Dental healing abutment

A dental healing abutment assembly having a tubular holder and a plurality of removable nestable shells. Each nestable shell has a proximal end and a distal end open to permit the nesting of the shell with the holder or other nestable shells. The proximal end of each nestable shell is defined by a base plate. The tubular holder and the nestable shells each have a pass through hole for accommodating a mounting member. The healing abutment assembly is attached to a dental implant impacted in a patient's jawbone by way of the mounting member.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of dental implants and in particular to a healing abutment customizable in emergence profile and size.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Single tooth dental implant systems are well known in the prior art. An important system for replacing a single tooth is comprised of several parts, namely, an implant, at least one abutment, and a prosthesis. First, the implant is placed into the jawbone. The implant is generally a threaded metal member that acts as a root for the eventual prosthesis, or crown. The implant fuses to the jawbone through osseointegration. This process can take as long as six months. The implant is generally cylindrical with a threaded hollow opening extending in a longitudinal direction.

A second procedure may be required for placement of a healing abutment. An incision is made in the gingival tissue to expose the implant. A healing abutment is threadably engaged with the implant. The healing abutment allows gingival tissue to heal prior to the placement of a permanent abutment. In addition, the healing abutment maintains proper spacing in the oral cavity before the prosthesis is placed. After the gingival tissue heals around the healing abutment, the healing abutment is removed and replaced with a permanent abutment. At this point, the gingival tissue again may be given an opportunity to heal around the permanent abutment and a temporary cap may be placed on the permanent abutment for aesthetic purposes. Next, a prosthesis is molded to fit onto the permanent abutment and between surrounding teeth. The prosthesis is affixed to the abutment through any known means, such as adhesive, a screw, or other mechanical means. U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,111 provides an example of this state of the art.

Healing abutments are well known in the prior art. However, the prior art does not disclose healing abutments that are adjustable in terms of size and emergence profile. Rather, the prior art requires dentists to maintain an inventory of plural abutments of varying size and emergence profile to account for natural variations in the shape and size of dental cavities in different patients. The inventory management of abutments of different shapes and sizes is costly and complicated. Thus, it would be desirable to have a healing abutment assembly that avoids the costs and complications of the prior art.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a healing abutment assembly, and to a dental implant system that includes a healing abutment assembly. The healing abutment assembly has removable layers that allow for customization in emergence profile and size.

The healing abutment assembly of the present disclosure may include or be used with a dental implant. The dental implant has a first end and a second end, the second end being defined by an opening, that may include an array of internal threads. The first end is configured to be implanted through the gingival tissue and into the alveolus of the jaw bone. The opening in the second end may be closed selectively by a cap or other known means. The implant is configured to permit the jawbone to grow around the implant, thereby permanently holding the implant in an impacted position. For example, the outer surface of the implant may be textured or coated in a manner that will promote bone ingrowth.

After the implant is secured to the jawbone through osseointegration, a healing abutment assembly is secured to the implant. The healing abutment assembly preferably comprises a holder that may be substantially tubular. The holder has a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and an inner surface. The inner surface defines a hollow portion that traverses the holder in a longitudinal direction from the first end to a position substantially near the second end. The hollow portion preferably is substantially centered along a longitudinal axis of the holder. A flange preferably extends in from the inner surface of the holder adjacent to the second end to define an opening. The diameter of the opening is less than the diameter of portions of the hollow portion adjacent to the first end and may be substantially equal to the diameter of the opening in the implant.

The healing abutment assembly includes at least one, and preferably several, nestable shells. As used herein, “nestable” refers to the stackable property of the shells that allow them to be combined in a surface-to-surface contact. Each nestable shell has opposite proximal and distal ends. The distal end of each nestable shell is open to receive either the holder or another one of the shells. A base plate extends across the proximal end and is configured to be mounted substantially adjacent the second end of the holder and/or the second end of the implant. The base plate may be substantially circular and may have an outer surface that is circumferentially aligned with the outer surface of the holder and/or the second end of the implant. The base plate also has an opening that can be registered with the opening in the implant. Each nestable shell further has a side wall that flares radially outward from the outer surface of the base plate. The side wall has an inner and an outer surface. The inner surface of the side wall is configured to nest securely with either the outer surface of the holder or the outer surface of another of the nestable shells. The outer surface of the side wall preferably curves upward and flares outwardly from the proximal end to the distal end. The top surface of the side wall is substantially flush with the first end of the holder. The outer surface of at least one of the nestable shells is configured to nest closely with the inner surface of the side wall of another of the nestable shells.

The healing abutment assembly may further include a mounting member, such as a screw, that passes through the opening of the holder and through the openings in the base plates for attachment to the implant.

Each nestable shell may be separated from adjacent nestable shells to adjust the diameter of the healing abutment assembly, allowing a dentist to fit the healing abutment assembly between the surrounding teeth. When the preferred number of nestable shells have been removed, an incision is made in the gingival tissue to expose the second end of the implant. The cap or other closing means is removed from the implant and the screw of the healing abutment assembly is engaged with the hollow opening of the implant, thereby tightly securing the healing abutment assembly in place. The healing abutment assembly remains secured in the implant until the gingival tissue can grow around the healing abutment assembly. In the secured position, a top side of the healing abutment assembly, defined by the distal ends of each side wall and the holder, is covered by gingival tissue.

After the gingival tissue has grown around the healing abutment assembly, a second incision is made in the tissue to expose the healing abutment assembly. The healing abutment assembly is disengaged from the implant and replaced by a permanent abutment. A prosthesis then is affixed to the permanent abutment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. As shown inFIGS. 1-3, a healing abutment assembly1is shown having: a holder9, a plurality of nestable shells19and a mounting member39. The healing abutment assembly1of the present disclosure may include or be used with an implant3. The implant3has a first end5and a second end7. The first end5of the implant3is configured to be implanted through a section of gingival tissue41and into the alveolus of a jawbone43. The second end7is defined by an opening6. In the preferred embodiment, the opening6is defined by an array of internal threads. The opening6may be closed selectively by a cap (not shown) or other known closure means. The implant3is placed in the jawbone43by a surgical procedure and is anchored to the jawbone43through osseointegration.

After the implant3is secured to the jawbone43, the healing abutment assembly1is secured to the implant3. The healing abutment assembly1comprises a substantially tubular holder9. The holder9has a first end10, a second end11, an outer surface12, and an inner surface13. The inner surface13defines a hollow portion14traversing the holder9in a longitudinal direction from the first end10to a position substantially near the second end11. The hollow portion14is substantially centered in the holder9. A flange15extends inward from the inner surface13at the second end11to define an opening16in the second end11. The diameter of the opening16is less than the diameter of the hollow portion14. The diameter of the opening16should be substantially equal to the diameter of the opening6in the implant3.

The healing abutment assembly1includes at least one, and preferably several, nestable shells19a,19b,19c. Each nestable shell19a-chas a proximal end21and a distal end23, the proximal end being closest to the implant3and the distal end being further from the implant3. The distal end23of each nestable shell19a-cis open to permit nesting with the holder9or with another of the shells. A base plate25having an outer surface27extends across the proximal end21of each nestable shell19a-cand is configured to be mounted substantially in registration with the second end11of the holder9. In the preferred embodiment, the base plate25is substantially circular and the outer surface27is circumferentially aligned with the outer surface12of the holder9. The base plate25has an opening29that can be registered with the opening6in the implant3and the opening16in the holder9.

Each nestable shell19a-chas a side wall31that extends from the proximal end21to the distal end23, and that flares radially outward from the outer surface27of the base plate25. The side wall31has an inner surface33and an outer surface35. The inner surface33of the side wall31is configured to nest securely with either the outer surface12of the holder9or the outer surface35of another of the nestable shells19a-c. In the preferred embodiment, the outer surface35of the side wall31curves upward and flares outwardly. However, in a second embodiment, as shown inFIG. 6, the outer surfaces135of the side walls131can be conically generated to define a constant linear slope that flares outward from the base plate at an angle between 0° and 90°. The top surface37of the side wall31is substantially flush with (i.e. coplanar with) the first end10of the holder9. The outer surface35of at least one of the nestable shells19is configured to nest closely with the inner surface33of the side wall31of another of the nestable shells19.

The healing abutment assembly1further comprises a mounting member39, preferably a screw, that passes through the hollow portion14of the holder9. The head38of the screw is dimensioned to be substantially larger than the diameter of the opening16of the holder9. The threaded portion40of the mounting member39is configured to be threadably engageable with the internal threads17of the opening6of the implant3.

In the preferred embodiment, the healing abutment assembly1is aligned symmetrically with the implant3as shown inFIG. 4. However, in some instances, the implant3must be asymmetrically aligned with the healing abutment assembly1. As shown inFIG. 5, a second embodiment of the invention is provided to allow for attachment of the healing abutment assembly1with an asymmetrically aligned implant3. In this embodiment, the hollow portion14and the opening16of the holder9, as well as the openings29of the nestable shells19a-c, are off-center from the longitudinal axis of holder9to provide for flexibility in the placement of the healing abutment assembly1.

In the preferred embodiment, the holder9is made of plastic. However, in alternate embodiments, the holder9may be formed from any bio-compatible material.

With reference toFIG. 7, the method of attaching the healing abutment assembly1to the implant3is herein described. The width of a space where the healing abutment assembly1is to be inserted is measured. Based on the width measurement, a dentist determines the preferred emergence profile and size of the healing abutment assembly1. The dentist adds or removes one or more nestable shell19to closely match the preferred width of the healing abutment assembly1as determined by the physiology of the patient. The screw39is inserted through the hollow portion14of the holder9so that the threaded portion40is inserted through the opening16and the opening(s)29in the base plate25of the nestable shells19. The threaded portion40is next inserted through the opening6in the second end7of the implant3. The screw39is engaged with the opening6until the healing abutment assembly1is securely fastened.

Although the disclosure herein has been described with reference to particular illustrative embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present disclosure. Therefore numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, which is defined by the appended claims.