Patent ID: 7922488

Claim:
A method for temporarily isolating a dental implant mounted in a jawbone and gum tissue of a patient after using an impression material to obtain an impression of an abutment portion of the dental implant and adjacent teeth and gum tissue, the implant comprising an outwardly extending annulus substantially thereabout, and the abutment portion having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being proximate the annulus, the method comprising: removing the impression material from the dental implant, leaving the abutment portion of the dental implant substantially exposed; after removing the impression material and before mounting a permanent prosthesis to the abutment portion, encapsulating at least the substantially exposed abutment portion of the dental implant and the outwardly extending annulus with a housing different from the permanent prosthesis to be supported by the implant, by fixedly attaching the housing to the dental implant utilizing a recess engaged by a projection, the recess and projection being below the gum line, wherein the housing comprises an outwardly tapered portion extending from an origin proximate the annulus to a terminus and having a height from the origin to the terminus sufficient to extend above the gum line; wherein the encapsulating comprises establishing an outwardly tapered zone of isolation around the abutment portion and said annulus by the outwardly tapered portion of the housing, the zone of isolation extending above said annulus, through the gum line, to resist incursion of the gum tissue into said area and onto said annulus; and then removing the housing after a permanent prosthesis is formed based, at least in part, on the removed impression material, to again substantially expose the abutment portion; and mounting the permanent prosthesis to the again substantially exposed abutment portion.