Appeal 2006-2283
Application 10/375,343
2. Preferably, Appellant’s fixation body 16 is formed with a sintering
process, is completely porous, and does not include a metal substrate.
Therefore, in cross section, the bone fixation body 16 has a porous structure
with no solid metal substrate (Specification 2: 22-25).
3. Appellant defines “porous” as meaning that “the material at and under
the surface is permeated with interconnected interstitial pores that
communicate with the surface” (Specification 5: 8-10). With respect to
porosity and pore diameter requirements, Appellant states that “the
geometric configuration of the porous structure should encourage natural
bone to migrate and grow into and throughout the entire body 16”
(Specification 5: 17-19).
4. Appellant discloses an embodiment (Figs. 5 and 6) wherein the distal
end surface of the coronal body has an outwardly extending elongated
protrusion 86. The protrusion extends into the bone fixation body and is
adapted to increase the interface between the coronal body and the bone
fixation body (Specification 7: 7-10).
5. The Examiner relies on the embodiment of Sutter illustrated in Fig. 14
and discussed in column 7. In that embodiment, Sutter discloses a dental
implant 71 comprising a pin including a thicker portion formed by a
substantially hollow sleeve 73, which serves as a base to be anchored in a
jaw, and a column 75 for supporting a denture. The cylindrical wall of
sleeve 73 is provided with through holes 73e (col. 7, ll. 15-35). Akin to
through holes 3e and 5e in the embodiment of Fig. 1 (col. 5, l. 12), bone
grows through the holes 73e upon inserting the implant.
5
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