Patent ID: 8221118

Claim:
A retention system for delivering energy to an oral prosthesis in order to retain the oral prosthesis onto a dental implant, comprising: a housing sized for insertion within a mouth of a subject, the housing having a first portion and an apposed second portion which is spaced from the first portion at a distance suitable for placement within the mouth and around the oral prosthesis, the housing having at least one first conductor positioned within the first portion, at least one second conductor positioned within the second portion; and, a power supply in electrical communication with the first and second conductors whereby application of energy to the first and second conductors creates an inductive current between the first portion and second portion; a dental implant configured to be inserted within a bone in an oral cavity of a patient; an abutment securable to the dental implant; an oral prosthesis defining a receiving channel for positioning upon the abutment; and, one or more shape memory elements securable along a portion of the abutment, wherein the one or more shape memory elements extends radially relative to the abutment when the elements are in a locking configuration such that the one or more shape memory elements are in contact with the oral prosthesis in the locking configuration and are secured against the oral prosthesis; wherein the one or more shape memory elements are actuatable upon application of the inductive current to transition between a low-profile configuration where the one or more shape memory elements remains retracted and the radially extended locking configuration.