Detachable mounting for a dental fixture and method for using same

Claim 1

An attachment means for use in attaching a dental prosthesis to a tooth, comprising: (a) cooperating male and female portions wherein the male portion includes a base, the female portion includes a head, and the base and the head are adapted for attachment to and between the dental prosthesis and the tooth; (b) post assembly means including, (i) a base member having means for attachment to the base of the male portion, and an essentially centrally disposed aperture extending therethrough; (ii) a stud means extending through the aperture, one end of which incorporates universal movement means adapted for cooperation with the base member, to enable rotation of the stud means with respect to the base member; (iii) engagement means attached to another end of the stud means; and (iv) resilient washer means having an aperture extending therethrough, surrounding the stud means and separating the base member from the engagement means; and (c) retention means operatively associated with the head of the female portion and adapted to receive the engagement means of the stud means releasably to retain the male portion to the female portion.

Claim 23

A method for attaching a dental prosthesis to a tooth using an attachment means comprising cooperating male and female portions attachable to and between the dental prosthesis and the tooth, the male portion including a base and a post means engaging the base, and the female portion including a head and retention means associated with the head and capable of releasably engaging the post means of the male portion, said method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing the tooth to receive crown means; (b) providing crown means having the base of the male portion associated therewith; (c) attaching the crown means to the tooth so that the associated base extends outwardly therefrom; (d) providing adapter means having base means adapted for cooperation with the base of the male portion, and ball member means associated with the base means and correspondingly configured with the post means of the male portion; (e) positioning the base means of the adapter means over the base of the male portion; (f) forming an impression of the prepared tooth and the structure associated therewith; (g) removing the impression from the prepared tooth, developing a void in the impression in the vicinity of and corresponding to the tooth and the structure associated therewith; (h) attaching positioner means to the adapter means and locating the adapter means in the void of the impression, with the positioner means extending therefrom; (i) forming a model of the impression, enclosing the positioner means within material forming the model; (j) removing the model from the impression, exposing the adapter means attached to the positioner means; (k) attaching the retention means of the female portion to the ball member means of the adapter means; (l) forming the dental prosthesis in association with the model, enclosing the head of the female portion within the dental prosthesis during said forming; and (m) attaching the post means to the base attached to the tooth; thereby aligning the female portion associated with the dental prosthesis with the post means associated with the male portion, permitting subsequent attachment of the male portion and the female portion.

Claim 24

A method for attaching a dental prosthesis to a tooth using an attachment means comprising cooperating male and female portions attachable to and between the dental prosthesis and the tooth, the male portion including a base and a post means engaging the base, and the female portion including a head and retention means associated with the head and capable of releasably engaging the post means of the male portion, said method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing the tooth to receive crown means; (b) providing crown means having the base of the male portion associated therewith; (c) attaching the crown means to the tooth so that the associated base extends outwardly therefrom; (d) providing adapter means having base means adapted for cooperation with the base of the male portion, and ball member means associated with the base means and correspondingly configured with the post means of the male portion; (e) positioning the base means of the adapter means over the base of the male portion; (f) forming an impression of the prepared tooth and the structure associated therewith; (g) removing the impression from the prepared tooth, developing a void in the impression in the vicinity of and corresponding to the tooth and the structure associated therewith; (h) attaching positioner means to the adapter means and locating the adapter means in the void of the impression, with the positioner means extending therefrom; (i) forming a model of the impression, enclosing the positioner means within material forming the model; (j) removing the model from the impression, exposing the adapter means attached to the positioner means; (k) attaching the retention means of the female portion to the ball member means of the adapter means; (l) forming the dental prosthesis in association with the model, enclosing the head of the female portion within the dental prosthesis during said forming; and (m) attaching the post means to the base attached to the tooth; thereby aligning the female portion associated with the dental prosthesis with the post means associated with the male portion, permitting subsequent attachment of the male portion and the female portion.