Patent Description:
<CIT> may be cited as a preceding patent document regarding an abutment for an implant and peripheral parts related thereto. <FIG> shows an abutment <NUM> that is proposed in the preceding patent document. A flat peripheral top surface <NUM> is formed on the outer circumference of the abutment <NUM> that is proposed in the preceding patent document. A part of the flat top surface <NUM> is utilized as a part for supporting a crown. <CIT> discloses a base for a dental implant system which includes a long cavity which optionally reaches below the implant top and/or allows a significant portion of a superstructure to be inserted into the cavity and possibly held using axial support.

However, according to the structure of the preceding patent document, disadvantages may arise in that the structure for supporting a crown is complicated and considerable inconvenience is caused in the process of coupling a crown or a part having a crown to the abutment (<NUM>). In addition, there is a concern that it may be difficult to perform accurate dimension control even in the manufacture of the part related to a crown and coupled to the abutment.

An object of the present invention is to provide an abutment assembly that can be easily fastened with a crown or a member having a crown thereon in relation to the coupling (fastening) of the crown.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an abutment assembly that enables the accurate dimension control of a crown or a crown-related part that is coupled to an abutment.

Another object of the present invention may be considered to provide a structure that enables an abutment to be easily fixed to a fixture.

An implant assembly according to the present invention includes: an abutment provided with a fastening depression that is formed in the center thereof and a top inclined surface that increases outward from the top end of the fastening depression, and configured to be fixed to the upper portion of a fixture that is fixed to the alveolar bone; and a crown link provided with a bottom inclined surface that comes into contact with the top inclined surface of the abutment on the bottom thereof, and also provided with a crown support portion that supports a crown in the upper portion thereof. Furthermore, when the crown link is placed on the abutment, the top inclined surface and the bottom inclined surface are coupled to each other, and also the through hole of the crown link and the fastening depression of the abutment are coaxially aligned with each other, characterized in that a link coupling portion formed at an entrance of the fastening depression comprises hexagonal portions provided with shapes of respective corners of a hexagon and arc portions formed to move outward between the hexagonal portions, and wherein a female screw portion configured for screw coupling with a fastening screw is formed on a lower portion of the fastening depression, and a plurality of driver grooves are formed in vertical directions through the female screw section. Accordingly, they may be more easily coupled to each other using a fastening screw.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a crown is integrated with the crown support portion of the crown link.

According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, when the top inclined surface of the abutment and the bottom inclined surface of the crown link are coupled to each other, the fastening depression of the abutment and the through hole of the crown link are substantially aligned with each other. Accordingly, it will be possible to expect an operational effect in which the abutment and the crown link can be more easily fastened and fixed to each other using the fastening screw.

Furthermore, the link coupling portion formed at the entrance of the fastening depression according to the present invention has both the hexagonal portions and the arc portions, so that the shape of the lower end protrusion of the crown link can accommodate both hexagonal and cylindrical shapes, which are different shapes. The female screw portion for screw coupling with the fastening screw is formed on the lower portion of the fastening depression, and the plurality of driver grooves are formed in the vertical directions through the female screw portion. It can be seen that the plant assembly is configured to facilitate the fixation of the abutment to the fixture as well as the coupling of the fastening screw. In addition, the crown may be integrated with the crown support portion of the crown link, so that it is expected that a simple configuration can be achieved as a whole.

The present invention will be described in more detail below based on the embodiments that are shown in the drawings.

As shown in <FIG>, an abutment <NUM> is coupled to the upper portion of a fixture <NUM> fixed to the alveolar bone, and the top surface of the abutment <NUM> is formed as an inclined surface <NUM>, as shown in the drawing. In the present invention, the "top inclined surface <NUM>" of the abutment <NUM> is defined as an inclined surface formed such that the outer side thereof is high and the inner side thereof is low. Furthermore, as shown in <FIG>, the top inclined surface <NUM> of the abutment <NUM> may also be considered to correspond to the bottom inclined surface <NUM> of a crown link <NUM>.

In other words, the bottom portion of the crown link <NUM> coupled to the top portion of the abutment <NUM> is provided with a bottom inclined surface <NUM> corresponding to the top inclined surface <NUM> described above, so that they can be coupled to each other while coming into close contact with each other. The crown link <NUM> is intended to substantially support a crown. For example, a crown is formed on the crown support portion <NUM> extending upward on a flange <NUM> protruding outward to form the bottom inclined surface <NUM>. Furthermore, it can be seen that the bottom inclined surface <NUM> described above is formed on the bottom surface of the flange <NUM> protruding outward.

As described above, the top inclined surface <NUM> formed on the top surface of the abutment <NUM> is formed such that the center thereof is lower, and the bottom inclined surface <NUM> of the crown link <NUM> coupled to the top inclined surface <NUM> is also formed such that the center thereof is low and the outside thereof is high. Accordingly, the top inclined surface <NUM> and the bottom inclined surface <NUM> may be coupled to each other in close contact with each other. When the top inclined surface <NUM> and the bottom inclined surface <NUM> are coupled to each other, the relative positions of the abutment <NUM> and the crown link <NUM> are substantially accurately set.

In this case, the fact that the relative positions of the abutment <NUM> and the crown link <NUM> are substantially accurately set means that the through-hole lower portion 38b of the crown link <NUM> and a fastening depression <NUM> formed in the center of the abutment <NUM> are naturally arranged in the state of mating with each other, as shown in <FIG>. Accordingly, it is expected that there will be an advantage in that the fastening of the crown link <NUM> and the abutment <NUM> can be considerably easily achieved using a fastening screw <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a coupling relationship between the abutment <NUM> and the crown link <NUM> having the top inclined surface <NUM> and the bottom inclined surface <NUM>, respectively, as described above. As shown in the drawing, even in the inclined state shown in <FIG> or in the inclined state shown in <FIG>, the abutment <NUM> and the crown link <NUM> may be accurately aligned with each other substantially by the top inclined surface <NUM> and the bottom inclined surface <NUM>. In this case, being accurate arranged means that when the crown link <NUM> is placed on the abutment <NUM>, the top inclined surface <NUM> and the bottom inclined surface <NUM> are coupled to each other, and thus the through hole <NUM> of the crown link <NUM> and the fastening depression <NUM> of the abutment <NUM> are arranged coaxially. Accordingly, the crown link <NUM> and the abutment <NUM> may be considerably easily fastened to each other by using the fastening screw <NUM>. For example, it can readily be understood that, when it is assumed that the above-described inclined surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> are not present and the contact surfaces of the crown link <NUM> and the abutment <NUM> are flat surfaces, there is considerable difficulty in mating the through-hole lower portion 38b of the crown link <NUM> and the fastening depression <NUM> of the abutment <NUM> with each other.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, a lower screw portion <NUM> formed on the lower end of the abutment <NUM> is screwed into the screw hole <NUM> of the fixture <NUM> with an open top. Furthermore, the fastening depression <NUM> with an open top is formed in the center of the top inclined surface <NUM> of the abutment <NUM>. A female screw portion 24a is formed at the lower end of the fastening depression <NUM>. The female screw portion 24a is a portion that is screwed over a male screw portion <NUM> formed at the lower end of the fastening screw <NUM>. In this case, the fastening screw <NUM> is intended to fasten and fix the crown link <NUM> to the abutment <NUM>.

In addition, a plurality of driver grooves 24b are formed in the female screw portion 24a in the vertical directions. These driver grooves 24b allow a tool, such as a screwdriver, to be inserted and rotate the abutment <NUM> for the purpose of fastening when the abutment <NUM> is fixed to the fixture <NUM>. By these driver grooves 24b, the abutment <NUM> may be fastened and fixed to the fixture <NUM> in a sufficiently firm state.

As can be seen with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, a link coupling portion <NUM> into which a lower end protrusion <NUM> formed at the lower end of the crown link <NUM> is fitted and coupled is formed at the upper end (the entry) of the fastening depression <NUM> immediately inside the top inclined surface <NUM>. In other words, the fastening depression <NUM> formed in the upper portion of the abutment <NUM> is intended to couple the crown link <NUM> to the upper portion of the abutment <NUM> by using the fastening screw <NUM>. Upon coupling, the lower coupling protrusion <NUM> of the crown link <NUM> is inserted into the link coupling portion <NUM> formed at the upper end of the fastening depression <NUM> of the abutment <NUM>.

In this case, as regards the shapes of the fastening screw <NUM> and the crown link <NUM>, the crown link <NUM> is formed in a tubular shape, the crown support portion <NUM> formed at the upper end of the crown link <NUM> has a relatively large diameter, and a through-hole upper portion 38a is formed on the inner surface of the crown support portion <NUM>. The lower end protrusion <NUM> formed at the lower end has a relatively small diameter, and the inner surface thereof forms a through-hole lower portion 38b having a relatively small diameter. A through-hole inclined surface 38c is formed between the through-hole upper portion 38a and the through-hole lower portion 38b, and connects the through-hole upper portion 38a and the through-hole lower portion 38b to each other. The through-hole inclined surface 38c also forms a higher inclination toward the outer side of the upper part.

In addition, the fastening screw <NUM> is screwed into the female screw portion 24a of the fastening depression <NUM> of the abutment <NUM> in the state where it enters the through hole <NUM> of the crown link <NUM>. The fastening screw <NUM> has a fastening screw upper portion <NUM>, a fastening screw lower portion <NUM>, and a fastening screw inclined surface <NUM> connecting the fastening screw upper portion <NUM> and the fastening screw lower portion <NUM> to each other. It can be seen that the fastening screw <NUM> has a shape configured to substantially come into close contact with the through hole <NUM> of the crown link <NUM>, and the fastening screw lower portion <NUM> is formed as a male screw and screwed into the female screw portion 24a of the fastening depression <NUM> of the abutment <NUM>.

When the crown link <NUM> is fixed to the abutment <NUM> by the fastening screw <NUM> as described above, the top inclined surface <NUM> of the abutment <NUM> and the bottom inclined surface <NUM> of the crown link <NUM> come into close contact with each other as described above. In addition, the lower end protrusion <NUM> of the crown link <NUM> remains inserted into the link coupling portion <NUM> forming the upper portion of the fastening depression <NUM> of the abutment <NUM>.

In this case, embodiments of the link coupling portion <NUM> formed on the upper portion of the abutment <NUM> and the lower end protrusion <NUM> of the lower end portion of the crown link <NUM> coupled to the link coupling portion <NUM> are described below. <FIG> is a plan view of the abutment <NUM>, and <FIG> is an exemplary view helping the understanding of the fastening depression <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the link coupling portion <NUM> is a portion that substantially forms the entrance (upper portion) of the fastening depression <NUM> of the abutment <NUM>, and the lower end protrusion <NUM> of the crown link <NUM> is inserted in the link coupling portion <NUM> as described above.

The lower end portion of the crown link <NUM> may have two forms, as shown in <FIG>. The lower end protrusion 31a shown in <FIG> is a protrusion having a hexagonal shape and is applied to the case of a single crown, and the lower end protrusion 31b shown in <FIG> is a protrusion having a cylindrical shape and may be applied to a case where a plurality of crowns are bridged to each other. According to the present invention, the link coupling portion <NUM>, which is the entrance of the fastening depression <NUM> of the abutment <NUM>, is configured to accommodate both the hexagonal lower end protrusion 31a shown in <FIG> and the cylindrical lower end protrusion 31b shown in <FIG>.

As can be seen with reference to of <FIG>, the link coupling portion <NUM> has hexagonal portions 21a having partial outer shapes for respective corners of a hexagon and arc portions 21b formed such that one circle partially passes outward through all sides of the hexagon. These arc portions 21a may be substantially extended in an arc shape outward through the individual sides of the hexagon along one circle.

According to the link coupling portion <NUM> having the above shape, the hexagonal lower end protrusion 31a shown in <FIG> may be fitted into the hexagonal portions 21a of the link coupling portion <NUM>, and the cylindrical lower end protrusion 31b shown in <FIG> may be fitted into the arc portions 21b of the link coupling portion <NUM>. For reference, in order to prevent a crown coupled to the upper portion of the link coupling portion <NUM> from being arbitrarily rotated, a part of the crown support portion <NUM> has a flat shape.

Furthermore, as can be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, the abutment <NUM> is configured to protrude upward at a predetermined height in the state of being fixed to the fixture <NUM>. In other words, the upper portion 22A of the abutment <NUM> on which the above-described top inclined surface <NUM> is formed protrudes outward (radially), so that it can be considered to have a predetermined height with respect to the fixture <NUM>. The reason for this is that it is designed to have various dimensions according to the height of the gums of a patient to be treated.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to <FIG> shows an assembly of the abutment <NUM> and the fixture <NUM> described above, <FIG> shows an embodiment in which a crown C is placed on the crown link <NUM> assembled on the top of the abutment <NUM>, and <FIG> shows an embodiment in which the crown link is modified. In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, it can be seen that the crown C is coupled to the crown support portion <NUM> of the crown link <NUM> in the above-described embodiment.

Claim 1:
An implant assembly comprising:
an abutment (<NUM>) provided with a fastening depression (<NUM>) that is formed in a center thereof and a top inclined surface (<NUM>) that increases outward from a top end of the fastening depression (<NUM>), and configured to be fixed to an upper portion of a fixture (<NUM>) that is fixed to an alveolar bone; and
a crown link (<NUM>) provided with a bottom inclined surface (<NUM>) that comes into contact with the top inclined surface (<NUM>) of the abutment (<NUM>) on a bottom thereof, and also provided with a crown support portion (<NUM>) that supports a crown in an upper portion thereof;
wherein, when the crown link (<NUM>) is placed on the abutment (<NUM>), the top inclined surface (<NUM>) and the bottom inclined surface (<NUM>) are coupled to each other, and also a through hole (<NUM>) of the crown link (<NUM>) and the fastening depression (<NUM>) of the abutment (<NUM>) are coaxially aligned with each other,
characterized in that a link coupling portion (<NUM>) formed at an entrance of the fastening depression (<NUM>) comprises hexagonal portions (21a) provided with shapes of respective corners of a hexagon and arc portions (21b) formed to move outward between the hexagonal portions (21a), and
wherein a female screw portion (24a) configured for screw coupling with a fastening screw (<NUM>) is formed on a lower portion of the fastening depression (<NUM>), and a plurality of driver grooves (24b) are formed in vertical directions through the female screw section (24a).