DENTAL RETENTION SYSTEMS

摘要

Dental retention systems which facilitate the adjustment or removal of an oral appliance, e.g., a crown or bridge, from a reconfigurable abutment assembly are described. The adjustable abutment assembly may be secured to an anchoring implant bored into the bones within the mouth. The abutment assembly has a projecting abutment portion with one or more shape memory alloy compression plates or elements extending along the projecting abutment portion. Each of the plates has a length with one or more straightened portions and with at least one curved or arcuate portion. Energy may be applied to the elements such that the arcuate portion self-flattens to allow for the oral appliance to be placed thereupon while removal of the energy allows the elements to reconfigure into its curved configuration thereby locking the oral appliance to the abutment. Removal of the oral appliance may be effected by reapplication of energy to the elements.

主权项

1. A retention system for retaining an oral prosthesis onto a dental implant, comprising:
at least one dental implant configured to be inserted within a bone in a patient's oral cavity; at least one cross-bar securable to the at least one dental implant; a prosthesis comprising an overdenture having one or more shape memory elements for positioning upon the at least one cross-bar; wherein the one or more shape memory elements are securable along a portion of the at least one cross-bar by compressing upon the at least one cross-bar when the elements are in a locking configuration; wherein the one or more shape memory elements are actuatable upon application of heat, electrical, or electromagnetic energy to transition between a radially extended configuration and a low-profile locking configuration where the one or more shape memory elements remains compressed.