Method for making and using a template for locating a dental implant and components relating thereto

Abstract

A method for making a template for a dental implant osteotomy in an edentulous space of a patient's mandible or maxilla, and components relating thereto. The method includes the steps of forming a dental cast of the patient's mandible or maxilla, drilling a hole into the dental cast wherein the location and orientation of the hole correspond to a desired location and orientation of the dental implant osteotomy, inserting a guide post into the hole, magnetically attaching a sleeve having a longitudinal gap to the guide post, applying a molding material to a portion of the dental cast and to a portion of an outer surface of the sleeve, allowing the molding material to cure, and removing the cured template including the sleeve embedded therein from the dental cast, whereby using the template in the patient's mouth provides a guide means for drilling the osteotomy.

1 . A method for making a template for a dental implant osteotomy in an edentulous space of a patient's mandible or maxilla, comprising the steps of:
 forming a dental cast of the patient's mandible or maxilla including the edentulous space;   drilling a hole into the dental cast wherein the location and orientation of the hole correspond to a desired location and orientation of the dental implant osteotomy;   inserting a guide post into the hole;   attaching a sleeve to the guide post, the sleeve having a top surface, a bottom surface, an inner annular surface generally corresponding to a curved outside surface of the guide post and a longitudinal gap extending through the top surface towards the bottom surface;   applying a template-forming molding material to a portion of the dental cast and to a portion of an outer surface of the sleeve;   allowing the molding material to cure; and,   removing the cured template including the sleeve embedded therein from the dental cast, whereby using the template in the patient's mouth provides a guide means for drilling the osteotomy.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of radiographically visualizing the location and orientation of the sleeve seated in the template positioned in the patient's mouth, whereby the location and orientation of the sleeve can be confirmed or altered as desired. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the step of attaching a sleeve to the guide post includes laterally attaching the sleeve to the guide post. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the longitudinal gap is large enough to laterally receive a drill for making the osteotomy. 
     
     
         5 . A method of using a template for locating a dental implant osteotomy in an edentulous space of a patient's mandible or maxilla, comprising the step of:
 aligning a template having an impression of the edentulous space and a portion of the patient's teeth adjacent thereto with a portion of the patient's mandible or maxilla corresponding to the impression, wherein the template includes at least one sleeve, having a longitudinal gap, a top surface and a bottom surface, embedded therein.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of:
 inserting a drill laterally through a longitudinal gap extending through the top surface towards the bottom surface of the sleeve; and,   drilling the osteotomy, wherein the aligned template provides a guide means for drilling the osteotomy.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus used in forming a template for locating a dental implant osteotomy in a patient's mandible or maxilla, comprising:
 a guide post having a curved outer surface and a predetermined diameter; and   a sleeve having a sidewall that includes a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer annular surface, an inner annular surface generally corresponding to the curved outer surface of the guide post, the sleeve having a longitudinal gap extending all the way through the sidewall of the sleeve from the inner annular surface to the outer annular surface of the sidewall and all the through the sidewall from the top surface to the bottom surface, and a diameter greater than the diameter of the guide post, wherein the sleeve is attached to the guide post.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  further comprising an insert corresponding to the inner annular surface of the sleeve and having a longitudinal gap extending through a top surface of the insert to a bottom surface of the insert and aligning with the longitudinal gap of the sleeve, wherein the insert is configured to reduce the diameter of the sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the guide post includes an upper shaft, a lower shaft and a base, wherein the upper shaft is centrally positioned on the base and the lower shaft is off-set from the center of the base. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the guide post includes an upper shaft, a lower shaft and a base, wherein the lower shaft is centrally positioned on the base and the upper shaft is off-set from the center of the base. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the guide post includes a longitudinally slit-center forming two spring-bias prongs for frictionally engaging the sleeve. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the sleeve includes a boss projecting transversely from a portion of an outer surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the longitudinal gap of the sleeve has a width that is less than or equal to a diameter of the sleeve. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the longitudinal gap of the sleeve is large enough to laterally receive a drill for making the osteotomy. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 7  further including a cured, resinous base having an impression of the patient's mandible or maxilla including the edentulous space, wherein the sleeve is at least partially embedded in the resinous base and fixed in the template in a position and at an angle corresponding to the desired position and angle of the osteotomy. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the sleeve is substantially half-cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the sleeve is substantially u-shaped. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the sleeve is constructed from one of stainless steel and titanium. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the sleeve is constructed from ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 7  in which the sleeve is ceramic. 
     
     
         21 . A method for making a template for locating a dental implant osteotomy in a patient's mandible or maxilla, comprising:
 drilling an opening in a guide post;   inserting a magnet into the opening;   sealing the magnet and the opening to form a magnetic guide post;   forming a dental cast of the patient's mandible or maxilla including the edentulous space;   drilling a hole into the dental cast wherein the location and orientation of the hole correspond to a desired location and orientation of the dental implant osteotomy;   inserting the guide post into the hole;   laterally attaching a sleeve and the magnetic guide post, the sleeve having a longitudinal gap extending through the top surface towards the bottom surface large enough to receive a drill bit for making the osteotomy; and   applying a template-forming, molding material to a portion of the dental cast and to a portion of an outer surface of the sleeve and portions of the dental cast.   
     
     
         22 . An improved template for locating a dental implant osteotomy in a patient's mandible or maxilla having an edentulous space comprising:
 a cured, resinous base having an impression of the patient's mandible or maxilla including the edentulous space;   a sleeve at least partially embedded in the base in a position and at an angle corresponding to the desired position and angle of the osteotomy, wherein the sleeve includes a predetermined diameter, a top surface a bottom surface, and a longitudinal gap extending through the top surface and towards the bottom surface, wherein the longitudinal gap is large enough to receive a drill bit for making the osteotomy.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the sleeve further comprises an inner annular surface and an insert corresponding thereto, the insert having a longitudinal gap extending through a top surface of the insert towards a bottom surface of the insert and aligning with the longitudinal gap of the sleeve, wherein the insert is disposed to reduce the diameter of the sleeve.