Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
An oral implant for supporting an artificial tooth structure, comprising: an implant portion having opposite side walls and being adapted to be fitted in an opening in a bone in the vicinity of the occlusal plane, which bone has been exposed by an incision in the covering fibromucosal tissue, said implant portion being adapted to be submerged below the upper edge of the opening in the bone; and at least one post assembly having a neck portion and a post portion, the neck portion of said post assembly being detachably connected to said implant portion and being adapted to straddle said implant and to make friction contact with its opposite side walls when connected thereto, the post portion being adapted to receive the artificial tooth structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
An oral implant for supporting an artificial tooth structure, comprising: an implant portion having opposite side walls and being adapted to be fitted in an opening in a bone in the vicinity of the occlusal plane, which bone has been exposed by an incision in the covering fibromucosal tissue, said implant portion being adapted to be submerged below the upper edge of the opening in the bone; and at least one post assembly having a neck portion and a post portion, the neck portion of said post assembly being detachably connected to said implant portion and being adapted to straddle said implant and to make friction contact with its opposite side walls when connected thereto, the post portion being adapted to receive the artificial tooth structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 1 wherein the post is made from one of the materials titanium, vitalium or surgical stainless steel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 1 wherein the artificial tooth structure is a bridge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 1 wherein said implant portion is in the form of a blade having a length and width, the width of the blade with the post mounted thereon being relatively narrow and constant over its length.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 4 wherein the neck portion has depending legs that straddle said blade, said legs having projections at their ends that snap into at least one pair of recesses in opposite side walls of the blade.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
101 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 5 wherein the blade has at least one pair of lateral indentations spaced along its length at a connection position, the pair of recesses being at the connection position and the recesses of the pair being on the opposite side walls of the blade, and wherein the projections of the leg portions snap into the recesses when the post assembly is installed on the blade at the connection position, and the legs fit within the indentations of the blade so that their outer surfaces are relatively flush with the lateral surfaces of the blade.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 6 including a plurality of integral post assemblies and pairs of recesses, each post assembly being snap fit to a separate pair of said plurality of pairs of recesses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 1 wherein said implant portion is a hollow box having a length and width, the width being relatively constant over its length and the width being great enough to cause it to be wedged in an opening in the bone caused by the removal of overly-retained loose teeth or a previously inserted failed implant.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 1 wherein the implant portion has an upper surface and further including a cap adapted to straddle the implant portion, said implant portion having a vertical cutout in its upper surface and the cap being designed to be seated in the cutout such that said cap does not extend significantly above the upper surface of the implant portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 9 wherein the legs of the cap have projections at their ends that snap fit into recesses in the blade when the cap straddles the blade at a connection position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 1 wherein the artificial tooth structure and post portion are detachably connected to the neck portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 11 wherein the artificial tooth structure and post portion are connected to the neck portion by screws.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
149 words
An oral osseous implant for supporting an artificial tooth structure, comprising: an implant portion having opposite side walls and being adapted to be fitted in an opening in a bone portion in the vicinity of the occlusal plane which has been exposed by an incision in fibromucosal tissue covering it, said implant portion being adapted so that it is submerged below the upper rim of the opening and having an upper surface facing away from the opening when installed therein, and a cap detachably connected to said implant portion, said cap having a body and downwardly depending legs adapted to straddle the implant portion and to make friction contact with its opposite side walls when connected thereto, the cap further being adapted so that it does not extend significantly above the upper surface of the implant portion and can be covered by fibromucosal tissue when the implant is installed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
149 words
An oral osseous implant for supporting an artificial tooth structure, comprising: an implant portion having opposite side walls and being adapted to be fitted in an opening in a bone portion in the vicinity of the occlusal plane which has been exposed by an incision in fibromucosal tissue covering it, said implant portion being adapted so that it is submerged below the upper rim of the opening and having an upper surface facing away from the opening when installed therein, and a cap detachably connected to said implant portion, said cap having a body and downwardly depending legs adapted to straddle the implant portion and to make friction contact with its opposite side walls when connected thereto, the cap further being adapted so that it does not extend significantly above the upper surface of the implant portion and can be covered by fibromucosal tissue when the implant is installed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
150 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 13 wherein the implant portion is a relatively narrow blade with an upper surface and at least one pair of lateral indentations located adjacent at least one connection position, the blade also includes a shallow vertical cutout at the connection position and a pair of recesses below the cutout, one recess of the pair being on each side wall of the blade, and wherein the cap legs have projections that snap into the recesses when straddling the blade, the legs being received in the indentations so they do not extend beyond the lateral width of the blade, and the cap body resting in the cutout so its surface remote from the legs does not extend significantly above the upper surface of the blade when installed thereon, said cap preventing regrowth of bone in the area of the blade where the cap is located.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 13 wherein the cap is made of plastic material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
An oral implant as claimed in claim 13 wherein the cap is made of Teflon.