Dental implants and methods for extending service life

Abstract

An implant has a proximal protrusion that is distinctly non-round even in a worn state, e.g. square in cross section, and may include radial slots for use in threading the implant into the jaw bone. No forces need be applied directly to the protrusion's external surfaces when inserting the slotted implant for subsequent osseointegration.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A dental implant for insertion in the jaw bone of a patient, comprising:
 an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and a proximal surface generally transverse to said longitudinal axis,  
 a boss extending from said proximal surface, said boss having a transverse face, generally axial extended side surfaces, and a non-round cross section as viewed along said axis,  
 at least one indentation penetrating at least one of said proximal surface of said body and said transverse face of said implant boss, said at least one indentation being adapted to engage an insertion device or at least one protrusion of a dental prosthesis or an abutment so as to fix the position of the prosthesis or abutment relative to said implant.  
 
     
     
       2. A dental implant as in  claim 1 , wherein said non-round cross section is polygonal. 
     
     
       3. An implant as in  claim 1  wherein said non-round cross section is defined by said side surfaces and selected from the group consisting of a convex polygon, nonconvex polygon, a closed periphery of curved surfaces, and a closed periphery being a combination of curved segments and linear segments. 
     
     
       4. A dental implant as in  claim 1 , wherein said non-round cross section is selected from the group consisting of generally square, hexagonal, pentagonal, elongated rectangular, oval, triangular, star-shaped, trefoil shaped, trapezoid-shaped, rounded with fluting, polygonal with fluting, non-convex polygonal, and nonregular polygonal. 
     
     
       5. An implant as in  claim 1 , wherein said side surfaces have flutes, said flutes being selected from the group consisting of internal flutes and external flutes. 
     
     
       6. A dental implant as in  claim 1 , wherein said boss includes a plurality of protrusions from said proximal surface, said protrusions from said proximal surface considered together providing said non-round cross section. 
     
     
       7. A dental implant for insertion in the jaw bone of a patient, comprising:
 an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and a proximal surface generally transverse to said longitudinal axis, a boss extending from said proximal surface, said boss having a transverse face, axial extended side surfaces, and a non-round cross section as viewed along said axis,  
 said non-round cross section being defined by said side surfaces and selected from the group consisting of a convex polygon, nonconvex polygon, a closed periphery of curved surfaces, and a close periphery that is a combination of curved segments and linear segments,  
 wherein said boss includes a plurality of protrusions from said proximal surface, said protrusions from said proximal surface considered together providing said non-round cross section.  
 
     
     
       8. A dental implant as in  claim 7  wherein said non-round cross section is selected from the group consisting of generally square, hexagonal, pentagonal, elongated rectangular, oval, triangular, star-shaped, trefoil shaped, trapezoid-shaped, rounded with fluting, polygonal with fluting, non-convex polygonal, and nonregular polygonal. 
     
     
       9. A dental implant for insertion in the jaw bone of a patient, comprising:
 an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and a proximal surface generally transverse to said longitudinal axis, a boss extending from said proximal surface, said boss having a transverse face, axially extending side surfaces, and a non-round cross section as viewed along said axis,  
 said non-round cross section being defined by said side surfaces and selected from the group consisting of generally trefoil, quatrefoil, trapezoid, convex polygon with noncongruent sides, nonconvex irregular polygon, nonregular polygon, tear-shaped convex, and nonrectangular parallelogram cross sections.  
 
     
     
       10. An implant as in  claim 9 , wherein said side surfaces have flutes, said flutes being selected from the group consisting of internal flutes and external flutes. 
     
     
       11. An implant as in  claim 9 , wherein said boss cross-section is asymmetric relative to said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       12. An implant assembly comprising:
 ( i )  a dental implant for insertion in the jaw bone of a patient, comprising:  
   an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and a proximal surface generally transverse to said longitudinal axis,    
   a boss extending from said proximal surface, said boss having a transverse face, generally axial extended side surfaces, and a non - round cross section as viewed along said axis,    
   at least one indentation penetrating said transverse face of said boss and said proximal surface of said body,    
   ( ii )  a dental prosthesis or abutment or impression coping for attachment to said implant, comprising, at a surface that engages said implant, at least one protrusion which engages with said at least one indentation so as to fix the position of the dental prosthesis or abutment or impression coping relative to said implant.     
     
     
       13. A dental implant for insertion in the jaw bone of a patient, comprising:
   an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and proximal surface generally transverse to said longitudinal axis,        a boss extending from said proximal surface, said boss having a transverse face and generally axial extended side surfaces,        at least one indentation penetrating said transverse face of said boss and said proximal surface of said body, said at least one indentation being adapted to engage an insertion device or at least one protrusion of a dental prosthesis or abutment so as to fix the position of the abutment or crown relative to said implant.     
     
     
       14. A dental implant for insertion in the jaw bone of a patient, comprising:
   an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and an axial hole, said body having a proximal end that terminates in a proximal surface that is generally transverse to said longitudinal axis,        a recess extending into said priximal surface, said recess having a bottom wall including an opening that communicats with said axial hole, and smooth, generally axial extended side surfaces, and        a plurality of slots penetrating said proximal surface and axially extending only part way down said side surfaces toward said bottom wall, said slots being adapted to engage an insertion device or at least one protrusion of a dental prosthesis or abutment so as to fix the position of the abutment or crown relative to said implant.     
     
     
       15. A dental implant as in cliam  16 , wherein said body includes an enlarged end. 
     
     
       16. A dental implant as in  claim 16 , wherein said recess includes a beveled surface. 
     
     
       17. A dental implant as in  claim 16 , wherein said elongated body includes screw threads around its exterior beneath said enlarged end, and a diameter of said enlarged end is greater than a diameter of said screw threads. 
     
     
       18. A dental implant as in  claim 19 , wherein said enlarged end includes a circular flange. 
     
     
       19. A dental implant as in  claim 16 , wherein said recess has curved side surfaces. 
     
     
       20. A dental implant as in  claim 16 , wherein said slots have flat sides that intersect in substantially right angles. 
     
     
       21. A dental implant as in  claim 16 , wherein said bottom wall of said recess is substantially planar. 
     
     
       22. A dental implant as in  claim 16 , wherein said axial hole is threaded.