Dental instrument

Abstract

On one hand, the utility model provides a dental instrument which is U-shaped, the upper side of the dental instrument is provided with a cavity for accommodating the upper jaw dentition of a patient, the lower side of the dental instrument is provided with a cavity for accommodating the lower jaw dentition of the patient, the dental instrument comprises a first section and a second section which are connected along the front-back direction, and the upper side and the lower side of the dental instrument are folded at the first section; the upper side and the lower side of the dental instrument are forked on the second section in the direction from the first section to the second section, and under the action of occlusal force of a patient, the forked part between the upper side and the lower side of the second section of the dental instrument can be reduced, so that rebounding force generated by elastic deformation can lower corresponding teeth of the patient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model generally relates to a dental instrument, and more particularly to a dental instrument capable of depressing teeth. Background Technology

[0002] Early intervention (e.g., intervention during the mixed dentition period) is necessary for various dental problems in children to achieve better results.

[0003] Currently, common dental instruments used in early interventional treatment include occlusion induction instruments and orofacial muscle training instruments. The basic structure of these instruments is a U-shaped base made of silicone, with grooves on the upper and lower sides to accommodate the upper and lower jaw dentition, respectively. However, existing dental instruments lack the function of indenting teeth; therefore, it is necessary to provide a new type of dental instrument. Utility Model Content

[0004] One aspect of this utility model provides a dental instrument in the shape of a U, with a cavity on the upper side for accommodating the patient's maxillary dentition and a cavity on the lower side for accommodating the patient's mandibular dentition. The dental instrument includes a first segment and a second segment connected in the front-back direction. The upper and lower sides of the dental instrument close together in the first segment, and the upper and lower sides of the dental instrument fork in the second segment along the direction from the first segment to the second segment. Under the action of the patient's biting force, the fork between the upper and lower sides of the dental instrument in the second segment can become smaller, and the rebound force generated by the elastic deformation can depress the corresponding teeth of the patient.

[0005] In some implementations, the fork is V-shaped.

[0006] In some embodiments, the upper and / or lower sides of the dental instrument are raised to form the bifurcation, wherein the raised side is the side where the tooth to be depressed is located.

[0007] In some embodiments, the raised portion forms an acute angle with the occlusal surface.

[0008] In some embodiments, the dental instrument includes: a base plate, which is U-shaped, with its upper and lower sides closing at a first section and forming a bifurcation at a second section; an upper occlusal module, which is a U-shaped elongated solid fixed to the upper side of the base plate, with its upper side recessed inward to form the cavity for accommodating the patient's maxillary dentition; and a lower occlusal module, which is a U-shaped elongated solid fixed to the lower side of the base plate, with its lower side recessed inward to form the cavity for accommodating the patient's mandibular dentition.

[0009] In some embodiments, a U-shaped first groove and a second groove are formed on the upper and lower sides of the base, respectively, and the upper engagement module and the lower engagement module are fixed in the first groove and the second groove, respectively.

[0010] In some implementations, the base is integral.

[0011] In some embodiments, the elastic modulus of the materials of the upper and lower engagement modules is lower than that of the material of the base plate.

[0012] In some embodiments, the geometry of the cavity accommodating the maxillary dentition is determined based on the patient's maxillary dentition, and the geometry of the cavity accommodating the mandibular dentition is determined based on the patient's mandibular dentition.

[0013] In some embodiments, the portion of the upper occlusal module and / or lower occlusal module corresponding to the tooth to be depressed adopts a lattice structure. In the occlusal state, this portion will be compressed to generate a rebound force to enhance the tooth depressing effect. Under pressure, the lattice structure can be elastically compressed in the pressure direction, and its geometry remains basically unchanged in the direction perpendicular to the pressure.

[0014] In some embodiments, the position of the occlusal surface of the portion of the upper and / or lower occlusal modules corresponding to the tooth to be depressed along the occlusal direction is determined according to the amount of depressing required for the tooth to be depressed.

[0015] In some embodiments, the upper and lower sides of the second segment of the dental instrument are connected by an elastic element, which is compressed to generate a restoring force when the bifurcation between the upper and lower sides of the second segment decreases.

[0016] In some embodiments, the elastic element is disposed on the lingual or labial / buccal side of the dental instrument.

[0017] In some embodiments, the elastic element is a U-shaped spring.

[0018] In some embodiments, the maximum opening distance of the bifurcation is less than or equal to 30 mm.

[0019] In some embodiments, the size of the bifurcation in the resting jaw position is smaller than its size in the unstressed position. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and other features of this application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and their detailed description. It should be understood that these drawings only illustrate several exemplary embodiments according to this application and should not be considered as limiting the scope of protection of this application. Unless otherwise specified, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and similar reference numerals denote similar parts.

[0021] Figure 1A A dental instrument according to one embodiment of this application is illustrated schematically;

[0022] Figure 1B schematically shown Figure 1A The assembly relationship between the components of the dental instrument is shown.

[0023] Figure 2 A dental instrument according to yet another embodiment of this application is illustrated schematically;

[0024] Figure 3 A dental instrument according to yet another embodiment of this application is illustrated schematically; and

[0025] Figures 4A-4B The base of a dental instrument according to yet another embodiment of this application is illustrated schematically. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The following detailed description incorporates the accompanying drawings, which 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 this application. Those skilled in the art will understand, based on the teachings of this application, that many other embodiments can be employed and various changes can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. It should be understood that the various aspects of this application illustrated herein can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in many different configurations, all of which are within the scope of this application.

[0027] One aspect of this application provides a dental instrument comprising a U-shaped base with cavities on its upper and lower sides for accommodating the upper and lower dentition, respectively. The upper and lower sides of a first side of the base are fixed in a vertically relative position along a front-back direction. The upper and lower sides of the base gradually separate from the first side to a second side opposite to it along a front-back direction, such that when a patient wearing the dental instrument bites down forcefully, the upper and lower sides of the second side come together, and the rebound force generated by the elastic deformation of the dental instrument depresses the patient's teeth on the second side.

[0028] Please refer to Figure 1A-1B ,in, Figure 1A The dental instrument 100 of one embodiment of this application is illustrated schematically. Figure 1B schematically shown Figure 1A The assembly relationship between the components of the dental instrument 100 shown.

[0029] The dental instrument 100 includes a base 101, an upper occlusal module 103, a lower occlusal module 105, and a U-shaped spring 107.

[0030] The base 101 is U-shaped in general, with U-shaped grooves 1011 and 1013 formed on its upper and lower sides to accommodate the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105, respectively.

[0031] The upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 are generally U-shaped elongated solids, with recesses on their top surfaces (the sides facing the openings of slots 1011 and 1013) forming cavities 1031 and 1051 to accommodate the patient's maxillary and mandibular dentition, respectively. The upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 each have artificially designed shapes and dimensions, allowing them to be fixedly installed in slots 1011 and 1013, respectively.

[0032] The upper and lower sides of the denture base 101 are attached to each other in the anterior tooth region, fixing their relative positions in the vertical direction. The lower sides of the denture base 101 bend downwards, or curve downwards, in the posterior tooth region, causing the upper and lower sides of the denture base 101 to separate at this point, with the distance between them gradually increasing from front to back. Thus, when a patient wearing the dental instrument 100 bites forcefully, the separated upper and lower parts of the denture base 101 are forced to move closer together, using the rebound force generated by the elastic deformation of the denture base 101 to indent the posterior teeth.

[0033] In full occlusion, the upper side of the base 101 experiences minimal elastic deformation; the elastic deformation primarily occurs in the bent portion on the lower side of the base 101. Therefore, the resulting rebound force is mainly concentrated on the mandibular teeth corresponding to this bent portion, while the reaction force of this rebound force acts relatively evenly on the maxillary teeth. Thus, Figure 1A-1B The dental instrument 100 shown is more suitable for depressing the mandibular posterior teeth.

[0034] In one embodiment, the maximum distance between the upper and lower sides of the base 101 can be determined based on the required depressurization force, for example, it can be less than or equal to 30 mm.

[0035] In one embodiment, the material of the base 101 can be selected according to the required depressurization force. For example, if a larger depressurization force is required, a material with a larger elastic modulus can be selected, and conversely, if a smaller depressurization force is required, a material with a smaller elastic modulus can be selected.

[0036] To further depress the teeth and enhance the teeth-depressing effect, a U-shaped spring 107 can be provided on the buccal or lingual side of the upper and lower sides of the base 101 near the distal end. When a patient wearing the dental instrument 100 bites down forcefully to bring the separated upper and lower parts of the base 101 closer together, the U-shaped spring 107 will be compressed simultaneously. The rebound force generated by its elastic deformation can further enhance the teeth-depressing effect. Based on the teachings of this application, it is understood that, in addition to the U-shaped spring, any other suitable elastic element can be used to assist in increasing the depressing force.

[0037] In one embodiment, the portion of the lower occlusal module 103 corresponding to the tooth to be depressed can adopt a dot matrix structure. During the occlusal process, this portion will be compressed to generate a rebound force, further increasing the depressing force.

[0038] In one embodiment, the labial, lingual, and bottom portions of the outer surfaces of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 respectively abut against the labial, lingual, and bottom portions of the inner surfaces of the grooves 1011 and 1013. In another embodiment, they may not be completely abutted, as long as the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 can be fixedly installed in the grooves 1011 and 1013 respectively and supported by the base 101. For example, the outer surfaces of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 may be wavy, while the inner surfaces of the grooves 1011 and 1013 are smooth, and the labial, lingual, and bottom portions of the outer surfaces of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 respectively abut against the labial, lingual, and bottom portions of the inner surfaces of the grooves 1011 and 1013.

[0039] The cavities 1031 and 1051 of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 are customized, and the position and geometry of the cavities 1031 and 1051 are determined according to the geometry of the patient's teeth and the treatment goals to be achieved.

[0040] In one embodiment, the cavities 1031 and 1051 of the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 respectively correspond to the maxillary and mandibular dentition of the patient under the first tooth layout.

[0041] For example, if the tooth to be indented is a maxillary tooth, then the geometry of cavity 1031 can match the maxillary dentition after the tooth to be indented is indented to the target position. In this way, the indentation generated when the patient bites down is concentrated on the tooth to be indented.

[0042] For example, when dental treatment using dental instrument 100 involves other movements of other teeth, the geometry of cavities 1031 and 1051 can respectively match the maxillary and mandibular dentition under the patient's target tooth layout (the tooth layout that the dental treatment hopes to achieve).

[0043] Based on the teachings of this application, it can be understood that in some cases, the dental treatment goal 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 occlusal surface of cavity 1031 or 1051 matches the patient's tooth layout, a portion of the labial surface matches the patient's tooth layout, a portion of the lingual surface matches the patient's tooth layout, or a segment of cavity 1031 or 1051 matches the patient's tooth layout, etc.

[0044] When dental treatment using dental instrument 100 involves adjustment of the mandibular position, the positions of cavities 1031 and 1051 on the upper occlusal module 103 and lower occlusal module 105 can be determined according to the target relative position of the upper and lower jaws, so that the mandibular position is adjusted to the target position after treatment.

[0045] Due to the irregular shape of teeth, deformation is inevitably forced during the process of teeth fully biting into cavities 1031 and 1051, especially when dental treatment using dental instrument 100 involves the movement of one or more teeth. Because the sidewalls of the upper occlusal module 103 and lower occlusal module 105 are relatively thick, if the elastic modulus of the material of the upper occlusal module 103 and lower occlusal module 105 is too high, it will make the process of the patient's teeth biting into cavities 1031 and 1051 difficult, resulting in difficulty in wearing the dental instrument 100 and poor wearing comfort.

[0046] To address the aforementioned issues, the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105 can be made of materials with a lower elastic modulus (softer) to improve the ease of wearing and comfort of the dental instrument 100. To ensure the overall mechanical performance of the dental instrument 100, the base 101 can be made of a material with a higher elastic modulus than the upper occlusal module 103 and the lower occlusal module 105.

[0047] In one embodiment, the upper engagement module 103 and the lower engagement module 105 may be made of silicone or TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane).

[0048] In one embodiment, the base plate 101 may be made of polycarbonate (PC), poly(ethyleneterephthalateco-1,4-cylclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) (PETG), polyamide (PA), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), metal, carbon fiber, or glass fiber.

[0049] In one embodiment, the base 101, the upper engagement module 103, and the lower engagement module 105 are independently manufactured components, and the upper engagement module 103 and the lower engagement module 105 can be fixedly installed on the base 101 in the following ways: concave-convex mating structure, bonding, welding, fusion, and pressure fitting, etc.

[0050] In one embodiment, the base 101 may be a single piece. In another embodiment, the upper and lower sides of the base 101 are separate components, which are fixed to each other by means of welding, bonding or snap-fitting.

[0051] exist Figure 1A-1B In the illustrated embodiment, the lower posterior tooth region of the base 101 bends downwards, which can be used to depress the mandibular posterior teeth. Based on this understanding, it can be understood that the bent portion of the base can be selected according to the location of the tooth to be depressed, in order to depress the tooth.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 2 The illustration schematically shows a dental instrument 200 according to another embodiment of this application. The upper side 2011 and lower side 2013 of the base 201 are attached to each other in the anterior tooth region. The upper side 2011 bends upwards in the posterior tooth region, causing the upper side 2011 and lower side 2013 to gradually separate in the posterior tooth region. When a patient wearing the dental instrument 200 bites, the maxillary posterior teeth will be relatively concentrated under the rebound force generated by the upper side 2011 pressing down on the lower side 2013, thus indenting the maxillary posterior teeth.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 3 The illustration schematically shows a dental instrument 300 according to another embodiment of this application. The upper side 3011 and lower side 3013 of the base 301 are attached to each other in the anterior tooth region. The upper side 3011 bends upwards in the posterior tooth region, and the lower side 3013 bends upwards in the posterior tooth region, causing the upper side 3011 and lower side 3013 to gradually separate in the posterior tooth region. When a patient wearing the dental instrument 300 bites, the maxillary posterior teeth will experience a rebound force due to the upper side 3011 being pressed against the lower side 3013, while the mandibular posterior teeth will experience a rebound force due to the lower side 3013 being pressed against the upper side 3011. Therefore, the maxillary and mandibular posterior teeth can be indented.

[0054] Please refer to Figures 4A-4B The illustration schematically shows the base 401 of a dental instrument according to another embodiment of this application, wherein the upper side 4011 and the lower side 4013 are attached to each other in the posterior tooth region, and the lower side 4013 bends downward in the anterior tooth region, so that the upper side 4011 and the lower side 4013 gradually separate in the anterior tooth region in a posterior-to-forward direction. When a patient wearing the dental instrument 400 bites, the mandibular anterior teeth will be subjected to a rebound force generated by the lower side 4013 being pressed against the upper side 4011, thus enabling the mandibular anterior teeth to be indented.

[0055] In one embodiment, the area of ​​the occlusal module corresponding to the tooth to be depressed can adopt a dot matrix structure. In this way, when a patient wearing dental instruments bites down, these areas of the occlusal module will be compressed, and the rebound force generated by the compression can depress the corresponding tooth.

[0056] Under pressure, the lattice structure can be elastically compressed in the pressure direction, uniformly applying a rebound force, and its geometry remains basically unchanged in the direction perpendicular to the pressure, so as to avoid affecting adjacent teeth.

[0057] A lattice structure is a porous structure composed of cells made up of nodes and connecting nodes, arranged according to certain rules in three-dimensional space. Based on the uniformity of material distribution, lattice structures can be divided into uniform lattice structures and non-uniform lattice structures. Based on the type of cell, lattice structures can be divided into cubic lattice structures, body-centered cubic lattice structures, face-centered cubic lattice structures, octave lattice structures, etc. Based on mechanical behavior, lattice structures can be divided into tensile-dominated lattice structures and bending-dominated lattice structures. Based on the forming material, lattice structures can be divided into metallic lattice structures and other lattice structures.

[0058] In one embodiment, a honeycomb lattice structure can be used.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment, the geometry of the tooth receiving cavity of the occlusal module is such that, in the occlusal state, the compression of the occlusal module and the area of ​​the tooth to be depressed is greater than that of other areas, or in other words, the occlusal surface of the area of ​​the occlusal module corresponding to the tooth to be depressed is farther from the opposing jaw than other areas, so as to apply a larger depressing force to the tooth to be depressed.

[0060] In one embodiment, the dental instrument of this application may be integral, with its upper side forming a cavity to accommodate the maxillary dentition and its lower side forming a cavity to accommodate the mandibular dentition. The front or rear portion of its upper and / or lower sides is raised to one side, causing the front or rear portions of the upper and lower sides to gradually separate. When a patient wearing the dental instrument bites forcefully, the separated front or rear portions of the dental instrument will close, and the rebound force generated by the elastic deformation can depress the corresponding teeth.

[0061] Although various aspects and embodiments of this application have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments of this application will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon inspiration from this application. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting purposes. The scope and spirit of this application are determined solely by the appended claims.

[0062] Similarly, the diagrams may illustrate exemplary architectures or other configurations of the disclosed methods and systems, which aid in understanding the features and functions that may be included in the disclosed methods and systems. The claims are not limited to the exemplary architectures or configurations shown, and the desired features may be implemented with various alternative architectures and configurations. Furthermore, the order of the blocks given herein with respect to flowcharts, functional descriptions, and method claims should not be limited to various embodiments implemented in the same order to perform the said functions, unless explicitly indicated in the context.

[0063] Unless otherwise expressly stated, the terms and phrases used herein, and their variations thereof, should be interpreted as open-ended rather than restrictive. In some instances, the appearance of extended words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to,” or other similar expressions should not be construed as an intention or necessity to indicate a narrower scope in examples where such extended expressions might not exist.

Claims

1. A dental instrument, characterized in that, It is U-shaped, with a cavity on the upper side to accommodate the patient's maxillary dentition and a cavity on the lower side to accommodate the patient's mandibular dentition. The dental instrument includes a first segment and a second segment connected in the front-back direction. The upper and lower sides of the dental instrument close together in the first segment, and the upper and lower sides of the dental instrument fork in the second segment along the direction from the first segment to the second segment. Under the action of the patient's biting force, the fork between the upper and lower sides of the dental instrument in the second segment becomes smaller, and the rebound force generated by the elastic deformation can depress the corresponding teeth of the patient.

2. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The fork is V-shaped.

3. The dental instrument as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper and / or lower sides of the dental instrument are raised to one side to form the bifurcation, wherein the raised side is the side where the tooth to be depressed is located.

4. The dental instrument as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The raised portion forms an acute angle with the occlusal surface.

5. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The dental instruments include: The base is U-shaped, with its upper and lower sides converging at the first section and forming a fork at the second section; The upper occlusal module, a U-shaped elongated solid, is fixed to the upper side of the base, with its upper side recessed inward to form the cavity accommodating the patient's maxillary dentition; and The lower occlusal module is a U-shaped elongated solid that is fixed to the lower side of the base, with its lower side recessed inward to form the cavity that accommodates the patient's mandibular dentition.

6. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The base has a U-shaped first groove and a second groove formed on its upper and lower sides, respectively, and the upper engagement module and the lower engagement module are fixed in the first groove and the second groove, respectively.

7. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The base is a single piece.

8. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The elastic modulus of the materials of the upper and lower occlusive modules is lower than that of the material of the base plate.

9. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The geometry of the cavity accommodating the patient's maxillary dentition is determined based on the patient's maxillary dentition, and the geometry of the cavity accommodating the patient's mandibular dentition is determined based on the patient's mandibular dentition.

10. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The upper occlusal module and / or lower occlusal module, corresponding to the tooth to be depressed, adopts a dot matrix structure. In the occlusal state, this part will be compressed to generate a rebound force, thereby enhancing the effect of depressing the tooth. Under pressure, the dot matrix structure can be elastically compressed in the pressure direction, and its geometric shape remains basically unchanged in the direction perpendicular to the pressure.

11. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The position of the occlusal surface of the upper and / or lower occlusal modules corresponding to the tooth to be depressed along the occlusal direction is determined according to the amount of depressing required for the tooth to be depressed.

12. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper and lower sides of the second section of the dental instrument are connected by an elastic element. When the bifurcation between the upper and lower sides of the second section decreases, the elastic element will be compressed to generate a rebound force.

13. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, The elastic element is located on the lingual or labial / buccal side of the dental instrument.

14. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, The elastic element is a U-shaped spring.

15. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The maximum opening distance of the bifurcation is less than or equal to 30 mm.

16. The dental instrument as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The size of the bifurcation in the resting jaw position is smaller than the size in the unstressed position.

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