FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to medical and dental implant devices and more particularly to devices for transferring the relative position of an abutment relative to a laboratory replicated position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dental prostheses which are rigidly attached to a patient's jaw using an attaching system consisting of dental implants and abutments are well known in the art. Typical fixed dental prostheses use an implant which is bonded directly to the jaw of the patient, and an abutment which is attached to the implant for uniting the dental prosthesis with the implant. Most implant systems use a two-stage implantation procedure. In the first stage, an implant is installed in the jaw bone of a patient and the site is allowed to heal for a period of three to four months or more. After the implant site has healed and the bone has bonded to the implant, the second stage of the procedure begins. The top of the implant is exposed to view and an abutment is attached to the implant. An impression of the patient's mouth is made and the abutment is allowed to remain in the patient's mouth. An analog of the abutment is inserted into the impression which accurately replicates the abutment. Dental stone (plaster) is poured into the impression and when later separated from the impression, a cast of the patient's mouth is generated with the analog in the position of the abutment in the mouth. The framework for the dental prosthesis is formed around this abutment analog in the dental laboratory using wax or plastic to allow casting of the framework into a dental alloy. The prosthesis will finally be attached to the abutment in the patient's mouth.

Some abutments are adjusted (due to anatomical/esthetical reasons) to desired shape/size by cutting off a part of them, and therefore the impression which is made off cut-off abutment has a smaller volume and standard abutment analog cannot be inserted into this smaller volume in order to make a cast.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to overcome the prior art limitations noted above by provision of an abutment analog having an upper part with a structure which could be inserted in smaller volume of an impression. In addition, said upper part structure comprise one or more retention elements for retention of cast material .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

By way of example, embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures of drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a prior art abutment analog.

FIG.2A is perspective view of abutment analog of present invention.

FIG.2B is another perspective view of abutment analog of present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A conventional abutment analog 1 is shown in fig. 1. It comprises a lower part 12 and upper part 11 and circular rim 13. The upper part 2 is used as a base for mounting a prosthesis ( such as crown) during the restoration process.

The abutment analog 2 of present invention is shown in fig. 2. It comprises a lower part 22, an upper part 21 and a circular rim 23. Said upper part 21 also comprise a tapered base portion 21 1 ( which has a preferred length of 3 mm or lower) on which a crown could be mounted. Said upper part 21 also comprise a rod 213 (which has a preferred length of 3 mm or more) positioned in the center of the top surface of said tapered base portion 21 1, said rod 213 comprise one or more protrusion elements 214 for retention of cast material, said protrusion elements 214 could have a disk like shape and could be concentrically positioned on said rod 213 .

The abutment analog 2 also comprise an elongated inner cavity 20 which ends with one or more openings 215, which are used for removal of excess cast material through said cavity 20 Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of the embodiments may be employed without, a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.