System for generating occlusal load

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system for generating occlusal loads, comprising a load appliance and a controller. The load appliance includes three load transfer elements and three actuators. The load transfer elements are respectively adapted to be positioned between the upper and lower anterior teeth of a patient and between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the patient's mouth. The load transfer elements are separated from each other. The actuators are respectively coupled to the load transfer elements. The controller is configured to control the three actuators to actuate the three load transfer elements in a separate and sequential manner, with a rest period between the consecutive actions of the three load transfer elements, so as to transfer the vibration energy from the three actuators to the periodontal tissues of the anterior teeth, the left posterior teeth and the right posterior teeth of the patient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for generating occlusal loading on teeth and periodontal tissues, and more particularly to a system and method for generating occlusal loading on teeth and periodontal tissues based on simulated human ingestion actions. Background Art

[0002] Devices used in the prior art transfer vibrational energy from an extraoral source to teeth in a patient's mouth. For example, a U-shaped occlusal plate with a vibration source can be placed in the patient's mouth, and then the patient bites down on the occlusal plate, eliminating the need for hand-held equipment and allowing for 20 minutes of daily use.

[0003] Prior art vibrational devices operate within a potentially varying range of frequencies and amplitudes, claiming to enhance orthodontic tooth movement, increase aligner fit, and enhance bone remodeling around teeth. The concept is that dynamic loading or cyclic force will result in greater bone remodeling than static force, and tooth movement is accomplished by remodeling the surrounding alveolar bone. In bone remodeling, the step of bone formation is the limiting factor in bone remodeling, and cyclic force can accelerate bone formation.

[0004] In another example, a rod-shaped vibrational device can be held in place by being clamped between the upper and lower teeth. The vibrating rod can be moved to different positions to contact specified teeth. The device can be programmed to instruct the user to move the vibrating rod to specific teeth to deliver focused energy to those teeth.

[0005] The need for the patient to continuously bite down on the occlusal plate of the vibrational device has the problem that the biting force is unstable and can cause muscle fatigue. The vibrating rod claims to use only gravity to hold the device in place, and the force transmitted to both jaws can be adjusted by changing the position of the vibrating rod and the position of tooth contact. The actual force transmitted also depends on the strength with which the patient clenches down on the rod. Additionally, the vibration patterns of prior vibrational devices are different from the way humans actually chew, which can cause discomfort to the patient and slow down tooth movement. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned existing problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a system and method that can generate vibration force according to the habitual sequence and duration of a patient's chewing and swallowing, and simulate the occlusal loading effects on the teeth and periodontal tissues.

[0007] An embodiment of the present invention provides a system for generating occlusal load, including a loading appliance and a controller. The loading appliance includes a first load transfer element, a second load transfer element, and a third load transfer element. The first load transfer element is adapted to be positioned between the upper and lower anterior teeth of a patient's mouth, and the second load transfer element and the third load transfer element are respectively adapted to be positioned between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the patient's mouth, wherein the first, second, and third load transfer elements are separated from each other. The loading appliance further includes three actuators respectively coupled to the first, second, and third load transfer elements. The controller is configured to control the three actuators to actuate the first, second, and third load transfer elements in a separate and sequential manner, with a rest time between the consecutive actions of the first, second, and third load transfer elements, so as to transfer the vibration energy from the three actuators to the periodontal tissues of the patient's anterior teeth, left posterior teeth, and right posterior teeth.

[0008] In some embodiments, the system further includes a detection appliance configured to detect the sequence and duration of a patient's ingestion actions, the ingestion actions including the cutting of food by the upper and lower anterior teeth, the chewing of food by the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the mouth, and the swallowing of food, and configured to transmit the detection data to the controller, so that the controller controls the three actuators according to the detection data of the detection appliance in the case where the patient has no actual ingestion actions.

[0009] In some embodiments, the detection appliance is further configured to detect the biting force and occlusion frequency of the upper and lower anterior teeth when cutting food and the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the mouth when chewing food.

[0010] In some embodiments, the loading appliance further includes a mouthpiece adapted to be installed in the space between the upper and lower dental arches of the patient and having a U-shaped structure conforming to the shape of the upper and lower dental arches, wherein the thickness of the mouthpiece gradually decreases from the mesial end to the distal end of the mouthpiece. The first, second, and third load transfer elements are inserted into the mouthpiece and spaced apart from each other.

[0011] In some embodiments, each of the first, second, and third load transfer elements has a first portion extending into the occlusal plate and a second portion remaining outside the occlusal plate. Three actuators are respectively in contact with the second portions of the first, second, and third load transfer elements, and each of the three actuators is a vibration motor.

[0012] In some embodiments, the three actuators and the second portions of the first, second, and third load transfer elements are housed in a housing embedded with a controller, and a vibration absorbing mount is provided at one end of each of the second portions of the first, second, and third load transfer elements.

[0013] In some embodiments, the load appliance further includes a first teeth segment, a second teeth segment, and a third teeth segment. The first teeth segment includes an upper support portion and a lower support portion, and is adapted to be installed in the space between the upper and lower front teeth, wherein the first load transfer element is configured to be inserted between the upper support portion and the lower support portion of the first teeth segment. The second teeth segment includes an upper support portion and a lower support portion, and is adapted to be installed in the space between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left side of the patient's mouth, wherein the second load transfer element is configured to be inserted between the upper support portion and the lower support portion of the second teeth segment. The third teeth segment includes an upper support portion and a lower support portion, and is adapted to be installed in the space between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the right side of the patient's mouth, wherein the third load transfer element is configured to be inserted between the upper support portion and the lower support portion of the third teeth segment. The first, second, and third teeth segments are separated from each other.

[0014] In some embodiments, each of the first, second, and third load transfer elements is a shaft and has a pressure loading part in contact with the first, second, or third teeth segment, wherein the three actuators are respectively coupled to the three shafts.

[0015] In some embodiments, each of the actuators is a rotary motor, and the pressure loading part has an elliptical cross-section.

[0016] In some embodiments, each of the actuators is a rotary motor, and the pressure loading part has a circular cross-section and is provided with a protrusion.

[0017] In some embodiments, each of the actuators is a vibration motor.

[0018] In some embodiments, each of the first, second, and third load transfer elements has a pressure loading part in contact with the first, second, or third teeth segment, and each of the three actuators is located near the corresponding pressure loading part.

[0019] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for generating occlusal load, including: positioning three load transfer elements of a load appliance respectively between the upper and lower anterior teeth of a patient's mouth and between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the patient's mouth, wherein the three load transfer elements are separated from each other; and controlling three actuators by a controller to actuatingly drive the three load transfer elements in a separate and sequential manner, with a rest time between consecutive actions of the three load transfer elements, so as to transfer the vibration energy from the three actuators to the periodontal tissues of the patient's anterior teeth, left posterior teeth and right posterior teeth.

[0020] In some embodiments, the method further includes: using a detection appliance to detect the sequence and duration of the patient's feeding actions, the feeding actions including the cutting of food by the upper and lower anterior teeth, the chewing of food by the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the mouth, and the swallowing of food; and transmitting the detection data from the detection appliance to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to control the three actuators according to the detection data in the case where the patient has no actual feeding action.

[0021] In some embodiments, the detection appliance also detects the occlusal force and occlusal frequency of the upper and lower anterior teeth when cutting food and the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the mouth when chewing food, and the detection data further includes the occlusal force and occlusal frequency of each feeding action.

[0022] In some embodiments, the load appliance further includes an occlusal plate, which is adapted to be installed in the space between the upper and lower dental arches of the patient and has a U-shaped structure conforming to the shape of the upper and lower dental arches. The three load transfer elements are inserted into the occlusal plate and spaced apart from each other.

[0023] In some embodiments, the load appliance further includes three tooth segments, which are respectively adapted to be installed in the space between the upper and lower anterior teeth, the space between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left side of the patient's mouth, and the space between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the right side of the patient's mouth, wherein the three tooth segments are separated from each other. The three load transfer elements are respectively in contact with the three tooth segments. Description of the Drawings

[0024] The following detailed description is made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings for a complete disclosure. It should be emphasized that according to the general operation of this industry, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and are for illustrative purposes only. In fact, the dimensions of the elements may be arbitrarily enlarged or reduced for clear illustration.

[0025] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the sequence of human feeding actions;

[0026] Figure 2 Block diagram of a system for generating occlusal load in some embodiments;

[0027] Figure 3 Plan view and cross-sectional view of a load appliance in some embodiments;

[0028] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of a load appliance worn for a patient Figure 3 ;

[0029] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of a load transfer element for a posterior teeth segment in some embodiments

[0030] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a load transfer element for a posterior teeth segment in some embodiments

[0031] Figure 7 Cross-sectional views of different configurations of pressure loading parts in some embodiments and schematic diagrams of their operating modes

[0032] Figure 8 Flowchart of a method for generating an occlusal load in some embodiments

[0033] Symbol description

[0034] 200: System

[0035] 210: Detection appliance

[0036] 220: Controller

[0037] 221: Memory unit

[0038] 230: Load appliance

[0039] 231: Actuator

[0040] 232: Load transfer element

[0041] 232P: Pressure loading part

[0042] 233: Support

[0043] 2330: Limit structure

[0044] 233L: Lower support part

[0045] 233U: Upper support part

[0046] 234: Vibration damping seat

[0047] 235: Power supply control line

[0048] 240: Housing

[0049] 242: Shielding part

[0050] 800: Method

[0051] 810, 820, 830: Operations

[0052] P: Protrusion

[0053] T: Thickness Detailed implementation manners

[0054] Embodiments of systems and methods for generating occlusal loads are discussed in detail below. However, it should be understood that these embodiments provide many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are only for illustrating the specific ways of manufacturing and using these embodiments, and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0055] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the technical field to which this invention belongs. It should be understood that each term defined in a commonly used dictionary should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the relevant technology and the background or context of this invention, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal manner, unless otherwise defined herein.

[0056] Furthermore, spatially relative terms, such as "below", "beneath", "lower", "above", "upper" and the like, are used to facilitate the description of the relationship between one element or feature and another (other) element or feature in the drawings. In addition to the orientation shown in the drawings, these spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation. The device may be turned in different orientations (rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatially relative terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0057] The following embodiments relate to a system that produces occlusal loading effects on teeth and periodontal tissues due to simulated human ingestion actions, and controls the transmission of the load according to parameters obtained from detecting the sequence and time of ingestion actions. The occlusal loading effects include load effects caused by vibration. The advantages of such a system will be explained later. Some variations of the embodiments will also be described. In the various views and illustrative embodiments, common elements are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0058] According to some embodiments, such a system includes a detection appliance and a loading appliance. First, the detection appliance detects the sequence and duration of feeding actions, which include the cutting of food by the anterior teeth, the chewing of food by the posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the dental arch, and the swallowing of food. A period of rest provides time for swallowing. Then, in the absence of actual feeding, the loading appliance simulates the occlusal load effects on the periodontal tissue and alveolar bone due to these feeding actions.

[0059] The operation of the loading appliance is controlled by parameters obtained from the calculated sequence and duration of the feeding actions detected by the detection appliance. Operating in this way, the loading appliance can separately transfer the vibration force simulating the occlusal load effects to the periodontal tissue of the anterior teeth, the left posterior teeth, and the right posterior teeth according to the habitual sequence and duration of the patient's chewing and swallowing.

[0060] Generally speaking, human feeding includes actions such as cutting food, chewing food on both sides of the mouth, and swallowing, as Figure 1 shown. The normal sequence starts with cutting food by the upper and lower anterior teeth, and then the cut food pieces are moved by the tongue to one side of the mouth for chewing by the upper and lower molars and premolars. At the same time, the occlusal load on the periodontal tissue stimulates the nerves, causing the salivary glands to secrete saliva. During chewing, the saliva mixes with the chewed food to form a soft and smooth food bolus. The tongue acts to keep the food on one side of the mouth for a period of chewing and then moves the food to the other side for another chewing. Finally, the swallowing action sends the food bolus into the esophagus.

[0061] Some people may habitually chew food on only one side of the mouth before swallowing. During feeding, the sequence of the left chewing, right chewing, and swallowing steps varies from patient to patient. This is due to habits formed over time. The human chewing frequency ranges from 1 hertz (Hz) to 2 hertz, and the duration of each chewing episode ranges from 13 seconds (sec.) to 35 seconds. The normal chewing force of the human first molar ranges from 30 newtons (N) to 150 newtons, and the maximum occlusal load ranges from 300 newtons to 800 newtons.

[0062] Therefore, a system that simulates the natural occlusal load effects can first detect the feeding habits of the patient and then use the obtained detection data to control the transfer of the simulated occlusal load effects to the periodontal tissue. It has been found that such a system that mimics human chewing habits (which can also be called a vibration force generation system because the occlusal load effects are caused by a vibration source) is applicable to various dental applications (which will be further described later).

[0063] Reference Figure 2, which is a block diagram showing a system 200 for generating occlusal loads according to some embodiments. The system 200 includes a detection appliance 210, a controller 220, and a load appliance 230. Additional features or components may be added to the system 200, and / or some of the features described below may be replaced or eliminated in other embodiments.

[0064] The detection appliance 210 is used to detect the sequence and duration of feeding actions, which include the cutting of food by the anterior teeth, the chewing of food by the posterior teeth on both the left and right sides of the dental arch, and the swallowing of food (as described above). In some embodiments, the detection appliance 210 is also used to detect the biting force and biting frequency of the upper and lower anterior teeth when cutting food, and the biting force and biting frequency of the upper and lower posterior teeth on both sides of the mouth when chewing food. Various types of detection devices can be used.

[0065] In one example, the detection appliance 210 is an intraoral device with a built-in pressure sensor. The detailed design of such an intraoral device can refer to prior arts such as US8226581 and US10485642. The detection method is to let the patient eat, chew, and swallow under normal conditions and remember the time and movement of the jaw muscles. Then, with no food intake, the detection appliance 210 is placed in the patient's mouth, and the patient is required to repeat the remembered actions for cutting, chewing, and swallowing. The pressure sensor detects and records the occlusal loads and frequencies on the detection appliance 210 from these actions, and the sequence and duration of these actions are calculated from the detection data, including the time of swallowing.

[0066] In another example, the detection appliance 210 is an extraoral device with a sensor that contacts the skin near the ears and the temporomandibular joint to detect the movement of the condyles during feeding actions. These actions can be detected by analyzing the differences in the movement of the condyles during feeding. For example, when the anterior teeth cut food, the two condyles tend to move together to perform the biting action. However, when chewing on one side of the mouth, the movement of the condyle on the working side is different from that of the condyle on the other side of the jaw. When swallowing, the upper and lower teeth tend to bite down together, and the tongue makes a pushing action at the same time. This detection appliance 210 records the movement of the condyles and analyzes the differences to determine the sequence and duration of the cutting, left chewing, right chewing, and swallowing actions. The detailed design of such an extraoral device can refer to prior arts such as US20110276312A1.

[0067] In yet another example, the detection device 210 is an intraoral device that can be worn during eating. For example, a masticatory appliance with an embedded sensor can be worn during eating to detect actions such as cutting, chewing, and swallowing, so as to obtain detection data such as the sequence and duration of these actions, including the time of swallowing, as well as the bite load and bite frequency of these actions. For the detailed design of such an intraoral device, reference can be made to prior arts such as US6613001.

[0068] In other examples, the detection method of the detection device 210 is based on taking video clips of the patient during eating. Video-based face detection and tracking technologies have been applied to medical diagnosis. The video clips are analyzed using steps of facial feature recognition and motion tracking to detect the eating actions. Using the time information, the sequence and duration of the cutting, chewing, and swallowing actions can be calculated. For example, a mobile phone application can control the camera of the mobile phone to capture the video of the patient's face during eating, and then analyze the movement of the patient's facial features to determine the sequence and duration of the patient's eating actions. Finally, these detection data are transmitted to the controller 220 in a wired or wireless manner.

[0069] The controller 220 obtains control parameters based on the detection data from the detection device 210 (which can be detected by one or a combination of the above devices or methods), for example, by processing (such as signal conversion, calculation, etc.) and analyzing the detection data, and then controls the individual load transfer elements 232 (to be described below) of the load device 230 according to the control parameters. The control parameters can include the sequence and duration of the simulated eating actions to be performed by the load device 230, as well as the bite load and bite frequency of each simulated eating action. The control parameters are selected so that the load device 230 can simulate the bite load effect on the periodontal tissue and alveolar bone due to these eating actions without actual eating.

[0070] In some embodiments, the controller 220 is a computer device including a processing unit (not shown) and a memory unit 221. The processing unit can be implemented in various ways, such as dedicated hardware programmed with microcode or software instructions to perform the functions described herein, or general hardware (such as a single processor, multiple processors, or other suitable circuit components capable of parallel computations, etc.). The memory unit 221 can be a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), etc. More details of the controller 220 are well known to those skilled in the art, so they will not be elaborated here.

[0071] The load appliance 230 is configured to simulate the occlusal load effects on the periodontal tissues and alveolar bone of the anterior teeth, left posterior teeth, and right posterior teeth individually, which are caused by the simulated eating actions generated by the vibration source (controlled by the controller 220). The load appliance 230 delivers vibration forces according to the detected sequence and duration of the feeding actions, which include the anterior teeth cutting food, the right posterior teeth chewing food, the left posterior teeth chewing food, and swallowing the food bolus. Moreover, the load appliance 230 delivers vibration forces according to the bite force and occlusion frequency of the detected feeding actions.

[0072] In some applications, the load appliance 230 using the average of the patterns detected by the patient is used to provide treatment. Such treatment applications may be beneficial to patients with deteriorated chewing function. The goal of the treatment is to stimulate or evoke more neural responses in the brain.

[0073] In other applications, the average of the patterns detected by multiple patients is used to control parameters. In this case, the load appliance 230 is used to treat or adjust the chewing habits of patients with abnormal patterns over time (i.e., train the patients to adopt different feeding habits, which can improve the previous habits).

[0074] In still other applications, during orthodontic treatment, wearing the load appliance 230 can accelerate tooth movement. This is based on the following tooth movement theory. Since the pressure of the bite force on the periodontal tissues is distributed to the surrounding alveolar bone through the hydrostatic pressure effect, and the distributed forces from adjacent teeth ultimately meet and collide in the cancellous bone region of the interdental alveolar bone, thereby causing bone microfractures in this region, and these microfractures can accelerate tooth movement.

[0075] In some embodiments, the load appliance 230 includes a plurality of actuators 231 (i.e., vibration sources), a plurality of load transfer elements 232, and one or more supports 233, as Figure 2 shown. Examples of various configurations of the load appliance 230 are described below.

[0076] Figure 3 A plan view (see part A of Figure 3 ) and a cross-sectional view (part B of Figure 3 ) of the load appliance 230 according to some embodiments are shown. In the example of Figure 3 , the load appliance 230 includes three actuators 231, three load transfer elements 232, and one support 233.

[0077] The support member 233 is a mouthpiece having a U-shaped structure adapted to be disposed in the space between the upper and lower dental arches of a patient (see Figure 4 ) and having a shape conforming to the dental arches. Moreover, two limiting structures 2330 project from the upper and lower surfaces of the mouthpiece and are disposed along the inner and outer edges of the anterior tooth region of the mouthpiece. When the support member 233 is placed in the mouth, the upper and lower anterior teeth of the patient can be located between the two limiting structures 2330 (as shown in Figure 4 ), which helps to prevent the support member 233 from sliding during wearing (i.e., improves wearing stability). In some embodiments, the thickness T of the mouthpiece gradually decreases from the proximal end (i.e., the front end) to the distal end (i.e., the rear end) of the mouthpiece, as shown in part B of Figure 3 and Figure 4 . In this way, when the support member 233 is placed in the mouth, it acts as a support member to keep the lower jaw open, which allows the patient to rest the jaw muscles while maintaining the posture. The support member 233 can be made of a silicone material suitable for intraoral dental use.

[0078] The three load transfer elements 232 can be elongated flat plates (e.g., made of a metal such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, or other suitable rigid materials) and can be detachably inserted into the support member 233 from the front side of the support member 233. The three load transfer elements 232 are separated from each other and are respectively positioned corresponding to the anterior tooth region, the right posterior tooth region, and the left posterior tooth region of the support member 233. The three actuators 231 are respectively coupled (e.g., in contact) with the three load transfer elements 232 to provide a vibration force to individually actuate the load transfer elements 232. In this example, each actuator 231 is a vibration motor, such as an eccentric weight motor. However, other suitable vibration actuators can also be used.

[0079] With the above configuration, under the control of the controller 220, the individual load transfer elements 232 (and their corresponding actuators 231) can simulate the occlusal load effects (i.e., generate a vibration force) on the periodontal tissues and alveolar bone of the anterior teeth, the left posterior teeth, and the right posterior teeth in a separate and sequential manner, with a rest period between consecutive actions of the load transfer elements 232 (and after all actions).

[0080] In some embodiments, each load transfer element 232 has a first portion extending into the support member 233 and a second portion remaining outside the support member 233, as shown in Figure 3 . The three actuators 231 are respectively in contact with the second portions of the three load transfer elements 232. Furthermore, the actuators 231 and the second portions of the load transfer elements 232 can be accommodated in a housing in which the controller 220 and / or other components such as a battery, etc. (not shown in Figure 3in a housing 240, and the housing 240 may also have a display, buttons, etc. (not shown) on its outer surface to facilitate patient operation. In this example, at one end of each load transfer element 232 near the corresponding actuator 231, a vibration absorbing mount 234 (such as an elastic spring or other suitable shock absorber) is also provided to reduce vibration interference between the load transfer elements 232. In addition, Figure 4 it is also shown that a shield 242 (such as made of rubber) can be installed at the interface between the housing 240 and the support 233 to prevent saliva from entering the housing 240.

[0081] Many variations and / or modifications can be made to the embodiments of the present invention. For example, the support 233 is not limited to Figure 3 and Figure 4 the single occlusal plate shown, and it may also include a plurality of separate teeth segments, such as a first teeth segment (which may also be referred to as the front teeth segment), a second teeth segment (which may also be referred to as the left posterior teeth segment), and a third teeth segment (which may also be referred to as the right posterior teeth segment), which are respectively adapted to be installed in the space between the upper and lower front teeth, the space between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left side of the patient's mouth, and the space between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the right side of the patient's mouth.

[0082] Each of the first, second, and third teeth segments (i.e., the three supports 233) may include an upper support portion 233U for supporting the upper teeth and a lower support portion 233L for supporting the lower teeth (for example, see Figure 5 or Figure 6 ), where the upper support portion 233U and the lower support portion 233L may be separate components or integrally formed. The three load transfer elements 232 are respectively in contact with the first, second, and third teeth segments. For example, each load transfer element 232 is inserted between the upper support portion 233U and the lower support portion 233L of the corresponding teeth segment.

[0083] In addition, each load transfer element 232 can have various embodiments. In Figure 5 the example, the load transfer element 232 is a shaft member and has a pressure loading part 232P in contact with the corresponding teeth segment (support 233). For example, the pressure loading part 232P is inserted or positioned between the upper support portion 233U and the lower support portion 233L of the corresponding teeth segment. One end of the shaft member opposite to the pressure loading part 232P is coupled to an actuator 231 (not shown), such as a vibration motor or a rotary motor. In this way, the rotating shaft member causes the pressure loading part 232P to rotate, or the vibrating shaft member causes the pressure loading part 232P to vibrate, so as to apply a vibration force to the upper and lower teeth and the periodontal tissue through the corresponding teeth segment.

[0084] In Figure 6 the example of Figure 6 , an actuator 231 (e.g., a vibration motor or a rotary motor) is disposed near a pressure load portion 232P, and a power control line 235 connects the actuator 231 to an extraoral controller 220 (see Figure 2 ). The intraoral actuator 231 can rotate or vibrate to actuate a load transfer element 232.

[0085] Figure 7 Cross-sectional views showing different configurations of the pressure load portion 232P according to some embodiments and how they operate.

[0086] In Figure 7 the example of part A of Figure 7 , the pressure load portion 232P has an elliptical cross-section. When rotated, the pressure load portion 232P with the elliptical cross-section simultaneously pushes away an upper support portion 233U and a lower support portion 233L in the direction shown by the solid arrows. The dashed contour represents the position of the pressure load portion 232P after it rotates 90 degrees, at which time the load is maximum. From 0 degrees to 90 degrees, the pressure gradually increases, and from 90 degrees to 180 degrees, the pressure decreases.

[0087] More specifically, initially, the upper and lower teeth rest on a load appliance (but do not bite the load appliance, so the chewing muscles are relaxed). Then, the occlusal pressure on the upper and lower teeth is gradually increased simultaneously to push them apart. After reaching the maximum pressure point, the occlusal pressure is gradually decreased until the teeth return to the initial rest position. It has been found that applying an occlusal load effect on the upper and lower teeth simultaneously by the load appliance is a more natural way and is more comfortable for the patient.

[0088] In Figure 7 the example of part B of Figure 7 , the pressure load portion 232P has a circular cross-section and has a protrusion P. When rotated, the pressure load portion 232P in turn impacts the upper support portion 233U and the lower support portion 233L. In Figure 7 the example of part C of Figure 7 , the pressure load portion 232P with the circular cross-section vibrates in the vertical direction (e.g., driven by a vibration motor) to in turn impact the upper support portion 233U and the lower support portion 233L. It should be understood that although the pressure load portion 232P (or the load transfer element 232) in part B of Figure 7 and part C of Figure 7 impacts the upper and lower teeth at different time points, they can still be used to simulate the occlusal load effect on the periodontal tissue and the alveolar bone.

[0089] Figure 8 A flowchart showing a method 800 for generating an occlusal load according to some embodiments. Method 800 begins at operation 810, in which a detection appliance 210 (e.g., see Figure 2 ​​​​)Detect the sequence and duration of the patient's actual eating actions. In some embodiments, the detection device 210 also detects the biting force and biting frequency of the upper and lower front teeth when cutting food and the upper and lower posterior teeth on both sides of the mouth when chewing food. Then, method 800 proceeds to operation 820, where the controller 220 (e.g., see Figure 2 ) obtains control parameters based on the detection data of the detection device 210. Finally, method 800 proceeds to operation 830, where the controller 220 controls the load device 230 (e.g., see Figure 2 or Figure 3 ) to generate forces that individually and sequentially produce a simulated occlusal load effect on the periodontal tissues of the front teeth, left posterior teeth, and right posterior teeth.

[0090] It is worth mentioning that in some cases where the load device 230 is used to treat or adjust the chewing habits of patients with abnormal patterns over time, the average of the eating patterns of multiple patients is used for the control parameters. Since these control parameters (e.g., the sequence and time of the simulated eating actions, as well as the biting force and frequency of each simulated eating action) can also be directly set by the dentist on the controller 220, the detection operation (for the actual eating actions) can be omitted.

[0091] In summary, the embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for generating an occlusal load effect on teeth and periodontal tissues based on simulated human eating actions. The occlusal load effect includes the load effect caused by vibration. Since the provided vibration pattern is more in line with the actual chewing manner of humans, the discomfort of the patient is reduced, and the movement of the teeth can be accelerated. In addition, in addition to accelerating tooth movement, the disclosed system and method are also applicable to many other dental applications, such as treating or adjusting the chewing habits of patients.

[0092] Although the embodiments of the present invention and their advantages have been described in detail above, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, those skilled in the art will readily understand that many of the features, functions, manufacturing processes, and materials described herein can be varied while remaining within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments of the manufacturing processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, tools, methods, and steps described in the specification. As will be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the present invention, according to the present invention, manufacturing processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, tools, methods, or steps that perform substantially the same functions or achieve substantially the same results as the corresponding embodiments described in the present invention can be utilized, whether existing or to be developed in the future. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to include such manufacturing processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, tools, methods, or steps within their scope. In addition, each claim constitutes a separate embodiment, and combinations of different claims and embodiments are within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for generating occlusal load, comprising: A load appliance, comprising: A first load transfer element adapted to be positioned between the upper and lower anterior teeth of a patient's mouth; A second load transfer element and a third load transfer element, respectively adapted to be positioned between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the patient's mouth, wherein the first, second, and third load transfer elements are separated from each other; and Three actuators respectively coupled to the first, second, and third load transfer elements; and A controller configured to control the three actuators to actuated the first, second, and third load transfer elements in a separate and sequential manner, with a rest period between the consecutive actions of the first, second, and third load transfer elements, so as to transfer the vibration energy from the three actuators to the periodontal tissues of the patient's anterior teeth, left posterior teeth, and right posterior teeth.

2. The system for generating occlusal load according to claim 1, further comprising: A detection appliance configured to detect the sequence and duration of the patient's feeding actions, the feeding actions including the cutting of food by the upper and lower anterior teeth, the chewing of food by the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the mouth, and the swallowing of food, and configured to transmit detection data to the controller, such that the controller controls the three actuators according to the detection data of the detection appliance when the patient has no actual feeding actions.

3. The system for generating occlusal load according to claim 2, wherein the detection appliance is further configured to detect the biting force and occlusion frequency of the upper and lower anterior teeth when cutting food and the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left and right sides of the mouth when chewing food.

4. The system for generating occlusal load according to claim 1, wherein the load appliance further comprises: An occlusal splint adapted to be installed in the space between the upper and lower dental arches of the patient and having a U-shaped structure conforming to the shape of the upper and lower dental arches, wherein the thickness of the occlusal splint gradually decreases from the proximal end to the distal end of the occlusal splint, and wherein the first, second, and third load transfer elements are inserted into the occlusal splint and spaced apart from each other.

5. The system for generating occlusal load according to claim 4, wherein each of the first, second, and third load transfer elements has a first portion extending into the occlusal splint and a second portion remaining outside the occlusal splint, wherein the three actuators are respectively in contact with the second portions of the first, second, and third load transfer elements, and each of the three actuators is a vibration motor.

6. The system for generating occlusal load according to claim 5, wherein the three actuators and the second portions of the first, second, and third load transfer elements are accommodated in a housing embedded with the controller, and a vibration damping seat is provided at one end of each of the second portions of the first, second, and third load transfer elements.

7. The system for generating occlusal load according to claim 1, wherein the load appliance further comprises: A first tooth segment, including an upper support portion and a lower support portion, adapted to be installed in the space between the upper and lower anterior teeth, wherein the first load transfer element is configured to be inserted between the upper support portion and the lower support portion of the first tooth segment; A second tooth segment, including an upper support portion and a lower support portion, is adapted to be disposed in a space between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the left side of the patient's mouth, wherein the second load transfer element is configured to be inserted between the upper support portion and the lower support portion of the second tooth segment; and A third tooth segment, including an upper support portion and a lower support portion, is adapted to be disposed in a space between the upper and lower posterior teeth on the right side of the patient's mouth, wherein the third load transfer element is configured to be inserted between the upper support portion and the lower support portion of the third tooth segment, wherein the first, second, and third tooth segments are separated from each other.

8. The system for generating an occlusal load according to claim 7, wherein each of the first, second, and third load transfer elements is a shaft member and has a pressure load portion in contact with the first, second, or third tooth segment, and wherein the three actuators are respectively coupled to the three shaft members.

9. The system for generating an occlusal load according to claim 8, wherein each of the actuators is a rotary motor, and the pressure load portion has an elliptical cross-section.

10. The system for generating an occlusal load according to claim 8, wherein each of the actuators is a rotary motor, and the pressure load portion has a circular cross-section and is provided with a protrusion.

11. The system for generating an occlusal load according to claim 8, wherein each of the actuators is a vibration motor.

12. The system for generating an occlusal load according to claim 7, wherein each of the first, second, and third load transfer elements has a pressure load portion in contact with the first, second, or third tooth segment, and each of the three actuators is located near the corresponding pressure load portion.

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