Abstract:
An orthodontic implant comprised of one or two bony attachments, and, if there are two, one is smaller and affixed to the opposite end of the emerging portion, while the other utilizes a screw placed through an aperture. The smaller affixed portion is a tapered tac with the opposite emerging portion receiving an “O” ring removable cap onto which an adjustable rod can be contoured as needed after the implant has been affixed to bone.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Orthodontic implants have become increasingly popular in the past few years because of the need for absolute anchorage and the diminishing cooperation patients are exhibiting. Two basic types of implants are available, namely the single screw placed in the dentoalveolar bone between tooth roots and the skeletal miniplate attached to basal bone apical and away from the proximity of the roots. 
   The advantages of the single screw implant with a variety of head designs, depending on the manufacturer, include ease of placement, which can be performed by an orthodontist, and which is atraumatic and is less expensive. The disadvantages include possible root penetration, poor bony anchorage, limitation on the type of force vectors which can be utilized, bony insertion at an undesirable angle in order to avoid root damage, insertion more apically than desired so as to avoid root damage and the tendency to unscrew if the created moment tends to unwind the screw. Another disadvantage that frequently surfaces, particularly in the mandibular arch, is soft tissue proliferation at the emergence of the implant. The resultant hyperplastic tissue can sometimes completely engulf the exposed end making monthly adjustments difficult. By placing the implant emergence at or near the mucogingival junction, which is often difficult because of root proximity, this undesirable soft tissue response is avoidable. 
   The advantages of the multiscrew skeletal miniplate include better anchorage and hence larger magnitudes of force application, no or greatly reduced potential for root damage, better ability to withstand all forces in all directions and reduced chance of implant failure. The soft tissue response is much improved because emergence can approximate the mucogingival junction. The disadvantages include cost, more difficult placement and accompanying surgery and longer post-operative recovery. Placement will generally require the skills of an oral surgeon. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The orthodontic implant according to this invention is designed for ease of insertion, adjustability of a wire or tube affixed to a cap which is held onto the emerging portion of the implant, fixation into bone at one or two separate locations, one of said fixations being a tapered tac over which a tool can be placed, and wherein a few light blows with a small hammer drive the tac a few millimeters into cortical bone. If only one fixation point is utilized, the tac is omitted. The second fixation point, if two penetrations are desired, is located more apically and hence reducing the danger of root damage, is home to a large diameter and longer bony screw which is inserted through the appropriately sized aperture. 
   The cap being internally angular, as is the emerging portion of the anchor, can be rotated in a number of directions hence changing the location and direction of the wire or tube permanently affixed thereto. The cap is easily removed from the implant thus affording the practitioner the ability to modify the length and configuration of the attached or emerging wire while the cap is securely maintained by an “O” ring fitting into a groove within the implant head. 
   A special sliding tube fits onto the arch wire thus permitting the clinician to stabilize the sliding tube wherever desired and then deliver forces directly along the archwire if so desired. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an orthodontic anchor in accordance with this invention; 
       FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  2 C are top plan views of modified designs of the plate element of the anchor; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing placement of the anchor; 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view with a cross-sectional view of the anchor; 
       FIG. 4A  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the anchor; 
       FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7  and  8  show operation of the anchor in connection with an archwire; 
       FIG. 9  is a partial exploded view of a modification of the anchor; 
       FIGS. 10A ,  10 B and  10 C depict different applications of the anchor “O” ring; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a modification of the implant; 
       FIGS. 12 ,  13  and  14  show modified versions of the cap securing means; 
       FIG. 15  is an elevational view of a further modification of the anchor; 
       FIG. 16  is an enlarged perspective view showing another modification of the anchor; 
       FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  17 - 17  in  FIG. 16 ; and 
       FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  18 - 18  in  FIG. 17 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with this invention, the orthodontic anchor or implant is viewed in  FIG. 1  and comprises plate  1  which is a thin sheet of biocompatible material such as titanium through which at its more occlusal opening a shaft of material is inserted and attached thereto which has at its bony surface side a tapered, grooved, short tac  2  which can penetrate the dense, outer layer of cortical bone. Tac  2  is about 3 mm in length and about 1.4 mm in diameter at its widest dimension. Emerging from the gingival side of the body is angular head  3  with groove  4  located near its distal end. Fitting over angular head  3  is cap  5  which is also internally angular so as to fit snugly over angular head  3 . An “O” ring  6  is contained within cap  5  by a groove formed on the inner surface of cap  5  such that when cap  5  is pressed onto angular head  3  the “O” ring locks into groove  4  in angular head  3 . An extension wire  7  is either attached to the top of cap  5  directly or extends from an appropriately sized angular tube which has been attached to the cap. This extension wire permits the clinician to adjust the wire into a number of configurations and locations. Likewise by rotating cap  5  before placement on angular head  3 , the position of extension wire  7  can be varied. Also, major anchor screw  8  is inserted through an appropriately sized orifice  9  formed in plate  1  and screwed deeper into the bone after tac  2  has been used to position and stabilize plate  1 . Major anchor screw  8  is similar in size to a conventional single screw implant and is approximately 5-7 mm in length and 1.7-2.2 mm in diameter at its largest dimension. 
     FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  2 C show modifications to plate  1  such that thin, bendable projections  10  are added for additional stabilization by utilizing osseointegration on, around and over these thin projections. 
     FIG. 3  depicts three mandibular posterior teeth with plate  1  placed such that head  3  is emerging at the mucogingival junction  11  with larger orifice  9  located more apically where there is greater distance between the roots. 
     FIGS. 4 and 4A  show all aspects of the implant according to this invention. A layer of dense cortical bone  12  is penetrated by both tac  2  and screw  8  while looser medulary bone  13  is pierced primarily by screw  8 . The implant is placed under soft tissue periostium  14  while cap  5  enters slightly into the soft overlying gingival connective tissue  15 . Archwire  16  is contained within bracket  17  which is in turn attached to the buccal surface of a tooth  18 . As shown in  FIG. 4A , contoured extension wire  7  fits into an opening  19  on sliding tube  20  and is stabilized laterally by projection  21  which extends therefrom. 
     FIG. 5  is a buccal view of a clinical situation in which it is desirable to stabilize the more anterior teeth while moving the molar towards them. Sliding tube  20  fits onto the archwire  16  and is pressed against bracket  17  by extension wire  7  held against archwire  16  by projection  21 . A force can then be applied from bicuspid tooth  22  or cuspid tooth  23  to molar tooth  24  thereby permitting the molar tooth to slide on archwire  16  through its own buccal tube  25 . 
     FIG. 6  is an occlusal view of the same scenario with archwire  16  extending through molar buccal tube  25  and onto which sliding tube  20 , with its stabilizing projection  21 , help contain extension wire  7 . Sliding tube  20  is held firmly against bracket  17  by extension wire  7 . Extension wire  7  is also attachable to archwire  16  by other known tubes, brackets and attachment wires. 
     FIG. 7  is a buccal view of a clinical situation in which it is desirable to stabilize the more posterior molar  24 , while retracting the anterior teeth including the cuspid  23 . The extension wire  7  presses the sliding tube against molar buccal tube  25 , thereby preventing molar mesial movement while retracting the anterior teeth into the extraction site. 
     FIG. 8  shows an extruded molar and the insertion of cap  5  at a rotation resulting in extension wire  7  being approximately parallel to archwire  16  rather than perpendicular to the archwire as depicted in  FIGS. 5-7 . With extension wire  7  in this location, vertical forces  26  can be positioned anywhere along extension wire  7  to direct the desired intrusion force. 
     FIGS. 9 ,  10 A,  10 B and  10 C show a modification to the “O” ring-cap retention mechanism in that the “O” ring fits on the outside of cap  5  rather than inside cap  5  with the cap modified to only contain, in the “O” ring region, two contoured pillars  27 . An elliptically shaped “O” ring shown in  FIG. 10C , thicker in its short axis and thinner in its long axis, encircles cap  5  and is held in place by inwardly bowed pillars  27  which interconnect two separate sections of cap  5 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . The thicker sections of the “O” ring would extend into groove  4 . 
     FIG. 11  is similar to  FIG. 4  and shows a different head extending through the gingival mucosa. Occlusally to the head is attached gingival  28  while apically to the head is loose connective tissue  29 . The tapered implant  2  is inserted at the mucogingival junction  11 . The extruding portion of the implant, as depicted in  FIG. 11 , is a modification of that described in  FIG. 1  in that cap  5  is open at both ends and is positioned below groove  4  and “O” ring  30  fills groove  4 . “O” ring  30  is larger in diameter than the outer dimension of cap  5  thereby preventing the displacement of cap  5 . 
     FIGS. 12 ,  13  and  14  show three additional ways cap  5  is secured to the extruded portion of the implant. In  FIG. 12 , flexible wire  31  is permanently attached to cap  5  at one end while free to move at the other end. The spring action of the wire keeps cap  5  affixed to the anchor head by engaging in groove  4 . In  FIG. 13 , a flexible ring is inserted into groove  4  and is removed at will by inserting an instrument into the small portion  32 . In  FIG. 14 , hooks  33  are an integral part of cap  5  and an elastomeric chain  34  is attached from hook to hook with the center hole fitting around shaft  3  and resting in groove  4 . 
     FIG. 15  depicts a single anchor without plate  1  designed to be inserted singularly into bone and with a protruding head and cap as shown in  FIGS. 11-14 . The anchor includes bony screw portion  2 , long angular shafts  3 , short groove  4  and small angular portion  3   a . A cap, as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 14 , fits over long angular shaft  3 . An “O” ring disposed in groove  4  or one of the attaching means of  FIGS. 5 ,  12 ,  13  or  14  are adaptable to secure the cap in place.