Oral and Maxillofacial Implant System

U.S. Patent No: 4,657,510
4/14/1987

A hybrid dental implant system is described and illustrated, which provides the dental profession with an implant system having a built-in contingency option by being able to go from a fixed implant modality to a retentive nonstress bearing removable one. The implant system includes a sleeve member adapted to be surgically inserted into the jawbone of a patient for alternatively receiving a fixed implant member or retentive implant member. The fixed implant member having a stress breaking device, is designed for supporting a crown and bridge prosthesis. The retentive implant member having an inciso-apically movable insert allows the underside of a denture to exert occlusal and masticatory forces upon the underlying soft gum tissue, thereby dissipating such forces before they are transmitted to the implant itself. Should an abutment tooth anterior or posterior to a fixed implant fail, the fixed implant member is simply screwed out of its retaining sleeve member and a retentive implant member is screwed into its place for retaining a full or partial denture.