Dental Implant

Abstract

A dental implant system for supporting a cosmetic tooth prosthesis includes an elongated body adapted to be disposed in a jaw bone of a patient. The elongated body includes a distal end and a proximal end and extends along a longitudinal axis. The elongated body includes a tapered outer surface that tapers along the longitudinal axis distally from the proximal end of the elongated body. The outer surface of the tapered elongated body includes a plurality of barbs for securing the elongated body in the jaw bone of the patient.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dental implant system for supporting a cosmetic tooth prosthesis, the dental implant system comprising:
 an elongated body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, a plurality of projections disposed on an outer surface of the elongated body, each of the plurality of projections configured to move from a first configuration in which the projections are generally flush against the outer surface to a second configuration in which the projections extend radially from the outer surface;   a collar coupled to the proximal end of the elongate body; and   an actuating tool configured to engage the elongated body such that moving the actuating tool distally and then proximally relative to the elongated body causes the projections to move from the first configuration to the second configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The dental implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the projections are biased to the first configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The dental implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated body defines a threaded bore extending distally from the proximal end thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The dental implant system of  claim 2 , wherein the collar has the threaded bore extending therethrough. 
     
     
         5 . The dental implant system of  claim 2 , wherein the actuating tool is configured to be received within the threaded bore of the elongated body. 
     
     
         6 . The dental implant system of  claim 2 , wherein the threaded bore is configured to receive an abutment that is configured to receive the cosmetic tooth prosthesis. 
     
     
         7 . The dental implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface tapers along the longitudinal axis distally from the proximal end of the elongated body. 
     
     
         8 . The dental implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of projections extend unidirectionally from the outer surface of the elongated body. 
     
     
         9 . The dental implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of projections are arranged as a plurality of longitudinally aligned groups with the groups disposed circumferentially around the elongated body. 
     
     
         10 . The dental implant system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an abutment configured to be coupled with the elongated body, the abutment including a post configured to receive the cosmetic tooth prosthesis.   
     
     
         11 . The dental implant system of  claim 10 , wherein the abutment includes a threaded screw member for screwing into the threaded bore defined by the elongated body. 
     
     
         12 . The dental implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the collar is configured to receive a distal end of an abutment configured to support the cosmetic tooth prosthesis. 
     
     
         13 . The dental implant system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the outer surface of the elongated body and the plurality of projections comprise features configured to promote osseointegration. 
     
     
         14 . The dental implant system of  claim 13 , wherein the features include mechanical texturing, physical texturing, and/or a coating with a substance. 
     
     
         15 . A dental implant system for supporting a cosmetic tooth prosthesis, the dental implant system comprising:
 an elongated body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, a plurality of projections being disposed around an outer surface of the elongated body, each of the plurality of projections configured to move from an undeployed configuration in which the projections are generally flush against the outer surface of elongated body to a deployed configuration in which the projections extend radially outwardly from the outer surface; and   an actuating mechanism configured to engage the elongated body such that distal and proximal rotation of the actuating mechanism relative to the elongated body causes the plurality of projections to move between the undeployed and deployed configurations.   
     
     
         16 . The dental implant system of  claim 15 , wherein the projections are biased to the undeployed configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The dental implant system of  claim 15 , wherein the elongated body defines a threaded bore extending distally from the proximal end thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The dental implant system of  claim 15 , wherein the actuating mechanism is configured to be received within the threaded bore of the elongated body. 
     
     
         19 . A method of implanting a dental implant system comprising:
 positioning an elongated body in a jaw bone of a patient, the elongated body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, a plurality of projections being disposed on an outer surface of the elongated body generally flush against the outer surface;   engaging the elongated body with an actuating tool;   rotating the actuating tool distally and proximally relative to the elongated body to cause the plurality of projections on the elongated body to extend radially outward to engage the jaw bone of the patient.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising inserting the actuating tool into a threaded bore extending distally from the proximal end of the elongated body prior to moving the actuating tool distally and then proximally.