Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for locating optimal angles and depth of an osteotomy for insertion of a dental implant into a patient's jawbone which comprises, a) preparing a model of the patient's intended implant region and surrounding tooth structures, b) fitting said model with pontic teeth in proper occlusal relationship to form a pontic model, c) providing said pontic model with radio-opaque landmarks to form a radiographic guide which aids in determining the relationship of the pontic teeth to anatomic features of the patient, d) placing the radiographic guide onto the patient and taking a CT-scan, e) locating on said CT-scan the relevant dimensions, depth, and angles of the intended osteotomy and implant in consideration of the anatomical features revealed on the CT-scan, f) transferring said dimensions, depths, and angles to said model, g) placing said model on a table movable through three dimensions relative to a fixed drill point, h) drilling a hole through the pontic teeth at the angles determined from said CT-scan, said angles being obtained by manipulating the table through the three dimensions aforesaid, i) replacing the radiographic guide prepared in step h) onto said patient and drilling said implant osteotomy through said hole in said pontic teeth in step h) whereby the optimum angle, dimension, and depth of osteotomy as determined from the CT-scan is obtained on said patient.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for locating optimal angles and depth of an osteotomy for insertion of a dental implant into a patient's jawbone which comprises, a) preparing a model of the patient's intended implant region and surrounding tooth structures, b) fitting said model with pontic teeth in proper occlusal relationship to form a pontic model, c) providing said pontic model with radio-opaque landmarks to form a radiographic guide which aids in determining the relationship of the pontic teeth to anatomic features of the patient, d) placing the radiographic guide onto the patient and taking a CT-scan, e) locating on said CT-scan the relevant dimensions, depth, and angles of the intended osteotomy and implant in consideration of the anatomical features revealed on the CT-scan, f) transferring said dimensions, depths, and angles to said model, g) placing said model on a table movable through three dimensions relative to a fixed drill point, h) drilling a hole through the pontic teeth at the angles determined from said CT-scan, said angles being obtained by manipulating the table through the three dimensions aforesaid, i) replacing the radiographic guide prepared in step h) onto said patient and drilling said implant osteotomy through said hole in said pontic teeth in step h) whereby the optimum angle, dimension, and depth of osteotomy as determined from the CT-scan is obtained on said patient.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the pontic model is covered on the top thereof with a thin radio-opaque film.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the pontic teeth has located therein a radio-opaque material oriented to be in a vertical position so that a true vertical orientation can be measured off the CT-scan.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the model of step a) is a stone model.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 according to step h) wherein ever widening drills are used to drill the osteotomy.