Dentistry – Prosthodontics – Holding or positioning denture in mouth
Patent
1993-06-21
1996-05-14
Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
Dentistry
Prosthodontics
Holding or positioning denture in mouth
A61C 800
Patent
active
055162886
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for attaching a member in replacement of part of a set of teeth, comprising: a hollow pin to be implanted in jawbone and a coupling pin to be rigidly attached to the implantation pin by means of a ball-and-socket joint.
2. Descripton of the Prior Art
Such a device is disclosed in the European Patent Application 0,263,274. It is designed for anchoring in the mouth of, for instance, a human being, a dental-replacement member such as a crown, bridge or prosthesis in replacement of one or more teeth and/or molars.
A dental-replacement member is applied by first implanting one or more hollow pins in the patient's jawbone. After a certain time, the coupling pin for coupling the dental-replacement member is attached thereto. The exact position where such an implantation pin is implanted, as well as the orientation of the implantation pin relative to the bone, mainly depends on the constitution of the bone in question: it will be clear that it is desirable for the implantation pin to be implanted in a bone portion that satisfies certain minimum requirements with respect to thickness and solidity. It may thus happen that the orientation of the implantation pin relative to the bone deviates from the desired orientation relative to the dental-replacement member.
Particularly when a plurality of implantation pins are used to attach one and the same dental-replacement member, it is desirable for the coupling pins of these implantation pins to be oriented parallel to each other. However, in practice it is almost impossible to attach the implantation pins in parallel orientation: some degree of non-parallellism is nearly always inevitable.
Therefore, in order to facilitate the placing of the dental-replacement member onto the pins, and/or to allow for the setting of the orientation of the dental-replacement member with respect to the implantation pin, the coupling pin is attached to the implantation pin by means of a ball-socket joint. When orienting the coupling pin with respect to the implantation pin, the ball-socket joint is loosened; when the desired orientation is achieved, the ball-socket joint is secured.
In the known device, the ball-socket joint is an ordinary ball-socket joint which in itself provides only the orientation facility but not the fixation, while the above-mentioned securing of the ball-socket joint is achieved by the provision of securing means in the form of a clamping screw. Consequently, it is necessary to provide for some passage so that a tool can reach the clamping screw. Further, in the known device the socket of the ball-socket joint is necessarily made in two-part form, the two parts being screwed together. In order to let the socket receive the ball, said two socket parts need to be screwed loose, and after placing the ball in one socket part, the other socket part, which is shaped as a housing, must be placed over the ball and screwed to the first socket part.
One disadvantage of this known device is that it is constructionally complicated, in that it comprises two screw connections: one screw connection for the socket housing to the other socket part, and another screw connection for the securing screw.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Another disadvantage of this known device is that the securing force is applied locally, i.e. at the tip of the securing screw and at the rim of the socket housing, so that it is difficult to have the ball and the socket screwed tightly together without causing them to break.
A further disadvantage of this known device is that the socket housing needs to have a rather smooth outer surface, so that it is relatively difficult to get a good grip thereon for screwing it onto the other socket part without causing any damage like burrs.
It is an object of the invention to improve this known device.
More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a device for attaching a dental-replacement member, which permits stepless adjustment of the orientation of the pins pr
REFERENCES:
patent: 4468201 (1984-08-01), Fukuyo
patent: 4609354 (1986-09-01), Koch
patent: 5007835 (1991-04-01), Valen
patent: 5178539 (1993-01-01), Peltier et al.
patent: 5195891 (1993-03-01), Sulc
patent: 5219287 (1993-06-01), Nishihara
patent: 5302125 (1994-04-01), Kowanacki et al.
patent: 5312255 (1994-05-01), Bauer
European (International) Search Report.
de Nieuport Hans M.
Sichler Heimo
Accius B.V.
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
Michaelson Peter L.
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