Mechanical evaluation system based on drawing and translation of bracket-free appliance

Abstract

The invention relates to a mechanical evaluation system based on drawing and translation of a bracket-free appliance, and belongs to the technical field of orthodontic equipment. The system comprises a bionic constraint unit, a clinical displacement simulation engine, a mechanical sensing unit and a data processing unit. The bionic constraint unit generates a ready signal by synchronously detecting a constant-temperature underwater environment state, a dental arch fitting state and a tooth root fixing state, and a pre-synchronization verification mechanism ensures that the signal is reliable; the clinical displacement simulation engine forms closed-loop control through a displacement encoder and a displacement control mechanism, generates a signal acquisition trigger signal after the displacement reaches the standard and is stable, and dynamically reproduces the clinical treatment process; the mechanical sensing unit collects mechanical signals of target teeth in stages, and the data processing unit extracts mechanical attenuation characteristics according to time stages and compares the mechanical attenuation characteristics with a clinical effective characteristic library for verification. The oral clinical environment is accurately simulated, the evaluation result highly meets the clinical requirements, and technical support is provided for reliable evaluation of the mechanical properties of the bracket-free appliance in the drawing and translation directions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of orthodontic equipment technology, specifically relating to a mechanical assessment system based on the pull-out and translation of bracketless aligners. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of orthodontics, bracketless aligners have become an important tool for correcting malocclusion due to their advantages such as aesthetics, comfort, and removability. Their mechanical properties directly determine the treatment outcome and safety. Excessive force applied in key orthodontic directions such as traction and mesiodistal translation can easily lead to root resorption and periodontal tissue damage; insufficient force or rapid attenuation will prevent the desired tooth displacement and prolong the treatment period. Therefore, accurate assessment of the mechanical properties of bracketless aligners in the traction and translation directions is a core technical step before their clinical application. Current biomechanical assessment techniques for bracketless orthodontic appliances mainly rely on simple external testing devices, which have a core drawback: The constraint environment does not closely match clinical practice. Most assessment devices only fix the tooth model with simple clamps, failing to simulate the constant temperature water environment in the oral cavity, the viscosity characteristics of saliva, and the systematic constraint of the entire dental arch. This either ignores the effect of temperature on the elastic modulus of the appliance or fails to isolate the mechanical interference of adjacent teeth on the target tooth, resulting in significant differences between the assessment environment and the actual oral cavity, and inherent biases in the acquisition of mechanical signals. Although some devices attempt to add buffer solution to simulate saliva, they fail to achieve buffer solution circulation and stable temperature control, and cannot reproduce the long-term dynamic environment in the oral cavity.

[0003] The accuracy of displacement simulation and signal triggering is insufficient. Existing displacement control technologies mostly adopt open-loop drive methods, lacking closed-loop linkage between the displacement encoder and the control mechanism. This makes it difficult to accurately match the standard displacement state in orthodontic clinical settings, often resulting in displacement deviations or movement direction offsets. The signal acquisition triggering mechanism is simple, often starting acquisition synchronously at the beginning of displacement, recording mechanical data before the displacement stabilizes. This leads to a mismatch between the acquired force values ​​and the actual clinical displacement, making it impossible to reproduce the long-term force attenuation behavior of the orthodontic appliance diaphragm in the oral cavity. This attenuation behavior is crucial for determining whether the appliance can continuously provide effective force. The deficiencies of existing technologies directly result in evaluation results that cannot reflect the actual clinical effectiveness of the orthodontic appliance.

[0004] The logic for extracting mechanical attenuation characteristics is ambiguous. Existing assessment techniques can only collect force changes over a single time period and have not established a clear method for extracting characteristics: they neither divide data intervals according to the clinical force application stages of "initial force - continuous attenuation - stable force," nor can they accurately extract core parameters such as initial force, attenuation rate, and stable force; at the same time, they lack comparison and verification with clinically effective orthodontic data, and the extracted mechanical attenuation characteristic parameters lack clear clinical reference standards, making it difficult to determine whether they meet the actual needs of orthodontic treatment, resulting in assessment results that cannot directly guide clinical applications.

[0005] The aforementioned deficiencies prevent existing assessment techniques from providing reliable support for optimizing the mechanical performance and determining the clinical fit of bracketless orthodontic appliances. This can easily lead to substandard appliances entering the clinic, increasing treatment risks or prolonging the treatment period. Therefore, there is a need to develop an assessment system that can simulate the real clinical constraint environment, accurately reproduce the displacement and force application process, and clearly extract mechanical attenuation characteristics. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, this invention provides a mechanical assessment system based on the pull-out and translation of bracketless orthodontic appliances; The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions: A mechanical assessment system based on the pull-out and translation of bracketless orthodontic appliances is characterized by comprising: a biomimetic constraint unit, a clinical displacement simulation engine, a mechanical sensing unit, and a data processing unit. The bionic constraint unit completes constant temperature underwater simulation through temperature control and buffer filling. It adopts a microscope-precision adjustable integral dental arch base. The position of the dental arch base is adjusted by the displacement control mechanism to support the tooth model. After the tooth root is fixed based on the rigid independent frame, the bionic constraint unit generates a ready signal. After receiving the ready signal, the clinical displacement simulation engine uses the standard displacement amount for orthodontic treatment as a benchmark and triggers tooth movement through the displacement control mechanism to drive the target tooth to move along the traction direction, the mesiodistal translation direction, and the vertical invasion direction. The displacement encoder captures the displacement amount of the tooth movement in real time. When the displacement control mechanism switches the movement direction, it combines the constraint force of the entire dental arch system of the dental arch base to dynamically simulate the clinical treatment process. After completing the standard displacement movement in the preset direction, it generates a signal acquisition trigger signal. After receiving the signal acquisition trigger signal, the mechanical sensing unit, in conjunction with the rigid independent support, captures the mechanical signal of the target tooth during displacement, records the initial force and the mechanical attenuation characteristics over time, and continuously records the dynamic response correlation data of a single tooth during displacement and force changes. The data processing unit receives the mechanical signal data, removes abnormal fluctuation data, and extracts information on the mechanical attenuation characteristics of the target tooth. Combining this with the effective force application standards of bracketless orthodontic appliances in clinical practice, the mechanical attenuation characteristics are compared with the clinical fit range for determination. After the determination is completed, the evaluation results are output to the system terminal, and a system operation status report is generated.

[0007] Specifically, the implementation of the bionic constraint unit generating the ready signal includes: after the tooth root is fixed in the rigid independent framework, the bionic constraint unit synchronously collects three status data: the temperature and buffer filling status of the constant temperature underwater simulation unit, the arch fit status of the microscope precision adjustable integral dental arch base, and the tooth root fixation tightness of the rigid independent framework; when the three status data meet the preset standards, a status compliance signal is sent to the control component of the bionic constraint unit, and the control component generates the ready signal, which is a digital level signal.

[0008] Specifically, the ready signal of the bionic constraint unit is equipped with a verification mechanism: after the control component generates the ready signal, it first sends a pre-synchronization signal to the clinical displacement simulation engine, and the clinical displacement simulation engine receives the signal and sends back a reception confirmation signal; if the bionic constraint unit receives the confirmation signal within a preset time, it outputs the ready signal to the clinical displacement simulation engine; if the confirmation signal is not received or abnormal feedback is received, the three status data are re-checked to investigate communication link or constraint status problems, until the confirmation signal is received normally before outputting the ready signal.

[0009] Specifically, after the displacement encoder captures the displacement amount in real time and generates displacement data, the clinical displacement simulation engine processes the displacement data: first, it compares the displacement amount with the standard displacement amount for orthodontic treatment and calculates the deviation value between the two; then, it judges the stable displacement state of the target tooth by continuously measuring the displacement data; when the displacement amount reaches the standard value, it sends a displacement compliance command and generates the signal acquisition trigger signal. The signal acquisition trigger signal is a pulse signal, and its duration is based on the signal start response time of the mechanical sensing unit.

[0010] Specifically, the specific process of the clinical displacement simulation engine dynamically simulating the clinical treatment process is implemented as follows: when the displacement control mechanism drives the target tooth to move, the displacement encoder collects displacement data once and transmits it to the control unit of the clinical displacement simulation engine in real time; the control unit adjusts the driving force of the displacement control mechanism according to the displacement data; at the same time, combined with the systemic constraint force of the entire dental arch system of the dental arch base, the overall force change of the dental arch is monitored through the pressure feedback component; when the standard displacement movement in the preset direction is completed and the displacement is stable, the control unit triggers the generation of the signal acquisition trigger signal.

[0011] Specifically, the displacement encoder and the displacement control mechanism form a closed-loop control: when the displacement data collected by the displacement encoder deviates, a deviation warning signal is immediately sent to the control unit; after receiving the signal, the control unit pauses the movement of the displacement control mechanism, activates the direction calibration component to adjust the movement trajectory of the displacement control mechanism until the displacement direction collected by the displacement encoder is consistent with the preset direction, and then restarts the movement of the displacement control mechanism.

[0012] Specifically, the mechanical attenuation characteristics are defined as follows: the initial force value transmitted to the target tooth by the bracketless orthodontic appliance, the trend of the force gradually decreasing over time, the value when the force finally stabilizes, and the magnitude of the force reduction in different time periods together constitute the mechanical attenuation characteristics.

[0013] Specifically, the method for the data processing unit to extract the mechanical attenuation characteristics includes: after receiving the mechanical signal data transmitted by the mechanical sensing unit, firstly removing abnormal fluctuation data caused by instantaneous interference, and dividing it into an initial stage, an attenuation stage, and a stable stage in chronological order; calculating the characteristic parameters of each stage respectively—the initial stage extracts the initial force value, the attenuation stage calculates the force reduction amplitude and rate of change, and the stable stage extracts the stable force value; finally, integrating the three characteristic parameters to generate the mechanical attenuation characteristic data.

[0014] Specifically, when capturing mechanical signals, the mechanical sensing unit adopts a phased acquisition method to assist in the extraction of mechanical attenuation characteristics: after the clinical displacement simulation engine completes the displacement motion, the stages for acquiring the initial force signal include the stage when the displacement just stops, the stage when the force continues to attenuate, and the stage when the force tends to stabilize; the acquisition frequency of different stages is adjusted by the preset control command of the data processing unit, and the mechanical sensing unit records the instantaneous characteristics of the initial force and the changing trend of the attenuation process.

[0015] Specifically, after the displacement encoder captures the displacement, it transmits displacement timestamp data to the data processing unit. The displacement timestamp corresponds one-to-one with the timestamp of the mechanical signal collected by the mechanical sensing unit. When extracting the mechanical attenuation characteristics, the data processing unit combines the displacement timestamp to determine the correlation between force changes and displacement motion. If the displacement timestamp corresponding to a certain segment of force data shows that the displacement fluctuates, the force data is marked as data affected by displacement interference and analyzed or removed separately during the extraction process.

[0016] Specifically, after the rigid independent support of the bionic constraint unit fixes the tooth root, it sends a fixation confirmation signal to the control component of the bionic constraint unit. The fixation confirmation signal is generated by the pressure sensing component built into the rigid independent support. When the contact pressure between the rigid independent support and the tooth root reaches a preset stable range, the pressure sensing component outputs a trigger signal, which the control component receives and generates the fixation confirmation signal.

[0017] Specifically, after the data processing unit extracts the mechanical attenuation characteristics, it includes a characteristic verification step: the extracted mechanical attenuation characteristic parameters are compared with the effective force application characteristic library of similar orthodontic appliances in clinical practice. If the parameters exceed the effective force application characteristic range, the signal acquisition status and data filtering logic of the mechanical sensing unit are re-checked. After eliminating signal interference or data processing deviations, the mechanical attenuation characteristics are re-extracted.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This system constructs a constant-temperature underwater simulation environment using biomimetic constraint units. Combined with the systematic application of constraint forces across the entire dental arch and the rigid, independent fixation of the tooth roots, it not only replicates the temperature, humidity, and saliva viscosity characteristics within the oral cavity but also eliminates interference from adjacent teeth and the risk of dental arch deformation. This solves the problem of "distorted mechanical signals due to environmental simplification" in traditional assessment techniques. Compared to existing solutions that rely solely on single temperature control or static dental arch fixation, the three-dimensional biomechanical environment constructed by this system is highly consistent with the clinical orthodontic treatment scenario. This allows the collected mechanical data to directly map the force state of the orthodontic appliances in the real oral cavity, providing a reliable data foundation for subsequent assessments. To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, such as "ambiguous ready signal generation conditions and inaccurate acquisition triggering timing," this system incorporates multi-state synchronous detection (temperature, buffer solution, dental arch occlusion, and root fixation) within the biomimetic constraint unit. A ready signal is only generated after all constraint conditions are met and pre-synchronized verification is performed. The clinical displacement simulation engine, through closed-loop control of the displacement encoder and control unit, triggers signal acquisition only after the displacement reaches the target and stabilizes, avoiding process errors caused by "acquiring before displacement is stable" or "driving before constraints are in place." This mechanism ensures that the entire process, from environmental preparation to signal acquisition, is under control, significantly improving the repeatability and reliability of the evaluation results.

[0019] Existing technologies often suffer from vague definitions of mechanical attenuation characteristics and limited extraction methods, resulting in assessment results that cannot guide clinical applications. This system explicitly defines mechanical attenuation characteristics as a three-dimensional parameter of "initial force - attenuation rate - stable force." Through phased acquisition by the mechanical sensing unit (initial high frequency, attenuation normal, stable low frequency) and phased extraction by the data processing unit (abnormality removal, stage division, feature calculation), it ensures that the characteristic parameters fully cover the key change nodes of long-term force application by the orthodontic appliance. Simultaneously, through comparison and verification with a clinically effective characteristic database, it further filters characteristic data that meet actual treatment needs, solving the problem of "disconnect between mechanical data and clinical efficacy." This allows the assessment results to be directly used to determine whether the force applied by the orthodontic appliance is suitable for tooth movement requirements.

[0020] By linking and interlocking signals between the "bionic constraint unit - clinical displacement simulation engine - mechanical sensing unit - data processing unit" (displacement drive locks if no ready signal is received, and displacement and force data timestamps are synchronized), a complete closed loop of "environmental preparation - dynamic simulation - signal acquisition - data processing" is constructed. Compared with existing solutions where each module works independently and data transmission lacks synchronization mechanisms, the synergy between units in this system is significantly enhanced: the timestamps of displacement data and mechanical signals correspond one-to-one, eliminating correlation errors caused by "displacement and force asynchrony"; the data processing unit compensates for the environmental impact of mechanical attenuation characteristics, further correcting deviations that may be caused by environmental fluctuations, resulting in a significant improvement in the accuracy of the final evaluation results compared to traditional solutions. This system can output differentiated mechanical attenuation characteristic assessment results for different tooth movement directions such as traction, mesiodistal translation, and vertical intrusion, and directly compare them with clinically effective force standards. It provides quantitative basis for the selection of membrane materials and structural design optimization of bracketless orthodontic appliances. During the research and development stage, this system can quickly verify the mechanical performance of orthodontic appliances, avoiding the high cost of repeated clinical trials. Before clinical application, this system can predict whether the force applied by the orthodontic appliance is suitable for the patient's tooth position needs, reducing the problem of prolonged treatment cycle or poor effect caused by the mechanical performance of the orthodontic appliance. It has dual value of research and development guidance and clinical assistance. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a system architecture diagram of a mechanical evaluation system based on the pull-out and translation of a bracketless orthodontic appliance according to the present invention. Figure 2 This is a timing diagram of a mechanical evaluation system based on the pull-out and translation of a bracketless orthodontic appliance according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To further illustrate the technical means and effects of the present invention in achieving its intended purpose, the following detailed description of the specific implementation methods, structures, features, and effects of the present invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, is provided.

[0024] Please see Figure 1-2 A mechanical assessment system based on the pull-out and translation of bracketless orthodontic appliances, characterized in that it includes: a bionic constraint unit, a clinical displacement simulation engine, a mechanical sensing unit, and a data processing unit. The bionic constraint unit completes constant temperature underwater simulation through temperature control and buffer filling. It adopts a microscope-precision adjustable integral dental arch base. The position of the dental arch base is adjusted by the displacement control mechanism to support the tooth model. After the tooth root is fixed based on the rigid independent frame, the bionic constraint unit generates a ready signal. After receiving the ready signal, the clinical displacement simulation engine uses the standard displacement amount for orthodontic treatment as a benchmark and triggers tooth movement through the displacement control mechanism to drive the target tooth to move along the traction direction, the mesiodistal translation direction, and the vertical invasion direction. The displacement encoder captures the displacement amount of the tooth movement in real time. When the displacement control mechanism switches the movement direction, it combines the constraint force of the entire dental arch system of the dental arch base to dynamically simulate the clinical treatment process. After completing the standard displacement movement in the preset direction, it generates a signal acquisition trigger signal. After receiving the signal acquisition trigger signal, the mechanical sensing unit, in conjunction with the rigid independent support, captures the mechanical signal of the target tooth during displacement, records the initial force and the mechanical attenuation characteristics over time, and continuously records the dynamic response correlation data of a single tooth during displacement and force changes. The data processing unit receives the mechanical signal data, removes abnormal fluctuation data, and extracts information on the mechanical attenuation characteristics of the target tooth. Combining this with the effective force application standards of bracketless orthodontic appliances in clinical practice, the mechanical attenuation characteristics are compared with the clinical fit range for determination. After the determination is completed, the evaluation results are output to the system terminal, and a system operation status report is generated.

[0025] Specifically, the implementation of the bionic constraint unit generating the ready signal includes: after the tooth root is fixed in the rigid independent framework, the bionic constraint unit synchronously collects three status data: the temperature and buffer filling status of the constant temperature underwater simulation unit, the arch fit status of the microscope precision adjustable integral dental arch base, and the tooth root fixation tightness of the rigid independent framework; when the three status data meet the preset standards, a status compliance signal is sent to the control component of the bionic constraint unit, and the control component generates the ready signal, which is a digital level signal.

[0026] After the bionic constraint unit completes the construction of the constant-temperature underwater environment and fixes the dental arch and tooth root, the detection module is activated: Water temperature data (ensuring consistency with oral cavity temperature) and buffer circulation flow rate data are collected using the temperature and flow sensors built into the constant-temperature underwater simulation unit (to confirm stable flow); the fit between the dental arch model and the overall dental arch base adapter groove is observed under a microscope, and the contact pressure between the flexible bonding layer of the adapter groove and the dental arch surface is detected using the pressure contact sensor built into the base (no pressure loss area indicates successful bonding); the contact pressure data between the rigid independent support and the tooth root is collected using the pressure sensing component (ensuring the pressure is within a preset stable range). When all three data points meet the preset standards (stable water temperature, normal circulation, full-area fit of the dental arch, and adequate root pressure), the bionic constraint unit control component starts the signal generation program to generate a ready signal in digital level format. The signal is encoded using the system's internal preset communication protocol and includes "constraint unit number + status compliance indicator + generation timestamp" information to ensure that the signal can be accurately identified by the clinical displacement simulation engine.

[0027] If the detection module detects that a certain data point is not up to standard (such as a lack of pressure in the anterior tooth region of the dental arch), the control component will not generate a ready signal and will display a "dental arch fit abnormal" message on the system terminal. The operator needs to observe the abnormal area through a microscope, activate the displacement control mechanism of the overall dental arch base to fine-tune the position until the pressure contact sensor shows that the pressure in the entire area meets the standard, and then re-trigger the detection module to collect data to avoid false signal transmission caused by a single condition meeting the standard.

[0028] Specifically, the ready signal of the bionic constraint unit is equipped with a verification mechanism: after the control component generates the ready signal, it first sends a pre-synchronization signal to the clinical displacement simulation engine, and the clinical displacement simulation engine receives the signal and sends back a reception confirmation signal; if the bionic constraint unit receives the confirmation signal within a preset time, it outputs the ready signal to the clinical displacement simulation engine; if the confirmation signal is not received or abnormal feedback is received, the three status data are re-checked to investigate communication link or constraint status problems, until the confirmation signal is received normally before outputting the ready signal.

[0029] Specifically, after the displacement encoder captures the displacement amount in real time and generates displacement data, the clinical displacement simulation engine processes the displacement data: first, it compares the displacement amount with the standard displacement amount for orthodontic treatment and calculates the deviation value between the two; then, it judges the stable displacement state of the target tooth by continuously measuring the displacement data; when the displacement amount reaches the standard value, it sends a displacement compliance command and generates the signal acquisition trigger signal. The signal acquisition trigger signal is a pulse signal, and its duration is based on the signal start response time of the mechanical sensing unit.

[0030] After the clinical displacement simulation engine initiates the pull-out direction displacement movement, the displacement encoder collects real-time displacement data of the target tooth at a high frequency (adapting to the displacement control accuracy requirements). Each set of data is immediately transmitted to the engine control unit via a data cable. The control unit has a built-in data comparison program that calculates the difference between the real-time displacement data and the preset orthodontic treatment standard displacement, obtaining the displacement deviation value. When the displacement deviation value gradually decreases to near zero (i.e., the displacement is close to the standard value), the control unit automatically sends a "deceleration command" to the displacement control mechanism, reducing the movement speed of the micron-level slide (to avoid displacement exceeding the tolerance due to inertia). After the displacement reaches the standard value, the control unit continues to receive subsequent data from the displacement encoder. If the displacement deviation values ​​of multiple consecutive sets of data are all within a very small range (without significant fluctuations), it is determined that the target tooth has reached a stable displacement state. After confirming that the displacement is stable, the control unit sends a "displacement compliance command" to the signal generation module. The module immediately generates a pulse signal acquisition trigger signal. The pulse duration is set to the signal start response time of the mechanical sensing unit (to ensure that the sensing unit can fully recognize the trigger command). The signal is transmitted to the signal receiving port of the mechanical sensing unit through a dedicated signal line. At the same time, the trigger signal generation time is recorded at the engine terminal for subsequent "displacement-force" data synchronization verification.

[0031] Specifically, the specific process of the clinical displacement simulation engine dynamically simulating the clinical treatment process is implemented as follows: when the displacement control mechanism drives the target tooth to move, the displacement encoder collects displacement data once and transmits it to the control unit of the clinical displacement simulation engine in real time; the control unit adjusts the driving force of the displacement control mechanism according to the displacement data; at the same time, combined with the systemic constraint force of the entire dental arch system of the dental arch base, the overall force change of the dental arch is monitored through the pressure feedback component; when the standard displacement movement in the preset direction is completed and the displacement is stable, the control unit triggers the generation of the signal acquisition trigger signal.

[0032] When the clinical displacement simulation engine initiates the pull-out direction movement, the displacement control mechanism (micron-level slide) operates according to the initial driving force, and the displacement encoder provides real-time feedback on displacement data: if the displacement data shows that the actual displacement is lower than the preset progress (e.g., only half of the standard displacement is completed within the expected time), the control unit sends a "force increase command" to the slide to increase the slide's driving force and accelerate the movement speed; if the displacement data shows that the actual displacement exceeds the preset progress (e.g., the speed is too fast when approaching the standard value), the control unit sends a "force decrease command" to reduce the driving force and avoid exceeding tolerances. During the movement, the adjustable clamping plate assembly of the overall dental arch base collects the pressure data of each clamping plate on the dental arch in real time through the pressure feedback component (ensuring uniform constraint force throughout the entire dental arch system); if the pressure data of a certain clamping plate (e.g., the clamping plate in the posterior tooth area) increases abnormally, the control unit links the clamping plate adjustment screw to fine-tune the clamping plate pressure, avoiding dental arch deformation due to excessive local pressure and ensuring that the target tooth movement trajectory conforms to clinical reality. Once the displacement reaches the standard value and stabilizes, the control unit first observes the target tooth's movement state through a microscope (to confirm no deviation), then checks the full dental arch pressure data (to confirm the constraint state remains unchanged), and finally triggers signal acquisition and signal generation. If dental arch deformation or abnormal pressure is observed, the movement is immediately paused, the pressure of the compression plate is adjusted, and the displacement drive process is restarted, forming a dynamic simulation closed loop of "drive-monitoring-adjustment-standard attainment".

[0033] Specifically, the displacement encoder and the displacement control mechanism form a closed-loop control: when the displacement data collected by the displacement encoder deviates, a deviation warning signal is immediately sent to the control unit; after receiving the signal, the control unit pauses the movement of the displacement control mechanism, activates the direction calibration component to adjust the movement trajectory of the displacement control mechanism until the displacement direction collected by the displacement encoder is consistent with the preset direction, and then restarts the movement of the displacement control mechanism.

[0034] Specifically, the mechanical attenuation characteristics are defined as follows: the initial force value transmitted to the target tooth by the bracketless orthodontic appliance, the trend of the force gradually decreasing over time, the value when the force finally stabilizes, and the magnitude of the force reduction in different time periods together constitute the mechanical attenuation characteristics.

[0035] After receiving the trigger signal, the mechanical sensing unit collects force data at a high frequency during the initial stage immediately following displacement (before the target tooth experiences force attenuation). After removing transient fluctuations, the average force value during this stage is taken as the "initial force value"—corresponding to the initial force applied to the tooth when the bracketless orthodontic appliance is first applied clinically. After the initial stage, the force gradually decreases, and the mechanical sensing unit maintains a regular acquisition frequency, continuously recording force data. The data processing unit then plots a "force-time" curve. The gradual decrease in force over time in the curve represents the "force attenuation trend"—corresponding to the force attenuation phenomenon observed during long-term use of the orthodontic appliance in clinical practice. When the "force-time" curve enters a flat phase (the force values ​​of multiple consecutive sets of data do not change significantly), the average force value of this phase is taken as the "stable force value"—this value corresponds to the actual force exerted by the orthodontic appliance after it has reached a stable state in clinical practice. The initial force value, attenuation trend, and stable force value together constitute the mechanical attenuation characteristics, which are displayed in the form of curves and data tables through the system terminal, intuitively reflecting the law of force change of the orthodontic appliance.

[0036] Specifically, the method for the data processing unit to extract the mechanical attenuation characteristics includes: after receiving the mechanical signal data transmitted by the mechanical sensing unit, firstly removing abnormal fluctuation data caused by instantaneous interference, and dividing it into an initial stage, an attenuation stage, and a stable stage in chronological order; calculating the characteristic parameters of each stage respectively—the initial stage extracts the initial force value, the attenuation stage calculates the force reduction amplitude and rate of change, and the stable stage extracts the stable force value; finally, integrating the three characteristic parameters to generate the mechanical attenuation characteristic data.

[0037] Specifically, when capturing mechanical signals, the mechanical sensing unit adopts a phased acquisition method to assist in the extraction of mechanical attenuation characteristics: after the clinical displacement simulation engine completes the displacement motion, the stages for acquiring the initial force signal include the stage when the displacement just stops, the stage when the force continues to attenuate, and the stage when the force tends to stabilize; the acquisition frequency of different stages is adjusted by the preset control command of the data processing unit, and the mechanical sensing unit records the instantaneous characteristics of the initial force and the changing trend of the attenuation process.

[0038] Specifically, after the displacement encoder captures the displacement, it transmits displacement timestamp data to the data processing unit. The displacement timestamp corresponds one-to-one with the timestamp of the mechanical signal collected by the mechanical sensing unit. When extracting the mechanical attenuation characteristics, the data processing unit combines the displacement timestamp to determine the correlation between force changes and displacement motion. If the displacement timestamp corresponding to a certain segment of force data shows that the displacement fluctuates, the force data is marked as data affected by displacement interference and analyzed or removed separately during the extraction process.

[0039] When the displacement encoder acquires displacement data, it automatically appends the current system time (accurate to milliseconds) as a "displacement timestamp" for each set of data. When the force sensing unit acquires force data, it synchronously receives the timestamp signal from the displacement encoder and appends the same "force timestamp" to each set of force data. Through the internal clock synchronization module of the system, it ensures that the displacement timestamp and the force timestamp are completely consistent, realizing a one-to-one association of "one set of displacement data corresponding to one set of force data". When the data processing unit extracts mechanical attenuation characteristics, it first compares the displacement data corresponding to the displacement timestamp: if the displacement data shows a slight fluctuation in displacement within a certain time period (such as a displacement deviation exceeding the allowable range during the stable phase), it locates the force data corresponding to that time period; it marks the force data with the "displacement-interferenced data" label, and records the amplitude and duration of the displacement fluctuation. For the labeled interference data: if the fluctuation amplitude is small and the duration is short (e.g., only 1-2 sets of data), the average value of adjacent valid data is used to replace the interference data; if the fluctuation amplitude is large and the duration is long (e.g., multiple sets of data in a row), the force data for that time period is determined to be invalid, removed from the original data, and noted in the evaluation report as "some data is missing due to displacement fluctuations"; this operation avoids interference from displacement instability on the extraction results of mechanical attenuation characteristics.

[0040] Specifically, after the rigid independent support of the bionic constraint unit fixes the tooth root, it sends a fixation confirmation signal to the control component of the bionic constraint unit. The fixation confirmation signal is generated by the pressure sensing component built into the rigid independent support. When the contact pressure between the rigid independent support and the tooth root reaches a preset stable range, the pressure sensing component outputs a trigger signal, which the control component receives and generates the fixation confirmation signal.

[0041] Specifically, after the data processing unit extracts the mechanical attenuation characteristics, it includes a characteristic verification step: the extracted mechanical attenuation characteristic parameters are compared with the effective force application characteristic library of similar orthodontic appliances in clinical practice. If the parameters exceed the effective force application characteristic range, the signal acquisition status and data filtering logic of the mechanical sensing unit are re-checked. After eliminating signal interference or data processing deviations, the mechanical attenuation characteristics are re-extracted.

[0042] In this embodiment, for the bracketless orthodontic appliance for the right maxillary central incisor of an adult, the mechanical assessment of pull-out and mesiodistal translation was carried out, and the force application requirements of a single clinical treatment cycle (14 days) were referenced to verify the force application stability of the appliance in two directions of movement.

[0043] Implementation process of each unit of the system (a) Generation of preparation and ready signals for biomimetic constraint units Construction of constant temperature underwater environment Inject simulated saliva buffer (1.0% mucin concentration, 0.9% NaCl concentration), activate the temperature control component, and stabilize the water temperature at 36℃±0.1℃ using a temperature sensor; activate the buffer circulation component, set the circulation flow rate to 12mL / min to simulate the natural flow rate of saliva in the oral cavity, and monitor the flow rate stability in real time using a rotor flow meter.

[0044] Dental arch and root fixation An adult maxillary standard dental arch model (with a labial curvature radius of approximately 4mm for the crown of the right central incisor) is embedded into the dental arch morphology adapter slot, and the fit is observed using an optical microscope. If there is a 0.2mm gap in the anterior tooth area, the micron-level displacement control mechanism (adjustment accuracy ±0.3mm) is activated, and the position of the base is finely adjusted in conjunction with real-time imaging under the microscope—through multiple small adjustments (each adjustment amount 0.1mm) until the flexible silicone cladding layer (0.5mm thick) in the adapter slot is in complete contact with the dental arch surface (no visible gap under the microscope). The central incisor-specific clamping component is then replaced (clamping range 5-7mm). After fixation, the pressure sensor built into the bracket shows a contact pressure of 6N±0.2N, which meets the requirements for root fixation and stability, and a "fixation confirmation signal" is sent.

[0045] Ready signal triggering and verification (parameters unchanged) The detection module confirms: ① Water temperature fluctuation ≤ 0.1℃, circulation flow rate stable at 12mL / min ± 1mL / min; ② Uniform arch contact pressure (pressure difference between each contact point ≤ 0.5N); ③ Root fixation pressure 6N ± 0.2N. Once these three data points meet the standards, a digital level signal is generated (high level 3.3V, low level 0V, encoding format 8-bit binary). Within 100ms after the pre-synchronization signal is sent, an engine confirmation signal is received, and a ready signal is officially output.

[0046] (II) Dynamic Simulation and Trigger Signal Generation of Clinical Displacement Simulation Engine Pull-out displacement simulation Set motion parameters: Pulling direction (occlusal to gingival direction), orthodontic standard displacement 0.3mm; Start stepper drive slide (step angle 1.8°, subdivision 16), initial motion speed 0.1mm / s; Displacement encoder (resolution 1000 lines / revolution, acquisition frequency 50Hz) provides real-time feedback data—because the displacement control mechanism has an accuracy of ±0.3mm, when the displacement reaches 0.25mm, the control unit automatically reduces the speed to 0.02mm / s, avoiding out-of-tolerance through high-frequency encoder monitoring; After the displacement stabilizes at 0.3mm±0.03mm for 500ms, a 10ms wide 5V pulse trigger signal is generated.

[0047] Near-to-far-to-mid translation direction switching and simulation Adjust to the mesiodistal translation direction (to the left), set the displacement to 0.3mm, and repeat the drive process: the displacement encoder monitors the translation deviation in real time, and when the deviation is stable at ≤0.03mm, it generates a trigger signal again; the entire translation process takes 18s (due to the need for more slow adjustment for precision control), which still meets the clinical requirements for slow tooth movement (the clinical single displacement adjustment usually takes 10-30s).

[0048] (III) Signal Acquisition of the Mechanical Sensing Unit Sensor Installation and Pre-testing A piezoelectric pressure sensor (range 0-50N, accuracy ±0.01N) was selected. The arc-shaped contact surface (radius of curvature 4mm) of the probe end was fitted with the labial surface of the tooth crown, with a pressure transmission layer sandwiched in between. During the pre-test, the target tooth was driven to make a pre-displacement of 0.05mm, and the pre-force signal (signal-to-noise ratio ≥45dB) was collected. After confirming that there was no tomography, the formal acquisition began.

[0049] Staged force signal acquisition After receiving the trigger signal: ① Initial stage (0-10s): sampling frequency 200Hz, recording the initial force value of 10N±0.1N; ② Attenuation stage (10s-18min): sampling frequency 100Hz, recording the process of the force decreasing from 10N to 5N; ③ Stabilization stage (18min-20min): sampling frequency 50Hz, recording the stable force value of 5N±0.1N. Each set of data is appended with a 1ms precision timestamp and transmitted to the data processing unit via the bus.

[0050] (iv) Extraction and evaluation of mechanical attenuation characteristics of data processing unit Data filtering and feature extraction Excessive data (instantaneous fluctuations deviating from the average by ±10%, such as peak data above 10.5N) were removed, and the data was divided into stages: ① Initial stage (0-10s): average initial force value 10.02N; ② Decay stage (10s-18min, total 1070s): total decay amount 5.02N, calculated decay rate 0.0047N / s (i.e. 0.28N / min); ③ Stabilization stage (18min-20min): average stable force value 5.00N.

[0051] Feature verification and result output The effective range for the pull-out direction was determined by calling the clinical effective characteristic library: initial force 8-12N, attenuation rate 0.2-0.4N / min, and stabilizing force 4-6N. In this embodiment, all three parameters fell within the range, indicating that the applied force met the requirements. The assessment results for the near-distal and mid-distance translation directions were: initial force 9.8N, attenuation rate 0.3N / min, and stabilizing force 4.9N, which also met the clinical standards. An assessment report was generated and the raw data (128,000 sampling points) was exported.

[0052] III. Data Validation and Results Summary of Examples This embodiment achieves the following through parameter correction: ① The displacement control accuracy of ±0.3mm is still less than 10% of the clinical single displacement (0.3mm). Combined with high-frequency monitoring (50Hz) of the displacement encoder, the displacement deviation can be effectively controlled within 0.03mm, ensuring the accuracy of the simulation; ② The environmental simulation error is ≤0.1℃ (water temperature) and ≤1mL / min (flow rate), which is consistent with the oral microenvironment; ③ The mechanical signal acquisition resolution is 0.01N, and the attenuation rate calculation error is ≤0.02N / min, ensuring reliable evaluation results. Ultimately, it provides quantitative data support for the optimization of orthodontic appliance diaphragm parameters (such as adjusting the elastic modulus to 240MPa to reduce the attenuation rate). At the same time, the corrected displacement control accuracy is more consistent with the common accuracy range of micron-level mechanisms in actual industrial production, improving the feasibility of the solution.

[0053] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mechanical assessment system based on the pull-out and translation of bracketless orthodontic appliances, characterized in that, include: Bionic constraint unit, clinical displacement simulation engine, mechanical sensing unit, data processing unit; The bionic constraint unit completes constant temperature underwater simulation through temperature control and buffer filling. It adopts a microscope-precision adjustable integral dental arch base. The position of the dental arch base is adjusted by the displacement control mechanism to support the tooth model. After the tooth root is fixed based on the rigid independent frame, the bionic constraint unit generates a ready signal. After receiving the ready signal, the clinical displacement simulation engine uses the standard displacement amount for orthodontic treatment as a benchmark and triggers tooth movement through the displacement control mechanism to drive the target tooth to move along the traction direction, the mesiodistal translation direction, and the vertical invasion direction. The displacement encoder captures the displacement amount of the tooth movement in real time. When the displacement control mechanism switches the movement direction, it combines the constraint force of the entire dental arch system of the dental arch base to dynamically simulate the clinical treatment process. After completing the standard displacement movement in the preset direction, it generates a signal acquisition trigger signal. After receiving the signal acquisition trigger signal, the mechanical sensing unit, in conjunction with the rigid independent support, captures the mechanical signal of the target tooth during displacement, records the initial force and the mechanical attenuation characteristics over time, and continuously records the dynamic response correlation data of a single tooth during displacement and force changes. The data processing unit receives the mechanical signal data, removes abnormal fluctuation data, and extracts information on the mechanical attenuation characteristics of the target tooth. Combining this with the effective force application standards of bracketless orthodontic appliances in clinical practice, the mechanical attenuation characteristics are compared with the clinical fit range for determination. After the determination is completed, the evaluation results are output to the system terminal, and a system operation status report is generated.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The specific implementation of the bionic constraint unit generating the ready signal includes: after the tooth root is fixed in the rigid independent framework, the bionic constraint unit synchronously collects three status data: the temperature and buffer filling status of the constant temperature underwater simulation unit, the arch fit status of the microscope precision adjustable integral dental arch base, and the tooth root fixation tightness of the rigid independent framework; when the three status data meet the preset standards, a status compliance signal is sent to the control component of the bionic constraint unit, and the control component generates the ready signal, which is a digital level signal.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ready signal of the bionic constraint unit is equipped with a verification mechanism: after the control component generates the ready signal, it first sends a pre-synchronization signal to the clinical displacement simulation engine. After receiving the signal, the clinical displacement simulation engine sends back a reception confirmation signal. When the bionic constraint unit receives the confirmation signal within a preset time, it outputs the ready signal to the clinical displacement simulation engine. If the confirmation signal is not received or an abnormal feedback is received, the three status data will be re-checked to investigate communication link or constraint status issues until the confirmation signal is received normally before the ready signal is output.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the displacement encoder captures the displacement amount in real time and generates displacement data, the clinical displacement simulation engine processes the displacement data: first, it compares the displacement amount with the standard displacement amount for orthodontic treatment and calculates the deviation value between the two; then, it judges the stable displacement state of the target tooth by continuously measuring the displacement data; when the displacement amount reaches the standard value, it sends a displacement compliance command and generates the signal acquisition trigger signal. The signal acquisition trigger signal is a pulse signal, and its duration is based on the signal start response time of the mechanical sensing unit.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The specific process of the dynamic simulation of clinical treatment by the clinical displacement simulation engine is implemented as follows: When the displacement control mechanism drives the target tooth to move, the displacement encoder collects displacement data once and transmits it to the control unit of the clinical displacement simulation engine in real time; the control unit adjusts the driving force of the displacement control mechanism according to the displacement data; at the same time, combined with the systemic constraint force of the entire dental arch system of the dental arch base, the pressure feedback component monitors the overall force change of the dental arch; when the standard displacement movement in the preset direction is completed and the displacement is stable, the control unit triggers the generation of the signal acquisition trigger signal.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The displacement encoder and the displacement control mechanism form a closed-loop control: when the displacement data collected by the displacement encoder deviates, a deviation warning signal is immediately sent to the control unit; after receiving the signal, the control unit pauses the movement of the displacement control mechanism, activates the direction calibration component to adjust the movement trajectory of the displacement control mechanism until the displacement direction collected by the displacement encoder is consistent with the preset direction, and then restarts the movement of the displacement control mechanism.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mechanical attenuation characteristics are specifically defined as follows: the initial force value transmitted to the target tooth by the bracketless orthodontic appliance, the trend of the force gradually decreasing over time, the value when the force finally stabilizes, and the magnitude of the force reduction in different time periods together constitute the mechanical attenuation characteristics.

8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The specific method for the data processing unit to extract the mechanical attenuation characteristics includes: after receiving the mechanical signal data transmitted by the mechanical sensing unit, firstly removing abnormal fluctuation data caused by instantaneous interference, and dividing it into an initial stage, an attenuation stage, and a stable stage in chronological order; calculating the characteristic parameters of each stage respectively—the initial stage extracts the initial force value, the attenuation stage calculates the force reduction magnitude and rate of change, and the stable stage extracts the stable force value; finally, integrating the three characteristic parameters to generate the mechanical attenuation characteristic data.

9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When capturing mechanical signals, the mechanical sensing unit adopts a phased acquisition method to assist in the extraction of mechanical attenuation characteristics: after the clinical displacement simulation engine completes the displacement motion, the stages for acquiring the initial force signal include the stage when the displacement just stops, the stage when the force continues to attenuate, and the stage when the force tends to stabilize; the acquisition frequency of different stages is adjusted by the preset control command of the data processing unit, and the mechanical sensing unit records the instantaneous characteristics of the initial force and the changing trend of the attenuation process.

10. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, After capturing the displacement, the displacement encoder transmits displacement timestamp data to the data processing unit. The displacement timestamp corresponds one-to-one with the timestamp of the mechanical signal collected by the mechanical sensing unit. When extracting the mechanical attenuation characteristics, the data processing unit combines the displacement timestamp to determine the correlation between force changes and displacement motion. If the displacement timestamp corresponding to a certain segment of force data shows that the displacement fluctuates, the force data is marked as data affected by displacement interference and analyzed or removed separately during the extraction process.

11. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the rigid independent support of the bionic constraint unit fixes the tooth root, it sends a fixation confirmation signal to the control component of the bionic constraint unit. The fixation confirmation signal is generated by the pressure sensing component built into the rigid independent support. When the contact pressure between the rigid independent support and the tooth root reaches a preset stable range, the pressure sensing component outputs a trigger signal, which the control component receives and generates the fixation confirmation signal.

12. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the data processing unit extracts the mechanical attenuation characteristics, it has a characteristic verification step: the extracted mechanical attenuation characteristic parameters are compared with the effective force application characteristic library of similar orthodontic appliances in clinical practice. If the parameters exceed the effective force application characteristic range, the signal acquisition status and data filtering logic of the mechanical sensing unit are re-checked. After eliminating signal interference or data processing deviations, the mechanical attenuation characteristics are re-extracted.

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