The present invention relates to a prosthetic device for a dental implant, particularly for providing temporary and/or permanent dental prostheses.

A dental implant can generally comprise a plurality of implant platforms, with which dental prostheses are associated.

Conventional techniques of implant splinting involve associating titanium abutments with the implant platforms, and connecting them to each other by way of a titanium bar, in order to provide a rigid frame with which to associate temporary prostheses, which allows immediate loading, or optionally a permanent prostheses.

For intraosseous dental implants, the splinting technique involves using an intrabuccal welder which makes it possible to weld, by the Joule effect, the titanium bar to the various titanium abutments present in the prosthetic structure.

However, such conventional technique is not devoid of drawbacks, in that the correct placement and welding of the titanium bar inside the mouth of the patient strongly depends on the skill of the operator, and is obstructed by movements of the patient, by the movements of opening and closing the mouth, by movements of the tongue, by movements caused by swallowing, and also by the presence of blood and saliva in the mouth.

Furthermore, the conventional splinting technique involves the use of titanium bars which are sold in the form of straight linear segments, approximately 20 centimeters long and circular in cross-section, with diameters generally comprised between 1 and 2 millimeters. Such titanium bars are modeled manually by the operator outside the oral cavity, so that they take on a shape structure that reflects the actual arc-like arrangement of the implant platforms. However, such manual modeling is always only approximate with respect to the positioning of the various titanium abutments arranged at the implant platforms. Furthermore, another drawback of the conventional splinting technique is due to the fact that, when there is no close contact between the titanium bar and the titanium abutment to which the bar is to be welded, the welding between the two components does not occur, and the two copper electrodes of the intrabuccal welder produce a flash, with corresponding combustion, which is particularly unpleasant for the patient.

In such case obviously the welding process needs to be repeated.

The aim of the present invention consists in providing a prosthetic device for a dental implant that solves the above mentioned technical problems, eliminates the drawbacks and overcomes the limitations of the known art, by making it possible to facilitate the implant splinting.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a prosthetic device that can be used in implant splinting techniques that do not need to depend predominantly on the dexterity of the operator.

Another object of the invention consists in providing a prosthetic device that always ensures the possibility of creating a close contact between the components to be joined together.

Another object of the invention consists in providing a prosthetic device that makes it possible to execute the splinting of the abutments associated with the implant platforms rapidly and precisely.

Another object of the invention consists in providing a prosthetic device that is capable of offering the widest guarantees of reliability and safety in use.

Another object of the invention consists in providing a prosthetic device that is easy to implement and economically competitive when compared to the known art.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a prosthetic device for a dental implant according to claim 1.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a prosthetic device for a dental implant, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a modular element of a prosthetic device for a dental implant, according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the modular element of Figure 1 , according to the invention;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the modular element of

Figure 1 , according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the modular element of Figure 3, according to the invention;

Figures 5 to 10 are perspective views of six variations of a component of the prosthetic device, according to the invention;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a first example of a prosthetic device, according to the invention;

Figure 12 is a plan view from above of a second example of a prosthetic device, according to the invention;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of an additional variation of a component of the prosthetic device according to the invention;

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the component shown in Figure

13.

With reference to the figures, the prosthetic device for a dental implant, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a plurality of implant platforms 2, each of which is rigidly associatable with an abutment 3.

According to the invention, the abutment 3 comprises a static component 5 that can be associated rigidly with the implant platform 2 and a dynamic component 6 that can be associated rigidly with the dynamic component 5. Furthermore, according to the invention, the dynamic component 6 comprises a wire-like element 4 configured to be connected rigidly to a contiguous abutment 3.

Advantageously the dynamic component 6 can be associated rigidly with the static component 5 by mechanical interference.

Advantageously the static component 5 can be associated rigidly with the implant platform 2 by way of a screw 18.

The static component 5 advantageously has a tapered body, while the dynamic component 6 advantageously comprises a through cavity 7 into which the static component 5 is insertable, wherein the dynamic component

6 can be fixed by mechanical interference to the static component 5.

Advantageously, the static component 5 has a frustum-shaped body, while the dynamic component 6 comprises a frustum- shaped through cavity

7 into which the static component 5 is insertable, and can be fixed by mechanical interference.

Advantageously, a conical coupling of the "Morse taper" type occurs between the static component 5 and the dynamic component 6.

Advantageously the inclination of the external side walls 8 of the static component 5 with respect to a central axis 9 is greater than the inclination of the internal side walls 10 of the through cavity 7 of the dynamic component 6.

The inclination of the external side wall 8 of the static component 5 with respect to the central axis 9 and the inclination of the internal side wall 10 of the through cavity 7 of the dynamic component 6 with respect to the central axis 9 can be comprised between 2° and 8°, and are preferably substantially equal to 5°. Advantageously furthermore, the inclination of the external side wall 8 of the static component 5 with respect to the central axis 9 is greater than the inclination of the internal side wall 10 of the through cavity 7 of the dynamic component 6 with respect to the central axis 9 by a value comprised between 0.1° and 0.5°, and preferably substantially equal to 0.25°.

The wire-like element 4 advantageously comprises a central portion

11 that is rigidly associated with the dynamic component 6, and at least one lateral portion 12 that protrudes laterally with respect to the dynamic component 6.

The central portion 11 is advantageously welded to the dynamic component 6.

Furthermore the central portion 11 advantageously surrounds the external side wall of the dynamic component 6 for around half of its perimeter.

The wire-like element 4 can further comprise a pair of lateral portions

12 which protrude laterally and in substantially opposite direction with respect to the dynamic component 6.

For example, the variations of the dynamic component 6 illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 9 have a wire-like element 4 that has a single protruding single lateral portion 12, while the variations illustrated in Figures 7 and 10 have a wire-like element 4 that has a pair of protruding lateral portions 12.

Figure 12 illustrates an example of the prosthetic device 1 that comprises both abutments 3 with wire-like elements 4 protruding from a single side of the dynamic component (cone) 6, and abutments 3 with wirelike elements 4 protruding from both sides of the dynamic component 6.

Advantageously the lateral portion 12 of the wire-like element 4 protrudes laterally with respect to the dynamic component 6 for a length substantially comprised between 10 and 15 millimeters.

The wire-like element 4 has a diameter substantially equal to 1.5 millimeters, and is advantageously made of a material of the type of titanium.

Advantageously the static component (cone) 5 has a circular base of diameter substantially equal to 4.8 millimeters and has a height comprised between 10 and 15 millimeters. Advantageously the dynamic component 6 has a circular base of diameter substantially equal to 4.8 millimeters and has a height of around 5 millimeters.

Advantageously the static component 5 and the dynamic component 6 are made of a material of the type of titanium.

The wire-like element 4 can be configured to be connected rigidly to a contiguous abutment 3 by way of intrabuccal soldering, or by way of the application of polymerizing resin.

The polymerizing resin can in fact be deposited, in the liquid state, at the interface between the wire-like element 4 and a portion of the contiguous abutment 3 to which the wire-like element 4 is to be rigidly connected. The polymerization of the resin, and therefore its transition to the solid state, determines the rigid connection between such two elements.

Advantageously the wire-like element 4 is connected, by way of welding or by way of polymerizing resin, to the external side wall of the dynamic component 6 of a contiguous abutment 3.

The abutment 3 can also comprise at least one connecting element 14 rigidly associated with the wire-like element 4 and adapted to be rigidly connected to the wire-like element 4 of a contiguous abutment 3.

In this manner the rigid connection between two contiguous abutments 3 can occur by mutually connecting the respective wire-like elements 4, by interposition of the connecting element 14.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the connecting element 14 can comprise a through hole 15 that is adapted to stably accommodate the lateral portion 12 of the wire-like element 4.

The connecting element 14 advantageously comprises at least one protruding tab 16, and preferably a pair of tabs 16 protruding from two opposite sides of the wire-like element 4.

The tabs 16 define a contact surface that favors the connection, by way of welding or by way of application of polymerizing resin, of the lateral portion 12 of a wire-like element 4 of a contiguous abutment 3.

Advantageously the tabs 16 have a rough or perforated surface.

Such surface favors the adhesion of the resin in liquid form thereto and therefore the rigid connection of the wire-like element 4.

The connecting element 14 can have an overall height of the order of

5 millimeters.

The two tabs 16 can have mutually different heights, and protrude with respect to the space occupation of the wire-like element 4, for example by 2 millimeters upward and by 1.5 millimeters downward.

The peripheral abutments 3 of the prosthetic device 1 can have a dynamic component 6 like the one shown in Figure 8, without the wire-like element 4, but provided with a rigid arm 17, which is functional for providing the dental prosthesis.

In a further variation of embodiment illustrated in Figures 13 and 14, the static component, designated in this case by the reference numeral 5a, comprises a body that is adapted to be screwed to an implant platform 2 and is provided with two mutually opposite tapered surfaces 35 and 36 to which two tabs 37 and 38 are welded which are adapted to allow the accommodation of the wire-like element 4, in this case without resorting to intrabuccal soldering, but simply using dedicated cement (for metal).

Operation of the prosthetic device is clear and evident from the foregoing description.

In particular, the method for providing a prosthetic device as described above comprises, at least, the steps of:

- having a plurality of abutments 3;

- associating, by mechanical interference, for each one of the abutments 3, the corresponding dynamic component 6 with the static component 5;

- rigidly connecting one end 13 of a wire-like element 4 of an abutment 3 to a contiguous abutment 3. The rigid connection of the end 13 of a wire-like element 4 to the contiguous abutment 3 can occur by way of intrabuccal soldering of the end 13 to the external side wall of the dynamic component 6 of the contiguous abutment 3, or by way of intrabuccal soldering of the end 13 to the connecting element 14 of a contiguous abutment 3.

As an alternative to intrabuccal soldering, a join can be performed by way of application of polymerizing resin.

The lateral portion 12 of a wire-like element 4 can be approached to the external side wall of the dynamic component 6 of a contiguous abutment 3 or to the connecting element 14 of a contiguous abutment 3 simply by pressing it, for example with a clamp, on a horizontal plane, until close contact is established with the dynamic component 6 or with the connecting element 14 and therefore the optimal join thereof is enabled by way of welding or by way of application of polymerizing resin.

In particular such join can easily occur even if the wire-like elements

4 of the various abutments 3 do not lie on a same horizontal plane, but are arranged at slightly different heights.

For each abutment 3 present in the prosthetic device 1, the dynamic component 6 is fixed to the respective static component 5, and the wire-like elements 4 of the various abutments 3 are conveniently mutually rigidly connected so as to provide a rigid frame that can be removed from the implant platforms 2 by unscrewing the screws 18.

Such rigid frame therefore can be used to provide a temporary prostheses, or even a permanent prostheses, which will later be fixed to the implant platforms 2 present in the mouth of the patient.

With regard to the use of the static component 5a in Figures 13 and 14, it should be noted that it can be used in a position adjacent to a prosthetic device provided with a static component 5, a dynamic component 6 and a wire-like element 4, with the wire-like element 4 not needing to be welded to the static component 5a, but being cemented to the tabs 37 and 38.

In practice it has been found that the prosthetic device for a dental implant, according to the present invention, achieves the intended aim and objects, since it makes it possible to make the implant splinting simpler, more precise, and longer lasting.

Another advantage of the prosthetic device, according to the invention, consists in that obtaining a rigid connection system between mutually contiguous intraosseous dental implants prevents macromovements that damage the osseointegration of the intraosseous screws.

Another advantage of the prosthetic device, according to the invention, consists in that the titanium bars can be brought to a position that is already correct for intrabuccal soldering, or for joining by way of polymerizing resin, simply by fixing, for each abutment, the dynamic component to the corresponding static component.

Another advantage of the prosthetic device, according to the invention, consists in that it limits to the minimum the accidents, or at least the inconveniences, that arise when intraoral welders are used in the mouth of a patient.

Another advantage of the prosthetic device, according to the invention, consists in that the method for producing the rigid connection system of the prosthetic device occurs with simple and rapid steps to be carried out by the dental operator.

The prosthetic device for a dental implant thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In practice the materials employed, provided they are compatible with the specific use, and the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102016000044404 (UA2016A003059) from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.