Dental implant set

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dental implant set comprising a fixture for insertion into a bore hole arranged in bone tissue having first indexing means, a dental component having second indexing means and being adaptable to the fixture in an engaged position where the first and second indexing means mate and in an intermediate position where the dental component and the fixture are in contact with each other but the first and the second indexing means do not mate, and a fixation screw being adapted for fixating the dental component to the fixture. The present invention also relates to a method for attaching a dental component to a dental fixture.

1 . A dental implant set comprising:
 a fixture for insertion into a bore hole arranged in bone tissue having first indexing means,   a dental component having second indexing means and being adaptable to the fixture in an engaged position where the first and second indexing means mate and in an intermediate position where the dental component and the fixture are in contact with each other but the first and the second indexing means do not mate, and   a fixation screw being adapted for fixating the dental component to the fixture,   wherein in the intermediate position:
 a first contacting surface of the fixation screw is arranged to abut a second contacting surface of the dental component and a third contacting surface of the dental component is arranged to abut a fourth contacting surface of the fixture, and 
   wherein the dental implant set is arranged such that the maximum capacity to transmit torque is greater between the first and second contacting surfaces than between the third and fourth contacting surfaces, so that when the fixation screw is subject to a torque and an axial force applied by a user, the dental component will rotate with the fixation screw.   
     
     
         2 . A dental implant set according to  claim 1 , wherein in the engaged position the dental component is arranged such that the fixation screw may rotate relative the dental component. 
     
     
         3 . A dental implant set according to  claim 1 , wherein the fixture further comprises an axis, and at least one of the first and second contacting surfaces forms a smaller angle to the axis than at least one of the third and fourth contacting surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . A dental implant set according to  claim 1 , wherein the fixture further comprises an axis, and wherein the first and second contacting surfaces forms an essentially equal first angle to the axis, and wherein the third and fourth contacting surfaces forms an essentially equal second angle to the axis. 
     
     
         5 . A dental implant set according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first and second contacting surfaces forms a first angle of 5°-30° relative to the axis of the fixture, and wherein at least one of the third and fourth contacting surfaces forms a second angle of 50°-70° relative to the axis of the fixture. 
     
     
         6 . A dental implant set according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first and second contacting surfaces forms a first angle of 5°-30° relative to the axis of the fixture, and wherein at least one of the third and fourth contacting surfaces forms a second angle of 50°-70° relative to the axis of the fixture. 
     
     
         7 . A dental implant set according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the contacting surfaces have different surface characteristics from the others in order to modify the coefficient of friction between the first and second contacting surfaces or between the third and fourth contacting surfaces. 
     
     
         8 . A dental implant set according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the contacting surfaces is coated with a material in order to modify the coefficient of friction between the first and second contacting surfaces or between the third and fourth contacting surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . A dental implant set according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the contacting surfaces are surface treated in order to modify the coefficient of friction between the first and second contacting surfaces or between the third and fourth contacting surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . A dental implant set according to  claim 1 , wherein the contacting surfaces are provided such that a first frictional force between the first and second contacting surfaces is larger for a given applied axial force than a second frictional force between the third and fourth contacting surfaces for the same applied axial force. 
     
     
         11 . A dental implant set according to  claim 1 , wherein the fixture further comprises a bore provided with an internal thread, and wherein the fixation screw further comprises an external thread adapted to engage said thread of the bore of the fixture, and wherein the length of the fixation screw is adapted such that the external thread of the fixation screw is positioned coronally to the thread of the bore of the fixture in said intermediate position. 
     
     
         12 . A dental implant set according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the fixation screw is adapted such that the external thread of the fixation screw can engage the thread of the bore of the fixture when the fixture and the dental component are arranged in the engaged position. 
     
     
         13 . A dental implant set according to  claim 1 , wherein the first indexing means comprises indexing depressions extending in the radial direction from a first surface of the fixture and the second indexing means comprises indexing projections extending in the radial direction from a second surface of the dental component, and wherein the indexing depressions and projections are distributed along the circumference of the first and second surfaces of the fixture and the dental component respectively, such that the dental component can only mate in certain specific rotational orientations with respect to the fixture. 
     
     
         14 . A dental implant set according to  claim 13 , wherein the dental component further comprises at least one first indexing projection having an apical end, and at least two second indexing projections, each one having an apical end, and wherein the fixture further comprises at least one first indexing depression having a coronal end, and at least two second indexing depressions, each one having a coronal end, wherein the apical ends of said at least two second indexing projections are located apically of the apical end of the first indexing projection and/or the coronal ends of said at least two second indexing depressions are located coronally of the coronal end of the first indexing depression, wherein the first and second indexing projections and the first and second indexing depressions are distributed along the circumference of the dental component and the fixture, respectively, in such way that the dental component can only mate in one rotational orientation with respect to the fixture, wherein the first indexing projection is only enabled to mate with the first indexing depression after said at least two second indexing projections have mated with said at least two second indexing depressions. 
     
     
         15 . A method for the connection of a dental component to a fixture having first indexing means by means of a fixation screw, said dental component having second indexing means and being arranged to engage the fixture in an engaged position when the first and second indexing means mate, said method comprising the steps of:
 positioning the dental component in an intermediate position in which the dental component and the fixture are in contact with each other but the first and second indexing means do not mate, and   applying a torque and an axial force to the fixation screw and thereby rotate the fixation screw in relation to the fixture, wherein the dental component rotates accordingly.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein, a first torque may be transferred from the fixation screw via a first pair of contacting surfaces to the dental component, and a second torque may be transferred from the dental component via a second pair of contacting surfaces to the fixture, wherein the maximum capacity of transferring torque at said first pair of contacting surfaces being larger than the maximum capacity of transferring torque at said second pair of contacting surfaces, thereby allowing the dental component to rotate with the fixation screw.