Patent ID: 7785108

Claim:
A denture attachment system comprising: an implant member having a stem adapted to be secured in a mandible such that a head at the end of the stem of the implant member projects out of the mandible, the head of the implant member being generally spherical in shape; and a locking mechanism adapted to be received in a denture so as to cooperate with the implant member to releasably secure the denture to the implant member, the locking mechanism having: a receptacle for receiving the head of the implant member; and a locking member being movable between a release position in which the head of the implant member may enter/exit the receptacle, and a locking position in which the locking member blocks an access out of the receptacle by opposing a hemispherical surface complementary to the shape of the head of the implant member, the locking member holding the implant member captive in the receptacle with points of contact between the head of the implant member and the locking member, a pair of the points of contact being located on diametrically opposed sides of the junction between the stem and the head of the implant member.