Patent ID: RE43470

Claim:
A prosthodontic procedure for forming a dental impression indicating a location of an implant member comprising the steps of: placing the implant member into a patient's jaw bone; providing a first temporary abutment member having an inner wall defining a bore a first mounting portion and an outer surface, the first mounting portion comprising one of a recess surface and a projection ; attaching the first temporary abutment member to the implant member in a manner that prevents rotation of the first temporary abutment member relative to the implant member about an axis of the implant member and such that the outer surface of the first temporary abutment member extends from the implant member and is adapted to engage the patient's gum tissue ; providing a prosthodontic impression member having a base portion a second mounting portion and an impression portion , the second mounting portion comprising the other one of the recess surface and the projection, wherein the first mounting portion is adapted to engage the second mounting portion to support the prosthodontic impression member on the first temporary abutment member ; forming a recess on one of the inner wall of the first temporary abutment member and the base portion of the prosthodontic impression member; forming a projection on the other of the inner wall of the first temporary abutment member and the base portion of the prosthodontic impression member; displacing the prosthodontic impression member towards the first temporary abutment member until such that the first mounting portion engages the second mounting portion to support the prosthodontic impression member on the first temporary abutment member and the projection engages the recess surface to form a snap fit that prevents inadvertent removal of the prosthodontic impression member but which allows the prosthodontic impression member to be removed by application of deliberate, manual force thereon; embedding the impression portion of the prosthodontic impression member in impression material; allowing the impression material to harden; and applying deliberate, manual force to the hardened impression material to displace both the hardened impression material and the prosthodontic impression member embedded therein away from the first temporary abutment member.