Bone Distention Apparatus

U.S. Patent No: 6,309,220 B1
10/30/2001

Attempts to install a secure implant post in thinned and receding bone can result in a weakening or loosening of a final restoration and a compromised cosmetic appearance. The current invention remedies the need to drill out a large hole and further thin the receding bone mass by a bone condensing and distension apparatus herein known as an implant distractor. Additionally, the current invention obviates the need for ridge augmentation procedures needed to increase bone mass prior to implant placement. In this invention, a smaller hole is drilled and a vertically sectioned, temporary implant distractor is installed. The implant distractor is split vertically into two or more sectors with cone-shaped concave tapered holes at the coronal and apical ends. A draw screw pulls a cone nut upward into a bottom tapered hole and pulls a typical healing plug with a cone shaped convex lower element into the upper tapered hole to force the implant distractor sectors outward and to expand the surrounding bone. Over time, the vertical sections of this distractor are periodically forced apart to condense and distend the bone to form a wider, stronger bone mass. The distractor is removed and an implant is installed.