Dental instrument system

Abstract

The invention provides a dental instrument system for adjusting the lower jaw of a patient from a current position to a target position, the dental instrument system comprises a group of N successive dental instruments which are successively worn in stages, and each dental instrument comprises an upper occlusion module, a lower occlusion module and a lower occlusion module, one side, far away from the occlusal surface, of the tooth accommodating cavity is recessed inwards to form a cavity for accommodating the maxillary dentition of a patient, and the geometrical shape of the tooth accommodating cavity is customized according to the maxillary dentition of the patient; the lower occlusion module is a U-shaped strip-shaped entity, one side, far away from the occlusion surface, of the lower occlusion module is concave inwards to form a cavity for accommodating the mandibular dentition of the patient, the geometrical shape of the tooth accommodating cavity is customized according to the mandibular dentition of the patient, and the upper occlusion module and the lower occlusion module are fixed with each other; the relative positions of the tooth accommodating cavities of the upper occlusion module and the lower occlusion module of the N successive dental instruments enable the lower jaw of the patient to be gradually corrected from the current position to the target position by successively wearing the N successive dental instruments, wherein N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application generally relates to a dental appliance system for repositioning a patient's jaw from a current position to a target position. Background Art

[0002] For various dental problems of children, early intervention treatment (for example, intervention treatment during the children's tooth replacement period) is needed to achieve better results.

[0003] At present, the more common dental instruments used for early interventional treatment include bite induction instruments and orofacial muscle training instruments, etc. The basic structure of these dental instruments is a U-shaped base made of silicone material, with grooves on the upper and lower sides to accommodate the upper and lower teeth, respectively.

[0004] However, the existing dental instruments are not ideal in terms of treatment effects and the like, and therefore, it is necessary to provide a new dental instrument. Summary of the invention

[0005] One aspect of the present application provides a dental instrument system for adjusting a patient's mandible from a current position to a target position, comprising a group of N successive dental instruments to be worn in stages, each of the dental instruments comprising: an upper occlusal module, which is a U-shaped long strip entity, which is recessed inward on a side away from the occlusal surface to form a cavity for accommodating the patient's maxillary dentition, and the geometry of the tooth-accommodating cavity is customized according to the patient's maxillary dentition; a lower occlusal module, which is a U-shaped long strip entity, which is recessed inward on a side away from the occlusal surface to form a cavity for accommodating the patient's mandibular dentition, and the geometry of the tooth-accommodating cavity is customized according to the patient's mandibular dentition, and the upper and lower occlusal modules are fixed to each other, wherein the relative positions of the tooth-accommodating cavities of the upper and lower occlusal modules of the N successive dental instruments enable the patient's mandible to be gradually corrected from a current position to a target position by wearing the N successive dental instruments in stages, and N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2.

[0006] In some embodiments, each of the dental instruments further comprises a base which is U-shaped, with a first U-shaped groove and a second U-shaped groove formed on its upper and lower sides respectively, the upper bite module being fixedly mounted in the first groove, and the lower bite module being fixedly mounted in the second groove.

[0007] In some embodiments, the elastic modulus of the material of the upper bite module and the lower bite module is lower than the elastic modulus of the material of the base.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first and second slots of the base are universal for a preselected first category of patients.

[0009] In some embodiments, the pre-selected first category of patients are patients of a pre-selected age group, or patients whose dental arch sizes are within a pre-selected range.

[0010] In some embodiments, the geometry and size of the first groove are determined based on big data of the maxillary dentition of a large number of the pre-selected patients of the first category, and the geometry and size of the second groove are determined based on big data of the mandibular dentition of a large number of the pre-selected patients of the first category.

[0011] In some embodiments, the upper bite modules of the N successive dental instruments have the same external geometry and size, the lower bite modules of the N successive dental instruments have the same external geometry and size, and the external geometry and size of the upper bite module and the lower bite module are common to the pre-selected first category of patients.

[0012] In some embodiments, the external geometry and dimensions of the upper bite module match the first slot, and the external geometry and dimensions of the lower bite module match the second slot.

[0013] In some embodiments, the base, the upper bite module, and the lower bite module of each of the dental instruments are separately manufactured components.

[0014] In some embodiments, each of the upper bite module and the lower bite module of the dental instrument is fixedly mounted to the first groove and the second groove of the base of the dental instrument respectively through a concave-convex matching structure.

[0015] In some embodiments, the patient's current jaw position and the jaw positions achievable by the N successive dental appliances are successive jaw positions.

[0016] In some embodiments, the N successive dental instruments are configured to gradually adjust the mandible from a current position to a target position by changing the relative positions of the first and second slots and / or the position of the cavity of at least one of the upper and lower bite modules on the corresponding bite module.

[0017] In some embodiments, the N successive dental instruments include: a first dental instrument, the relative position of its first groove and its second groove enables it to adjust the patient's lower jaw from a first position to a second position; and a second dental instrument, the relative position of its first groove and its second groove is the same as that of the first dental instrument, and the position of the cavity of at least one of its upper bite module and lower bite module on the corresponding bite module is different from that of the first dental instrument, so that it can adjust the patient's lower jaw from the second position to a third position.

[0018] In some embodiments, the difference between the first and second positions is greater than the difference between the second and third positions.

[0019] In some embodiments, the geometry of the surface of the force-applying side of the tooth receiving cavity of the occlusal modules of the N successive dental instruments matches the teeth of the patient under the corresponding tooth layout.

[0020] In some embodiments, the geometry of the tooth receiving cavities of the bite modules of the N successive dental instruments matches the teeth of the patient under the corresponding tooth layout.

[0021] In some embodiments, the material of the upper bite module and the lower bite module is one of the following: silicone, rubber, TPU and any combination thereof.

[0022] In some embodiments, the material of the base is one of the following: PC, PETG, PA, PEEK, metal, carbon fiber, glass fiber, PP, ABS, POM and any combination thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The above and other features of the present application will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptions thereof. It should be understood that these drawings only illustrate several exemplary embodiments according to the present application and should not be considered as limiting the scope of protection of the present application. Unless otherwise specified, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and similar reference numerals represent similar components.

[0024] Figure 1 A dental device in one embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The dental apparatus 100 is shown in a cross-sectional view along line AA;

[0026] Figure 3 Schematically shows Figure 1 The assembly relationship of the dental instruments shown;

[0027] Figure 4 The occlusal module and the corresponding patient dentition in another embodiment of the present application are schematically shown;

[0028] Figure 5 The occlusal module in another embodiment of the present application is schematically shown;

[0029] Figure 6 The occlusal module in another embodiment of the present application is schematically shown;

[0030] Figures 7A-7CA cross-sectional view of a set of three successive dental appliances for pushing back the mandible at the maxillary left incisor in one embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figures 8A-8B Schematically showing two successive dental instruments 500D and 500E in yet another embodiment of the present application; and

[0032] Fig. 9 A base in yet another embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following detailed description refers to the drawings that form part of this specification. The illustrative embodiments mentioned in the specification and drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Under the guidance of the present application, those skilled in the art will understand that many other embodiments can be adopted and various changes can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the subject matter and scope of protection of the present application. It should be understood that the various aspects of the present application described and illustrated herein can be arranged, replaced, combined, separated and designed according to many different configurations, and these different configurations are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0034] One aspect of the present application provides a dental instrument, which includes a U-shaped base and two customized U-shaped bite modules, wherein the two bite modules are respectively fixed to the upper and lower sides of the base, and they respectively form cavities for accommodating the upper and lower teeth, and the geometry of the cavities is customized according to the specific conditions of the patient.

[0035] The dental device of the present application and its variants can be used for dental arch shaping and correction (for example, arch expansion or arch retraction), adjustment of mandibular position (for example, guiding the mandible forward or backward, etc.), malocclusion (for example, anterior tooth twisting, anterior tooth gap, anterior tooth crowding, deep overbite, deep overjet, anterior crossbite, posterior crossbite, open bite and abnormal dental arch development, etc.), correction of bad oral habits (for example, bad tongue habits, bad lip habits and finger sucking habits, etc.), correction of oral function abnormalities (for example, breathing, swallowing, chewing and language abnormalities, etc.) and abnormal space management during the replacement period of deciduous and permanent teeth in children and other dental correction projects.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 1-3 ,in, Figure 1 A dental device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 2 for Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the dental apparatus 100 along AA is shown. Figure 3 The assembly relationship of the dental appliance 100 is schematically illustrated.

[0037] The dental apparatus 100 includes a base 101 , an upper bite module 103 and a lower bite module 105 .

[0038] The base 101 is U-shaped as a whole, and the upper and lower sides thereof respectively form U-shaped grooves 1011 and 1013 for accommodating the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105.

[0039] In one embodiment, the base 101 can be universal, that is, the grooves 1011 and 1013 each have a uniform geometry and size, so that different patients can use the same base 101. In the case where the base 101, the upper bite module 103, and the lower bite module 105 are manufactured separately, the use of a universal base 101 can simplify the design and manufacture of the dental apparatus 100.

[0040] In light of this application, it can be understood that the dental arch sizes of patients of different age groups vary greatly. Therefore, in one embodiment, the dental arch size range can be divided into several intervals, and a universal base can be designed for each interval. In another embodiment, several age groups can also be set, and a universal base can be designed for each age group.

[0041] In order to ensure that the slots 1011 and 1013 can respectively cover the maxillary and mandibular dentitions of different patients, the geometrical form and size of the slots 1011 and 1013 can be determined based on big data of projections of the dentitions of a large number of patients on corresponding planes (e.g., occlusal planes). For example, envelope statistics can be performed on these projections, and the geometrical form and size of the slots 1011 and 1013 can be determined based on the results of the envelope statistics.

[0042] The general structure of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 is a U-shaped entity, and the top surface (the side opening toward the grooves 1011 and 1013) is respectively recessed to form cavities 1031 and 1051 for accommodating the patient's maxillary dentition and mandibular dentition. The upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 each have a uniform shape and size designed artificially, so that they can be fixedly installed in the grooves 1011 and 1013, respectively. In other words, similar to the base 101, the shape and size of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 are suitable for different patients. The uniform shape and size can simplify the design and manufacture of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105.

[0043] In light of the present application, it can be understood that due to the different shapes and sizes of the patient's upper and lower dental arches, the shapes and sizes of the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 may be different.

[0044] In one embodiment, the labial part, the lingual part and the bottom of the outer surface of the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 are respectively in contact with the labial part, the lingual part and the bottom of the inner surface of the grooves 1011 and 1013. In another embodiment, they may not be completely in contact, as long as the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 can be fixedly installed in the grooves 1011 and 1013 respectively and supported by the base 101. For example, the outer surface of the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 can form an uneven structure, while the inner surface of the grooves 1011 and 1013 is smooth, and the labial part, the lingual part and the bottom of the outer surface of the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 are respectively against the labial part, the lingual part and the bottom of the inner surface of the grooves 1011 and 1013.

[0045] In one embodiment, the slots 1011 and 1013 have artificially designed geometries, that is, their geometries are not related to the geometry of the patient's teeth. The upper bite block 103 and the lower bite block 105 have artificially designed geometries, that is, their geometries are not related to the geometry of the patient's teeth.

[0046] In one embodiment, the base 101, the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 may also be formed integrally.

[0047] The cavities 1031 and 1051 of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 are customized, and the positions and geometric shapes of the cavities 1031 and 1051 are determined according to the geometric shapes of the patient's teeth and the treatment goals to be achieved.

[0048] In one embodiment, the geometries of the cavities 1031 and 1051 of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 respectively match the maxillary dentition and the mandibular dentition of the patient under the first tooth layout.

[0049] It can be understood that when the upper and lower dentitions are viewed as a whole, one tooth layout can be used to represent the state of the upper and lower dentitions, and when the upper and lower dentitions are viewed separately, two tooth layouts can be used to represent the state of the upper and lower dentitions respectively.

[0050] For example, when the dental treatment using the dental appliance 100 does not involve tooth movement, the geometries of the cavities 1031 and 1051 may respectively conform to the maxillary dentition and the mandibular dentition of the patient under the current tooth configuration.

[0051] For another example, when dental treatment using the dental apparatus 100 involves moving one or more teeth of a patient, in one embodiment, the geometrical forms of the cavities 1031 and 1051 may respectively match the maxillary dentition and the mandibular dentition under the patient's target tooth arrangement (the tooth arrangement that the dental treatment hopes to achieve). In another embodiment, the geometrical forms of the portions of the cavities 1031 and 1051 corresponding to the moved teeth may slightly exceed the target tooth positions of the moved teeth (i.e., the positions corresponding to the designed movement amount) to ensure that the moved teeth are eventually corrected to the target positions.

[0052] In light of the present application, it can be understood that when performing dental treatment on children, there may be one or more teeth that are in the growth process (for example, erupted teeth and unerupted teeth). In this case, the growth of these teeth can be estimated, and the patient's tooth layout on which the tooth receiving cavity of the bite module is based can be determined based on the estimated results.

[0053] In light of the present application, it can be understood that in some cases, the dental treatment goals can be achieved even if the geometry of cavities 1031 and 1051 only partially matches the patient's tooth layout. For example, a portion of the labial surface of cavity 1031 or 1051 matches the patient's tooth layout, or a portion of the lingual surface matches the patient's tooth layout, or a section of cavity 1031 or 1051 matches the patient's tooth layout, etc.

[0054] When dental treatment using dental apparatus 100 involves adjusting the mandibular position, the positions of cavities 1031 and 1051 on the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 can be determined based on the target relative position relationship between the upper and lower jaws, so that after treatment, the mandibular position is adjusted to the target position.

[0055] Due to the irregularity of the tooth shape, the teeth will inevitably be forced to deform when they are fully bitten into the cavities 1031 and 1051, especially when the dental treatment using the dental device 100 involves the movement of one or more teeth. Because the side walls of the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 are relatively thick, if the elastic modulus of the material of the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 is too large, it will make it difficult for the patient's teeth to bite into the cavities 1031 and 1051, resulting in the dental device 100 being difficult to wear and poor wearing comfort.

[0056] Therefore, in one embodiment, the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 may be made of a material with a lower elastic modulus (softer) to improve the wearing ease and comfort of the dental device 100. At the same time, in order to ensure the overall mechanical properties of the dental device 100, the base 101 may be made of a material with a higher elastic modulus than the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105.

[0057] In one embodiment, the upper engaging module 103 and the lower engaging module 105 can be made of silicone, rubber or TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane).

[0058] In one embodiment, the base 101 can be made of Polycarbonate (PC for short), Poly (ethyleneterephthalateco-1,4-cylclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) (PETG for short), Polyamide (PA for short), Polyetheretherketone (PEEK for short), Polypropylene (PP for short), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS for short), Polyoxymethylene (POM for short), metal, carbon fiber or glass fiber.

[0059] In another embodiment, the shapes of the grooves 1011 and 1013 and the upper and lower bite modules 103 and 105 can be customized according to the dental arch morphology of the patient. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional dimensions of the upper and lower bite modules 103 and 105 can vary with the maxillary dentition and the mandibular dentition, respectively, and the cross-sectional dimensions of the grooves 1011 and 1013 can vary with the maxillary dentition and the mandibular dentition, respectively. In another embodiment, the outer surfaces of the upper and lower bite modules 103 and 105 can be obtained by fitting based on the outer surfaces of the maxillary dentition and the mandibular dentition, respectively, or the inner surfaces of the grooves 1011 and 1013 can be obtained by fitting based on the outer surfaces of the maxillary dentition and the mandibular dentition, respectively.

[0060] In light of the present application, it can be understood that in order to achieve a specific treatment goal, the upper occlusal module 103 and / or the lower occlusal module 105 can partially use different materials, for example, a part uses a material with a lower elastic modulus, and a part uses a material with a higher elastic modulus. It should be noted that the elastic modulus of the material of the base 101 that is higher than that of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 can refer to the average elastic modulus, and the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 can partially use a material with an elastic modulus equal to or greater than that of the base 101, but its average elastic modulus can be lower than that of the base 101.

[0061] In one embodiment, the base 101, the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 are independently manufactured components, and the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 can be fixedly installed on the base 101 by the following methods: concave-convex matching structure, bonding, welding, fusion and pressure fitting, etc.

[0062] Please visit again Figure 3 The bottom of the upper bite module 103 protrudes outward to form a plurality of convex strips 1035, and the groove 1011 of the base 101 is recessed to form a plurality of grooves 1015. These convex strips 1035 cooperate with the corresponding grooves 1015 to fix the upper bite module 103 in the groove 1011. It can be understood that the lower bite module 105 and the groove 1013 can also be provided with the same or similar structure.

[0063] In one embodiment, the fixing structure between the upper bite module 103 and the slot 1011 may be different from the fixing structure between the lower bite module 105 and the slot 1013 to avoid the upper bite module 103 and the lower bite module 105 being installed in the wrong slot.

[0064] In one embodiment, a partition 1017 may be formed between the grooves 1011 and 1013 , which can separate the grooves 1011 and 1013 and improve the overall rigidity of the base 101 in the occlusal direction.

[0065] In another embodiment, the elastic modulus of the material of the occlusal module may also be the same as the elastic modulus of the material of the base. In another embodiment, the elastic modulus of the material of the occlusal module may also be greater than the elastic modulus of the material of the base.

[0066] In one embodiment, preferably, the elastic modulus of the material of the bite module is within the following range: 1 MPa to 200 MPa, more preferably, within the following range: 5 MPa to 100 MPa.

[0067] In one embodiment, preferably, the elastic modulus of the material of the base is within the following range: 50 MPa to 3000 MPa, more preferably, within the following range: 100 MPa to 2500 MPa.

[0068] In one embodiment, preferably, the hardness of the material of the bite module is within the following range: 5A-90A (Shore hardness), more preferably, within the following range: 10A-70A.

[0069] In one embodiment, preferably, the hardness of the material of the base is within the following range: 30A-90D, more preferably, within the following range: 70A-85D.

[0070] In another embodiment, the base can be formed of two or more layers of different materials. For example, the outer layer uses a softer material to increase wearing comfort, and the inner layer uses a harder material to increase the rigidity of the base. For another example, the outer layer on the lip and cheek sides uses a softer material, and the rest of the layer uses a harder material.

[0071] In one embodiment, the labial apron (i.e., the labial wall of the U-shaped groove) and the lingual apron (i.e., the lingual wall of the U-shaped groove) of the base can cover the crowns of the maxillary and mandibular teeth, or the crowns and gums, or the crowns or part of the gums.

[0072] In yet another embodiment, the labial and lingual barriers of the base may cover only one of the maxillary crown and the mandibular crown.

[0073] In yet another embodiment, the proportions of the labial baffle and the lingual baffle of the base covering the maxillary crown and the mandibular crown may be different.

[0074] In yet another embodiment, the labial baffle and the lingual baffle of the base may have different coverage heights at different tooth positions.

[0075] In one embodiment, in order to enhance the force effect of the dental instrument of the present application on the teeth along the tooth surface direction, accessories can be provided on the teeth, and accessory receiving cavities can be formed at corresponding positions of the tooth receiving cavities of the occlusal module. The force effect of the dental instrument on the teeth along the tooth surface direction can be enhanced through the cooperation between the accessory receiving cavities and the accessories.

[0076] Please refer to Figure 4 , schematically showing the occlusal module 203 and the corresponding patient dentition 213 in yet another embodiment of the present application.

[0077] The occlusal module 203 is a U-shaped entity, and its top surface is recessed to form a first cavity 2031 for accommodating the patient's dentition 213. A plurality of attachments 2133 are adhered to the patient's dentition 213, and the inner surface of the first cavity 2031 is recessed at corresponding positions to form a second cavity 2033 for accommodating these attachments 2133. In one embodiment, the geometry of the first cavity 2031 matches the patient's dentition 213 in the first layout, and the geometry of the second cavity 2033 matches the attachments 2133.

[0078] In light of the present application, it is understandable that the geometry of the second cavity 2033 may not completely match that of the attachment 2133, as long as the geometry of the second cavity 2033 enables the cooperation between the second cavity 2033 and the attachment 2133 to achieve the expected force application.

[0079] exist Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment 2133 is hemispherical; however, it is to be understood that, in addition to the hemispherical shape, the attachment 2133 may also be any other suitable geometric shape, as long as the predetermined mechanical purpose is achieved through the interaction between the engagement module 203 and the attachment 2133. For example, the attachment 2133 may also be a semi-ellipsoid, a cuboid, a triangular prism, etc.

[0080] In one embodiment, the height of the attachment (the dimension from the side close to the tooth surface to the side away from the tooth surface) is greater than 1 mm, more preferably, greater than 1.5 mm.

[0081] The cooperation of the attachment 2133 and the second cavity 2033 can effectively improve the force effect of the dental instrument on the teeth in the mesiodistal direction. For example, when the dental instrument is used to adjust the position of the mandible in the anterior-posterior direction, the cooperation of the attachment 2133 bonded to the posterior teeth and the second cavity 2033 allows the anterior teeth and the posterior teeth to serve as a common support.

[0082] In one embodiment, the attachments may be provided in pairs. For example, the posterior teeth on the left side of the dentition and the corresponding posterior teeth on the right side of the dentition are both provided with attachments. For another example, the posterior teeth on the maxillary dentition and the corresponding posterior teeth on the mandibular dentition are both provided with attachments.

[0083] In one embodiment, a layer of material with a harderness higher than that of the body of the occlusal module 213 can be provided on the surface of the second cavity 2033 to reduce the deformation when the second cavity 2033 interacts with the accessory 2133, thereby ensuring the force effect of the dental instrument on the corresponding teeth through the accessory 2133.

[0084] It should be noted that for the sake of convenience, Figure 4 The geometry of the dentition 213 and the first cavity 2031 is shown simplified.

[0085] In one embodiment, a cavity or a groove can be set between the labial and buccal surface or the lingual surface of the occlusal module and the tooth receiving cavity to adjust the thrust of the dental instrument on the corresponding teeth in a direction perpendicular to the mesiodistal direction. By adjusting the size, shape and position of the cavity or the groove, personalized force can be applied to these teeth to better achieve the correction goal.

[0086] Please refer to Figure 5 , schematically shows an occlusal module 303 in another embodiment of the present application, which is roughly a U-shaped entity, with a cavity 3031 recessed on the top surface to accommodate the patient's dentition. The occlusal module 303 forms a continuous cavity 3033 between the cavity 3031 of the anterior teeth part and the labial and buccal side (the surface on the labial and buccal side), and the length of the cavity 3033 along the dental arch direction spans across multiple teeth. The provision of the cavity 3033 reduces the material thickness or volume of the corresponding part of the occlusal module 303, thereby reducing the force exerted by this part on the teeth.

[0087] For example, when using the dental device of the present application to correct anterior open jaw, a certain amount of retraction force needs to be applied to the upper front teeth, while leaving space for the front teeth to extend. When applying the retraction force to the upper front teeth, since the retraction force required for each tooth is different, the personalized retraction force required for each tooth can be achieved by forming cavities of different sizes, shapes and positions around different teeth in the occlusal module, thereby achieving open jaw correction more effectively and safely.

[0088] Please refer to Figure 6, schematically shows an occlusal module 403 in another embodiment of the present application, which is roughly U-shaped, with a cavity 4031 recessed on the top surface to accommodate the patient's dentition. The occlusal module 403 forms a plurality of independent cavities 4033 corresponding to different teeth between the cavity 4031 and the labial and buccal side (the surface close to the labial and buccal side).

[0089] Although in Figure 5 and Figure 6 In the embodiments shown, cavitation is set between the labial and buccal sides of the occlusal module and the tooth receiving cavity. However, in light of the present application, it can be understood that cavitation can also be set between the lingual side of the occlusal module and the tooth receiving cavity.

[0090] In one embodiment, the mechanical properties of the dental instrument can be changed by using different materials in different parts of the occlusal module to meet the personalized requirements of the dental instrument for different cases.

[0091] For example, the labial and buccal parts of the occlusal module are made of materials with a lower elastic modulus, while the lingual part is made of materials with a higher elastic modulus.

[0092] For another example, the elastic modulus of the material of the occlusal module may gradually increase or decrease from one position to another along the dental arch curve.

[0093] For another example, the elastic modulus of the material on the force-applying side of the occlusal module is higher than that on the non-force-applying side.

[0094] In one example, when the dental device of the present application is used to correct a case of crossbite in the deciduous dentition period, it is necessary to achieve labial inclination of the maxillary anterior teeth. In this example, the labial side of the maxillary anterior teeth is the force-applying side, and the lingual side of the maxillary anterior teeth is the non-force-applying side. At this time, the labial part of the upper bite module can be made of a material with a higher elastic modulus, and the lingual part of the upper bite module can be made of a material with a lower elastic modulus. At the same time, since the mandibular teeth will also provide support for the labial inclination of the maxillary anterior teeth, the labial part of the lower bite module can be made of a material with a higher elastic modulus, and the lingual part of the lower bite module can be made of a material with a lower elastic modulus. This personalized setting can more effectively achieve the correction goal.

[0095] In one embodiment, the amount of force applied to the teeth can be changed by changing the wall thickness of the occlusal module.

[0096] In some cases, for some cases with large correction range, it may be difficult to achieve the correction goal using only a single dental appliance, or the force applied is too large, resulting in reduced wearing comfort. In this case, at least two successive dental appliances worn in stages can be used to gradually achieve the correction goal.

[0097] In one embodiment, these successive dental devices can achieve the ability to gradually achieve the correction goal by changing the relative position of the upper and lower grooves of the base and / or the geometry of the tooth receiving cavity of the bite module and / or the position of the tooth receiving cavity of the bite module and / or the material of the bite module.

[0098] For dental treatment using a set of multiple successive dental appliances, the process of wearing each dental appliance for treatment can be referred to as a treatment step, and therefore the entire dental treatment includes multiple successive treatment steps.

[0099] In one embodiment, when dental treatment using a set of multiple sequential dental appliances of the present application involves tooth movement, the geometry of the tooth receiving cavities of the upper and lower bite modules of these sequential dental appliances can gradually move the patient's teeth from the current tooth configuration to the target tooth configuration (i.e., the tooth configuration that the dental treatment hopes to achieve). The patient's current tooth configuration and the tooth configuration that these sequential treatment steps hope to achieve are the sequential tooth configurations.

[0100] In one embodiment, the geometric shapes of the tooth receiving cavities of the bite modules of the group of multiple successive dental instruments respectively match the teeth of the patient under a corresponding tooth layout. In one embodiment, these corresponding tooth layouts can be the tooth layouts that the corresponding correction steps hope to achieve. In another embodiment, considering the elasticity of the bite modules, these corresponding tooth layouts can slightly exceed the tooth layouts that the corresponding correction steps hope to achieve (i.e., the tooth layouts corresponding to the designed amount of tooth movement) to ensure the actual correction effect.

[0101] In another embodiment, the geometry of the tooth receiving cavity of the bite module of the group of multiple successive dental instruments may not completely match the teeth of the patient under the corresponding tooth layout, but only the geometry of the surface on the force-applying side may match the teeth of the patient under the corresponding tooth layout, and a gap may be left between the teeth on the surface of the non-force-applying side. Taking the retracted maxillary anterior teeth as an example, the labial and buccal sides of the tooth receiving cavity of the upper bite module are the force-applying sides, and since the mandibular dentition serves as support, the lingual side of the tooth receiving cavity of the lower bite module is the force-applying side. Therefore, the geometry of the labial and buccal surfaces of the tooth receiving cavity of the upper bite module can be made to match the maxillary dentition of the patient under the corresponding tooth layout, and the geometry of the lingual surface of the tooth receiving cavity of the lower bite module can be made to match the mandibular dentition of the patient under the corresponding tooth layout.

[0102] It can be understood that if the dental treatment only involves the movement of maxillary teeth, then the geometry of the tooth receiving cavity of the upper bite module of the set of multiple successive dental instruments gradually changes, and the geometry of the tooth receiving cavity of the lower bite module can remain unchanged, and so on.

[0103] In one embodiment, in order to reduce costs and for environmental protection purposes, the group of multiple successive dental instruments can share a base, that is, after the current correction step is completed, the upper and lower bite modules can be removed and replaced with the upper and lower bite modules of the next correction step to proceed to the next correction step.

[0104] In yet another embodiment, the bases of the plurality of successive dental appliances may be different, for example, having different structures and / or different materials and / or different relative positions of the upper and lower grooves.

[0105] In another embodiment, when dental treatment using multiple successive dental instruments of the present application involves tooth movement or mandibular position adjustment, the geometry of the tooth receiving cavities of the bite modules of these successive dental instruments and / or the relative positions of the upper and lower bite modules may be consistent, for example, the geometry of the tooth receiving cavities matches the corresponding tooth layout or the geometry of the surface of the force-applying side of the tooth receiving cavities matches the corresponding tooth layout, or the position of the tooth receiving cavities places the mandible in the target position, but the elastic modulus of the material of the bite modules of these successive dental instruments gradually increases. In this way, while ensuring that the treatment goals are achieved, it is also possible to avoid excessive force on the teeth in any one correction step.

[0106] In another embodiment, a correction process can be divided into at least two stages, and each stage uses two or more dental instruments with the same structure, and the elastic modulus of the materials of the bite modules of these dental instruments is gradually increased. In each stage of treatment, the order of wearing these dental instruments is to wear the dental instruments with low elastic modulus of the materials of the bite modules first, and then wear the dental instruments with high elastic modulus of the materials of the bite modules.

[0107] In another embodiment, when dental treatment using multiple successive dental instruments in which the elastic modulus of the material of the bite module of the present application is gradually increased involves tooth movement and / or mandibular position adjustment, the geometry of the tooth receiving cavities of the bite modules of these successive dental instruments and / or the relative positions of the upper and lower bite modules may also be gradually changed.

[0108] In yet another embodiment, when dental treatment using multiple successive dental instruments of the present application involves mandibular position adjustment, the relative positions of the tooth receiving cavities of the upper and lower bite modules of these successive dental instruments can be gradually approached to the target relative position by changing the positions of the maxillary and / or mandibular tooth receiving cavities on the corresponding bite modules, thereby adjusting the mandible to the target position by successively wearing these dental instruments. In one embodiment, the geometry of the surface of the force-applying side of the tooth receiving cavity of the bite module can match the corresponding tooth layout. In yet another embodiment, the geometry of the tooth receiving cavity of the bite module can match the corresponding tooth layout.

[0109] Please refer to Figures 7A-7C , is a cross-sectional view of a set of three sequential dental appliances 500A-500C for pushing back the mandible at the maxillary left incisor in one embodiment of the present application.

[0110] The dental apparatus 500A includes a base 501A, an upper bite module 503A, and a lower bite module 505A. The base 501A is U-shaped, and grooves 5011A and 5013A are formed on the upper and lower sides, respectively. The upper bite module 503A is a U-shaped long strip entity, forming a cavity 5031A for accommodating the maxillary dentition, and the upper bite module 503A is fixedly installed in the groove 5011A. The lower bite module 505A is a U-shaped long strip entity, forming a cavity 5051A for accommodating the maxillary dentition, and the upper bite module 505A is fixedly installed in the groove 5013A.

[0111] The dental apparatus 500B includes a base 501B, an upper occlusal module 503B and a lower occlusal module 505B. The base 501B is U-shaped, and grooves 5011B and 5013B are formed on the upper and lower sides, respectively. The upper occlusal module 503B is a U-shaped long strip entity, forming a cavity 5031B for accommodating the maxillary dentition, and the upper occlusal module 503B is fixedly installed in the groove 5011B. The lower occlusal module 505B is a U-shaped long strip entity, forming a cavity 5051B for accommodating the maxillary dentition, and the upper occlusal module 505B is fixedly installed in the groove 5013B.

[0112] The dental apparatus 500C includes a base 501C, an upper bite module 503C, and a lower bite module 505C. The base 501C is U-shaped, and grooves 5011C and 5013C are formed on the upper and lower sides, respectively. The upper bite module 503C is a U-shaped long strip entity, forming a cavity 5031C for accommodating the maxillary dentition, and the upper bite module 503C is fixedly installed in the groove 5011C. The lower bite module 505C is a U-shaped long strip entity, forming a cavity 5051C for accommodating the maxillary dentition, and the upper bite module 505C is fixedly installed in the groove 5013C.

[0113] In this embodiment, the bases 501A-501C of the dental instruments 500A-500C are the same, the upper bite modules 503A-503C are also the same, and the positions of the tooth receiving cavities 5051A-5051C of the lower bite modules 505A-505C are gradually moved backward to achieve a gradual backward push of the mandible.

[0114] In addition to changing the position of the tooth receiving cavity in the upper and lower bite modules, in another embodiment, the relative position of the tooth receiving cavity of the upper and lower bite modules can also be changed by changing the relative position of the grooves that receive the upper and lower bite modules.

[0115] Please refer to Figures 8A-8B, schematically shows two successive dental devices 500D and 500E in another embodiment of the present application. Compared with the dental device 500D, the dental device 500E changes the relative positions of the tooth receiving cavities of the upper and lower bite modules by changing the relative positions of the grooves that receive the upper and lower bite modules.

[0116] Dental devices 500D and 500E are used to gradually push the mandible forward, first by wearing the dental device 500D to push the mandible forward from the current position to the first position, and then by wearing the dental device 500E to push the mandible forward from the first position to the second position. The two devices have the same upper bite modules 503D and 503E, and the same lower bite modules 505D and 505E, and in the front-to-back direction, the distance between the slots 5013E and 5011E is smaller than the distance between the slots 5013D and 5011D.

[0117] In one embodiment, a set of universal bases with different relative positions of upper and lower occlusal module receiving grooves can be pre-designed for dental professionals to choose and use according to the specific conditions of the patients.

[0118] In light of the present application, it can be understood that the relative positions of the tooth receiving cavities of the upper and lower bite modules can be changed by combining the two means of changing the position of the tooth receiving cavity on the bite module and changing the relative positions of the grooves that receive the upper and lower bite modules. Combining these two means can obtain a larger adjustment range.

[0119] For example, the position of the lower jaw can be adjusted to a larger distance by first changing the relative positions of the receiving grooves of the upper and lower bite modules, and then the position of the lower jaw can be adjusted to a smaller distance by changing the position of the cavity of at least one of the upper and lower bite modules in the corresponding bite module.

[0120] In another embodiment, the mandibular position can be adjusted using only upper and lower bite modules fixed to each other without the need for a base. For example, the upper and lower bite modules are made in one piece, or the upper and lower bite modules are made separately and fixed to each other mechanically. For cases where the mandibular position adjustment amount is large, the entire correction process can be divided into multiple correction steps, and correction can be achieved using multiple successive dental instruments, and the relative positions of the tooth receiving cavities of the upper and lower bite modules gradually approach the target position.

[0121] In another embodiment, the tooth position adjustment can be achieved by only using upper and lower bite modules fixed to each other, without the need for a base. For example, the upper and lower bite modules are made in one piece, or the upper and lower bite modules are made separately and mechanically fixed to each other. For cases with large tooth movement, the entire correction process can be divided into multiple correction steps, and correction can be achieved using multiple successive dental instruments, whose tooth receiving cavity geometry of the upper bite module and / or the lower bite module can gradually reposition the teeth from the current layout to the target layout.

[0122] In the above embodiments, the geometrical form of the tooth receiving cavity of the bite module, the elastic modulus of the material of the bite module, and the position of the tooth receiving cavity of the bite module are gradually changed to obtain a plurality of successive dental instruments. In the light of the present application, it can be understood that these means can be combined to obtain a group of a plurality of successive dental instruments, for example, the geometrical form of the tooth receiving cavity and the elastic modulus of the material of the bite module are changed at the same time, and for another example, the position of the tooth receiving cavity and the elastic modulus of the material of the bite module are changed at the same time.

[0123] In some embodiments, various functional training structures may be provided on the base to help patients develop good oral habits.

[0124] Please refer to Fig. 9 , shows a base 601 in another embodiment of the present application, which extends upward from the labial and buccal side walls of the upper groove to form a lip baffle 6011 and a buccal baffle 6013, and extends upward and lingually from the lingual side walls of the upper groove to form a tongue baffle 6015, so as to fix the dental instrument in the correct position in the mouth, isolate the perioral muscles, and place the tongue in a normal position to prevent abnormal tongue movement from affecting the dentition. A palatal bead 6017 is provided below the tongue baffle 6015, and a tongue lifting plate 6019 is extended from the lingual side walls of the base 601 to the lingual side, which are used to train the tongue to be placed in the correct position and improve the low position of the tongue.

[0125] In a preferred embodiment, the base, the upper bite module and the lower bite module are independently manufactured separate components, and a complete dental apparatus is obtained by respectively installing and fixing the upper bite module and the lower bite module in the grooves on the upper and lower sides of the base.

[0126] In one embodiment, if the base is made of polymer material, the base can be made by injection molding. If the base is made of metal, carbon fiber or glass fiber, it can be made by using corresponding processes.

[0127] In one embodiment, the upper bite module and the lower bite module can be manufactured by 3D printing. The manufacturing of a single bite module is taken as an example to explain it in detail below.

[0128] In a preferred embodiment, a first three-dimensional digital model can be obtained, which represents the patient's dentition (maxillary dentition or mandibular dentition) under a first tooth layout. If the dental treatment using the dental apparatus of the present application does not involve moving teeth, then the first tooth layout can be the patient's current tooth layout. If the dental treatment using the dental apparatus of the present application involves moving teeth, then the first tooth layout can be the target tooth layout to be achieved using the current dental apparatus or a tooth layout that slightly exceeds the target tooth layout.

[0129] A second three-dimensional digital model is obtained, whose outer contour is consistent with the occlusal module and is a U-shaped long strip entity.

[0130] Next, the first and second three-dimensional digital models are positioned according to a predetermined relative position relationship (i.e., the position of the tooth receiving cavity in the occlusal module), and then Boolean subtraction is used to remove the overlapping parts of the first three-dimensional digital model from the second three-dimensional digital model to obtain a third three-dimensional digital model, i.e., the three-dimensional digital model of the occlusal module.

[0131] Then, the third three-dimensional digital model is used to control a 3D printing device to manufacture the occlusal module.

[0132] Finally, the upper and lower occlusal modules are fixedly installed in the grooves on the upper and lower sides of the base respectively to obtain a complete dental instrument.

[0133] The use of 3D printing technology to produce the bite module has at least the following advantages: first, special structures such as cavitation can be freely set inside the bite module; second, different materials can be freely controlled in different parts of the bite module.

[0134] In yet another embodiment, the occlusal module may be manufactured by a molding method.

[0135] In a preferred embodiment, the first and second three-dimensional digital models and the position of the tooth receiving cavity in the occlusal module can be obtained. Then, based on these data, a fourth three-dimensional digital model is generated, which is a three-dimensional digital model representing the mold of the occlusal module, and is generally a U-shaped long strip box, and the bottom protrusion of the box forms a structure matching the first three-dimensional digital model.

[0136] Next, the fourth three-dimensional digital model is used to control a 3D printing device to make a mold of the occlusal module.

[0137] Then, the molten bite module material is poured into the mold of the bite module, and after it is cooled and solidified, the mold is removed to obtain the bite module.

[0138] Finally, the upper and lower occlusal modules are fixedly installed in the grooves on the upper and lower sides of the base respectively to obtain a complete dental instrument.

[0139] Although various aspects and embodiments of the present application are disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments of the present application will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the present application. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting purposes. The scope and subject matter of the present application are determined solely by the appended claims.

[0140] Likewise, various diagrams may illustrate exemplary architectures or other configurations of the disclosed methods and systems that aid in understanding the features and functions that may be included in the disclosed methods and systems. The claimed content is not limited to the exemplary architectures or configurations shown, and the desired features may be implemented with various alternative architectures and configurations. In addition, for flow charts, functional descriptions, and method claims, the order of blocks presented herein should not be limited to various embodiments that are implemented in the same order to perform the described functions, unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context.

[0141] Unless otherwise expressly noted, the terms and phrases used herein and their variations should be interpreted as open ended, not restrictive. In some instances, the appearance of broad words and phrases such as "one or more", "at least", "but not limited to", or other similar terms should not be understood as an intent or need to indicate a narrowing of the example where such broad terms may not be present.

Claims

1. A dental appliance system for adjusting a patient's mandible from a current position to a target position, comprising a set of N successive dental appliances to be worn successively in stages, each of the dental appliances comprising: The upper occlusal module is a U-shaped long strip entity, which is inwardly concave on the side away from the occlusal surface to form a cavity for accommodating the patient's maxillary dentition. The geometry of the tooth accommodating cavity is customized according to the patient's maxillary dentition; The lower bite module is a U-shaped long strip entity, and the side away from the occlusal surface is concave inward to form a cavity for accommodating the patient's mandibular dentition. The geometry of the tooth accommodating cavity is customized according to the patient's mandibular dentition. The upper and lower bite modules are fixed to each other. Among them, the relative positions of the tooth receiving cavities of the upper and lower bite modules of the N successive dental instruments enable the patient's mandible to be gradually corrected from the current position to the target position by wearing the N successive dental instruments successively, and N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2.

2. The dental instrument system according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the dental instruments also includes a base, which is U-shaped, with a first U-shaped groove and a second U-shaped groove formed on its upper and lower sides respectively. The upper bite module is fixedly installed in the first groove, and the lower bite module is fixedly installed in the second groove.

3. The dental instrument system according to claim 2, wherein: The elastic modulus of the material of the upper bite module and the lower bite module is lower than the elastic modulus of the material of the base.

4. The dental instrument system according to claim 2, wherein: The first and second grooves of the base are universal for a preselected first category of patients.

5. The dental instrument system according to claim 4, wherein: The pre-selected first category of patients are patients of a pre-selected age group, or patients whose dental arch sizes are within a pre-selected range.

6. The dental instrument system according to claim 5, wherein: The geometry and size of the first groove are determined based on big data of the maxillary dentition of a large number of pre-selected patients of the first category, and the geometry and size of the second groove are determined based on big data of the mandibular dentition of a large number of pre-selected patients of the first category.

7. The dental instrument system according to claim 4, wherein: The upper bite modules of the N successive dental instruments have the same external geometry and size, and the lower bite modules of the N successive dental instruments have the same external geometry and size, and the external geometry and size of the upper bite module and the lower bite module are common to the pre-selected first category of patients.

8. The dental instrument system according to claim 7, wherein: The external geometry and size of the upper engagement module match the first slot, and the external geometry and size of the lower engagement module match the second slot.

9. The dental instrument system according to claim 2, wherein: The base, the upper bite module and the lower bite module of each dental instrument are separately manufactured parts.

10. The dental instrument system according to claim 9, wherein: Each of the upper occlusal module and the lower occlusal module of the dental instrument is respectively fixedly installed in the first groove and the second groove of the base of the dental instrument through a concave-convex matching structure.

11. The dental instrument system of claim 1, wherein: The current jaw position of the patient and the jaw positions that can be achieved by the N successive dental appliances are successive jaw positions.

12. The dental instrument system of claim 2, wherein: The N successive dental instruments are configured to gradually adjust the mandible from a current position to a target position by changing the relative positions of the first and second slots and / or the position of the cavity of at least one of the upper and lower bite modules on the corresponding bite module.

13. The dental instrument system of claim 12, wherein: The N successive dental appliances include: a first dental appliance having first and second slots positioned relative to each other to enable adjustment of the patient's jaw from a first position to a second position; and A second dental instrument, wherein the relative positions of the first groove and the second groove are the same as those of the first dental instrument, and the position of the cavity of at least one of the upper bite module and the lower bite module on the corresponding bite module is different from that of the first dental instrument, so that the second dental instrument can adjust the patient's lower jaw from the second position to the third position.

14. The dental instrument system of claim 13, wherein: The difference between the first and second positions is greater than the difference between the second and third positions.

15. The dental instrument system of claim 1, wherein: The geometric shape of the surface of the force-applying side of the tooth receiving cavity of the occlusal module of the N successive dental instruments matches the patient's teeth under the corresponding tooth layout.

16. The dental instrument system of claim 15, wherein: The geometry of the tooth receiving cavities of the occlusal modules of the N successive dental instruments matches the teeth of the patient under the corresponding tooth layout.

17. The dental instrument system of claim 1, wherein: The material of the upper bite module and the lower bite module is one of the following: silicone, rubber, TPU and any combination thereof.

18. The dental instrument system of claim 2, wherein: The material of the base is one of the following: PC, PETG, PA, PEEK, metal, carbon fiber, glass fiber, PP, ABS, POM and any combination thereof.

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