Dental implant

Abstract

The invention provides dental implants for fixed and removable prosthetic devices, and has application to single tooth replacement, e.g., caps and crowns, and multiple tooth replacement using one or more implants, e.g., bridges, and multiple implants for full and partial prosthetic devices. Dental implants according to embodiments of the invention comprise a post or posts inserted into the jawbone and a stabilizer that is loaded, in the general area of the gum line, against the jawbone using the post or posts. The stabilizer is secured to each post, loaded against the jawbone, by a fastener system, e.g., a nut threaded to each post.

1 . A dental implant adapted to be installed in a mouth on a permanent basis, comprising:
 at least one post which includes a screw thread extending along at least a portion thereof, each post being adapted to be secured in a mouth to a jawbone using the screw thread with an end thereof generally facing an opposing jawbone, each post having a diameter within the range of 1.6 mm to 3.7 mm;   a stabilizer including a hole therein for each post of the dental implant, the stabilizer being adapted to support a prosthetic device replacing at least one tooth at a in the mouth in which the implant is to be installed, and to contact the jawbone at that location along a portion of the jawbone that faces the opposed jawbone:   a fastener system which in cooperation with the at least one post is adapted to engage the stabilizer and load the stabilizer against the jawbone in contact therewith along the portion thereof that faces the opposed jawbone   
   
   
       2 . A dental implant adapted to be installed in a mouth on a permanent basis, comprising:
 at least two posts each of which includes a screw thread extending along at least a portion thereof, each of the posts being adapted to be secured in a location in the mouth to a jawbone using the screw thread with an end thereof generally facing an opposing jawbone, each post having a diameter within the range of 1.6 mm to 3.7 mm;   a stabilizer including a hole therein for each post of the dental implant, the stabilizer being adapted to support a prosthetic device replacing at least one tooth at a location in the mouth in which the is to be installed, and to contact the jawbone at that location along a portion of the jawbone that faces the opposed jawbpone;   a fastener system which in cooperation with the at least two posts is adapted to engage the stabilizer and load the stabilizer against the jawbone in contact therewith along the portion thereof that faces the opposed jawbones   
   
   
       3 . A dental implant installed in a mouth on a permanent basis, comprising:
 at least one post which includes a screw thread extending along at least a portion thereof, each post being secured to a jawbone at least using the screw thread thereof with an end thereof general 1 y facing an opposing jawbone, each post having a diameter within the range of 1.6 mm to 3.7 mm;   a stabilizer including a hole therein for each post of the dental implant, the stabilizer being adapted to support a prothetic device replacing at least one tooth at a location in the mouth in which the implant is to be installed, the stabilizer contacting the jawbone at that location along a portion of the jawbone that faces the opposed jawbone with a respective post in alignment with a respective stabilizer hole; and   a fastener system which in cooperation with at least one post engages the stabilizer and loads the stabilizer against the jawbone in contact therewith along the portion thereof that faces the opposed jawbone.   
   
   
       4 . The dental implant of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the stabilizer comprises a platform including opposed major sides and at least one minor side. 
   
   
       5 . The dental implant of  claim 4 , wherein: the opposed major sides of the platform are parallel and the at least one minor side is transverse to the major sides. 
   
   
       6 . The dental implant of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein each post is adapted to extend beyond the stabilizer through a respective hole therein and the fastener system comprises a threaded nut for each post and a complementarily threaded portion of a respective post in the portion thereof adapted to extend beyond the stabilizer. 
   
   
       7 . The dental implant of  claim 1  or  2 , comprising at least one anchor adapted to be attached to the dental implant projecting from the stabilizer and adapted to assist in securing the prosthetic device to the dental implant. 
   
   
       8 . The dental implant of  claim 1 , wherein the dental implant is adapted to be installed at a location in the mouth formerly occupied by a tooth having a single root, and wherein the dental implant comprises a single post. 
   
   
       9 . The dental implant of  claim 3 , wherein the dental implant is installed at a location in the mouth formerly occupied by a tooth having a single root, and wherein the dental implant comprises a single post. 
   
   
       10 . The dental implant of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dental implant is adapted to be installed at a location in the mouth formerly occupied by a tooth having two or more roots, and wherein the dental implant comprises at least two posts. 
   
   
       11 . The dental implant of  claim 3 , wherein the dental implant is installed at a location in the mouth formerly occupied by a tooth having two or more roots, and wherein the dental implant comprises at least two posts. 
   
   
       12 . A combination of a dental implant according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  and a prosthetic device adapted to be attached to the implant. 
   
   
       13 . The combination of  claim 12 , wherein the prosthetic device comprises structure replacing a single tooth. 
   
   
       14 . The combination of  claim 12 , wherein the prosthetic device comprises structure forming part of a multi-tooth replacement. 
   
   
       15 . The dental implant of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the dental implant is adapted to receive at least part of a fixed prosthetic device. 
   
   
       16 . The dental implant of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the dental implant is adapted to receive at least part of a removable prosthetic device. 
   
   
       17 . A method of installing a dental implant in a mouth on a permanent basis, the dental implant comprising at least one post having a diameter within the range of 1.6 mm to 3.7 mm, a stabilizer with a hole therein for each post adapted to support a prosthetic device replacing at least one tooth at a location in the mouth in which the implant is to be installed, and a fastener system for engaging the stabilizer loaded against and in contact with a jawbone at the location in the mouth in which the implant is to be installed along a portion of the jawbone that faces the opposed jawbone, the method comprising:
 securing each post to the jawbone with an end thereof generally facing an opposing jawbone;   positioning the stabilizer with each ho 1 e thereof aligned with a respective post and in contact with the jawbone at the location in the mouth in which the implant is to be installed along the portion of the jawbone that faces the opposed jawbone; and   operating the fastener system to engage the stabilizer and load the stabilizer against the jawbone in contact therewith along the portion of the jawbone that faces the opposed jawbone.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each post as secured to the jawbone includes a portion extending beyond the stabilizer, and wherein the fastener system comprises a screw thread extending in the portion of each post extending beyond the stabilizer and a threaded nut, and wherein operating the fastener system comprises threading a respective nut to the threaded portion of a respective post extending beyond the stabilizer and torqueing the respective nut to load the stabilizer against the jawbone. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of positioning the stabilizer follows the step of securing each post to the jawbone. 
   
   
       20 . The dental implant of  claim 3 , wherein each post extends beyond the stabilizer through a respective hole in the stabilizer and the fastener system comprises a threaded nut for each post and a complementarily threaded portion of a respective post extending beyond the stabilizer. 
   
   
       21 . The dental implant of  claim 3 , comprising at least one anchor attached to the dental implant projecting from the stabilizer and adapted to assist in securing the prosthetic device to the dental implant. 
   
   
       22 . The dental implant of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the dental implant is adapted to receive at least part of a prosthetic device. 
   
   
       23 . A dental implant adapted to be installed in a mouth on a permanent basis, comprising:
 at least one post which includes a screw thread extending along at least a portion of the at least one post, each post being adapted to be secured in a mouth to a jawbone using the screw thread with an end thereof generally facing an opposing jawbone, each post having a diameter within the range of 1 mm to 4 mm;   a stabilizer including a hole therein for each post of the dental implant, the stabilizer being adapted to support a prosthetic device replacing at least one tooth at a location in the mouth in which the implant is to be installed, and to contact the jawbone at that location along a portion of the jawbone that faces the opposed jawbone;   a fastener system which in cooperation with the at least one post is adapted to engage the stabilizer and load the stabilizer against the jawbone in contact therewith along the portion thereof that faces the opposed jawbone.