Patent Description:
This application relates, in general, to a modular support for dental prosthesis.

Dental implants supporting dental prosthetics are well known. Making use of osseointegration, dental implants provide solid anchors in jawbones that can be used to provide support for dental prosthesis, whether for a single tooth replacement or for a multiple tooth prosthesis. In the case of multiple tooth prosthesis, such as a fixed bridge or a full-arch restoration, several dental implants are necessary to provide suitable support to withstand the masticatory forces subjected on the multiple tooth prosthesis.

Accordingly, multiple tooth prostheses require an internal framework to provide additional structural integrity to the prosthesis itself. For example, full-arch restorations generally include a rigid metal bar that is embedded within and extends through a significant portion of the restoration. Such framework can be a milled framework that is pre-manufactured, such as those provided by Nobel Biocare for their Trefoil™ systems. Or such framework can be custom fitted and cast for a specific patient's mouth, such as the prosthodontic frameworks described in <CIT>. In both cases, time-consuming production processes, namely, milling and custom casting, are generally expensive and time consuming leading to a more expensive product. Moreover, pre-manufactured framework is not suitable for pre-existing implants that do not specifically match the dimensions of the pre-manufactured framework. And custom casting requires multiple patient visits because such casting generally cannot be accomplished while a patient waits.

Framework assemblies for dental prostheses are also known. For example, <CIT> describes a modular framework suprastructure for dental implants, and U.

Patent No. <CIT> describes an implant supported dental prosthesis foundation bar. While such framework assemblies may overcome some disadvantages of the above-mentioned time-consuming production processes, existing assemblies are not very compatible with implants that are misaligned. For example, it appears that Kligerman's foundation bar requires implants that are parallel to one another. And it appears that Nagni's framework requires implant connectors (aka abutments) that extend within parallel planes, if not parallel to one another. <CIT> discloses a modular support for a dental prosthesis according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

In light of this, it would be useful to provide a modular support that overcome the above and other disadvantages of known dental prosthesis frameworks.

One aspect of the present invention is directed to a modular support for a dental prosthesis that is configured for securement to a plurality of abutments, each engaging a respective dental implant. The modular support includes a plurality of connectors, each connector releasably engaging a respective abutment, a plurality of collars, each collar including a bore extending substantially orthogonal to an occlusal plane, wherein each collar surrounds a respective connector positioned in its bore, a pair of vertically spaced planar wings extending from at least one collar substantially parallel to the occlusal plane, and a planar tab extending substantially parallel to the occlusal plane, wherein at least one end of the planar tab extends between the pair of planar wings, wherein the collars, planar wings and planar tab provide an internal reinforcing framework for the dental prosthesis, characterised in that an overlapping planar configuration of the wings and tabs allows minor angular adjustment therebetween.

The at least one collar and the pair of planar wings may be monolithically formed.

The modular support may further include a curable polymer resin securing at least one collar to the respective connector, the resin substantially filling a space defined within the bore of the at least one collar and an outer surface of the respective connector located within the bore.

The one end of the planar tab may be permanently affixed to the pair of planar wings.

The planar tab may be permanently affixed to the pair of planar wings with a curable polymer resin.

A pair of vertically spaced planar wings may extend from each of at least two collars adjacent to one another, and wherein a first end of the planar tab extends between a first pair of planar wings, and a second end of the planar tab may extend between a second pair of planar wings.

Each of the plurality of connectors may include a bottom having a shape complementary to the upper profile of the respective abutment, and each connector may include a cylinder extending from the bottom toward the occlusal plane.

At least a pair of vertically spaced planar wings may extend from each of said plurality of collars substantially parallel to the occlusal plane, and the modular support may include a plurality of planar tabs extending substantially parallel to the occlusal plane, wherein each planar tab may include a first end sandwiched between a first pair of planar wings of a first of said collars, and a second end sandwiched between a second pair of planar wings of a second of said collars adjacent said first of said collars.

The plurality of connectors, the plurality of collars, the pair of planar wings, and the planar tab may be embedded within a dental prosthesis, the dental prosthesis including denture teeth and an acrylic resin.

The planar tab may include one or more lateral extensions extending from a side of the planar tab, the lateral extensions configured to provide additional surface area for reinforcing mechanical connection to a dental prosthesis when the modular support may be embedded within the dental prosthesis.

The planar tab may extend from at least one other collar, the planar tab extending substantially parallel to the occlusal plane, and said least one end of the planar tab may extend between the pair of planar wings of said at least one collar.

The at least one other collar and the planar tab may be monolithically formed.

The at least one collar may be configured for securement to a pair of immediately proximal dental implants, and wherein the at least one collar may include two bores, each bore receiving a respective connector of a respective abutment of the pair of immediately proximal dental implants.

The modular support may further include a vertical projection configured to provide reinforcing mechanical connection to a dental prosthesis when the modular support is embedded within the dental prosthesis, the vertical projection may extend through at least one planar tab.

The vertical projection may be permanently affixed to the at least one planar tab with a curable polymer resin.

The vertical projection may extend through the at least one end of the planar tab, and through the respective pair of planar wings.

The collar may be frustum having a frustoconical bore through which the respective connector extends, wherein the respective connector extends obliquely to the occlusal plane.

The cylinder may include at least one perpendicular fin, wherein the fin is configured to provide additional surface area for reinforcing mechanical connection with a curable polymer resin securing the body to the respective connector.

Below is described a method of forming a dental prosthesis for a patient, the patient having a plurality of dental implants, and each dental implant having an abutment. The method includes: releasably mounting a connector on each abutment; placing a collar about each connector, each collar having a bore that receives a respective connector, wherein at least one collar includes a pair of vertically spaced planar wings extending substantially parallel to an occlusal plane; positioning a planar tab substantially parallel to an occlusal plane with one end of the planar tab sandwiched between the vertically spaced planar wings; affixing the planar tab to the planar wings, and affixing the collars to the connectors, to form a modular support; releasing the modular support from the abutments; forming a dental prosthesis around the modular support; and releasably mounting the dental prosthesis, and modular support embedded therein, by remounting each connector on a respective abutment.

The planar tab and the planar wings may be affixed together with a curable resin, and the collars and respective connectors may be affixed together with the curable resin.

The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below, wherein like components are designated by like reference numerals throughout the various drawings.

Turning now to <FIG> which shows an exemplary embodiment of a modular support <NUM> for a dental prosthesis <NUM>. The modular support provides an assembly that serves as a reinforcing bar of the dental prosthesis. The modular support allows the masticatory forces subjected on the prosthesis to be distributed to several implants at once. Although four implants are shown, one will appreciate that a full-arch restoration may be supported on more or as few as three implants, and a bridge may be supported on two implants.

In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, modular support <NUM> provides an adjustable framework that can be custom fit, during a patient visit, for pre-existing or new dental implants. And the modular support provides an adjustable framework that can account for significant horizontal, vertical and angular misalignment of the dental implants, while achieving a precise and passive fit.

Modular support <NUM> is configured to releasably engage a plurality of dental implants <NUM> that have been surgically implanted into a patient's jawbone, either the mandible (lower jaw) or the maxilla (upper jaw). More specifically, the modular support is configured to releasably engage an abutment <NUM> of each dental implant, which abutment serves as a connecting element between the respective dental implant and the dental prosthesis <NUM>. One will appreciate that abutments are well known, and many abutment manufactures have standardized shapes, sizes, and inclinations. For example, standard abutment inclinations may include <NUM>°, <NUM>°, and <NUM>°, the latter of which is particularly useful for posterior implants which may be significantly angled to avoid the inferior alveolar nerve (see, e.g., implant 33P in <FIG>).

As shown in <FIG>, modular support <NUM> generally includes (i) connectors <NUM> for releasably engaging abutments <NUM>, (ii) collars <NUM> which encircle and are ultimately affixed to the connectors, (iii) wings <NUM> that extend from the collars and sandwich (iv) the ends of tabs or bars <NUM> to form a framework that is ultimately embedded within a dental prosthesis to provide an internal reinforcing framework giving structural integrity to the dental prosthesis. As noted below, the wings may be monolithically formed with the collars, and various tabs or bars may be monolithically formed with the collars.

While a full-arch restoration is shown in <FIG>, one will appreciate that the dental prosthesis may be a full-arch restoration, a partial-arch restoration, or even a bridge. Generally, the dental prosthesis includes denture teeth <NUM> and an acrylic resin <NUM> that supports the teeth. The modular support may be embedded within the acrylic resin in an otherwise conventional manner.

In various embodiments, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, each collar <NUM> may have a pair of vertically spaced planar wings <NUM> that extend substantially parallel to the occlusal plane. Wings extending from adjacent collars sandwich opposing ends of the planar tab <NUM> that extends between the adjacent collars. As can be seen, the tab also extends substantially parallel to the occlusal plane.

According to the invention the overlapping planar configuration of the wings and tabs allows minor angular adjustment therebetween, thus allowing the collars to be readily aligned and positioned with their respective implants and abutments, regardless of where the implants may have been implanted.

The overlapping planar configuration of the wings and tabs also allows minor linear adjustment between adjacent collars, again allowing the collars to be readily aligned and positioned with their respective implants and abutments. For example, for closer abutments, the ends of a tab may be inserted more fully into the wings such that a greater proportion of the tabs are sandwiched by the wings. And if a tab proves too long to be placed between the wing pairs of adjacent collars, an oral surgeon, dentist, assistant or technician may cut or otherwise remove material from the tab to shorten its overall length in order to fit it between the adjacent wing pairs. Alternatively, tabs of varying length may be provided to accommodate the varying distance between implants and their corresponding collars and wing pairs.

Anterior collar 39A may include two pairs of wings extending at obtuse angles in order to accommodate anterior and posterior tabs <NUM>, <NUM>P, while posterior collar <NUM>P need only include one pair of wings to sandwich the posterior end of posterior tab 42P.

In other embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, posterior collar 39aP may be provided with a tab 42a that extends substantially parallel to the occlusal plane. The remote end of tab 42a may be sandwiched between the pair of wings <NUM> of the adjacent collar 39A. The angular orientation and overlap between the tab and the pair of wings may be adjusted as necessary in manner similar to that discussed above.

One will appreciate that the collars may have other wing/tab configurations. For example, anterior collars may have a pair of wings and a tab, in which case the tab would extend at an obtuse angle relative to the wings. Alternatively, the collars may have sets of three or four wings extending substantially parallel to the occlusal plane to provide further framework for increased rigidity, in which case two or three tabs would be arranged in an overlapping manner between the wings.

Once the overlapping wings and tabs have been assembled and positioned such that the corresponding collars <NUM> are centered over their respective connectors <NUM>, the wings and tabs may be affixed together by an adhesive, bonding agent, or other suitable means to form a rigid framework. Preferably, a preferably a curable polymeric resin <NUM> is used to affix the wings and tabs together, as shown in <FIG>.

Preferably the collars and their respective wings and/or tabs are formed of titanium, stainless steel, or other suitable material that provides sufficient reinforcement for the dental prosthesis. One will appreciate that the collars and their respective wings may be monolithically formed by casting, 3D printing, milling, or other suitable fabrication process. Similarly, the collars and their respective tab may be monolithically formed by casting, 3D printing, milling, or other suitable fabrication process. Alternatively, the wings and tabs may be welded, soldered, brazed, bonded or otherwise rigidly attached to their respective collars.

As shown in <FIG>, planar tabs <NUM> may include one or more lateral extensions <NUM> extending from a side of the planar tab. The lateral extensions have an additional surface area that provides further reinforced mechanical connection of modular support <NUM> to the acrylic resin of a dental prosthesis when the modular support is embedded within the dental prosthesis.

As also shown in <FIG>, vertical projections <NUM> may also be provided to further reinforce the mechanical connection of modular support <NUM> to a dental prosthesis when the modular support is embedded within the dental prosthesis. As shown, the vertical projections may be trident shaped, however, one will appreciate that the vertical projections may take various geometric forms, including, but not limited to I-shaped, T-shaped, Y-shaped, etc..

The vertical projections may extend through a tab <NUM>, or may extend through wings <NUM> and the tab sandwiched therebetween, thereby mechanically pinning the wings and tab together. Holes may be pre-drilled in the tabs and/or wings to receive the projections, or holes may be drilled at desired locations during the assembly process. Once in place, the projections may be affixed to the tabs and/or wings by suitable means. Preferably, a curable polymer resin <NUM> is used to affix the projections to the tabs and wings.

Once the framework of modular support <NUM> is assembled, that is, once the collars, wings, tabs and vertical projections (if used) are positioned such that the wing pairs and tabs overlap and the collars are aligned with a patient's abutments, the components may be affixed to one another with a curable polymer resin (or other suitable means) to form the rigid framework. Then, each collar <NUM> may be affixed to its corresponding connector <NUM> with a curable polymer resin while the connector is mounted on its corresponding abutment <NUM> and implant <NUM>. Such in situ assembly allows for both a precise and a passive fit.

With reference to <FIG>, each collar <NUM> includes a bore <NUM> extending substantially orthogonal to an occlusal plane OP. The bore is dimensioned to surround a respective connector <NUM> such that the space within bore surrounding the connector can be filled with an adhesive and/or bonding agent to permanently affix the collar and connector together. For example, while collar <NUM> is positioned in situ around connector <NUM> in a patient's mouth, bore <NUM> can be filled with a curable polymer resin <NUM> in order to affix the collar and connector together. The resin can be readily applied into the bore through the open top of the bore. And to better distribute the resin, the collars may be provided with application openings <NUM> in the side walls of the collars, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

One will appreciate, that misalignment of dental implants is not uncommon. In order to accommodate such misalignment, collars <NUM> may be provided with tapered walls <NUM>' to accommodate up to several degrees of misalignment. In the illustrated embodiment, the bores are tapered from each end to provide an hour-glass shape, in which the tapered walls may be angled about <NUM>-<NUM>°, and more preferably about <NUM>° from the bore axis. As noted above, the modules are reversible and may simply be flipped <NUM>° in order to orient the planar wings and/or slotted bars in their desired directions. The hour-glass shape is particularly well suited to accommodate for such reversibility.

In various embodiments, connector <NUM> includes a bottom <NUM> that has a shape complementary to the upper profile of the respective abutment <NUM> to which it is attached. For example, and as shown in <FIG>, the bottom may have a conical shape that seats upon a complementary conical top of the respective abutment. The connector may include a cylinder <NUM> that extends from the bottom and into bore <NUM> of collar <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiments, the cylinder extends through the bore, whereby the portion of cylinder extending out of the collar may provide additional reinforcement to the dental prosthetic modular support <NUM> is embedded within (see, e.g., <FIG>).

In various embodiments, adjacent implants 33b may have been implanted immediately proximal one another, as shown in <FIG>. In such cases, the corresponding connector cylinders <NUM> might be too close to one another and preclude the use of two collars, that is, they may preclude the use of a separate collar for each cylinder. Accordingly, and in various embodiments, collar 39b may have two bores 53b, wherein each bore may receive a respective connector 37b of immediately the proximal dental implants.

Preferably cylinder <NUM>, along with the longitudinal axis of the upper profile of abutment <NUM>, extends in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the occlusal plane P, as shown in <FIG>. One will appreciate, however, that misalignment of dental implants is not uncommon. In such cases, and when abutments of various inclinations cannot remedy the misalignment, cylinder <NUM> might extend obliquely to the occlusal plane, as shown in <FIG>. In order to accommodate such misalignment, collar 39c may have the shape of a frustum, and cylinder 58c may include one or more eccentric fins <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. The resulting frustoconical bore allows the collar to accommodate up to several degrees of misalignment, while the fins provide mechanical structure to fill the space within the frustoconical bore and provide further reinforcement and structural integrity to the curable polymeric resin or means that fills bore 53c to affix the collar and connector together.

In other embodiments, the connector 37d may have bottom 56d that has a complementarily shape to abutment 35d such that they form a ball-and-socket type interface to allow adjustable inclination in a manner similar to the LOCATOR F-TX® fixed attachment system provided by ZEST Anchors LLC of Carlsbad, CA. Again, bore <NUM> is dimensioned to surround the respective connector 37d such that the space within the bore that surrounds the connector can be filled with a curable polymer resin <NUM> to affix the collar and connector together (see, e.g., <FIG>).

One will appreciate that, the collars, wings and tabs may have various other configurations to provide a suitable modular support. For example, modular support 30e in <FIG> (shown without the corresponding implants, abutments or connectors) may be assembled from various modules selected from a kit, such as the assortment of modules shown in <FIG>. The modules may include wing-wing modules WW, long wing-wing modules WW', wing-tab modules WT, long wing-tab modules WT', tab-tab modules TT, long tab-tab modules TT', straight anterior-bar modules AB, curved anterior-bar modules AB', distal-abutment modules DA, long distal-abutment modules DA', and/or various combinations of short or long wings 40e, 40e' and/or short or long tabs 42e, 42e' extending from a collar 39e.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, wings 40e, 40e' may have rounded ends which may provide for increased surface area overlapping with a corresponding tab regardless of the relative angle therebetween. As also shown, lateral extensions 49e may be cylindrical, and may have rounded ends, which configuration minimizes angled surfaces and may provide better mechanical connection between the modular support and the acrylic resin of the dental prosthesis.

An exemplary method of preparing a modular support can now be described. Implants <NUM> are surgically mounted in a patient's jaw, and abutments <NUM> are mounted thereon in an otherwise conventional manner. The implants may be pre-existing (i.e., installed for an existing dental prosthesis or existing dental prostheses), or they may be surgically mounted specifically in preparation for a new dental prosthesis).

The appropriate connectors <NUM>, collars <NUM> with wings <NUM>, and tabs <NUM> may be provided (see, e.g., <FIG>). Similarly, the appropriate connectors <NUM>, collars 39A bearing wings <NUM>, collars 39aP bearing tabs 42a, and tabs <NUM> may be provided (see, e.g., <FIG>). One will appreciate that various collections of components may be provided as a kit available to the dental profession.

During a patient visit, connectors <NUM> may then be releasably mounted, in situ, on abutments <NUM>. The connectors may be affixed to the abutments by screws (see <FIG>), by a ball retainer (see <FIG>, right side) or other suitable means.

Next, collars <NUM> may be placed about each connector <NUM>, and the appropriate wings <NUM> and tabs <NUM> positioned with respect to one another such that they overlap.

Once the appropriate wings <NUM> and tabs <NUM> have a desired overlap, collars <NUM> may be centered about the respective connectors <NUM>. A curable resin may then be applied to the wings and tabs in situ. Once the curable resin is applied, the collars, wings and tabs may be finely repositioned as necessary. And once the desired orientation is achieved, the curable resin may be cured (in an otherwise conventional manner) to affix the wings and tabs together thus creating a rigid framework. Alternatively, one will appreciate that one or more components may be disassembled such that the curable resin may be applied to the components outside of the patient's mouth, and then reassembled in the desired orientation, and then cured.

Once the framework is affixed, it may be positioned such that each collar <NUM> is properly centered over each connector <NUM>. And once the desired orientation is achieved, a curable resin may be applied to fill bore <NUM> of each collar. Once the curable resin is applied, the collars may be finely repositioned as necessary. And once the desired positioning is achieved, the curable resin may be cured (in an otherwise conventional manner) to affix the collars to the respective connectors.

One will appreciate that the collars may be affixed to the connectors after the tabs and wings have been affixed, as described above, or the collars may be affixed to the connectors before the tabs and the wings have been affixed together.

Once the resin has cured affixing both the wings and tabs together, and the collars and connectors together, a rigid framework is created in the form of the modular support. Thus, modular support <NUM> can be removed from implants <NUM> by unscrewing connectors <NUM> from abutments <NUM> (see <FIG>) or otherwise decoupled from the abutments (see, e.g., <FIG>) and removed from the patient's mouth.

Next, modular support <NUM> may be embedded into dental prosthesis <NUM>. For example, the dental prosthesis may be formed by applying acrylic resin <NUM> around the modular support and providing denture teeth in an otherwise conventional manner.

Once the dental prosthesis is completed (with the modular support therein), dental prosthesis <NUM> may be then returned to the patient's mouth and releasably mounted on the patient's abutments <NUM> of respective implants <NUM>.

In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, modular support <NUM> and dental prosthesis <NUM> may be fabricated same day, thus reducing the number of patient visits and providing a commensurate reduction in costs.

For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms "upper", "lower", etc. are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.

Claim 1:
A modular support (<NUM>) for a dental prosthesis (<NUM>), the modular support (<NUM>) configured for securement to a plurality of abutments (<NUM>), each engaging a respective dental implant (<NUM>), said modular support (<NUM>) comprising:
a plurality of connectors (<NUM>), each connector releasably engageable to a respective abutment (<NUM>);
a plurality of collars (<NUM>), each collar including a bore (<NUM>) extending substantially orthogonal to an occlusal plane (OP), wherein each collar (<NUM>) surrounds a respective connector (<NUM>) positioned in its bore (<NUM>);
a pair of planar wings (<NUM>) vertically spaced from one another extending from at least one collar (<NUM>) substantially parallel to the occlusal plane (OP); and
a planar tab (<NUM>) extending substantially parallel to the occlusal plane (OP), wherein at least one end of the planar tab (<NUM>) extends between the pair of planar wings (<NUM>),
wherein the collars (<NUM>), planar wings (<NUM>) and planar tab (<NUM>) provide an internal reinforcing framework for the dental prosthesis (<NUM>), and
characterized in that an overlapping planar configuration of the wings and tabs allows minor angular adjustment therebetween.