WO2006018557A1

WO2006018557A1 - Device for fixing a prosthesis support pier to a dental implant

Info

Publication number: WO2006018557A1
Application number: PCT/FR2005/050435
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacob Hania
Original assignee: Jacob Hania
Priority date: 2004-07-20
Filing date: 2005-06-10
Publication date: 2006-02-23
Also published as: FR2873285A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for fixing a pier (1) to a dental implant whereby ensuring the junction of this implant with a prosthesis, said implant (3) being provided, at the upper end thereof, with an annular flange or collar (2) that interacts with an annular shoulder of the pier (1) delimiting a tip of the fixation at the lower end thereof whereby defining a pier/collar joining surface. The inventive device comprises at least one male part (5) displaceably mounted in the tip of the fixation of the pier (1) whereby enabling it to move between, on the one hand, a retracted position or an insertion/disinsertion position and, on the other hand, a released position or a fixing position in which it protrudes from the peripheral wall of the tip of the fixation of the pier (1), and comprises at least one corresponding cavity (4) provided on the inside wall of the collar (2) and dimensioned so that the male part (5, 50) can be accommodated therein for enabling the pier (1) to be arrested inside the implant (3). The inventive device also comprises actuating means that enable the male part (5, 50) to be displaced between the insertion/disinsertion position and the fixing position and to be arrested in the latter position.

Description

"Fixing device for a prosthesis support abutment on a dental implant"

The present invention relates to a fixing device on a dental implant of a pillar ensuring the junction of this implant with a prosthesis.

The dental technique has largely evolved in recent years, and there has been a significant development of implants that have compared with traditional bridges the considerable advantage of not requiring to damage healthy teeth. The implants are conventionally equipped at their upper extremity with an annular flange or collar which cooperates with an annular shoulder of the abutment delimiting at the lower end thereof a substantially cylindrical fixing end.

This configuration makes it possible to define a pillar-collar connection surface comprising on the one hand a horizontal section corresponding to the shoulder of the pillar and to the annular upper face of the collar and, on the other hand, a substantially vertical section located in the prolongation. horizontal section corresponding to the peripheral wall of the abutment attachment end and the inner wall of the collar. It should be noted that in the context of this description, the upper, lower, horizontal and vertical ter¬ ages refer to the device fixed on the lower jaw of a patient.

Usually, the attachment and locking of the abutment to the implant is done through a screw and a generally hexagonal connection, but the weak point of this assembly is the screw which has several drawbacks:

the risk of unscrewing or fracture of the screw may jeopardize the prosthetic construction,

the internal thread of the implant serving to accommodate the screw weakens the implant,

the difficulty of insertion of the screw by the practitioner,

- ingestion by the patient or loss of the screw,

- the wear of the screw head,

- screwing in force causing poor adjustment of the pillar, hence the need for a control radio.

The proposed invention solves all these problems because it eliminates the use of the screw. The subject of the invention is therefore a device of the above-mentioned type, characterized in that it comprises at least one male piece movably mounted in the attachment end of the pillar so as to be able to move between on the one hand a retracted position or insertion / disinsertion position and secondly an open position or fixing position in which it projects on the peripheral wall of the fixing end and at least one corresponding cavity provided on the in¬ dull wall collar and dimensioned so that the male part can be housed there to allow the blocking of the abutment in the implant. This device also comprises actuating means for moving the male part between the insertion / removal position and the fixing position and to block it in the latter position.

The pillar generally comprises two male pieces preferably diametrically opposed on the attachment end and cooperating respectively with two cavities, also preferably diametrically opposite on the inner wall of the collar.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the device comprises at least one vertical slide located on the inner wall of the collar and cooperating with at least one corresponding edge located on the attachment end so as to guide the insertion of the pillar. in the collar or the disinsertion thereof and to precisely position the male part (s) facing the corresponding cavity (s).

It should be noted that according to one variant, the collar and the attachment end piece may be of polygonal shape and therefore devoid of symmetry of rotation.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the actuating means comprise a vertical cylindrical rod housed in a through channel pierced in the pillar and cooperating with operating members so that the rotation of this rod, in particular by means of a key causes the male part (s) to move between the insertion / disinsertion position and the fixing position.

According to a variant of the invention, the operating members may be constituted by a toothed wheel mounted at the lower end of the vertical cylindrical rod and which during the rotation of this rod on its axis hooks one (of) rod (S) Horizontal notched (s) solid (s) of the room (s) male (s) so as to drive its (their) projection or (their) retraction. Given this configuration, the attachment of the abutment in the implant and more specifically in the collar of the implant, is via two or more male parts that retract and protrude from the surface of the pillar on a plane horizontal. These parts located in the abutment-pillar connection area of the abutment, retract at insertion and protrude when the abutment is fully inserted into the collar. They are housed in two or more cavities provided for this purpose on the inner face of the collar, thus blocking the pillar. The horizontal movement of the parts is made by rotating on its axis, using a key, a vertical cylindrical rod placed in the center of the pillar. This rod has at its lower end a toothed wheel which hangs horizontal rods notched integral with the male parts. The head of the key, geo¬ metric anywhere, placed at the upper end of the vertical rod at the upper plate of the pillar, allows to actuate the rotation. An edge protruding along the pillar collar binding zone of the pillar, will guide the insertion of the latter sliding in a glis¬ siere located on the inner face of the collar. The male parts will be perfectly positioned next to the female parts or cavities to the complete insertion of the pillar. The various elements mentioned above can be of any size, any shape and any surface condition without any limitation. • According to particular modes of realization:

- The rotation of the vertical rod is actuated by a key whose geometric shape allows only one positioning and one in its housing, at the upper end of the vertical rod (non-limiting example: a right triangle),

- perpendicular to the axis of the key is arranged a pin which limits the depression thereof,

- A vertical slide located inside the pillar in its upper part allows another level of depression of the key,

- A slide perpendicular to the previous one, located at the maximum level of depression allows the locking of the key with which one can easily remove the pillar,

- the toothed wheel located at the lower end must have a diameter allowing retraction of the male parts in less than one turn (in the case of the use of the key with pin),

- the vertical rod may have in its upper part and inside the pillar a second toothed wheel whose rotation in the direction of the retraction is blocked by a ratchet,

the pawl can be placed on a vertical action spring so that a simple pressure lowers the pawl and releases the cogwheel and thus the male parts, pushed by the springs placed behind them, will protrude and block the abutment,

- A turntable, placed on the upper plane of the pillar and soli¬ daire of the vertical rod, can provide the rotation required for ré¬ traction without the help of a key. The edges of the tray can be crenelated to facilitate rotation and grip. The tray is protected entirely or only on its edge by a plastic cover or any other material during the sealing of the prosthesis,

- The location of the male and female parts can be reversed and be located indifferently on the collar or the pillar.

The bottom of the collar may be flat or have a relief in any geometric shape on which will fit the base of the pillar.

According to a particularly advantageous variant of the invention, the male part (s) is (are) mounted (s) elastically in the pound so as to be automatically returned to the fixing position in the absence of any constraint exerted on it (s) and can be maintained (s) by snapping into the (the) cavity (s) corresponding (s) to allow the locking of the pillar in the implant.

According to this variant, one (or) spring (s) can (respectively) be mounted (s) at the rear of the piece (s) male (s) so as to (the) maintain projecting. According to this variant of the invention, the operating members may be advantageously constituted, replacing the toothed rods and the toothed wheel, by a cable integral with the piece (s) male (s) and likely to s' wrap around the vertical cylindrical rod during the rotation of this rod on its axis so as to cause the retraction of the piece (s) male (s).

According to another particularly advantageous feature of this variant of the invention, the male parts are constituted by wedge-shaped elements pivotally mounted about a ho¬ rice axis located at their base so as to retract automatically on contact of the inner wall of the collar during the insertion of the attachment end into the latter in the manner of a lock bolt and to disengage automatically when they come opposite the associated cavity or cavities to snap into it. A stop placed on the upper part of the male parts can limit the projection so as not to keep the cables in tension.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the vertical cylindrical rod is movably mounted in vertical translation and cooperates with a double-acting pawl mechanism so as to cause the retraction of the male part (s). insertion / disinsertion position under the action of a first pressure exerted at its upper end and the release of this or these part (s) in the fixing position under the action of the following pressure. It should be noted that according to another variant of the invention, the central cylindrical rod can be removed and replaced by a central tunnel leaving the upper plate of the pillar and ending slightly above the operating members by a housing for receiving a key capable of actuating the retraction. The characteristics of the device which is the subject of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the different elements de¬ named implant, collar and pillar, - Figure 2 shows a vertical section axis 9 hours - 3 hours of the general device of the invention according to a. embodiment,

FIG. 3 represents a vertical section of the same device with a variant,

FIG. 4 represents a vertical cross section axis 6 hours - 12 hours showing the slides, here two in number, placed symmetrically,

FIG. 5 represents a horizontal section showing the ratchet and the upper toothed wheel,

FIG. 6 represents a horizontal section showing the displacement of the male parts,

FIG. 7 represents the key with the lugs and the triangular head,

FIG. 8 shows the upper plate of the pillar with the housing of the key and the vertical and horizontal slides,

FIG. 9 represents a vertical section of an alternative embodiment of the device,

FIG. 10 represents a section corresponding to FIG. 9 and showing the double ratchet mechanism.

With reference to these drawings, the device comprises, according to a first embodiment.

Two male pieces in the form of balls 5 extended by two notched horizontal rods 6 housed inside the pillar 1.

A vertical cylindrical rod 8 located at the center of the pillar 1 which thanks to its lower gear end 7 hooks the notches of the horizontal rods 6 during a counterclockwise rotation and thus causes the retraction of the balls 5 which no longer project from the pillar 1. The latter can then be inserted.

• In insertion procedure The insertion of the pillar 1 in the collar 2 is guided by a vertical slide 14 in which slides an edge 13 which protrudes along the pillar collar junction of the pillar 17. (These edges are placed at 12 o'clock ¬ res or (and) at 6 o'clock if the beads are placed at 3 o'clock or (and) at 9 o'clock - see figure 4). When the pillar 1 is fully depressed, the balls 5 ré¬ towed are perfectly in front of their housing 4 located on the inner face of the collar 2. A clockwise rotation of the vertical rod 8 allows the balls 5 to project and to lodge in the female parts 4. The pillar 1 is then blocked. The rotation of the vertical rod 8 is carried out using a key

16 or a screwdriver which is inserted into a suitable housing 15 located at the upper end of said rod. The head of the key 16 has a geometric shape that allows only one positioning and one in its housing 15 [non-limiting example a right triangle 18]. According to a variant of this embodiment, each male part 5 is pushed in protrusion by a spring 12 without the use of the key 16. According to another embodiment, the vertical rod 8 has two toothed wheels. a lower 7 serves as previously to retract the horizontal ti¬ ges 6, and therefore the balls 5 the other upper 9 maintains the retraction through a pawl 10. A spring action verti¬ Cale 11 allows to lower the pawl 10 and thus to release the upper gear 9. The retraction is no longer maintained, the balls 5 project again pushed by the springs 12 and will be housed in their cavity 4 thus blocking the pillar 1. • in the process of disinsertion

At a first limit of depression of the head of the key 16 is a pin 19 perpendicular to the axis of the key 16. The rotation must, in less than one turn, allow the total retraction of the balls 5. For this, the circumference of the lower gear 7 must be calculated so that the retraction is done in less than a turn. Thus, once the key 16 inserted at the limit of the first depression, the lug 19 is in contact with the upper plane of the pillar 22. The rota¬ tion is engaged. When the retraction of the balls 5 is complete, the lug 19 is above a vertical slide 21 in which it will cou¬ smooth and make a final depression that will put it next to another horizontal slide 20 in which it will be housed and lock the key 16 The disinsertion of the pillar 1, with the help of the key 16. will thus be easier.

According to the variant shown in FIG. 9, the device is equipped with two wedge-shaped male pieces 50 pivotally mounted in the attachment end of the pillar 1 about a horizontal axis 51 located at their base and subjected to the action springs 52 shown schematically located at their rear part.

These springs 52 automatically remind the parts mâ¬ the 50 to the fixing position not shown in the figure in the absence of any stress being exerted on them.

The male pieces 50 cooperate with cavities 40 having a corresponding geometry provided on the inner wall of the collar 2.

In view of this configuration, during the insertion of the abutment 1 into the implant or the disinsertion thereof, the male parts 50 retract automatically in contact with the inner wall of the collar 2 in the manner of a bolt lock. When the pillar 1 has been depressed in the fastening position, the male pieces 50 are located opposite the associated cavities 40 and snap thereto so as to block the pillar 1.

The wedge-shaped male pieces 50 are moreover soli¬ dary of a cable 30 wound around the vertical cylindrical rod 8 located in the center of the pillar 1.

A rotation of this rod 8 in a first direction causes the retraction of the male parts 50 against the force of the springs 52, thus allowing the disinsertion of the pillar 1 of the collar 2.

A rotation of the rod 8 in a second direction opposite to the first allows unwinding the cable 30 under the action of the springs 52 and release the male parts 50 so that they can come back protruding from the attachment end of the pillar 1. This projection is limited by a stop 31 which prevents the cable 20 from being in tension.

According to Figure 10, the vertical cylindrical rod 8 is movably mounted in vertical translation. This rod 8 is notched at its lower part 80 and cooperates with toothed wheels 33 and with a double pawl mechanism 32 shown schematically so as to cause the retraction of the male parts 50 in the insertion / disinsertion position under the action of a first pressure exerted at its upper end 81 and the release of these parts 50 in the fixing position under the action of sui¬ vante pressure.

Claims

R E V E N D I C A T IO N S

1 °) Fixation device on a dental implant of a pillar (1) ensuring the junction of this implant with a prosthesis, the implant (3) being equipped at its upper end with an annular collar or collar (2) cooperating with an annular shoulder of the pillar (1) defining a fixing end at the lower end thereof to define a pillar / collar connection surface, characterized in that it comprises at least one male piece ( 5, 50) mounted movably in the attachment end of the pillar (1) so as to be able to move between a retracted position or a position of insertion / disinsertion and secondly an unobstructed position or fixing position in which it protrudes from the peripheral wall of the attachment end of the abutment (1) and at least one corresponding cavity (4, 40) provided on the inner wall of the collar (2) and dimensioned so that the part male (5, 50) can come to live there to allow locking of the abutment (1) in the implant (3), and that actuating means for moving the male part (5, 50) between the insertion / removal position and the position of attachment and block it in this last position.

2) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pillar (1) comprises two male pieces (5, 50) preferably diametrically opposed to the attachment end and cooperating respectively with two cavities (4, 40). they also preferably diametrically opposite on the inner wall of the collar.

3) Device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises at least one vertical slide (14) located on the inner wall of the collar (2) and cooperating with at least one edge (13) corresponding on the attachment end of the pillar (1) so as to guide the insertion of the pillar (1) in the collar (2) or désinsertion thereof and to precisely position the male part or pieces ( 5, 50) opposite the corresponding cavities (4, 40).

4 °) Device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the collar (2) and the attachment end of the pillar (1) are of polygonal shape.

5 °) Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the actuating means comprise a vertical cylindrical rod (8) housed in a through channel pierced in the pillar (1) and cooperating with organs of maneuver so that the rotation of this rod (8), no¬ by means of a key (16) or a plate integral with the rod en¬ drag the movement of the piece (s) male (s) ) (5, 50) between the insertion / disinsertion position and the fixing position.

Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the operating elements consist of a toothed wheel (7) mounted at the lower end of the vertical cylindrical rod (8) and which during rotation of this rod ( 8) on its axis hooks a (s) rod (s) horizontal (s) (6) integral (s) of the (the) part (s) male (s) (5) so en¬ draginate its ( their projection or retraction.

7 °) Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the (the) piece (s) male (s) (5, 50) is (are) mounted (s) elastically in the pillar (1). ) so as to be automatically returned to the fixing position in the absence of any stress on it (s) and to be held (s) snapped into the cavity (s) ( 4, 40) correspon¬ dante ^) to allow the locking of the pillar (1) in the implant (3).

8 °) Device according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a (the) spring (s) (52) (respectively) mounted on the back of the (the) piece (s) male (s) (5) , 50) so as to keep them protruding.

9 °) Device according to any one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the actuators are constituted by a cable (30) integral with the (the) piece (s) male (s) (50) and susceptible to wrap around the vertical cy¬ lindrique rod (8) during the rotation of this rod on its axis so as to cause the retraction of the (s) piece (s) male (s) (50). 10 °) Device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the male parts (50) are wedge-shaped elements pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis (51) located at their base so as to retract automatically in contact with the inner wall of the collar (2) when inserting the attachment end of the pillar (1) in the latter in the manner of a lock bolt and to disengage automatically to the outside when they come into contact with the cavities (40) associated to snap into them.

11 °) Device according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the vertical cylindrical rod (8) is mounted movably in vertical translation and cooperates with a double action ratchet mechanism (32) so as to cause the retraction of the male part (s) (50) in the insertion / deinsertion position under the action of a first pressure exerted at its upper end and the release of this (these) part (s) ( 50) in the fixing position under the action of the following pressure.