Patent ID: 7699611

Claim:
A device for fastening a dental prosthesis to two dental implants, comprising: a substantially rod-shaped bar assembly with first and second opposing ends and having: first and second connecting elements respectively situated at the first and second ends; and a rod-shaped element situated between and slideably engaging by direct axial motion with each of the connecting elements; and wherein: the first and second connecting elements are attached to proximal ends of corresponding first and second ones of the dental implants, both of said implants being securely fixed at distal ends thereof into operative positions on a member and at a distance from each other, the bar assembly forming a rigid connection with both of the implants; each of the first and second connecting elements having an integrally formed construction and having a body, with a partly convex outer surface and a tubular element extending outward from the body so as to define first and second tubular elements respectively, each of the tubular elements having an exposed end and a first bore longitudinally extending inward from said exposed end of said each tubular element, and a second bore, being a through-bore, through said body and the convex surface and oriented substantially perpendicular to said first bore, both of the connecting elements being oriented such that the first and second tubular elements face each other, and the convex surface of the body being complementary to and in abutting contact with a concave surface fixedly associated with a respective one of the implants; the rod-shaped element extending between and slideably received in the first bore of each of the tubular elements such that, by slideable direct axial movement of a respective one of the first and second tubular elements along the rod-shaped element, a distance between the opposing ends of the bar assembly can be adjusted by movement of either of the opposing ends of the bar assembly relative to the other; and the device further comprising, for each one of the connecting elements, a separate fastening element longitudinally extending through the second bore and into a respective one of the implants, at least one of the fastening elements being pivotable in three dimensions within said fastening element's corresponding second bore prior to securing thereof, so as to fasten a corresponding one of the opposing ends of the bar assembly to said respective one implant, wherein each respective fastening element, once secured into position, closes off said fastening element's corresponding through-bore in the bar assembly coupled therewith such that the bar assembly has a closed outer surface.