Patent Description:
The present invention relates to an abutment coupled to an upper part of a dental implant fixture.

A dental implant (hereinafter, briefly referred to as an "implant") is an artificial root that is anchored in the gum and jawbone of a patient to support a crown which restores the structure and function of a tooth missing or pulled out. Therefore, the implant is also called an artificial tooth or a third tooth.

<FIG> is a configuration diagram of a general implant. Referring to <FIG>, an implant <NUM> includes a fixture <NUM>, an abutment <NUM> and a crown <NUM>. The fixture <NUM> is installed in the alveolar bone and serves as a tooth root, and the abutment <NUM> is coupled to the fixture <NUM> and transfer a force applied to the crown <NUM> to the fixture. Further, the crown <NUM> is coupled to the abutment <NUM> and serves as a tooth.

Implant surgery is performed by cutting open the gum in the mouth of a patient to check an implant site, and drilling the jawbone to implant the fixture <NUM> into the jawbone. When a predetermined time elapses after the fixture <NUM> is implanted, the crown <NUM> is inserted into the fixture <NUM> by using the abutment <NUM> to implant the implant <NUM> in the patient's mouth.

In order to precisely implant the implant <NUM> in the patient's mouth, a process of taking impressions of the patient's mouth needs to be performed accurately and precisely. Through this process, the customized-abutment <NUM> adapted to the patient can be fabricated. Then, the crown <NUM> is inserted into the customized-abutment <NUM>.

Conventionally, a process of taking impressions is performed using an impression coping. Specifically, a mount is affixed to an inner groove of the fixture <NUM> previously implanted in the patient's mouth and then fixed to the fixture <NUM> by using a mount driver. Then, the fixture <NUM> is implanted in the patient's mouth.

Then, the mount is removed from the fixture <NUM> and the impression coping is affixed to the fixture <NUM> to perform the process of taking impressions. When the process of taking impressions is completed, the impression coping is removed, and a healing abutment is affixed to the fixture <NUM> if necessary.

Thereafter, the crown <NUM> is fabricated using an impression product. During an implant operation, the abutment <NUM> is affixed to the fixture <NUM> and the crown <NUM> is inserted into the abutment <NUM>.

As described above, in a conventional case, a process of affixing each of the mount, the impression coping and the healing abutment to the fixture <NUM>, a processing of separating each of them from the fixture <NUM>, and a process of affixing the abutment <NUM> to the fixture <NUM> need to be performed. In the meantime, the fixture <NUM> requiring delicacy can be damaged.

Document <CIT> discloses an abutment attachment for a dental implant.

In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide an abutment that further facilitates an implant operation.

Specifically, it is an object of the present invention is to provide an abutment with which it is possible to consolidate all of a process of affixing a mount to a fixture, a process of affixing an impression coping to the fixture, and a process of affixing an abutment to the fixture during an implant operation into a single process.

The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-described problems. There may be other problems to be solved by the present invention.

To this end, the present invention provides an abutment in accordance with claim <NUM>. Advantageous embodiments are subject to the dependent claims and the following description and accompanying drawings.

According to the present invention, an abutment coupled to an upper part of a dental implant fixture, comprises: a coupler configured to be coupled to a polygonal groove or a polygonal protrusion of the fixture; and a body configured to be mounted with a crown which is an artificial tooth wherein the body has a shape to be connected to a mount driver used for coupling the abutment to the fixture and serves as a scan body for digital impression; wherein the body includes: a lower body having a trapezoidal shape with a diameter gradually increasing downwards; and an upper body formed on the lower body and having a polyprism shape, characterised in that the abutment further comprises a plurality of grooves formed at a specific height of the upper body along the circumference of the upper body.

According to the present invention, an implant operation can be performed more simply. Specifically, it is possible to provide an abutment with which it is possible to consolidate all of a process of affixing a mount to a fixture, a process of affixing an impression coping to the fixture, and a process of affixing an abutment to the fixture during an implant operation into a single process.

In the detailed description that follows, embodiments are described as illustrations only since various changes and modifications will become apparent to a person with ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the present invention may be readily implemented by a person with ordinary skill in the art. However, it is to be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments but can be embodied in various other ways. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted for the simplicity of explanation, and like reference numerals denote like parts through the whole document.

Through the whole document, the term "comprises or includes" and/or "comprising or including" used in the document means that one or more other components, steps, operation and/or existence or addition of elements are not excluded in addition to the described components, steps, operation and/or elements unless context dictates otherwise. Further, through the whole document, the term "connected to" or "coupled to" that is used to designate a connection or coupling of one element to another element includes both a case that an element is "directly connected or coupled to" another element and a case that an element is "electronically connected or coupled to" another element via still another element. Further, through the whole document, the term "on" that is used to designate a position of one element with respect to another element includes both a case that the one element is adjacent to the other element and a case that any other element exists between these two elements. Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying configuration views or process flowcharts.

<FIG> is a front view of an abutment, and <FIG> shows a side view and a plan view of the abutment. Also, <FIG> and <FIG> are perspective views of the abutment.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, an abutment <NUM> coupled to an upper part of a dental implant fixture may include a coupler <NUM> and a body <NUM>. <FIG> is a rear view of the abutment <NUM>, <FIG> is a side view of the abutment <NUM>, and <FIG> is a plan view of the abutment <NUM>. However, the abutment <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG> is merely an embodiment of the present disclosure, and various modifications based on the components illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG> are possible.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the coupler <NUM> is coupled to a polygonal groove or a polygonal protrusion of the fixture. For example, the coupler <NUM> may have a shape with a diameter corresponding to the internal groove of the fixture.

Referring to <FIG>, the coupler <NUM> includes a lower coupler <NUM> and an upper coupler <NUM>. The lower coupler <NUM> has a tapered shape with a diameter gradually decreasing downwards. Further, the upper coupler <NUM> is formed on the lower coupler <NUM> and has a tapered shape with a steeper inclination than the lower coupler <NUM>.

An upper surface of the upper coupler <NUM> has a greater diameter than a lower surface of a lower body <NUM>. For example, the upper coupler <NUM> may have a circular shape, and may be designed to be greater in diameter than the lower surface of the lower body <NUM>.

The body <NUM> is mounted with a crown which is an artificial tooth and has a shape to be connected to a mount driver used for coupling to the fixture and serves as a scan body for digital impression.

For example, the body <NUM> serves as a scan body which can easily identify location information of the fixture during scanning by an intraoral scanner.

Specifically, the scan body needs to have a polygonal cross-section for data matching while the scan body is scanned. As described below, the body <NUM> may be designed to have a hexagonal shape in order for the abutment <NUM> according to the present invention to serve as a scan body. Also, the body <NUM> according to the present invention may have a rough surface through a sand blasting process and thus can more efficiently serve as a scan body.

The abutment <NUM> affixed to the fixture is scanned with the scanner, and, thus, it is possible to check the oral structure of the patient and the structure and shape of the fixture implanted in the patient's mouth.

Also, the body <NUM> may serve as a mount while the fixture is implanted. In general, the mount may be affixed to an inner groove of the fixture, and while the affixed mount is gripped and turned with the mount driver, the fixture is inserted into the gum of the patient.

Here, the abutment <NUM> according to the present invention is affixed to the fixture, and while the affixed abutment <NUM> is gripped and turned with a motor driver, the fixture can be implanted into the patient's gum.

To this end, the body <NUM> may have a hexagonal shape to be gripped by the motor driver. As shown in <FIG>, the body <NUM> may have a hexagonal structure.

Since the body <NUM> is designed to have a hexagonal shape, it is possible to suppress a turn of the abutment <NUM> in the patient's mouth.

The abutment <NUM> can serve as a mount. Thus, a separate mount is not needed.

The body <NUM> includes the lower body <NUM> and an upper body <NUM>. The lower body <NUM> has a trapezoidal shape with a diameter gradually increasing downwards, and the upper body <NUM> is formed on the lower body <NUM> and has a polyprism shape.

Since the lower body <NUM> has a trapezoidal shape, it is possible to easily perform a multi-implant operation.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining an example of the multi-implant operation. Referring to <FIG>, the multi-implant operation is performed to simultaneously insert a plurality of crowns <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> into a plurality of adjoining abutments. In this case, if adjoining fixtures are implanted at different angles from each other, it is difficult to insert the plurality of crowns <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, or the crowns <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> may interfere with each other.

To solve this problem, in the abutment <NUM> the lower body <NUM> has a trapezoidal shape. Therefore, even if the fixtures are implanted at different angles from each other, the plurality of crowns <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> can be easily inserted during the multi-implant operation. Also, it is possible to reduce interference among the crowns <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>. Referring back to <FIG> and <FIG>, the abutment <NUM> includes a plurality of grooves 122a formed at a specific height of the upper body <NUM> along the circumference of the upper body <NUM>.

In general, the length of a tooth may vary in different patients, and, thus, the abutment <NUM> needs to be adapted to each individual patient.

The abutment <NUM> includes the plurality of grooves 122a formed along the circumference of the upper body <NUM>, and, thus, the upper body <NUM> can be easily cut. That is, the length of the abutment <NUM> can be easily adjusted to fit the length of a tooth of each patient based on the plurality of grooves 122a.

Claim 1:
An abutment (<NUM>) for being coupled to an upper part of a dental implant fixture, comprising:
a coupler (<NUM>) configured to be coupled to a polygonal groove or a polygonal protrusion of the fixture; and
a body (<NUM>) configured to be mounted with a crown which is an artificial tooth wherein the body (<NUM>) has a shape to be connected to a mount driver used for coupling the abutment (<NUM>) to the fixture and serves as a scan body for digital impression;
wherein the body (<NUM>) includes:
a lower body (<NUM>) having a trapezoidal shape with a diameter gradually increasing downwards; and
an upper body (<NUM>) formed on the lower body and having a polyprism shape,
characterized in that the abutment (<NUM>) further comprises a plurality of grooves (122a) formed at a specific height of the upper body (<NUM>) along the circumference of the upper body (<NUM>).