Denture Retention Apparatus and Method

Abstract

A denture abutment retention apparatus and a denture including one or more denture abutment retention apparatuses configured to allow the denture to be easily engaged with and secured to a plurality of denture abutments in a user's mouth using sliding motion of the denture from the sides of the plurality of denture abutments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A denture abutment retention apparatus for securing a denture to a denture abutment, the denture abutment retention apparatus comprising:
 a. a denture abutment retention apparatus body comprising a plurality of sides wherein the plurality of sides include a first side which comprises an aperture therethrough;   b. a channel located inside the denture abutment retention apparatus body and open to the first side of the denture abutment retention apparatus body via the aperture, the channel further comprising a first zone and a second zone, and the aperture further comprising a first section and a second section wherein the first section is wider than the second section;   
       wherein the aperture and channel are configured to (i) allow a head of a dental abutment to fit through the first section of the aperture and into the first zone of the channel, (ii) allow the head of the dental abutment to be slid horizontally to the second zone of the channel under the second section of the aperture, and (iii) prevent the head of the dental abutment from fitting through the second section of the aperture to escape the channel. 
     
     
         2 . The denture abutment retention apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first section of the aperture comprises a round shape and wherein the second section of the aperture comprises a triangular shape terminating at a point to allow a neck of a dental abutment to be wedged into the denture abutment retention apparatus body along the second section of the aperture after being inserted into the first section of the aperture and slid toward the second section of the aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The denture abutment retention apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first section of the aperture comprises a round shape and wherein the second section of the aperture comprises a tapered shape terminating at a rounded end. 
     
     
         4 . The denture abutment retention apparatus of  claim 3  wherein a distal portion of the second zone of the channel angles out on opposing sides at an angle α for receiving a head of a cone-type dental abutment. 
     
     
         5 . The denture abutment retention apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second section of the aperture further comprises a first region and a second region wherein the first region is narrower than the second region so that a neck of a dental abutment can snap through the first region into the second region when the denture abutment retention apparatus is being secured to a dental abutment. 
     
     
         6 . The denture abutment retention apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second section of the aperture further comprises a first region and a second region wherein the first region is narrower than the second region so that a neck of a dental abutment can pass through the first region into the second region when the denture abutment retention apparatus is being secured to a dental abutment, and wherein the second zone of the channel provides extra space for freedom of movement for a head of a dental abutment located in the second zone of the channel. 
     
     
         7 . The denture abutment retention apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the first section of the aperture comprises a rectangular shape through which the head of a T-shaped dental abutment can be inserted into the first zone of the channel. 
     
     
         8 . The denture abutment retention apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the second region of the second section of the channel aperture comprises a round shape. 
     
     
         9 . A denture abutment retention apparatus comprising:
 a. a base;   b. a neck including a first neck end and a second neck end wherein the neck is connected to the base along the first neck end;   c. a pair of arched arms connected to and extending from the neck, the pair of arched arms comprising a first arched arm including a first arched arm distal end and a second arched arm including a second arched arm distal end wherein the pair of arched arms form an empty space between the first arched arm and the second arched arm and a gap between the first arched arm distal end the second arched arm distal end,   wherein the denture abutment retention apparatus is configured for horizontal insertion and removal.   
     
     
         10 . The denture abutment retention apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the empty space is configured for receiving a head of a denture abutment and wherein the gap is configured for receiving a neck of a denture abutment so as to confine the denture abutment in the denture abutment retention apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . A denture comprising:
 a. a denture body, a first denture abutment retention apparatus connected to the denture body, and a second denture abutment retention apparatus connected to the denture body wherein each of the first denture abutment retention apparatus and the second denture abutment retention apparatus comprises:
 i. a denture abutment retention apparatus body comprising a plurality of sides wherein the plurality of sides include a first side which comprises an aperture therethrough; 
 ii. a channel located inside the denture abutment retention apparatus body and open to the first side of the denture abutment retention apparatus body via the aperture, the channel further comprising a first zone and a second zone, and the aperture further comprising a first section and a second section wherein the first section is wider than the second section;
 wherein the aperture and the channel are configured to (i) allow a head of a dental abutment to fit through the first section of the aperture into the first zone of the channel, (ii) allow the head of the dental abutment to be slid horizontally to the second zone of the channel under the second section of the aperture, and (iii) prevent the head of the dental abutment from fitting through the second section of the aperture to escape the channel. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The denture of  claim 11  wherein the first denture abutment retention apparatus and the second denture abutment retention apparatus are at least partially embedded in a posterior section of the denture body. 
     
     
         13 . The denture of  claim 11  further comprising:
 a. a third denture abutment retention apparatus connected to the denture body and a fourth denture abutment retention apparatus connected to the denture body wherein each of the third denture abutment retention apparatus and the fourth denture abutment retention apparatus comprises:
 i. a base; 
 ii. a neck including a first neck end and a second neck end wherein the neck is connected to the base along the first neck end; and 
 iii. a pair of arched arms connected to and extending from the neck, the pair of arched arms comprising a first arched arm including a first arched arm distal end and a second arched arm including a second arched arm distal end wherein the pair of arched arms form an empty space between the first arched arm and the second arched arm and a gap between the first arched arm distal end the second arched arm distal end. 
 
 
     
     
         14 . The denture of  claim 13  wherein the third denture abutment retention apparatus and the fourth denture abutment retention apparatus are at least partially embedded in an anterior section of the denture body. 
     
     
         15 . The denture of  claim 11  comprising an open center section. 
     
     
         16 . The denture of  claim 11  wherein the denture does not include a flange on a lingual side of the denture. 
     
     
         17 . A denture comprising:
 a. a denture body, a first denture abutment retention apparatus connected to the denture body, and a second denture abutment retention apparatus connected to the denture body wherein each of the first denture abutment retention apparatus and the second denture abutment retention apparatus comprises:
 i. a base; 
 ii. a neck including a first neck end and a second neck end wherein the neck is connected to the base along the first neck end; and 
 iii. a pair of arched arms connected to and extending from the neck, the pair of arched arms comprising a first arched arm including a first arched arm distal end and a second arched arm including a second arched arm distal end wherein the pair of arched arms form an empty space between the first arched arm and the second arched arm and a gap between the first arched arm distal end the second arched arm distal end, 
   wherein the denture is configured for horizontal insertion and removal.   
     
     
         18 . The denture of  claim 17  wherein the first denture abutment retention apparatus and the second denture abutment retention apparatus are at least partially embedded in the denture body. 
     
     
         19 . The denture of  claim 18  comprising an open center section. 
     
     
         20 . The denture of  claim 18  wherein the denture does not include a flange on a lingual side of the denture.