This invention relates to a dental implant.

Dental implants are well known. It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved dental implant which is easy to manufacture and also easy to use.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a dental implant comprising a body, an external screw thread on an outside of the body for screwing into a jaw of a person, a bore in the body, a driver formation in one end of the bore and for receiving a tool for screwing the dental implant into the jaw, and an inner screw thread in the bore for initially receiving a healing screw whilst healing of the jaw and surrounding tissue takes place and then for receiving an implant abutment, and the dental implant being such that the inner screw thread extends at least through the driver formation.

The dental implant may be one in which the inner screw thread extends the length of the driver formation, and also beyond the driver formation.

Alternatively, the screw thread may extend only the length of the driver formation.

Preferably, the driver formation is a flat-sided driver formation. The flat-sided driver formation may be a hexagon formation. Other flat-sided driver formations may be employed so that, for example, the driver formation may be an octagon formation. Alternatively, the driver formation may be a lobed driver formation, for example having three lobes.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a section through a first dental implant of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front view of the section of the dental implant shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the dental implant shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a view from one side of the dental implant as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view from another side of the dental implant as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a top view of the dental implant as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a section like Figure 1 and shows the dental implant fitted with an abutment fastening screw;

Figure 8 is a front view like Figure 2 and also shows the abutment fastening screw;

Figure 9 is a view from one side of the dental implant and the abutment fastening screw as shown in Figure 8; and

Figures 10 - 15 are views like Figures 1 - 6 but show a second dental implant of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 - 9, there is shown a first dental implant 2 comprising a body 4. An external screw thread 6 is provided on an outside of the body 4. The external screw thread 6 enables the dental implant to be screwed into a jaw of a person.

The dental implant 2 also comprises a bore 8 in the body 4. A driver- formation is the shape of a flat-sided driver formation 10 is provided in one end 12 of the bore 8. The flat-sided driver formation 10 is for receiving a tool (not shown) for screwing the dental implant 2 into the jaw.

An inner screw thread 14 is also provided in the bore 8. The inner screw thread 14 is for initially receiving a healing screw whilst healing of the jaw and surrounding tissue takes place. The healing screw is then removed, and the inner screw thread then receives an abutment fastening screw 16. The abutment fastening screw 16 comprises a screw-threaded shank 18 which screws into the screw thread 14. The screwing of the abutment fastening screw 16 into the bore 8 is effected with a driver tool (not shown) placed in a hexagon recess 20 in a head 22 of the abutment fastening screw 16.

The dental implant 2 is such that the inner screw thread 14 extends at least through the flat-sided driver formation 10. As shown in Figure 2, the dental implant 2 is such that the inner screw thread 14 extends the length of the flat-sided driver formation 10 and to substantially the bottom of the bore 8.

The flat-sided driver formation 10 is a hexagon formation.

Referring now to Figures 10 - 15, there is shown a second dental implant 24. Similar parts in the dental implants 2, 24 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. The dental implant 2 has the flat-sided driver formation 10. The dental implant 24 has an alternative lobed driver formation 26.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the flat-sided driver formation 10 could extend the entire length of the bore 4 or only part of the length of the bore 4. The external screw thread 6 could extend only the length - of the flat-sided driver formation 10. Such an arrangement may be especially suitable for 3mm and 4mm long implants. The flat-sided driver formation 10 could have more than the illustrated six sides so that it could be, for example, an octagonal formation.