A buccal and lingual mucosa pushing and ejecting device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandible

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of oral clinical application, specifically discloses a kind of buccal tongue mucosa pusher and rower of auxiliary mandibular edentulous jaw intraoral scanning, including buccal tongue side pusher and rower, connecting body, hand handle;The buccal tongue side pusher is respectively placed in the buccal side and the lingual side of edentulous jaw alveolar ridge, its form is adapted to the form of alveolar arch, is connected with hand handle by connecting body;The connecting body is upper end horizontal, lower end arc;The hand handle is tetragonal, and end has digital identification.The pusher and rower can effectively separate the soft tissue such as buccal tongue mucosa around edentulous jaw alveolar ridge, prevent the influence of buccal tongue mucosa to oral scanning data, and have certain pusher and rower effect to movable mucosa, can assist to determine mucosa edge, help to obtain the accurate oral scanning data of edentulous jaw;The buccal tongue mucosa pusher and rower structure is simple, easy to operate, and can be placed in the occlusal surface thereof to assist guiding intraoral scanning.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of oral clinical application technology, specifically to a buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibular jaws. Background Technology

[0002] Intraoral scanning uses an intraoral scanner to acquire three-dimensional data of the patient's oral cavity. This allows doctors to design restoration and treatment plans on virtual models, enabling a fully digital production process, reducing treatment time and medical costs. The use of intraoral scanning in edentulous jaw restoration is also increasing. In the oral cavity of edentulous patients, the tongue and buccal mucosa become enlarged and thickened after tooth loss. The buccal and lingual mucosa and tongue are closely attached to the alveolar mucosa. During intraoral scanning, it is impossible to effectively separate the buccal and lingual mucosa from the alveolar ridge, thus making it impossible to obtain a complete morphology and margin of the alveolar ridge of the edentulous jaw. Therefore, during intraoral scanning, it is necessary to effectively separate and rearrange the soft tissues around the alveolar ridge of the edentulous jaw.

[0003] Chinese patents (publication numbers: CN 214180650 U; CN 217090966 U; CN 115836832 A; CN221556070 U; CN 119214816 A) disclosed various mucosal traction devices for assisting intraoral scanning in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively. These traction devices are all designed for edentulous jaws, and the buccal and lingual traction plates are small in area, which cannot effectively push out the thickened buccal and lingual mucosa of edentulous jaws. Furthermore, due to the integrated design of the left and right sides, these traction devices are large in size and can easily hinder the operation of the oral scanner. Therefore, there is a need for a mandibular edentulous buccal and lingual mucosa pushing and pulling device that can effectively push out the thickened buccal and lingual mucosa of edentulous jaws without hindering the operation of the oral scanner. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention aims to solve the technical problems of poor buccal and lingual mucosa pushing effect and easy interference with scanning operation in existing intraoral scanning auxiliary devices, and to provide a buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device with a compact structure, effective pushing effect and no interference with the movement of the scanner.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0006] To address the problem that existing pushing devices cannot simultaneously effectively push away thickened mucosa without hindering scanning operations, this invention provides a buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles. It employs a pair of mirror-image pushing units, each including a buccal pushing plate, a lingual pushing plate, a connector, and a handle. The buccal and lingual pushing plates are positioned on the buccal and lingual sides of the alveolar ridge of the edentulous mandible, respectively, and their shapes are adapted to the shape of the alveolar arch. One end of the connector is connected to both the buccal and lingual pushing plates, and the other end is connected to the handle. The handle allows the operator to grip and insert or remove the buccal and lingual pushing plates into or out of the oral cavity.

[0007] In use, the operator holds the handle and inserts the two paired push-up units from the left and right sides of the mouth, respectively. The buccal push-up plate is located on the buccal side of the alveolar ridge (close to the cheek), and the lingual push-up plate is located on the lingual side of the alveolar ridge (close to the tongue), forming a gap to accommodate the alveolar ridge. Due to the split-type structure, each push-up unit only covers one side (buccal and lingual), resulting in a compact overall size. The connector is fixedly connected to the buccal push-up plate, the lingual push-up plate, and the handle, forming a stable force transmission path, allowing the operator to control the position and opening force of the push-up plates via the handle.

[0008] This technical solution, through its left and right split design and independent buccal and lingual push plates, can effectively separate the buccal and lingual mucosa around the alveolar ridge of edentulous jaws, preventing soft tissue collapse from interfering with intraoral scanning data. At the same time, the split structure significantly reduces the size of the device, greatly reduces the patient's foreign body sensation, and reduces obstruction to the movement path of the intraoral scanner, thus solving the core problem of existing devices interfering with scanning operations.

[0009] To ensure complete acquisition of scanning data in the retromolar pad area and to prevent the device from obscuring this anatomical region, this invention further designes the buccal and lingual push plates to be open on the distal side and not connected to each other. The distal side refers to the side facing the back of the oral cavity (pharynx).

[0010] The buccal and lingual push plates are only indirectly connected on the mesial side (near the midline of the dental arch) by a connector, while on the distal side they are free ends with no connecting structure between them. When the device is placed in the oral cavity, the retromolar pad area is located precisely in the distal open space, with no plate-like structure covering or compressing this area.

[0011] The distal open design allows the intraoral scanner to capture the three-dimensional morphology of the retromolar pad region without obstruction, avoiding data loss due to device occlusion and improving the integrity and accuracy of the posterior boundary scan of edentulous jaws.

[0012] To avoid compressing or irritating sensitive frenulum tissues in the oral cavity (such as the lingual frenulum and buccal frenulum), reduce patient discomfort, and protect soft tissues, this invention features a curved transition structure for the connector. This curved transition structure means that the parts where the connector meets the buccal push plate, the lingual push plate, and the handle all have smooth, curved surfaces without sharp edges.

[0013] One end of the connector is smoothly connected to the proximal side of the buccal and lingual push plates, respectively, while the other end is smoothly connected to the handle. The overall design features a horizontal upper end and an arc-shaped lower end. When the device is inserted into the oral cavity, this arc-shaped transition structure naturally avoids movable mucosal attachment areas such as the lingual and buccal frenulum, preventing linear pressure or cutting of these sensitive areas during the push-out process.

[0014] The curved transition structure ensures that all parts of the device that come into contact with soft tissue are smooth curved surfaces, significantly reducing the risk of mucosal damage, improving patient comfort, and ensuring that the pushing and purging effect is not affected.

[0015] To further simplify the intraoral scanning procedure and provide stable motion guidance for the scanner, this invention sets the upper surfaces of the buccal and lingual push plates as smooth surfaces for the intraoral scanner to be placed and guided during scanning.

[0016] Intraoral scanners typically need to be moved along the dental arch. Since the upper surfaces (i.e., the occlusal surfaces) of the buccal and lingual push plates are continuous and smooth planes, the operator can gently place the scanner probe on these surfaces and slide it along the extension direction of the push plates to obtain a stable scanning path reference.

[0017] This setup makes the scanner move more smoothly inside the mouth, avoiding scanning stitching errors caused by hand shake; at the same time, the push plate itself occupies the buccal and lingual space, and the scanner placed on it is naturally aligned with the alveolar ridge area, playing an auxiliary guiding role and improving scanning efficiency and data continuity.

[0018] To ensure that the pusher can effectively push away the thickened buccal mucosa and tongue of edentulous patients, and to adapt to the different dental arch widths of individuals, the present invention sets the height of both the buccal pusher and the lingual pusher to 0.8-1.2 cm, and the horizontal distance between them to 2-2.5 cm.

[0019] Both the buccal and lingual push plates are plate-like structures with a certain height, perpendicular to the alveolar ridge surface. The horizontal distance between them is the gap width between the inner surfaces of the buccal and lingual plates. When the device is inserted into the oral cavity, the push plate, with a height of 0.8–1.2 cm, can cover most of the thickened mucosa in edentulous patients, pushing it outward or inward; while the gap width of 2–2.5 cm is sufficient to accommodate most of the mandibular edentulous alveolar ridge, while providing adequate pushing margin for the mucosa.

[0020] This size range has been clinically validated, effectively pushing out thickened mucosa without overstretching it and causing patient discomfort or device dislocation, thus balancing functionality and comfort.

[0021] To facilitate operators in quickly identifying the grip direction of the hand handle and the device model, and to avoid the push plate being reversed due to incorrect orientation, this utility model sets the hand handle in a prism shape, with a numerical label at its end for identifying the model or orientation.

[0022] The handle is a quadrangular prism, with a raised or recessed numerical mark on one facet. This numerical mark serves two purposes: ① indicating the direction of the occlusal surface—the face with the number is the side facing the occlusal surface; ② representing the size of the device—for example, the numbers "1", "2", and "3" correspond to small, medium, and large sizes, respectively. When holding the device, the operator can quickly confirm the correct orientation of the handle based on the numerical mark and accurately place the push plate into the buccal / lingual side.

[0023] The use of digital labels reduces the number of trial and error steps during operation, especially when different models are used together, as they can quickly distinguish between sizes, thus improving the convenience and accuracy of clinical operations.

[0024] To ensure that the handle can be stably positioned in the oral vestibule or contralateral region after the push plate is pushed away from the mucosa, without interfering with the scanning or affecting the operator's grip, this invention sets the vertical height difference between the tissue surface of the buccal and lingual push plates and the tissue surface of the handle to 0.7-1 cm.

[0025] Here, "tissue surface" refers to the side of the device facing the oral mucosa or alveolar ridge. The height difference refers to the vertical distance between the tissue surface of the push plate and the tissue surface of the handle. Because the handle is raised upwards (towards the occlusal surface) through the connector, the position of the handle is 0.7–1 cm higher than the tissue surface of the push plate. When the push plate is placed on the buccal or lingual side of the alveolar ridge, the handle is naturally located above the alveolar ridge crest or slightly towards the center of the oral cavity, and will not embed itself in the soft tissue.

[0026] This height difference ensures that the operator's fingers will not touch or compress the patient's mucous membrane when holding the handle; at the same time, it leaves space below the intraoral scanner to avoid interference between the handle and the scanner.

[0027] In order to minimize the space occupied by the device in the oral cavity and improve patient comfort while ensuring sufficient mechanical strength of the push plate, this utility model sets the width of the buccal push plate and the lingual push plate to 1.5-2.5mm.

[0028] The width refers to the thickness of the push plate itself (i.e., the buccal and lingual dimensions). The thin plate design (1.5–2.5 mm) allows the push plate to be inserted like a "thin sheet" between the buccal and lingual mucosa and the alveolar ridge while meeting the push force requirements, with minimal additional expansion of the surrounding soft tissues.

[0029] The narrow design reduces the feeling of a foreign body and minimizes nausea or discomfort caused by the device taking up space, making it especially suitable for edentulous patients with sensitive pharyngeal reflexes. At the same time, the thin plate does not easily block the scanning light, which is beneficial for the intraoral scanner to obtain clear images of the alveolar ridge.

[0030] In order to accommodate mandibular edentulous arches of different sizes and shapes, and to enable clinicians to flexibly select the appropriate fit based on individual patient differences, this utility model sets the buccal push plate, lingual push plate, connector and hand handle as an integrally formed structure, and has at least three sizes: large, medium and small.

[0031] The device is integrally molded using processes such as injection molding, with no detachable parts. Based on the length and width of the dental arch, the device is divided into three sizes: large, medium, and small. The small size is suitable for narrow dental arches (such as in women or elderly individuals with atrophied alveolar ridges), while the large size is suitable for wide dental arches (such as in men or those with sufficient bone volume). Before clinical use, the dentist can use a dental arch measuring ruler or visual inspection to select the appropriate size.

[0032] The one-piece molding ensures structural stability and dimensional consistency after repeated sterilization; multiple model options allow the device to match various anatomical variations of edentulous jaws, from narrow to wide, avoiding insufficient pushing or excessive stretching caused by "one code for all".

[0033] To enable the device to be reused in clinical settings while ensuring the biosafety and disinfection resistance of the materials, this invention makes the entire device from medical-grade materials that can withstand routine clinical disinfection.

[0034] The medical-grade material can be medical-grade polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), or polyetheretherketone (PEEK), etc., and its characteristics are: ① non-toxic and non-allergenic, meeting the biocompatibility requirements of oral medical devices; ② able to withstand high-temperature and high-pressure steam sterilization at 134℃ or low-temperature plasma sterilization, and will not deform, fade, or crack after multiple sterilizations.

[0035] The choice of this material allows the device to be sterilized and reused in clinical settings like conventional dental instruments, reducing usage costs while avoiding the risk of component breakage due to material degradation, thus ensuring patient safety.

[0036] This invention provides a buccal and lingual mucosa pushing and displacing device to assist in intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibular jaws, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0037] I. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing and dispersing device for intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles of this utility model has a wide buccal and lingual mucosa pushing and dispersing plate, which can effectively push and dissipate the thickened buccal and lingual mucosa of edentulous mandibles, which is conducive to obtaining accurate dental arch data of edentulous mandibles.

[0038] II. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles of this utility model adopts a left-right split structure, which is small in size and significantly reduces the foreign body sensation of patients during intraoral scanning, while also reducing the interference of traction devices on intraoral scanning.

[0039] Third, the buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles of this utility model moderately compresses the movable mucosa during use and is designed to avoid the molar pad area and major frenulum area, so that the device has higher accuracy and reliability in acquiring intraoral soft tissue data.

[0040] Fourth, the upper surface of the push plate of the buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles in this utility model is smooth, and the intraoral scanner can be stably placed on it, which plays a certain guiding role in the scanning operation and ensures that the scanning process is efficient and convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device (single pushing unit) for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibular jaws in this utility model.

[0043] In the diagram: 1-cheek-side push plate; 2-tongue-side push plate; 3-connector; 4-hand handle; 41-numeral marking. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles. The device consists of two pushing units that are mirror-symmetrical. Each pushing unit includes a buccal pushing plate 1, a lingual pushing plate 2, a connector 3, and a hand handle 4.

[0046] Buccal repositioning plate 1: The plate is curved in shape, and its curvature matches the average buccal curvature of the mandibular alveolar arch. It is 1.0 cm high and 2.0 mm wide (thickness). Its tissue surface (facing the alveolar ridge) is smooth, and its upper surface (occlusal side) is flat.

[0047] Lingual push plate 2: It is an elliptical arc-shaped sheet used to push the tongue. Its height and width are the same as those of the buccal push plate 1, but its radius of curvature is smaller. The horizontal distance between the inner surface of the buccal push plate 1 and the inner surface of the lingual push plate 2 is 2.2 cm.

[0048] Distal opening: The buccal push plate 1 and the lingual push plate 2 are not connected to each other on the distal side (towards the back of the mouth), forming an open "U" shape between them to avoid the area behind the molar pad.

[0049] Connector 3: Located near the middle of the push plate, it smoothly connects to the upper parts of the buccal push plate 1 and the lingual push plate 2. Connector 3 has an overall arc-shaped transition structure with a horizontal upper end and an arc-shaped lower end, and its tissue surface is a smooth curved surface without any sharp edges. The other end of connector 3 is connected to the handle 4.

[0050] Handle 4: Shaped as a quadrangular prism, 3.5cm long, 0.6cm wide, and 0.5cm high. A raised numerical identifier 41 is provided on one of its end facets. In this embodiment, the number "1" represents small, "2" represents medium, and "3" represents large. The plane containing this numerical identifier is the side facing the interlocking surface.

[0051] Height difference: The vertical distance between the lowest point of the tissue surface of the buccal push plate 1 and the lingual push plate 2 and the tissue surface of the hand handle 4 is 0.8 cm.

[0052] Integrated Molding and Materials: The entire push-out unit is made of medical-grade polypropylene (PP) material and is integrally molded using an injection molding process. This material is homogeneous and white, and can withstand high-temperature and high-pressure steam sterilization at 134℃. It can be repeatedly sterilized more than 20 times without any visible deformation or cracking.

[0053] Usage Instructions and Working Process

[0054] Step 1: Model Selection

[0055] The clinician first assesses the size of the alveolar ridge and the width of the dental arch in the patient's edentulous mandible. For patients with narrow dental arches and severe alveolar ridge recession, the small size (number 1) is selected; for patients with normal dental arch width, the medium size (number 2) is selected; and for males or patients with wide dental arches, the large size (number 3) is selected.

[0056] Step 2: Insert the device

[0057] The operator holds handle 4 and observes the number 41, ensuring it faces the occlusal surface. First, take the left-side pusher unit and insert it from the left corner of the patient's mouth: first insert the buccal pusher plate 1 between the buccal side of the left mandibular alveolar ridge and the buccal mucosa, then insert the lingual pusher plate 2 between the lingual side of the left alveolar ridge and the tongue. Gently apply force to the buccal and lingual sides, pushing the buccal mucosa outwards and the tongue to the right. Insert the right-side pusher unit using the same method.

[0058] Step 3: Adjustment and Promotion

[0059] Gently press the handle 4 to bring the tissue surfaces of the buccal pusher plate 1 and the lingual pusher plate 2 into contact with the alveolar mucosa. At this time, the pusher plates on both sides will spread the buccal mucosa to the sides, and the lingual pusher plate 2 will push the tongue towards the middle of the opposite side, fully exposing the mandibular alveolar ridge. The distal open design ensures that the retromolar pad area is unobstructed. The curved transition structure of the connector 3 naturally avoids the lingual and buccal frenulum, so the patient does not experience sharp pain.

[0060] Step 4: Intraoral scanning

[0061] Use an intraoral scanner. Gently place the scanner probe on the upper surface (smooth surface) of the buccal push plate 1 and slide it from front to back along the dental arch. Due to the smooth and highly stable upper surface, the scanner can move smoothly and acquire continuous three-dimensional data. When scanning the lingual side, the probe can be placed on the upper surface of the lingual push plate 2 as a guide. Throughout the scanning process, the hand handle 4 should be positioned in the oral vestibule and contralateral area without interfering with the movement of the scanner probe.

[0062] Step 5: Remove the device

[0063] After scanning, gently remove one side of the push unit by holding handle 4, then remove the other side. Check the patient's oral mucosa for indentations or damage, and clean the instruments routinely.

[0064] Typical clinical effects

[0065] The device described in this embodiment was used to perform intraoral scanning-assisted experiments on 10 patients with edentulous mandibular jaws. The results are as follows:

[0066] The buccal and lingual mucosa of all patients were effectively pushed open, and the entire alveolar ridge and the retromolar pad area were clearly visible in the scan data, with no soft tissue collapse or obstruction.

[0067] The average subjective foreign body sensation score (0-10 points, 0 for no foreign body sensation) was 2.1 points, which was significantly lower than that of the integrated contrast device (average 5.6 points).

[0068] The scanning time was reduced from an average of 8.3 minutes to 4.1 minutes, the scanning stitching success rate reached 100%, and there were no duplicate scans.

[0069] After being sterilized by high temperature and high pressure 20 times, the device size changed by less than 0.1 mm, and the surface remained smooth without cracks or discoloration.

[0070] Other optional implementation methods

[0071] Size adjustment: For patients with extremely thick mucosa and excessively high alveolar ridge height, the height of the push plate can be increased to 1.2cm; for special cases such as children or very small dental arches, extra small size (XS) can be customized.

[0072] Handle shape: The square prism can be changed to an elliptical prism, and the numerical markings can be changed to grooves or color rings, as long as they serve the purpose of directional indication.

[0073] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles, characterized in that, The push-up unit includes a pair of mirror-image push-up units, the push-up unit comprising: Cheek-side push plate (1), tongue-side push plate (2), connector (3), and hand handle (4); The buccal push plate (1) and the lingual push plate (2) are respectively placed on the buccal and lingual sides of the alveolar ridge of the edentulous jaw, and their shapes are adapted to the shape of the alveolar arch. One end of the connector (3) is connected to the cheek-side push plate (1) and the tongue-side push plate (2) respectively, and the other end of the connector (3) is connected to the hand handle (4); The hand handle (4) is for the operator to hold in order to insert or remove the buccal push plate (1) and the lingual push plate (2) into or out of the oral cavity.

2. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The buccal push plate (1) and the lingual push plate (2) are open on the distal side and are not connected to each other.

3. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connector (3) has an arc-shaped transition structure to avoid the frenulum tissue in the oral cavity.

4. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surfaces of the buccal push plate (1) and the lingual push plate (2) are smooth surfaces, which are used for the placement and guidance of the intraoral scanner.

5. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height of the buccal push plate (1) and the lingual push plate (2) is 0.8 to 1.2 cm, and the horizontal distance between them is 2 to 2.5 cm.

6. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hand handle (4) is prismatic, and its end is provided with a digital mark (41) for identifying the model or orientation.

7. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical height difference between the tissue surface of the buccal push plate (1) and the lingual push plate (2) and the tissue surface of the hand handle (4) is 0.7 to 1 cm.

8. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width of the buccal push plate (1) and the lingual push plate (2) is 1.5 to 2.5 mm.

9. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cheek-side push plate (1), tongue-side push plate (2), connector (3) and hand handle (4) are integrally formed structures, and have at least three sizes: large, medium and small.

10. The buccal and lingual mucosa pushing device for assisting intraoral scanning of edentulous mandibles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The entire device is made of medical-grade materials that can withstand clinical sterilization.

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