Retention insert and connection device for dental applications

Abstract

A retention insert (), for connecting a dental prosthesis structure to a dental implant or capping structure having a head designed for a press-fit connection, comprises a substantially circular disc-shaped end face (), and a substantially ring-shaped retention edge (), which protrudes from the end face () and has an outer surface (). The end face () has an opening (), and, starting from an end () of the retention edge () directed away from the end face (), a substantially axial slit () extends through the retention edge () and the end face () to the opening () of the end face (). Connected to the opening on the end face, the slit of the retention insert according to the invention is a relatively simple structure which ensures that the retention insert, and in particular the retention edge thereof, has an elasticity sufficient for snap-fitting it onto the head or the patrix head. At the same time, a spring force from the snapped-on retention edge can therefore act on the head, such that the retention insert and parts connected thereto are clamped on the head. Moreover, this retention edge and this opening also have the result that imprecisions in the position of the implant structure, and in particular lack of parallelism, and also the effects of forces from different directions can be compensated, without the retention insert or parts thereof being substantially squeezed or similarly deformed.