Abstract:
The invention relates to a dental implant comprising an implant body provided with a central receiving opening, a structural element provided with a journal engaging in the receiving opening, and a tension bolt which penetrates a borehole of the structural element and is screwed into an inner thread located in the receiving opening. First and second indexing elements are arranged in an apical region of the structural element, in order to pre-define the rotational position of the structural element in relation to the implant body. The at least one first indexing element is associated with the implant body or the structural element in a rotationally fixed manner, and at least two second indexing elements are associated with the structural element or the implant body in a rotationally fixed manner. The indexing elements extend especially at least partially into the region of the conical outer surface of the journal.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a dental implant. 
     Known from EP 0 707 835 B1 is such a dental implant that is embodied in two phases and has an implant body that can be anchored in the jawbone and a structural part that can be jointed thereto by means of a tension screw. The implant body contains a central receiving opening that has a conical inner surface opening to the coronal end and furthermore has in the inner end area an inner thread for anchoring the tension screw. The structural part contains a through-hole through which the tension screw passes, whereby in a head area of the structural part that faces the oral cavity the through-hole has an expansion for receiving a head of the aforesaid tension screw. The structural part furthermore contains a pin that engages at least partially in the receiving opening and that has a conical outer surface that matches the conical inner surface of the receiving opening. The aforesaid conical surfaces are advantageously embodied such that there is a self-locking cone connection between the implant body and the structural part joined by means of the tension screw. This positive-fit and form-fit conical connection ensures that the structural part is lastingly secure against rotation of the structural part with respect to the implant body, whereby functionally-secure tension is provided and/or ensured by means of the tension screw. Moreover, the gap-free and play-free conical connection reliably prevents bacteria and other pathogens from penetrating into the interior of the dental implant. For placing the implant body into an appropriately prepared opening or bore in the jawbone, the implant body contains in its coronal area or the coronal end surface placement elements for a placement tool, such as for instance occlusally opening slits for a screwdriver. In this two-phase dental implant, the structural part can be positioned steplessly with the implant body in terms of the longitudinal axis so that in particular special measures are necessary when impressions required for fashioning the superstructure and/or in the dental laboratory in order to maintain conformal alignment of the structural part relative to the implant body. 
     Furthermore, known from DE 94 17 182 U1 is an implant kit intended for tooth replacement, the implant body of which, when connected to the conical inner surface, has an indexing element embodied as a polygonal receiving element. Analogously, the structural part also contains, as an indexing element, a polygonal element in the axial direction adjacent to the conical outer surface. The conical inner surface is disposed inside a head part of the implant body, the aforesaid head part having an outer surface that expands conically toward the coronal end surface of the implant body. The indexing elements are disposed in an area in which the implant body does not have a thread on the outside. The implant body does not have an outer thread for anchoring in the jawbone until it is spaced axially from the indexing elements, and the outer thread extends from approximately the center of the longitudinal extension of the implant body to its apical end. Since the indexing elements are provided axially adjacent to the conical inner surface of the implant body, the conical inner surface of the implant body extends only across a small part of its entire length so that only a quite small and axially short connecting surface is available for the cone connection to the structural part. 
     Moreover, known from DE 299 20 283 U1 is an implant kit, the structural part of which, or where necessary a separate spacing element, can be fixed in the implant body in a rotationally stable manner via a cone connection and a central fixing screw or tension screw. The structural part is provided with a plurality of female molds in which a male mold of the implant body engages, in a rotationally stabilizing manner, as an indexing element in order to assure the structural position. The male mold pin is disposed in an axial area of the implant body in which the latter does not have a outer thread. In addition, the aforesaid area has only a short axial length in comparison to the entire length of the implant body, specifically largely in the quite short head area of the implant body. The aforesaid male mold pin is an additional component that projects radially from outside through the implant body into the area of the cone connection, whereby a not insignificant degree of complexity is required for precise arrangement and alignment. 
     Finally, known from DE 101 29 684 A1 is a structural part, called a tooth or jaw segment, on a base support or implant body. For joining the structural part to the implant body, an additional connecting element embodied as a double cone is provided that is inserted on the one hand into a conical recess of the structural part and on the other hand into a conical recess of the implant body. The double-cone connecting element has a positive-fit element corresponding to the implant body, whereby however the angle of rotation position of the structural part can be freely specified with regard to the double-cone connecting part. Conforming alignment of the structural part to the implant body is not possible. 
     The underlying object of the invention is therefore to further develop the dental implant of the aforesaid type having low structural complexity and/or structural volume such that in terms of the longitudinal axis a defined alignment, hereinafter referred to as indexing, of the structural part with respect to the implant body can be specified. The interactions and advantages for the aforesaid cone connection should also be retained. It should be possible to dimension and embody the dental implant according to the specific requirements in the different functional areas, such as in particular cone connection, indexing, thread connection. In addition, disadvantageous effects that various functional areas have on one another and in particular with respect to an outer thread should be avoided and the requirements in terms of loadability and/or service life should be lastingly satisfied to a large degree. Moreover, an uncomplicated implant system should be created that enables selectively on the one hand stepless adjustment of the rotation position or on the other hand a defined specification of the rotation position of the structural part with respect to the implant body. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The suggested dental implant is distinguished by a functionally appropriate design, whereby the rotation position of the structural part can be specified in a defined manner with respect to the implant body due, on the one hand, to the first and second indexing elements of the implant body, which correspond to one another and/or engage in one another, and due to the structural part, on the other hand. The indexing element or elements of the structural part are inventively arranged in its apical area, in particular the conical outer surface. Adjacent occlusally to the coronal end of the implant body is an annular zone that extends preferably largely to the coronal end surface and in which the conical outer surface of the structural part is positioned gap-free and play-free against the associated conical inner surface of the implant body. The aforesaid annular zone is preferably disposed at least in part in the area of the implant body in which the latter preferably has no outer thread. Alternatively, however, the implant body can also have no thread-free area in the coronal area, the outer thread advantageously having a shallower thread depth in the coronal area. In such embodiments, the aforesaid annular zone is thus disposed radially within the outer thread, in particular its thread area having a shallower thread depth. The indexing elements advantageously reach axially at least partially into the area of the conical surfaces of the pin and/or of the implant body, whereby conical surfaces are located in the circumferential direction between the indexing elements. The indexing elements are disposed axially largely in the area of the implant body in which the latter has an outer thread with a shallower depth than in the area of its apical end. Due to the inventively provided allocation of the indexing elements or parts thereof to the threaded area of the outer thread, in which the latter has a relatively shallow thread depth, the implant body has a wall thickness commensurate with the strength requirements, even when the outer diameter of the implant is small. 
     In a preferred manner, the inventive implant body has a thread-free area in the direction towards the coronal end adjacent to the outer thread and in particular its area having a shallower thread depth. After implantation of the implant body, this thread-free area and/or the coronal end of the implant body are disposed in a jawbone, at least approximately and/or largely in the area of the upper edge of the jawbone. In a preferred manner, an annular zone is disposed radially inward with respect to the aforesaid thread-free area, and in this annular zone the conical surface areas of the implant body and of the receiving part, which areas are embodied closed across the circumference, are positioned against one another under tension. In the alternative embodiment of the implant body without the thread-free area, the aforesaid annular zone also reaches at least approximately to the coronal end of the implant body. Moreover, the implant body is preferably embodied, at least in the coronal end area, with a largely cylindrical outer contour, whereby this area is embodied either thread-free or preferably with the outer thread having a shallower thread depth. The inventive implant body preferably does not have a head area expanded conically to the coronal end, which head area after implantation would be disposed inside and/or at least partially outside of the upper edge of the jawbone. 
     The placement and/or screw-in elements, preferably arranged in the coronal end area, in particular in the coronal end surface, of the implant body, are arranged spaced apart from the inventively provided indexing elements corresponding to the axial length of the aforesaid annular zone. It is of special significance that the placement elements on the one hand and the indexing elements on the other hand are embodied and arranged independent of one another and thus can be dimensioned corresponding to the requirements. Due to the inventive functional separation of the placement elements and the indexing elements, any changes in shape or damage to the placement elements during placement or screwing in of the implant body into the jawbone will not have any negative effects on the indexing or specification of the rotation position of the structural part with respect to the implant body. 
     The inventive dental implant advantageously has three functional areas that are independent of and/or separate from one another, specifically the placement elements on the coronal end area of the implant body, the annular zone having the conical surfaces of the structural part and of the implant body, which surfaces are located against one another closed tight and gap-free around the entire circumference, and the apical area with the indexing elements of the structural part and of the implant body, which indexing elements preferably engage one another in a positive fit. 
     In the framework of the invention, in one alternative embodiment, the placement and/or screw-in elements can be arranged within the implant body and/or within the central receiving opening. In this case, the placement and/or screw-in elements can be arranged interiorly at or near the coronal end just like in the interior of the receiving opening, like for instance between the indexing elements and the inner thread for the tension screw. In the framework of the invention, the placement and/or screw-in elements can also be combined with or embodied as the indexing elements of the implant body. Furthermore, in accordance with the invention the placement and/or screw-in elements can be integrated into the cone surface of the implant body and/or the latter can be used preferably in combination with an adapter. Such an adapter has an outer cone surface corresponding to the cone surface of the implant body and is joined in a suitable manner to the implant body for implantation thereof such that the forces or torques for placing and/or screwing in the implant body into the jawbone can be at least partially transmitted by means of the adapter via the aforesaid cone surfaces. Finally, in one special embodiment of the invention, the placement and/or screw-in elements can be embodied by combining the indexing element or elements of the implant body with its conical inner surface, in particular in combination with an adapter that has a corresponding conical outer surface and at least one corresponding indexing element. The aforesaid adapters are detachably joined to the implant body such that they can be removed from the implant body after the implantation. 
     In accordance with the invention, at least one first indexing element and furthermore at least two second indexing elements are present. Thus in one special embodiment the implant body has the at least one first indexing element that is embodied as a rib oriented radially inward towards the longitudinal axis, while the structural part has a specified number of the second indexing elements that are embodied as grooves in the apical area and/or in the conical outer surface of the structural part. Corresponding to the number of the second indexing elements of the structural part, the latter can assume a corresponding number of rotation positions or angle of rotation positions about the longitudinal axis with respect to the implant body. Preferably two first indexing elements are arranged diametrically. 
     In the framework of the invention, in one alternative embodiment the implant body can have a specified number of second indexing elements embodied as grooves, while the structural part has at least one first indexing element that is embodied as a rib that is oriented radially outward. It is obvious that for a number of the first indexing elements that is greater than 1 the angle distribution of the first indexing elements about the longitudinal axis and the angle distribution of the second indexing elements are matched to one another such that the structural part can be positioned in specified different angle of rotation positions with respect to the implant body. 
     In one special embodiment, the indexing element or elements are a component of an additional body, in particular a sleeve, that is fixed, rotation-fast, in particular in the apical area of the receiving opening, embodied as a blind borehole, of the implant body and is preferably pressed therein. Furthermore, in the framework of the invention a separately produced body can be joined rotation-fast at the apical end of the structural part and can have at least one indexing element that is preferably embodied as a rib and that projects into the area of the conical outer surface of the structural part. Such a body produced separately from the dental implant, whether separately from the implant body and/or the receiving part, ensures precise production and/or embodiment of the indexing elements. Alternatively, in the framework of the invention the indexing elements can be integral components of the implant body and/or of the structural part. 
     Moreover, the invention relates to an implant system having dental implants of the type indicated in the foregoing and in the following using the exemplary embodiments and furthermore more in the patent claims. The implant bodies have in particular different outer diameters and lengths for different indications. Moreover, the structural parts can above all have differently embodied head areas and/or the latter can be arranged at different angles to the longitudinal axis of the pin. The central receiving openings of the implant bodies on the one hand and the pins of the structural parts are embodied and/or matched to one another in the inventively suggested manner, however. 
     Suggested as a special embodiment of the invention is an implant system that includes structural parts, having the second indexing elements, which parts are embodied consistent for differently configured implant bodies. The implant system contains at least one implant body having the first indexing elements explained in the foregoing and furthermore at least one implant body without such indexing elements. These two types of implant bodies of the implant systems can, as is known, have different lengths and/or diameters, depending on the indication. In contrast, the structural parts that for their part can also be embodied differently, for instance with a head area coaxial with the pin or angled at different angles, are provided for both types of implant bodies. Thus it is possible to index the rotation position, or even to specify it in a stepless manner, depending on the medical indication, for the correctly embodied structural parts. In the inventive implant system, the same structural parts are used for the indexing and for the stepless adjustment of the rotation position, so that the complexity in terms of production, inventory, and supply is significantly reduced. If, moreover, separate bodies and/or the aforesaid sleeves are provided for the indexing elements, in particular in the implant body, the complexity of the implant body is significantly reduced, since apart from the separate body, the implant bodies are initially produced so that they are consistent and then depending on the purpose they are used for they are equipped with the separate body that has the indexing elements. 
     Moreover, suggested as an alternative special embodiment of the invention is an implant system that contains consistently embodied implant bodies for differently configured structural parts. This implant system thus contains at least one structural part having the first indexing elements explained in the aforesaid and at least one structural part without such indexing elements. Thus there are two types of structural elements present that in a known manner have different dimensions and designs depending on the indication, whereby the foregoing explanations regarding the implant having differently configured implant bodies apply analogously. 
     Further developments and special embodiments of the invention are provided in the subordinate claims and in the following description. 
     Special exemplary embodiments of the inventive dental implant are explained in greater detail using the drawings, without this resulting in limitations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts an axial longitudinal section of the dental implant; 
         FIGS. 2, 3  depict the structural part in perspective and in partial cut-away; 
         FIGS. 4, 5  depict the body having two indexing elements and produced separately embodied as a sleeve; 
         FIGS. 6-9  are sections and a perspective depiction of another exemplary embodiment of the dental implant having indexing elements embodied as toothed rings; 
         FIG. 10  is a section, similar to  FIG. 8 , but with modified tooth geometry; 
         FIGS. 11-14  are sections and a perspective depiction of another exemplary embodiment of the dental implant having indexing elements embodied as rounded teeth; 
         FIGS. 15-18  are sections and a perspective depiction of another exemplary embodiment of the dental implant having indexing elements embodied as hexagons. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with  FIG. 1 , the two-phase dental implant contains an implant body  2  having a central receiving opening  4  and a structural part  6 , the pin  8  of which engages in the receiving opening  4 . In its largely cylindrical outer surface  10  the implant body  2  is provided with an outer thread  11 , indicated using the broken lines, and has at its apical end  12  a spherically rounded end surface  14 . Proceeding from the apical end  12 , which is to be inserted into the jawbone, the shape of the thread flank changes, preferably continuously, in the occlusal direction or toward the coronal end  16 . In one special embodiment, the outer thread  11  has a thread core that tapers conically toward the apical end  12 . Alternatively, the outer thread  11  and/or its core can be embodied in a stepped manner. Furthermore, the thread flank of the aforesaid thread oriented occlusally toward the coronal end  16  is advantageously embodied as a planar surface and the thread flank that changes shape and that is oriented apically is embodied in a curved, concave manner. Adjacent to the outer thread  11  in the direction of the coronal end  16 , the implant body  2  advantageously has a thread-free area  17 . At the coronal end  16  or in the coronal end surface present there the implant body  2  contains placement and/or screw-in elements  18  embodied as transverse grooves that make it possible to place and screw the implant body into the jawbone using an appropriate placement tool. It is expressly stated at this point that in the framework of the invention the outer geometry and/or the inner geometry of the implant body, whether its outer thread or the thread-free area or the placement and/or screw-in elements, can be embodied corresponding to the statements in the foregoing. The structural part  6  contains a head area  20  that projects out of the implant body  2  and that is angled at a specified angle to the longitudinal axis  22  and that serves to attach a superstructure or tooth replacement. 
     The central receiving opening  4 , embodied as a blind hole, contains an inner surface  24  that proceeds largely from the coronal end  16  and that opens conically towards the latter and furthermore contains an inner thread  26  towards the apical end  12 . A tension screw  30  passes through the structural part  6  that has a through-hole  28 , which is coaxial with the longitudinal axis  22 , and arranged at its inner end is a threaded sleeve  32 , created for instance by laser welding. The threaded sleeve  32  has an outer diameter that is greater by a specified amount than the inner diameter  33  of the through-hole  28  and/or than the outer diameter of the part of the tension screw  30  that passes through the though-hole  28 . The outer thread of the threaded sleeve  32  engages the aforesaid inner thread  26  of the implant body  2 . As can be seen, the tooth tips of the threaded sleeve  32  are on a diameter that is significantly larger than the inner diameter  33  of the through-hole  28 . In other words, the inner diameter  33  of the through-hole  28  can be embodied comparatively small so that a wall thickness for the pin  8  that is commensurate with the material and strength requirements is available for the indexing elements, which shall be explained in the following. 
     In the head area  20 , the through-hole contains an expansion for receiving the screwhead  34 , which is usefully positioned against a conically tapering support surface  36  such that when the tension screw  30  is tightened with a specifiable torque a defined tension of the structural part  6  is attained with respect to the implant body  2 . For this, the conical outer surface  38  of the pin  8  engaging in the receiving opening  4  engages the conical inner surface  24  of the central receiving opening  4  with a specified tension. The takeout angles of the conical inner surface  24  and of the conical outer surface  38  are specified and/or embodied such that there is a self-locking cone connection. The cone connection is gap-free and play-free and assures lasting anti-rotation of the structural part  6  in the implant body  2 . 
     Arranged in the central receiving opening  4  are first indexing elements  40  that are embodied as ribs oriented inward towards the longitudinal axis  22 . The structural part  6  contains two indexing elements  42  embodied as grooves arranged in the conical outer surface  10 . As can be seen, the first indexing elements  40  engage in the second indexing elements  42  in a positive fit . . . . The rotation position of the structural part  6  with respect to the implant body  2  is specified in a defined manner by means of the indexing elements  40 ,  42 . Flat parts of the conical surfaces  24 ,  38  of the implant body  2  and of the pin  8  are positioned against one another, usefully under tension, in the circumferential direction between the indexing elements  40 ,  42 . It is of special significance that the first and the second indexing elements  42  do not act against rotation but rather advantageously act exclusively to specify the rotation position and anti-rotation is assured by means the aforesaid cone connection. The indexing elements  40 ,  42  are disposed in the interior of the central receiving opening  4  at a specified distance from the coronal end surface  16 . It is of special significance that the indexing elements  40 ,  42  are arranged at a specified axial distance  43  from the inner thread  26  of the implant body and/or the outer thread of the tension screw that corresponds thereto and in particular its threaded sleeve  32 . When joining the structural part  6  to the implant body  2  by means of the tension screw  30 , this ensures that the apical end of the pin  8  reliably produces the required angle of rotation position of the structural part  6  with regard to the implant body  2  without limitation. It should furthermore be noted that the second indexing elements  42  are arranged in the apical area  44  of the structural part  6  and that between the apical area  44  and the coronal end  16  an annular zone  46  closed across the circumference is adjacent to the conical outer surface  38  play-free and gap-free at the conical inner surface  24  under tension. Also in the area of the placement elements  18 , in which area the pin  18  enters the receiving opening  4 , apart from the placement elements  18  embodied as radial grooves, the conical outer surface  38  or its surface parts are positioned against the conical inner surface  24  under tension. As can be seen, in the coronal end area and/or outside, in particular associated with the inner annular zone  46 , the implant body  2  has a largely cylindrical outer contour, the thread-free area  17  preferably being there. However, in accordance with the above statements, the outer thread can alternatively also be provided with a preferably shallower thread depth, at least approximately to the coronal end  16 . Preferably the inventive implant body  2  does not have a head area that expands conically towards the coronal end  16 . 
     It is of special significance that the apical area  44  having the indexing elements  40 ,  42  is allocated at least partially and/or approximately to that part  47  of the outer thread  11  in which the latter has a shallower thread depth. In this axial area  47  of the outer thread, the implant body  2  possesses a wall thickness  49  that is adequate both in terms of strength requirements and stability requirements. This is of special significance particularly in implant bodies with comparatively small outer diameters. It should be noted that in the area  47  there is a significantly shallower thread depth compared to the thread depth in the apically adjacent area of the outer thread  11 . Alternative to the depicted continuous transition due to the conical embodiment of the thread core of the outer thread  11 , in the framework of the invention moreover a discontinuous and/or stepped transition from the area  47  to the apically adjacent further thread area of the outer thread  11  can be provided with a deeper thread depth. 
     The at least one first indexing element  40  is a component of a sleeve  48  that is fixed rotation-fast, and in particular non-detachably and/or by means of fixed joining, such as welding or adhesive, in a center area  50  of the receiving opening  4 . The center area  50  is disposed axially between the conical inner surface  24  and the inner thread  26  of the receiving opening  4 . The first indexing element or elements  40  project occlusally into the area of the conical inner surface  24 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  depict the structural part  6 , the pin  8  of which contains in the area of the conical outer surface  38  a number of the indexing elements  42  that are embodied as concave grooves and that are uniformly distributed across the circumference. In the circumferential direction between the indexing elements and/or grooves  42  the structural part  6  possesses conical surface parts  51  of the conical outer surface  38 . The indexing elements  42  are inventively disposed radially inward and/or within the envelope curve, which is specified by the conical outer surface  38 . In the area of the conical outer surface  38 , the second indexing elements  42  or grooves have longitudinal edges  53  that are advantageously largely parallel. The indexing elements  42  extend in the axial direction at least partially into the conical outer surface  38  of the pin  8 . On the other hand, the conical outer surface  38  with the conical surface parts  51  extends to the apical end  56  of the structural part. Due to the indexing elements  42  and the conical outer surface  38  at least partially engaging one another in the axial direction, an integration is created in a preferred manner in that across a substantial total axial length of the pin  8  there is overlap of the conical outer surface  38  and/or its surface parts  51  with the correspondingly embodied conical inner surface of the implant body  2  without the pin  8  being required to have a significantly enlarged total length, which would have been necessary in the case of an addition to the axial cone length and the axial length of the indexing elements arranged thereafter. Due to the inventive at least partially axial and/or radial integration of the indexing elements  42  into the conical outer surface  38 , a functionally reliable conical coupling is assured in a preferred manner while retaining and/or attaining a relatively short total length of the pin  8 . 
     The grooves  42  are arranged at a specified angle to the longitudinal axis  22 , this angle largely corresponding to half the takeout angle of the conical outer surface  38 . As can be seen, the second indexing elements or grooves  42  extend only over a part of the total length of the conical outer surface  38 , the axial extension  52  being for instance on the order of magnitude of 2 mm. The grooves  42  have depth  54 , preferably on the order of magnitude and/or ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 mm, in particular on the order of magnitude of and/or ranging from 0.2 to 0.4 mm. The grooves  42  are embodied open at the apical end  56  of the structural part  6  so that when the structural part  6  is being placed the allocated indexing element or elements of the implant body  2  can be introduced therein into the grooves  42  with no problem. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  depict the body, embodied as a separate sleeve  48 , of the implant body. The sleeve  48  contains two diametrically arranged indexing elements  40  that are embodied as ribs. The ribs  40 , oriented radially inward, have a convex surface corresponding to the grooves, explained in the foregoing, of the structural part. As can be seen, the ribs  40  project in a specified length beyond the occlusally oriented upper edge  58  of the sleeve  48 . At least a portion of the part of the inner surface  60  of the implant or of the conical outer surface of the structural part that is oriented apically from the edge  58  is also embodied conical. At their free ends the ribs  42  have a thickness  62  that is preferably on the order of magnitude of and/or ranges from 0.1 to 0.6 mm, in particular on the order of magnitude of and/or ranges from 0.2 to 0.4 mm. In this special embodiment, the inner diameter  64  of the sleeve  48  preferably ranges from and/or is on the order of magnitude of 1.5 to 2.3 mm, preferably 1.6 to 1.9 mm, in particular approximately 1.75 mm, while the angle of inclination  66  of the inner surface  60  is at least approximately 5.7°. 
     The exemplary embodiment of the dental implant in accordance with  FIGS. 6 through 9  is fundamentally the same as the dental implant explained in the foregoing having the implant body  2  and the structural part  6  with the pin  8 , whereby  FIG. 8  depicts a section transverse to the longitudinal axis in accordance with sectional line A in  FIG. 6 . The indexing elements  40 ,  42  are embodied as mutually engaging toothed rings of the implant body and pin  8 . As can be seen, the indexing element  40  of the implant body  2  contains teeth  40  as ribs and oriented radially inward and corresponding herewith the pin  8  contains the indexing elements  42  embodied as grooves. The grooves  42  each contain opposing lateral walls  68 ,  69  that are arranged at a specified angle  70  that opens outward radially. The angle  70  is advantageously specified at least approximately at about 30°. As teeth, the first indexing elements  40  are integral components of the implant body  2 . The implant body  2  has the outer thread  11 , which in this embodiment reaches at least approximately to the coronal end  16 , there not being a thread-free area. However, alternatively, as explained using  FIG. 1 , the outer thread can terminate prior to the coronal end and the implant body  2  can have the aforesaid thread-free area. This also holds true for the other exemplary embodiments. Moreover, the different embodiments of the inventive dental implant can be embodied with another outer geometry, in particular with respect to the outer thread, whereby instead of the depicted, largely conical thread core, the thread and/or the thread core can be embodied non-continuous and/or with at least one step. 
       FIG. 10  depicts another embodiment of the toothed rings or indexing elements  40 ,  42 . In this case, the lateral walls  68 ,  69  are arranged largely parallel to one another. It should be noted that in the framework of the invention further indexing elements or toothed rings are disposed with a different distribution and number of teeth and/or grooves and ribs. 
     In the embodiment of the dental implant in accordance with  FIGS. 11 through 14 ,  FIG. 13  depicting a section along section line C in accordance with  FIG. 11 , the indexing elements  40 ,  42  are again embodied as teeth that engage in one another. The teeth or ribs and grooves in this case are arched or rounded with specified radii. As can be seen from  FIG. 14 , in this embodiment, as well, the grooves  42  of the pin  8  are arranged radially within the envelope curve specified by the conical outer surface  38 . 
     Finally, the exemplary embodiment in  FIGS. 15 through 18  contains hexagonal indexing elements  40 ,  42 , as can be seen in particular from  FIG. 17 , which depicts a section along section line D in accordance with  FIG. 15 . In accordance with  FIG. 18 , the indexing elements  42  of the pin  8  are disposed inside of the envelope curve of the pin  8  that is specified by the conical outer surface  38 . In accordance with  FIG. 18 , the conical surface parts  51  are present between the hexagonal surfaces of the indexing elements  42 .