DRILL FOR ORTHODONTIC IMPLANTS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent

Application Serial No. 60/850,624, filed October 10, 2006 and entitled Orthodontic Devices, Implants and Related Apparatus," the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates in general to the dental field of orthodontics and more particularly to an apparatus and method used in an orthodontic implant procedure. Background of the Invention

[0003] Dental implants are used in the dental profession in general, and more particularly in the branches or specialties of orthodontics, oral surgery, periodontics, and restorative dentistry. More specifically, an orthodontist may use an orthodontic implant to provide a firm anchorage from which to attach wires, springs, and like peripheral devices for use in aligning or straightening misaligned or irregular teeth. The use of such an implant allows for a skeletal anchorage which is more predictable and stable than using headgear or elastics which require patient compliance. A skeletal anchorage also eliminates the need for using other teeth as an anchor. This in turn, eliminates the unwanted movement of these anchor teeth, for when one tooth is used as an anchor to move another, the anchor tooth will also move, even if only to a lesser degree, while the irregular or misaligned tooth moves. In short, orthodontic implants can be advantageously used in orthodontic treatment to control tooth movement.

[0004] However, there are certain inherent risks or drawbacks to the use of implants during orthodontic treatment. For example, to install an orthodontic

implant, which may be in the form of screw, clinicians typically use a high-speed drill or other means to create a starter hole in the bone. However, such devices may compromise the thread to bone contact and thus the strength of the hold of the bone on the implant device once it is in place. This may be particularly problematic if the high-speed dril! over-drills the pilot hole to an undesirable depth. Additionally, if a pilot hole is over-drilled, there is risk of hitting the roots of a tooth, a nerve, blood vessel, or other undesirable item. The risk of over- drilling is further compounded by the fact that bone density can vary, thus requiring the amount of pressure on the drill be adjusted accordingly to avoid over drilling the hole.

[0005] Hence, there is a need for a method and apparatus to avoid the risks of over-driiling a pilot or starter hole for the insertion of an orthodontic implant.

Objects of the Invention

[0006] It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method to prevent the over-drilling of orthodontic implant pilot or starter holes. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention is a drill device adapted to create a tap, or a pilot or starter hole for or an orthodontic implant such as a miniscrew. Examples of such implants are disclosed in co-pending PCT International application No. , filed on October 10, 2007, entitled

Orthodontic Implants," which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety,

[0008] The drill is further adapted to drill a hole having a diameter of about 0.5 mm. The drill further has a positive stop to prevent over-drilling.

[0009] The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention shall be made apparent from the accompanying drawings and the brief description thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate at least one embodiment of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the embodiment(s) given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of the drill of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the drill of FIG. 1.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0013] Referring to the Figures, and to FiG. 1 in particular, a drill or drill device 10 is shown in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

The dril! 10 is comprised of an elongated cylindrical shank or shaft 12, also known as a straight shank. The proportional length of the shank 12 may vary depending on the application or location where a clinician desires to drill a hole.

Thus, a drill 10 with a longer shank 12 may be desirable when a clinician is working in a distal portion of a patient's mouth. Similarly, a clinician may find it desirous to utilize a drill 10 with a relatively shorter shank 12 when working in a proximal section of a patient's mouth.

[0014] In addition to the varying the length of the shank 12 of the drill 10, the width of the shank 12 may also be varied. For example, for neonate or pediatric patients, a driil 10 with a smaller diameter shank 12 may be desirous

simpiy because of the relative smaller size of the patient's mouth. Conversely, for patients with larger mouths, a clinician may desire to use a drill 10 with a larger diameter shank 12 to increase the relative strength of the drill 10, particularly if more pressure is needed to be applied due to higher density bone mass, it may also be desirous to vary the size of the diameter of the shank 12 to correspond to, or be adapted to work with, various dental handpieces or dental drills. For example, a shank 12 with a particular diameter or that falls within a particular diameter range may be needed to, or may be advantageous to work with, a particular sized chuck or collet of a particular tool or instrument. [0015] The shank 12 may also be formed in other various configurations.

For example, the shank, or a portion thereof, may have at least one fiat or planar surface or may be polygonally formed. Hence, the drill 10 could use a tapered shank, a brace shank, a hex shank, a triangle shank, or the tike. Varying the configuration of the shaft 12 may be advantageous to reduce material costs, provide for better connectivity with a dental handpiece, provide varying degrees of torque, or for other reasons known to those skilled in the art. [0016] In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 , one end of the shank 12 of the drill 10 has a semi-spherical end cap 14. The end cap 14 is typically integrally formed with the shank 12 but alternatively could be separately formed and attached to the shank 12 by a suitable bonding means. Also, in some embodiments the cap may have other configurations than what is shown. For example the cap 14 may be generally flat, such that the end cap forms a right angle with the surface 16 of the shank. Alternatively, the end cap 14 may be configured with another tool or useful component, such as a cutting or drilling blade.

[0017] The end of the shank 12 opposite the end cap 14 contains a positive stop or shoulder 18. The stop 18 is typically flat and orientated in a plane perpendicular to the surface 16 of the shank 12. However, in alternative embodiments, the stop 18 may be angularly orientated, for example in a conical or modified conical form. Interposed between the stop 18 and the surface 16 of the shank 12 may be a beveled edge 20. Alternatively, the stop 18 may orthogonally intersect with the surface 16 of the shank 12 without any beveϋng. [0018] Typically, the stop 18 wiil have the same, or in the case of a beveled edge 20, a smaller diameter than that of the shank 12. However, in alternative embodiments, the stop 18 may actually have a larger diameter. For example, it may be desirous to have a larger stop 18 to use in procedures in which a great deal of pressure is exerted on the drill 10. in such situations, a drill 10 with a stop 18 having a relatively larger surface area may help to stop the forward movement of the drill 10 at the proper depth while not damaging or bruising any surrounding tissue.

[0019] Extending longitudinally from the center of the stop 18 is a cutting blade 22. As shown, the cutting blade 22 is generally cylindrically shaped with a conical tip 24 distally positioned from the stop 18. However, one skilled in the art can appreciate that other cutting blade configurations may be utilized in keeping with the principles of the present invention. [0020] As shown, the cutting or drilling surface 26 of the cutting bit, blade, or shaft 22 is formed by a wedge-like or pie-slice shaped aperture or opening in the cylinder 28 of the cutting bit 22. In one embodiment, approximately a quarter of the cylinder 28 is longitudinally open to provide a cutting surface 26, however lesser or greater amounts of the cylinder 28 may be committed to provide for various sized pie-slice-shaped openings. Also, other

shapes of the cutting bit 22 may utilized. For example, the cutting bit 22 may be more rectangularly or polygonally configured, or may utilize a screw or thread like cutting surface.

[0021] In the iilustrated embodiment, the surface 30 adjacent to the cutting surface 26 has is curved at the end distal from the tip 24. The depth (d) of the cutting bit 22 is sized to correspond to the depth of the desired pϋot or starter hole. Also, the width of the cutting bit 22 may vary depending on the width of the implant or the depth of the threads of an implant screw. Hence, with wider implants, a wider cutting bit 22 may be desired. [0022] In operation, a clinician will align the tip 24 of the drill 10 at the point where the clinician desires a pilot hole to be drilled. The clinician then applies pressure to the drill 10. As the shank 12 of the drill 10 rotates, the cutting blade 22 begins to sink into a patient's bone. The procedure continues until the stop 18 comes into contact with an upper or outer surface of the bone or tissue through which a pilot hole is being created. Once the positive stop 18 touches that upper or outer surface, the drili 10 is prevented from drilling any deeper. The drill 10 then can be safely removed and an implant can then be placed in the ho!e.

[0023] While the present invention has been iilustrated by description of one or more embodiments and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspect is, therefore, not limited to the specific details, representative system, apparatus, and method, and illustrative example shown and described.