Digital protective jaw pad and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a digital protective jaw pad and a preparation method thereof, and the preparation method comprises the following steps: 1, carrying out intraoral three-dimensional scanning to obtain a digital model; step 2, a dynamic occlusion relation is recorded by a digitized face bow, and an inresting jaw position is determined; 3, making an occlusion recording silica gel and plaster model; 4, scanning the plaster model, designing a virtual jaw pad in combination with the intraoral scanning digital model, and performing personalized buffering treatment; and step 5, processing the PMMA solid jaw pad by a CAM technology. Whole-course digital precise manufacturing of the protective jaw pad is achieved, occlusion interference of diseased teeth is avoided through the personalized buffering design, the material biocompatibility is good, wearing is comfortable, traumatic teeth or postoperative teeth are effectively protected, and meanwhile the treatment effect and the patient satisfaction degree are improved by combining patient education.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the treatment methods and medical technology of dental trauma, and in particular to a digital protective jaw pad and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Dental trauma refers to an acute injury to the hard tissues of the tooth, pulp, or periodontal tissues caused by a sudden mechanical force. Clinically, dental trauma can usually be classified into several major categories and subcategories, such as tooth concussion, tooth dislocation, and tooth fracture. Among these classifications, tooth concussion and subluxation are relatively mild and easily overlooked types of injury.

[0003] Patients with dental concussion typically experience tooth sensitivity, discomfort or pain when biting, but clinical examination reveals no abnormal tooth mobility or displacement, although percussion may cause tenderness or discomfort. Patients with subluxation of the tooth experience more severe symptoms; clinical examination shows significant tooth mobility without positional change; percussion tenderness; and periapical radiographs show a slightly widened periodontal ligament. Both dental concussion and subluxation are generally accompanied by varying degrees of periodontal damage, such as periodontal ligament hyperemia, gingival crevicular fluid exudation, and even slight bleeding. Pulp hyperemia or edema may also be present.

[0004] The treatment principles for tooth concussion and subluxation are as follows: The affected tooth should rest for 1 to 2 weeks. If necessary, reduce occlusion to alleviate the occlusal force burden. If symptoms are significant, necessary examinations should be performed, including pulp vitality testing and X-ray examination, with regular follow-up to monitor pulp vitality. If the subluxated tooth has significant mobility or obvious occlusal trauma, elastic fixation should be applied for 2 weeks after occlusal adjustment. Commonly used elastic fixation devices are usually attached to the surface of the affected tooth or adjacent teeth, including wire-resin fixation, orthodontic bracket fixation, and periodontal elastic fiber band fixation.

[0005] Although studies have shown that appropriate occlusal force stimulation after repositioning and fixing of a dislocated tooth is beneficial for the healing of the damaged periodontal ligament and can prevent external root resorption after trauma, the affected tooth, especially in the early stages of fixation (within 1 to 2 weeks post-surgery), may experience pain and soreness after occlusal force stimulation. This can lead to patient discomfort, doubts about the treatment, non-compliance, and even missed follow-up appointments. Therefore, we believe that occlusal force stimulation of the affected tooth in the early stages of fixation (to achieve a dislocated state) is necessary from a humanistic perspective.

[0006] Dental trauma is often accompanied by fractures of the alveolar bone surrounding the tooth root. The fracture line extends from the buccal side to the lingual side, and bone fragments are usually found to be loose, displaced along with multiple teeth. Occlusal interference is common after bone fragment displacement. Teeth at the fracture site may not respond to pulp sensitivity testing. Treatment requires consideration of the alignment of the affected teeth, with passive elastic fixation of the displaced alveolar bone for 4 weeks. After fixation, relieving occlusal forces on the affected tooth can effectively reduce or eliminate the mobility of the alveolar bone connected to the tooth, thus creating a better environment for bone regeneration and fusion at the fracture line.

[0007] A jaw splint is a flexible or rigid device, custom-made by a dentist based on the patient's oral condition, used to adjust the occlusal relationship of teeth. It typically covers part or all of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth, directly altering the patient's jaw relationship and occlusal state, and indirectly adjusting the temporomandibular joint disc-condylar relationship and the functional state of the masticatory muscles. This changes the occlusal contact pattern, thereby achieving the goal of functional treatment of the stomatognathic system. It is widely used clinically in the treatment of temporomandibular dysfunction, malocclusion, occlusal reconstruction, and periodontal disease and occlusal trauma.

[0008] In clinical dentistry, protective occlusal management of traumatized or post-operative teeth is crucial. Traditional protective occlusal splints are often made manually, using methods such as impression taking, plaster pouring, and manual polishing. This is not only inefficient and inaccurate, but also difficult to precisely adapt to the individual occlusal situation of patients. In particular, the reconstruction of the resting jaw position often contains errors, which can easily lead to occlusal interference and affect the recovery of the affected tooth.

[0009] With the development of digital technology, intraoral scanning, computer-aided design (CAD), and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) have been applied in the field of dental restoration. However, in the fabrication of protective occlusal pads, existing technologies still lack a complete, precise, and personalized digital solution for cushioning design. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to address the technical deficiencies in the existing technology by providing a method for preparing a digital protective jaw pad.

[0011] The present invention also provides a digital protective jaw pad.

[0012] The technical solution adopted to achieve the purpose of this invention is: A method for preparing a digital protective jaw pad includes the following steps: Step 1: Obtain three-dimensional data of the soft and hard tissues of the patient's teeth, gums and jawbone, as well as information on the occlusal morphology of the dental arch through intraoral scanning, and generate a high-precision digital model. Step 2: Use a digital facebow to record the dynamic three-dimensional spatial relationship between the maxillary arch and the temporomandibular joint hinge axis during the patient's movement from the intercuspal position to the resting jaw position, and determine the resting jaw position relationship; Step 3: Fix the resting jaw position relationship determined in Step 2 in the patient's mouth with an occlusal blocking piece. Make an occlusal recording silicone in the space between the upper and lower teeth. Then, use silicone rubber to take an impression of the upper and lower teeth, pour in a plaster model, and place the occlusal recording silicone between the plaster models to ensure that the upper and lower relative relationship of the plaster models is fixed in the resting jaw position, thus obtaining the upper and lower jaw resting jaw position plaster model. Step 4: Scan the plaster model of the upper and lower jaws in resting position obtained in Step 3 to obtain the digital information of the upper and lower jaws in resting position. Replace the model of the upper and lower jaws in resting position in Step 3 with the high-precision digital model in Step 1 and substitute it into the resting position relationship. Create a virtual jaw pad that fits the spatial morphology between the upper and lower teeth in the resting position state. Perform personalized buffering treatment on the affected tooth area and output the final digital model of the virtual jaw pad. Step 5: Convert the final digital model of the virtual jaw pad obtained in Step 4 into a physical jaw pad.

[0013] In the above technical solution, in step 1, the intraoral scanner is a 3ShapeTRIOS intraoral scanner, and the high-precision digital model information is transmitted to the 3Shape Dental System software for storage.

[0014] In the above technical solution, in step 2, the digital face bow is the Zebris Medical GmbH digital face bow.

[0015] In the above technical solution, in step 4, the virtual jaw pad is a wedge-shaped structure.

[0016] In the above technical solution, step 4, the personalized buffering process includes: for teeth that have not been fixed, partial cutting is performed on the tissue surface area in contact with the virtual jaw pad so that the jaw pad does not have direct contact with the tooth; for teeth with fixed devices, personalized regional buffering is performed according to the size and shape of the fixed device.

[0017] In the above technical solution, step 4 involves using three-dimensional scanning technology of dental models to scan the resting jaw model of the upper and lower jaws.

[0018] In the above technical solution, step 5 involves importing the final digital model of the virtual jaw pad into a dental milling machine, which then processes the physical jaw pad using CAM.

[0019] In the above technical solution, in step 5, the material of the solid jaw pad is polymethyl methacrylate resin.

[0020] Another aspect of the present invention is a digital protective jaw pad prepared using the aforementioned preparation method.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. To prevent the affected tooth from being further swollen and inflamed due to unintentional traumatic jaw force, which would hinder its healing and reduce the pain experienced by the patient during each force application to the affected tooth. 2. To allow affected teeth to rest fully and avoid stress, the most common clinical method is to grind them down. However, this process presents a dilemma: too little grinding fails to effectively reduce occlusion and avoid stress; too much grinding can lead to tooth sensitivity and malocclusion later on, making it difficult to determine the optimal balance. This invention can achieve the effect of freeing affected teeth from stress without requiring grinding. 3. If the patient has bruxism or a habit of clenching teeth, the patient's uncontrollable and unconscious forceful chewing during sleep will repeatedly put pressure on the affected teeth, which is not conducive to their recovery. Wearing this jaw pad during sleep can solve this problem. 4. Compared to ordinary jaw pads, the wedge-shaped jaw pad for resting jaw position involved in this invention allows the wearer's masticatory muscles to remain relaxed at all times, without causing muscle discomfort; 5. The electronic face bow can record the mandibular movement trajectory and condylar movement in real time. Using the electronic face bow in the design of the occlusal pad ensures that the condyle within the temporomandibular joint cavity remains in a small range of rotation while the patient wears the pad. This prevents large-scale condylar slippage caused by changes in occlusal position after wearing the pad, thus avoiding temporomandibular joint dysfunction. After wearing this dental pad, the occlusal force burden on the injured tooth is significantly reduced, thus protecting the masticatory muscles and temporomandibular joint from periodontal ligament damage and providing a favorable environment for dental trauma recovery. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 The image shown is a digital model obtained by intraoral scanning using the ShapeTRIOS intraoral scanner of this invention.

[0023] Figure 2 The image shows the maxillary and mandibular resting position model and silicone occlusion record of this invention.

[0024] Figure 3 The image shows the digital model obtained by the three-dimensional scanning technology of the dental model of the present invention presented in the 3Shape DentalSystem software (right side view).

[0025] Figure 4 The image shows the digital model obtained by the three-dimensional scanning technology of the dental model of the present invention presented in the 3Shape DentalSystem software (left side view).

[0026] Figure 5The image shows the digital model obtained by the three-dimensional scanning technology of the dental model of the present invention presented in the 3Shape DentalSystem software (front view).

[0027] Figure 6 The image shows the virtual jaw pad shape (right side view) created using the 3Shape Dental System software according to this invention.

[0028] Figure 7 The image shows the virtual jaw pad shape (left side view) created using the 3Shape Dental System software according to this invention.

[0029] Figure 8 The image shows the virtual jaw pad shape (front view) created using the 3Shape Dental System software according to this invention.

[0030] Figure 9 The image shows a sagittal view of the cutting and buffering process performed in the tissue surface area where the virtual jaw pad contacts the affected tooth (the cutting thickness is 0.807 mm at the location indicated by the arrow in the lower right grid diagram).

[0031] Figure 10 The image shows a horizontal view of the cutting and buffering process performed in the tissue surface area where the virtual jaw pad contacts the affected tooth (the cutting thickness is 0.812 mm at the area indicated by the arrow in the lower right grid diagram).

[0032] Figure 11 The image shows a partial view of the affected tooth area of ​​the virtual jaw pad after cutting and buffering according to the present invention.

[0033] Figure 12 The image shows a solid jaw pad manufactured using CAM according to the present invention.

[0034] Figure 13 The image shows the jaw pad being inserted into a plaster model of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 14 The image shows the silicone rubber used for the upper and lower jaw tooth impressions of this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0037] Example 1 A method for preparing a digital protective jaw pad includes the following steps: Step 1: The patient undergoes an intraoral scan using the 3ShapeTRIOS intraoral scanner. This acquires three-dimensional data of the soft and hard tissues of the teeth, gums, and jawbone, as well as information on dentition morphology, and generates a high-precision digital model. (See details below.) Figure 1 The high-precision digital model information is directly transmitted to the 3Shape Dental System software for storage.

[0038] Step 2: Using the Zebris Medical GmbH digital facebow, the dynamic three-dimensional spatial relationship between the maxillary arch and the temporomandibular joint hinge axis is acquired during the patient's movement from the intercuspal position to the resting occlusal position, ensuring an accurate resting occlusal relationship. The transition from the intercuspal position to the resting occlusal position involves the initial 1-3mm "terminal hinge movement" during relaxed mouth opening, with the condyle as the center of rotation and minimal displacement. The Zebris Medical GmbH digital facebow system tracks mandibular movement, precisely capturing the trajectory from the intercuspal position to the active relaxation of the mandibular muscles, allowing them to naturally enter the resting occlusal region under gravity and muscle tension. The recorded trajectory converges in a specific area, representing the position of minimum muscle tension and joint stress—the resting occlusal region. After obtaining this positional relationship between the maxilla and mandible, an occlusal interlocking piece is placed between the maxillary and mandibular central incisors to fix this resting occlusal relationship.

[0039] Step 3: After fixing the occlusal relationship established in Step 2 with the help of an occlusal blocking piece, inject occlusal silicone into the interdental space between the upper and lower dentitions. Figure 2 The orange portion (in the middle) should be removed after hardening and used as "occlusal recording silicone". (See reference...) Figure 2 (The white part in the picture) and Figure 14 Next, silicone rubber is used to take impressions of the upper and lower jaws. The impressions of the upper and lower jaws are negative impressions with depressions at the dentition. Ultra-hard plaster is poured into the silicone rubber impression. After the plaster hardens, it is turned out of the silicone rubber impression to obtain ultra-hard plaster models of the upper and lower jaws. The previously prepared occlusal recording silicone is placed between the ultra-hard plaster models of the upper and lower jaws so that the occlusal relationship of the upper and lower jaw models is maintained in the resting jaw position, thus obtaining the resting jaw position plaster models of the upper and lower jaws.

[0040] Step 4: Use 3D scanning technology of dental models to scan the resting jaw position of the upper and lower jaws obtained in Step 3. plaster A digital model of the maxilla and mandible in resting position was obtained and imported into the 3Shape Dental System software. (Refer to...) Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5In the 3Shape Dental System software, the soft and hard tissues such as the teeth, gums, and jawbone morphology in the digital model of the maxillary and mandibular resting position are replaced with the more accurate, high-precision digital model information obtained in step 1. (Refer to...) Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 After the replacement is completed, a virtual jaw pad is designed in the 3Shape Dental System software to create a wedge-shaped virtual jaw pad that fits the spatial morphology between the upper and lower teeth in the resting jaw position. In the resting jaw position (when the masticatory muscles of the upper and lower jaws are in their most relaxed position), the space between the upper and lower teeth is a wedge shape that is narrower at the back and wider at the front, rather than the uniform thickness of the front and back teeth in traditional jaw pads. Therefore, compared with traditional jaw pads, the wedge-shaped structure of this jaw pad can ensure that the masticatory muscles and temporomandibular joint are relaxed when the patient wears it, making the patient feel more comfortable.

[0041] Reference Figure 9 , Figure 10 Surface treatment is performed on the tissue surface area where the obtained virtual jaw pad contacts the affected tooth: Figures 9-10 The selected affected tooth was the left maxillary central incisor. The virtual occlusal pad surface, which contacts the labial, incisal, and palatal surfaces of the left maxillary central incisor, was uniformly cut and buffered to ensure that none of the tooth's surfaces contacted the occlusal pad, ultimately achieving a state of "stable occlusion across the entire mouth with no occlusion in the affected tooth area." For details, refer to... Figure 11 If a fixation device is attached to the surface of the affected tooth, the cutting buffer area is adjusted according to the size range of the fixation device. After the above operations are completed, the final virtual jaw pad digital model is output.

[0042] Step 5: Import the final virtual jaw pad digital model generated in Step 4 into the dental milling machine. The dental milling machine used in this invention is the Aierchuang DWX-52D. (Refer to...) Figure 12 , Figure 13 The final virtual jaw pad is transformed into a physical entity using computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technology. Furthermore, the physical entity in this invention is made of polymethyl methacrylate resin (PMMA).

[0043] Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin is a commonly used medical polymer material in the dental field, commonly known as "plexiglass". Due to its good biocompatibility, easy processing and aesthetic characteristics, it is widely used in the fabrication of dental prostheses and assistive devices.

[0044] The design and fabrication of the jaw pad in this invention employs fully digital technology. Compared to traditional jaw pads, digital jaw pads offer several advantages: digital jaw pads replicate the intraoral anatomical structure through oral scanning, resulting in smaller errors and a more snug fit; combined with the recording of mandibular movement trajectories by a digital facebow, digital design can simulate the occlusal effect in advance, achieving coordination between occlusion and temporomandibular joint movement; the jaw pad adjustment process required in this invention can also be completed during the digital design process, avoiding problems such as poor accuracy that may result from manual adjustment.

[0045] Example 2 In Example 1, the entire process of preparing the digital protective jaw pad was explained to the patient chairside, and related popular science videos were produced to help the patient understand the extent of their injury and why they needed to wear the jaw pad for treatment, thus providing postoperative guidance.

[0046] Dental trauma is not a single treatment session, but a sequential process. Multiple follow-up examinations—including assessing pulp vitality, evaluating recovery via X-ray, determining plaque control and restoration needs—are essential for achieving optimal results. Therefore, providing patients with a comprehensive understanding of the basic principles of dental trauma treatment through educational outreach can enhance their participation in the process, leading to better cooperation with the dentist's sequential treatment plan and ultimately, more ideal outcomes. This invention leverages the visualization advantages of a digital design process—allowing patients to participate actively. Chairside explanations within the digital design process present the treatment procedures and principles in a clear and understandable way. By ensuring patients understand both the "what" and the "why" of the entire sequential treatment process, it motivates their participation and engagement, fostering cooperation with the treatment workflow.

[0047] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of making a digitalized protective jaw pad, characterized by, It comprises the following steps: Step 1, obtaining the three-dimensional data of soft and hard tissues of teeth, gums and jaw and the occlusal morphology information of the patient's dentition through intraoral scanning, and generating a high-precision digital model; Step 2, using digital face bow to record the dynamic three-dimensional spatial relationship between the maxillary arch and the temporomandibular joint hinge axis during the process from the crossbite to the rest position, and determining the rest position relationship; Step 3, fixing the rest position relationship determined in step 2 in the patient's mouth with the help of occlusal blocking piece, making occlusal recording silicone in the gap between the upper and lower arches, and then taking the upper and lower arch impressions with silicone rubber, pouring the gypsum model, and placing the occlusal recording silicone between the gypsum models to ensure that the upper and lower relative relationship of the gypsum model is fixed in the rest position, obtaining the upper and lower rest position gypsum model; Step 4, scanning the upper and lower rest position gypsum model obtained in step 3 to obtain digital information of the upper and lower rest position, replacing the high-precision digital model in step 1 with the upper and lower rest position model in step 3 into the rest position relationship, making a virtual jaw pad that fits the space form between the upper and lower arches in the rest position, and performing personalized buffering processing on the affected tooth area, and outputting the digital model of the final virtual jaw pad; Step 5, converting the digital model of the final virtual jaw pad obtained in step 4 into a physical jaw pad.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital protective jaw pad is prepared by, In step 1, the intraoral scanner is 3Shape TRIOS intraoral scanner, and the high-precision digital model information is transmitted to 3Shape Dental System software for saving.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital protective jaw pad is prepared by, In step 2, the digital face bow is Zebris Medical GmbS digital face bow.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital protective jaw pad is prepared by, In step 4, the virtual jaw pad is a wedge-shaped structure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital protective jaw pad is prepared by, In step 4, the personalized buffering processing includes: for the affected tooth without fixation, partially cutting the tissue surface area of the virtual jaw pad in contact with the affected tooth to make the jaw pad not in direct contact with the affected tooth; for the affected tooth with a fixation device, performing personalized regional buffering according to the size and shape of the fixation device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital protective jaw pad is prepared by, In step 4, the upper and lower rest position model is scanned by three-dimensional scanning technology of dental model.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital protective jaw pad is prepared by, In step 5, the digital model of the final virtual jaw pad is imported into a dental milling machine, and the dental milling machine processes a physical jaw pad through CAM.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, In step 5, the material of the physical jaw pad is polymethyl methacrylate.

9. The digital protective jaw pad prepared by the preparation method of any one of claims 1-8.

Images