According to an article from DentristryIQ, 3M Innovative Properties, St Paul, Minn, has been assigned a patent (8,043,089) developed by Ronald A. Bulard, Ardmore, Okla, and Stephen J. Hadwin, Ardmore, Okla, for a "one-piece dental implant and use thereof in prostodontic and orthodontic applications."
The abstract of the patent published by the US Patent and Trademark Office states, "The specification describes one-piece dental implants comprising a threaded shaft, optionally a non-circular abutment and a head having a shape which is capable of accepting a keeper cap or an O-ring, or which is capable of accepting and retaining a dental wire. The implants have dimensions that permit their use in a non-surgical method of insertion into bone, and are useful in both prosthodontic and orthodontic applications."
The full text of the patent can be found here.
