Abstract: An improved dental prostheses includes an implant abutment mounted to an abutment tooth and having an endless O-ring groove formed about the outer axial surface of the implant abutment in a plane generally transverse to the implant abutment axis. The implant abutment has a tapered surface which mates closely with a similarly tapered retainer cavity in the dental prosthesis to frictionally support the same and has a complementary O-ring groove defined in the retainer surface. A resilient O-ring retentive element is fitted over the implant abutment such that the ring cross section is partly received within the implant abutment groove and partly within the retainer groove, thereby forming a resilient interference fit between the dental prosthesis and the implant abutment. The arrangement enables easy removal of the prosthesis for hygiene related activities and application to multiple abutments to support an appliance.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for removably mounting a dental appliance in a mouth. An abutment member has a tapered support surface which extends away from the affixation area of the abutment. The tapered support surface is formed to be received in and mate with a complementary surface formed in an appliance to provide co-acting support surfaces for the appliance, so that the appliance need not depend upon gum tissue for support thereby enabling design of an appliance to fully conceal the area of affixation for esthetic appearance while providing the look of natural teeth. First and second coupling devices are adapted to be respectively secured to the abutment member and the appliance for removably retaining an appliance on the abutment member.