readily accessible and provided in a convenient presentation to the dentist. If the implant is not easily accessible, the dentist may compromise the sterility of the implant in an attempt to access it. The need for a convenient packaging becomes more acute where multiple components such as an implant and a healing screw are involved. Optimally, both components will be readily accessible to the dentist. 
     A number of dental implant packages have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,788 to Jorneus et al. discloses a hermetically sealed glass capsule enclosing an dental implant. The dental implant rests with an inner sleeve which is held in place in the capsule by a spring. The implant can only be accessed by breaking the glass capsule. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,800 to Niznick discloses a dental implant package including a two-part handle that can be attached to the implant inside of the package. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,299 to Lazzara et al. discloses a dental implant package in which, in one embodiment, a dental implant and a related component are presented side by side. In an alternate embodiment, a dental implant compartment is provided with a cover which includes a compartment for the related component. In this alternate embodiment, however, the implant and related component are not presented side by side. 
     There is a need for sterilizable dental implant package structures which, when opened, present the implant and a healing screw in an accessible side-by-side relationship. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a dental implant package for supplying a dental implant and healing screw side-by-side to a dental practitioner in a field. The package comprises an elongated tubular housing for receiving at least a portion of the dental implant. The housing has an open first end and a closed second end and the length of the elongated tubular housing exceeds that of the dental implant. The package further comprises a cap closing the first end of the elongated tubular housing. The cap is attached to the first end of the housing via a connector configured so that when the package is opened, the healing screw is presented to the practitioner side-by-side with the dental implant. The cap and elongated tubular housing further are constructed and arranged so that the healing screw and dental implant are enclosed within the package when the cap is closed. The cap also comprises a retainer for the healing screw. Optionally, the package may further comprise a removable inner sleeve resting within the elongated tubular housing and enclosing at least a part of the dental implant when the implant is present in the package. 
     The present invention is also directed to a closed, sterilized dental implant package comprising an elongated capsule having a first end with an opening therein and a second end which is closed. The elongated capsule receives at least a portion of the dental implant. The package also includes a cap for closing the first end of the capsule. The cap is connected to the elongated capsule by a connector. Together the cap and the elongated capsule encompass the dental implant and healing screw. The cap is constructed and arranged to present the healing screw alongside the implant when the cap is fully opened. The cap further comprises a retainer for the healing screw. The package optionally comprises a removable inner sleeve for holding the dental implant. The removable inner liner rests in the elongated capsule and is supported by one or more optional sleeve stop surfaces therein. Finally, an optional base extends from the second end of the elongated capsule. 
     The present invention is also directed to an inventive package in combination with a dental implant and a healing screw and optionally closed and sterilized. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the inventive dental implant package. 
     FIG. 2 shows a side elevational cut-away view of the dental implant package. 
     FIG. 3 shows a side elevational cut-away view of the dental implant package of FIG. 2, with the cap fully opened. 
     FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the cap. 
     FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a retainer stop surface in the cap. 
     FIG. 6 shows a top view of the retainer in the cap. 
     FIG. 7 shows a side elevational view of the removable inner sleeve in cross-section. 
     FIG. 8 shows side an elevational view of the elongated housing in cross-section. 
     FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of an enclosure for holding the inventive packaging. 
     FIG. 10 shows the enclosure of FIG. 9 with the cover partially peeled away. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein specific preferred embodiments of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the inventive dental implant package, shown generally at 110, comprises an elongated tubular housing 114 having an open first end 118 and a closed second end 122. The elongated tubular housing has a length longer than the dental implant and is intended for receiving at least a portion of the dental implant. 
     Closing the first end 118 of tubular housing 114 is a cap 126 which, when removed from end 118 provides access to the implant located in elongated tubular housing 114. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, cap 126 is attached via a first hinge element 130 extending from exterior surface 134 of cap 126 and a second hinge element 138 extending from first end 118 of tubular housing 114. First hinge element 130 and second hinge element 138 cooperate so as to allow housing 114 to be opened at first end 118. Cap 126, elongated tubular housing 114 and hinge elements 130 and 138 are constructed and arranged so as to present a healing screw in a manner which allows for side-by-side access with a dental implant when cap 126 is removed from end 118 as shown in FIG. 3 and further to enclose the healing screw and dental implant within the dental implant package when cap 126 is on end 118, as shown in FIG. 2. Emanating from tubular housing 114 is a support surface 140 which is designed to provide support to cap 126 when healing screw 156 and dental implant 196 are presented side-by-side and pressure is applied to the cap, such as when a healing screw is removed therefrom. 
     Although cap 126 is shown attached to elongated housing 114 via a hinge structure, other forms of attachment are possible, for instance, a ball and socket joint or a flexible strip that is connected at one end to the cap and at the other end to the elongated housing. 
     Cap 126, as shown in FIG. 4, has a tubular section 150 emanating from the top 154 of the cap supporting a retainer 178 and holding at least a portion of healing screw 156. Four retainer stop surfaces 158 (two of which are shown, the remaining two situated opposite the two that are shown) emanate from the inner surface 162 of the cap. Retainer stop surfaces 158, as shown in FIG. 5, have a downward sloping first section 166, a shelf section 170 which is parallel to top 154 of cap 126 and a downward sloping second section 174. Shelf section 170 serves to hold a retainer shown generally at 178 in FIG. 6. While four retainer stop surfaces are depicted, the cap may have additional or fewer retainer stop surfaces. 
     Retainer 178 is substantially disk shaped and holds healing screw 156. Retainer 178 has a perimeter with notches 182 cut therein so as to cooperate with retainer stop surfaces 158 on the inner surface 162 of cap 126. For each retainer stop surface 158 there is a corresponding notch 182. Retainer 178 is held within cap 126 between tubular section 150 and shelf section 170 and further has a through-hole 186 through the center into which the healing screw is inserted. The diameter of through-hole 186 is such that the healing screw fits snugly therein. Retainer 178 has two perpendicular slots 190 extending through the center of the retainer to grip the healing screw. In other embodiments, more slots may be used. Retainer 178 is also arranged such that a bottom surface of the healing screw retained therein rests against the top 154 of cap 126 but within tubular section 150. 
     Dental implant package 110 may be provided with an optional removable inner sleeve, shown generally at 194 in FIG. 7, which rests within elongated tubular housing 114. Inner sleeve 194 is coaxial with tubular housing 114 and encloses at least a part of dental implant 196 when the implant is present in the package. Inner sleeve 194 has an annular top 198, an annular bottom 202, an inner surface 206 extending between annular top 198 and annular bottom 202 and an outer surface 210 extending between annular top 198 and annular bottom 202. A portion 214 of annular top 198 is optionally chamfered inward toward inner surface 206. Similarly, a portion 218 of annular bottom 202 is optionally chamfered toward outer surface 210 and a portion of annular bottom 202 may also be optionally chamfered inward toward inner surface 206. 
     The inner sleeve may have a constant outer diameter or may have one or more regions of differing diameter. The inner sleeve, as shown in FIG. 7 has an upper outer region 222 having a uniform first outer diameter and a lower outer region 226 having a uniform second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter. An optional chamfered outer transition region 230 extends between upper outer region 222 and lower outer region 226. Although chamfered outer transition region 230 is shown with a chamfer angle of about 45° relative to a horizontal reference plane, chamfer angles in a range of about 45° to about 90° are contemplated as well. 
     Further, inner sleeve 194 may have a constant inner diameter along the length of the sleeve or may have one or more regions of differing diameter. As shown in FIG. 7, inner sleeve 194 has an upper inner region 236 having a uniform first inner diameter and a lower inner region 234 having a uniform second inner diameter, the second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter. Although the inner diameter of the sleeve is shown as stepped, upper inner region 236 and lower inner region 234 may also be joined by a tapered region. 
     Optional inner sleeve 194 is supported by one or more sleeve stop surfaces shown at 240 in FIG. 8 and disposed on the inner surface of elongated tubular housing 114. In a preferred embodiment, four or more sleeve support stop surface are present along the inner surface of elongated tubular housing 114. 
     Use of sleeves of different heights and/or internal configurations allows the package to be used with implants of different sizing and/or configurations. 
     Dental implant package 110 may further be provided with an optional base 258, as shown in FIG. 1, extending downward and/or outward from closed second end 122 of elongated tubular housing 114. Base 258 has a top 262 and a bottom 266 and is optionally chamfered from top 262 to bottom 266. Base 258 may be integrally formed with elongated tubular housing as one piece or may be fixedly attached to the bottom of the elongated tubular housing. 
     While a wide variety of materials are contemplated for the cap and elongated tubular housing, it is preferred that the cap and housing be formed of a transparent or nearly transparent material so that the practitioner can view at least a portion of the contents before opening the package. It is further desirable that the material be resistant to gamma radiation so that the package contents may be sterilized with gamma radiation at assembly. Suitable materials include treated polycarbonates such as Lexan™, Cycolac™, Valox™, Noryl™ and Ultem™. In a preferred embodiment, the cap and housing are made of HDPE (high density polyethylene) while the retainer is made of polystyrene. 
     The inner sleeve is preferably made of a biocompatible material such as titanium or an alloy thereof. It is desirable for the inner sleeve to be made of substantially the same material as the dental implant. 
     In FIGS. 9 and 10, the inventive dental implant package is carried within an enclosure, shown generally at 280, having a recess 288 therein for receiving the dental implant package. Adjacent to recess 288 is a second recess 284 into which additional material such as product literature may be inserted. Enclosure 280 further has a removable cover 286 for covering recess 284 and recess 288 when the dental implant package is disposed therein. Enclosure 280 is preferably made from a transparent or translucent material so that at least part of product literature contained within may be seen through the side of the enclosure. The removable cover may be made of a material such as Tyvek™. 
     The dental implant package may be furnished with a marking to indicate the size or type of the dental implant contained within. The cap may also be provided with a marking to indicate the size or type of the implant and healing screw contained within. 
     The above Examples and disclosure are intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. These examples and description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the attached claims. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.