Patent ID: 7008227

Claim:
A dental implant comprising a body portion and a head portion, said body portion comprising a tip portion remote from said head portion, said body portion of said implant having an external thread including 1) a lead thread portion adjacent said tip portion, 2) an intermediate thread portion adjacent said lead thread portion and 3) a distal thread portion, adjacent said head portion, wherein said thread of said lead thread portion, said intermediate thread portion and said distal thread portion comprises a cutting edge so that said implant is self-tapping said dental implant further comprising a central bore within said head portion and an internal thread within said bore for receiving a dental prosthesis, and wherein said tip portion comprises at least one cutting edge for cutting bone to form a bore as said implant is rotated, said body portion comprising at least one flute, said flute having a first end adjacent said at least one cutting edge of said tip portion for assisting removal of bone cuttings from said cutting edge, said body portion having a generally longitudinal axis and said cutting edge of said tip portion commencing at said axis and extending radially outwardly from said axis so that upon rotation of said implant in a patient's jaw, said implant is self-drilling and self-tapping.