Adapter for dental implants

Claim 2

The combination comprising a dental implant having a base portion for implanting in an enlarged opening in the jaw bone anD a head portion connected to said base portion so that said head portion will project outwardly from the jaw bone when said base portion is implanted in said opening, and adapter means for encasing the base portion of said dental implant so that the encased base portion will tightly fill said opening, said adapter means comprising a hollow casing having an interior cavity of substantially the same size and shape as said base portion, means permitting opening of said casing whereby said base portion may be removably inserted into the interior cavity of said casing.

Claim 3

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said base portion is a blade having openings therein to permit the growth of bone material in interlocking relationship with said implant, and wherein said adapter has corresponding openings therein which are aligned with the openings in the blade when the blade is encased in said adapter.

Claim 4

The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said blade and said casing are wedge shaped.

Claim 5

An adapter for use with an undersized dental implant for adapting the undersized dental implant to fill an enlarged opening in a jaw bone, said implant having a base portion for implanting in the jaw bone and a head portion connected to said base portion, said adapter comprising a casing for the base portion of said implant, said casing having an interior cavity of substantially the same size and configuration as said base portion and of external dimensions sufficient to tightly fill said enlarged opening.

Claim 6

An adapter for use with an undersized dental implant for adapting the undersized dental implant to fill an enlarged opening in a jaw bone, said implant having a base portion for implanting in the jaw bone and a head portion connected to said base portion, said adapter comprising a casing for the base portion of said implant, said casing having an interior cavity of substantially the same size and configuration as said base portion and of external dimensions sufficient to tightly fill said enlarged opening.

Claim 7

The adapter set forth in claim 4 wherein said adapter is wedge shaped and comprises a pair of diverging side walls which are integrally connected at the apex of said wedge and means bridging said side walls along the edges of said side walls opposite said apex.

Claim 8

The adapter set forth in claim 5 wherein oppositely aligned apertures are provided in said side walls.

Claim 9

The adapter set forth in claim 6 wherein said apertures extend upwardly from said apex.

Claim 10

The adapter set forth in claim 5 wherein said bridging means comprises a pair of spaced tabs extending inwardly from the marginal edge of one side wall opposite said apex.

Claim 11

The adapter set forth in claim 5 wherein said bridging means comprises an inturned flange extending along at least the marginal edge of at least one of said side walls opposite said apex, and said flange is provided with an opening adapted to fit around a protruding neck portion of a dental implant.

Claim 12

The adapter set forth in claim 9 wherein each side wall is provided with an inturned flange.

Claim 13

The adapter set forth in claim 4 wherein said casing includes a pair of opposite side walls which are integrally joined along one edge.

Claim 14

The adapter set forth in claim 11 wherein said casing is made of material sufficiently resilient to permit said side walls to be spread apart for insertion of the base portion of the dental implant, without exceeding the elastic limit of said material so that the side walls will closely engage the dental implant.

Claim 15

The adapter set forth in claim 11 wherein said adapter has apertures extending through said casing walls at locations such that the apertures of the casing will align with corresponding apertures in an apertured dental implant which the adapter is designed to encase.

Claim 16

The adapter set forth in claim 13 wherein said apertures extend inwardly from a marginal edge of said side walls opposite said one edge along which the side walls are integrally joined toward said one edge.

Claim 17

The combination comprising a dental implant having a horizontally elongated blade portion which is defined by a bottom marginal edge, a top marginal edge and a pair of end marginal edges connecting the bottom marginal edge with said top marginal edge, a head portion, a neck portion integrally joining said head portion to said blade portion along said upper marginal edge, and openings within said blade portion to permit the growth of bone material in interlocking relationship with said implant and aN adapter comprising a casing which has a hollow interior of substantially the same size and configuration as said blade portion to encase said blade portion and said casing has openings therein which are aligned with the openings in the blade portion of said implant when the blade portion of the implant is encased in the adapter.

Claim 18

The combination comprising a dental implant having a horizontally elongated blade portion which is defined by a bottom marginal edge, a top marginal edge and a pair of end marginal edges connecting the bottom marginal edge with said top marginal edge, a head portion, a neck portion integrally joining said head portion to said blade portion along said upper marginal edge, and openings within said blade portion to permit the growth of bone material in interlocking relationship with said implant and aN adapter comprising a casing which has a hollow interior of substantially the same size and configuration as said blade portion to encase said blade portion and said casing has openings therein which are aligned with the openings in the blade portion of said implant when the blade portion of the implant is encased in the adapter.

Claim 19

The combination set forth in claim 15 wherein said openings in said implant include at least one opening which interrupts said upper marginal edge on one side of said neck and extends downwardly toward said bottom edge.

Claim 20

The combination set forth in claim 16 wherein the upper marginal edge of said blade portion includes a shoulder extending laterally from said neck so as to partially close said one opening along said marginal edge.

Claim 21

The combination set forth in claim 15 wherein there is a second opening similar to said one opening provided in said blade portion on the opposite side of said neck from said one opening.

Claim 22

The combination set forth in claim 18 wherein said dental implant is symmetrically shaped about a vertical center line extending through said neck portion.

Claim 23

The combination set forth in claim 19 wherein there is a notch provided in said blade portion along said bottom edge and said adapter includes a corresponding notch.