Mandible anchored maxillary distractor

Abstract

The disclosed embodiment relates to a dental device, wherein the device is a maxillary distractor. More particularly, the device comprises an extra-oral distraction screw; two bone plates; a bone screw(s); a vertical axis screw; a vertical axis rod; a connector rod; a screw thread activator; screw-driven movable crossbar and a force module. Furthermore, the maxillary distractor operates by the extra oral force application and intra-oral anchorage on to the symphysis of the mandible to distract the maxilla.

Description

MANDIBLE ANCHORED MAXILLARY DISTRACTORPRIORITY CLAIMThe instant patent application is related to and claims priority from the India provisional patent application entitled, “MANDIBLE ANCHORED MAXILLARY DISTRACTOR”, Patent Application no:202341074041, Filed on: 31st October 2023, which is incorporated in its entirety herewith.TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The disclosed embodiment is in the technical field of a dental device, wherein the device is a mandible anchored maxillary distractor. More particularly, the distractor is anchored on the symphysis of the mandible.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Craniofacial malformation is an anomaly of embryonic development that results in serious impairment of the normal anatomy of the head usually the maxilla / upper jaw.

[0003] An anterior crossbite related to an inadequate development in a postero-anterior direction of the maxillary bone / upper jaw is observed very frequent in the cases of cleft lip and palate.

[0004] The problems associated with craniofacial malformation include difficulties in speech & chewing, aesthetical compromises and impact on psychological health.

[0005] The present devices available in the market for maxillary distraction are known as RED distractors that have an attachment to the skull / cranium where the pins and screws are inserted to the skull through the soft tissue, causing visible scars, also the device is used under administration of general anesthesia which makes it a painful procedure and causes lot of inconvenience to the patient.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a mandible anchored maxillary distractor that operates intra orally which makes it safe and user-friendly for the correction of maxillary deficient conditions.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present disclosure relates to a dental device, wherein the device is a maxillary distractor. More particularly, the distractor is anchored on the symphysis of the mandible.

[0008] According to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the device comprises; an extra-oral distraction screw; two bone plates; a bone screw(s); a vertical axis screw; avertical axis rod; a connector rod; a distraction screw thread activator; a screw-driven movable crossbar and a slot(s) for placement of force module.

[0009] According to further aspect of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the extra-oral distraction screw comprises of a head and a free spiral grooved tail; wherein the screw head is embedded in the screw thread activator.

[0010] According to yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the bone plates are two reverse L shaped plates comprising of circular holes for the screws to be affixed; wherein the first bone plate has 5 circular holes placed towards the left side of the mandible and the second bone plate has 5 circular holes placed towards the right side of the mandible; wherein the circular holes are more in number than the bone screws placed, for identifying the location to avoid interference with vital structures like root or nerves.[Oi l] According to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the vertical axis rod can be controlled by a screw for adjusting the height of the device along a vertical axis for control; wherein the vertical axis rod has an attachment for the bone plates at its lower end; the distractor at its anterior end has a provision to slide into the vertical rod, where it can be adjusted with upward and downward directions.

[0012] According to one more aspect of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the connector rod is a cylindrical component; the left end of the cylindrical rod is fixed to the vertical axis rod and the right end is attached to extra-oral distraction screw to rotate the screw at an angle of 360°; wherein the cylindrical rod connects the screw thread activator to the bone plates and is a leftward extension of the threaded distraction screw; wherein every 360° rotation of the cylindrical connector rod causes linear movement of the threaded distraction screw for protraction of the deficient maxilla.

[0013] According to an exemplary aspect of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the distraction screw thread activator is a rotating dial that can move the horizontal crossbar forward and backward upon 360° rotation; wherein the screw-driven movable crossbar is a horizontal component comprising 4 slots for engagement of the force module; wherein the force module is an elastic coil or spring engaged in the slots of the screw-driven movable crossbar to distract the deficient maxilla.

[0014] According to further aspects of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the distraction screw head has a diameter of 5mm; the distraction screw thread has a diameter of 5mm ; the distraction screw has a pitch of 1mm per 360° angle rotation; wherein the thickness ofthe bone plates is l-2mm; the circular holes in the bone plates have a diameter of 2.1mm to accommodate screws size of 2mm diameter; wherein the bone screws to fix the distractor to the mandible is of 2mm diameter and 8-10 mm in length; wherein the screw- driven movable crossbar has a length of 40mm and diameter of 5mm and the vertical axis rod has dimensions of 4x4 mm.

[0015] According to yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the device is made of medical-grade stainless steel or titanium.

[0016] According to more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the method of maxillary distraction comprises the steps of; a) mapping the vector coordinates of anterior mandible region of the subject to anchor the bone plates; b) connecting the bone plates to the movable distraction screw crossbar and applying force on the upper jaw; c) adjusting the height of the distractor with the help of a vertical axis rod for control; wherein the rod has its attachment for the bone plates at its lower end; the distractor at its anterior end has a provision to slide into the vertical rod, where it can be adjusted in upward and downward directions; d) dividing the maxillary sutures with the device and allowing protraction of the deficient upper jaw; rotating the distraction screw through the connector rod at an angle of 360° for forward protraction of the deficient maxilla, wherein each 360° screw rotation by the subject contributes around 1mm of protraction; applying force with the distractor remodels the maxillary sutures for protraction of maxilla; and e) examining the extent of protraction in the deficient upper jaw until it is aligned at the desired position with the lower jaw; the device is semifixed thus the horizontal crossbar can be detached leaving the vertical rod and bone plates in place for enhanced userexperience during food consumption and travelling.

[0017] According to yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the extent of protraction of the deficient upper jaw takes 15 days to 6 months.

[0018] According to further aspects of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the device operates by the extra oral force application and intra-oral anchorage on to the symphysis of the mandible to distract the maxilla under administration of local anesthesia.According to yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the system for maxillary distraction comprises of:a processor arranged to execute a method of orthodontic correction, wherein the method comprises steps of: a) obtaining a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) or computed tomography (CT) or lateral cephalogram image of the craniofacial region of the subject; feeding the imaging data into a computer aided design (CAD) module to obtain an image representative of the initial position of the deficient maxilla; wherein the image representative can be referred to identify the location, placement and vital structures at the area of placement. ; b) analyzing the imaging data from CAD module to optimize the dimensions of the bone plates to be placed in the anterior region of the mandible to obtain the desired position of the maxilla; obtaining a 3D model of a bone plate(s) associated with the plurality of position of the deficient maxilla; c) generating a mandible anchored maxillary distractor comprising an extra-oral distraction screw; two bone plates; a bone screw(s); a vertical axis screw; a vertical axis rod; a connector rod; a distraction screw thread activator; a screw-driven movable crossbar and a slot(s) for placement of force module. d) mapping the vector coordinates of anterior mandible region of the subject to anchor the bone plates; connecting the bone plates to the screw driven movable crossbar and applying force on the upper jaw; adjusting the height of the device with the vertical axis rod for control; e) dividing the maxillary sutures with the device and allowing protraction of the deficient upper jaw; rotating the distraction screw through the cylindrical rod at an angle of 360° for forward protraction of the deficient maxilla; applying force with the distractor remodels the maxillary sutures for protraction of maxilla; f) examining the extent of protraction in the deficient upper jaw until it is aligned at the desired position with the lower jaw; the device is semifixed thus the horizontal crossbar can be detached leaving the vertical rod and bone plates in place for enhanced userexperience during food consumption and travelling.

[0019] According to yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the CAD module is for designing two bone plates; wherein the bone plates are reverse L shaped components comprising of circular holes for the screws to be affixed; wherein the first bone plate has 5 circular holes placed towards the left side of the mandible and the second bone plate has 5 circular holes placed towards the right side of the mandible.

[0020] According to more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the distraction screw is rotated at an angle of 360° for forward protraction of the deficient maxilla, wherein each 360° screw rotation contributes around 1mm of protraction.

[0021] According to further aspects of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the extent of protraction is examined for 15 days to 6 months until the deficient upper jaw is aligned at the desired position with the lower jaw.

[0022] Several aspects of the invention are described below with reference to examples for illustration. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods, components, materials and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown in detail to avoid obscuring the features of the invention. Furthermore, the features / aspects described can be practiced in various combinations, though only some of the combinations are described herein for conciseness.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Example embodiments of the disclosed embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings briefly described below.

[0024] FIG.l illustrates the components of the maxillary distractor, according to the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.

[0025] FIG.2 illustrates the different parts of the craniofacial region involved during maxillary distraction, according to the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.

[0026] FIG.3 illustrates the perspective view of the maxillary distractor, according to the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.

[0027] FIG.4 illustrates the right-side view of the maxillary distractor, according to the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.

[0028] FIG.5 illustrates the working state of the maxillary distractor, according to the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.

[0029] FIG.6 illustrates the method of maxillary distraction, according to the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.

[0030] FIG.7 illustrates a block diagram of the digital processing system, according to the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.

[0031] In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and / or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENT

[0032] It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0033] The use of “including”, “comprising” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. Further, the use of terms “first”, “second”, and “third”, and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

[0034] As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include both singular and plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. By way of example, “a dosage” refers to one or more than one dosage.

[0035] The terms “comprising”, “comprises” and “comprised of’ as used herein are synonymous with “including”, “includes” or “containing”, “contains”, and are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, non-recited members, elements or method steps.

[0036] All documents cited in the present specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their totality. In particular, the teachings of all documents herein specifically referred to are incorporated by reference.

[0037] Example embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0038] In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and / or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.

[0039] DEFINITIONS

[0040] The term “maxillary distractor” refers to a surgical device used to correct severe maxillary bone deficiencies in both vertical and antero-posterior directions. Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is a surgical technique that uses a maxillary distractor to gradually lengthen bone and correct skeletal deformities. This technique could be used to treat a variety of craniofacial anomalies, including cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis, and hemifacial microsomia.

[0041] The term “craniofacial malformations” are birth defects or other conditions that affect the shape of the face or skull. These malformations are the result of an infant's skull or facial bones fusing together too soon or in an abnormal way. When the bones fuse together too early, the brain can become damaged as it grows and cannot expand properly due to which the infant may develop neurological problems.

[0042] The term “mandibular symphysis” refers to a vertical line on the midline of the mandible, just below the lower incisor teeth. It is the region where the two constituent fetal bones fuse after birth.

[0043] The term “cleft lip” refers to a condition in which tissue that makes up the lip does not join completely before birth which causes an opening in the upper lip. The opening in the lip can be a small slit or it can be a large opening that goes through the lip into the nose.

[0044] The term “class III malocclusion” also known as an underbite or prognathism, is a dental misalignment where the lower jaw and teeth protrude past the upper jaw and teeth. This condition can be caused by excessive growth in the lower jaw, lack of upper jaw growth, premature loss of primary teeth, and congenital defects like cleft lip or cleft palate.

[0045] The term “maxillary deficiency” refers to a condition occurs due to underdevelopment of the bones present in the upper jaw associated with conditions like cleft lip and cleft palate. Some of the observations in individuals having a deficient maxilla are lower jaw may appear forward and chin may appear large, which can affect activities like breathing, chewing, speech, and overall oral health.

[0046] The term “mandible” refers to the largest and strongest bone in the face. It forms the lower part of the jaw and part of the mouth. The mandible is the only moveable bone of the skull and is attached to muscles involved in chewing and other mouth movements and also holds the bottom teeth in place.

[0047] The term “ramus” refers to a region in the human mandible that has four sides, two surfaces, four borders, and two processes. On the outside, the ramus is flat and marked by oblique ridges at its lower part.

[0048] The term “mental protuberance” refers to a prominent triangular projection located on the anterior (front) surface of the mandible (lower jaw) which forms the point of chin.

[0049] The term “mental foramen” refers to a small opening located on the anterior surface of the mandible (lower jaw).

[0050] The term “scar tissue” refers to a collection of cells and collagen that covers the site of the injury that develops as a result of an injury, surgery, or acne.

[0051] The term “local anesthesia” refers to a technique that involves numbing an area of the body using a type of medicine called a local anesthetic to treat painful conditions while keeping the subject conscious.

[0052] The term “protraction” refers to an action performed to extend a part of the body.

[0053] The term “vector coordinates” refers to a system that helps describe the position of a point in a multidimensional space, wherein a vector in 3D space is defined by its three coordinates x, y and z.

[0054] The term “spiral grooved tail” refers to the spiral curves present at the end of the screw.

[0055] The term “intra-oral anchorage” refers to a type of anchorage in orthodontics that uses structures within the mouth, such as teeth and bone as anchor units.

[0056] The term “maxillary sutures” refer to the fibrous joints that connect the bones of the upper jaw (maxilla) to other bones in the skull.

[0057] The term “cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)” refers to a 3D imaging technique that uses ionizing radiation to provide accurate and detailed images of the craniofacial skeleton. CBCT imaging provides accurate measurements, improves localization of impacted teeth, provides visualization of airway abnormalities, also identifies and quantifies asymmetry, it can be used to assess periodontal structures and endodontic problems.

[0058] The term “computed tomography (CT)” refers to a noninvasive medical imaging procedure that uses X-rays to create cross-sectional images of the craniofacial region.

[0059] The term “lateral cephalogram” refers to a side-view X-ray of the head and neck that shows the facial structure, bone, and soft tissue. This imaging is done to evaluate the relationship between the top and bottom jaws and to assess the nature of a patient's bite.

[0060] The term “computer aided-design (CAD)” refers to the use of computer-based software to aid in design processes. CAD software is frequently used by different types of engineers and designers. CAD software can be used to create two-dimensional (2-D) drawings or three-dimensional (3-D) models.l.EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0061] The present disclosure relates to a dental device, wherein the device is a maxillary distractor. More particularly, the distractor is anchored on the symphysis of the mandible.

[0062] (A) COMPONENTS OF THE MAXILLARY DISTRACTOR

[0063] A maxillary distraction device, wherein the device comprises; an extra-oral distraction screw; two bone plates; a bone screw(s); a vertical axis screw; a vertical axis rod; a connector rod; a distraction screw thread activator; a screw-driven movable crossbar and a slot(s) for placement of force module.

[0064] a) DISTRACTION SCREW

[0065] A distraction screw is used for distraction of the maxilla by lengthening a bone and pulling two pieces of bone apart. The distraction screw is an extra oral component that comprises of a head and a free spiral grooved tail; wherein the screw head is embedded in the screw thread activator.

[0066] The distraction screw head has a diameter of 5mm; the distraction screw thread has a diameter of 5mm and the distraction screw has a pitch of 1mm per 360° angle rotation.

[0067] b) BONE PLATES

[0068] A bone plate is a temporary mini-plate or screw that is implanted in the jaw bone to help move teeth during orthodontic treatments. These mini plates or screws are placed in the bone and protrudes through the gums for the orthodontist to move the teeth when a lot of movement is needed.

[0069] With respect to the present disclosure, the bone plates are two reverse L shaped plates comprising of circular holes for the screws to be affixed; wherein the first bone plate has 5 circular holes placed towards the left side of the mandible and the second bone plate has 5 circular holes placed towards the right side of the mandible. The distractor connects to the lower jaw by securing screws onto a bone plate wherein the bone plate is fixed at the symphysis of the mandible.

[0070] The dimensions of bone plates are tailored according to the angulations of the anterior mandible anatomy.

[0071] The circular holes in the bone plates have a diameter of 2.1mm to accommodate screws size of 2mm diameter; wherein the bone screws to fix the distractor to the mandible are of 2mm diameter and 8-10 mm in length; wherein the circular holes are more in numberthan the bone screws placed, for identifying the location to avoid interference with vital structures like root or nerves.

[0072] c)BONE SCREWS

[0073] The bone plates comprise of circular holes to accommodate the bone screws; wherein the bone screws have a diameter of 2mm and a length of 8-10mm.

[0074] d) VERTICAL AXIS SCREW

[0075] The screw present on the vertical axis can be rotated to move the rod in an upward direction.

[0076] e) VERTICAL AXIS ROD

[0077] The vertical axis rod is a square-shaped component with dimensions of 4x4 mm. The rod can be controlled by a vertical axis screw for adjusting the height of the maxillary distraction device along a vertical axis for control. The rod has its attachment for the bone plates at its lower end. The distractor at its anterior end has a provision to slide into the vertical rod, where it can be adjusted with upward and downward directions and can be fastened to fix the position as well it can be removed to detach the distractor, leaving behind the bone plates with the vertical rod in place.

[0078] f) CONNECTOR ROD

[0079] The connector rod is a cylindrical component comprising of a left end and a right end; wherein the left end of the cylindrical rod is fixed to the vertical axis rod and the right end is attached to extra oral distraction screw to rotate the screw at an angle of 360°.

[0080] The cylindrical rod connects the screw thread activator to the bone plates and is a leftward extension of the threaded distraction screw. Every 360° rotation of the cylindrical connector rod causes linear movement of the threaded screw for protraction of the deficient maxilla.

[0081] g) DISTRACTION SCREW THREAD ACTIVATOR

[0082] The screw thread activator is a rotating dial that moves the crossbar forward and backward upon 360° rotation.

[0083] h) SCREW DRIVEN CROSSBAR

[0084] The screw-driven crossbar is a horizontal component; wherein the length of the horizontal crossbar is 40mm and the diameter is 5mm.The movable crossbar comprises of 4grooves to engage the force module; wherein the force module is an elastic coil or spring used to distract the maxilla from the distractor.

[0085] The crossbar is attached upon the screw thread activator in which the distraction screw is embedded. This horizontal crossbar can be moved in forward and backward directions when the distraction screw is rotated at angle of 360°.

[0086] i) SLOTS FOR FORCE MODULE PLACEMENT

[0087] There are 4 slots present on the screw-driven movable crossbar for placement of the force module; wherein the force module is an elastic coil or spring to distract the deficient maxilla.

[0088] The components of the maxillary distraction device include a distraction screw (102), distraction screw thread activator (104), left bone plate (106), right bone plate (108), vertical axis screw (110), a vertical axis rod (112), a connector rod (114), a movable screw-driven crossbar (116) and a slot(s) for force module placement (118) as illustrated in (FIG.l).

[0089] The different parts of the craniofacial region involved during maxillary distraction are mandible (202), ramus (204), mental protuberance (206), mental foramen (208), maxillary distractor (210) and teeth (212) as illustrated in (FIG.2).

[0090] (B) METHOD OF IMPLEMENTATION

[0091] The method for maxillary distraction comprises the steps of:

[0092] mapping the vector coordinates of anterior mandible region of the subject to anchor the bone plates (610);

[0093] connecting the bone plates to the screw driven movable crossbar and applying force on the upper jaw (612);

[0094] adjusting the height of the distractor with the help of a vertical axis rod for control; wherein the rod has its attachment for the bone plates at its lower end. The distractor at its anterior end has a provision to slide into the vertical rod, where it can be adjusted in upward and downward directions (614);

[0095] dividing the maxillary sutures and rotating the distraction screw at 360° for protraction of the deficient upper jaw wherein each 360° screw rotation contributes around 1mm of protraction; applying force with the distr actor will remodel the maxillary sutures for protraction of maxilla (616); and

[0096] examining the extent of protraction in the deficient upper jaw until it is aligned at the desired position with the lower jaw for 15 days to 6 months; the device is semifixed thus the horizontal crossbar can be detached leaving the vertical rod and bone plates in place for enhanced user-experience during food consumption and travelling (618) as illustrated in (FIG.6).

[0097] The anchored device takes support of the maxillofacial region of the subject. The maxillary distractor can be 3D printed to map the vector coordinates of the craniofacial region to locate the plurality of position of the deficient maxilla. The regular mapping of the protraction of the deficient maxilla maybe done to guide the screw movement and analyze the final position of the protracted maxilla.

[0098] 2. SYSTEM FOR MAXILLARY DISTRACTION

[0099] A system for maxillary distraction, wherein the system comprises of: a processor arranged to execute a method of orthodontic correction, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

[0100] obtaining a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) or computed tomography (CT) or lateral cephalogram image of the craniofacial region of the subject (602);

[0101] feeding the imaging data into a computer aided design (CAD) module to obtain an image representative of the initial position of the deficient maxilla (604);

[0102] analyzing the imaging data from CAD module to optimize the dimensions of the bone plates to be placed in the anterior region of the mandible to obtain the desired position of the maxilla; obtaining a 3D model of a bone plate(s) associated with the plurality of position of the deficient maxilla (606);

[0103] generating a mandible anchored maxillary distractor comprising an extra-oral distraction screw; two bone plates; a bone screw(s); a vertical axis screw; a vertical axis rod; a connector rod; a distraction screw thread activator; a screw-driven movable crossbar and a slot(s) for placement of force module (608);

[0104] mapping the vector coordinates of anterior mandible region of the subject to anchor the bone plates (610);

[0105] connecting the bone plates to the screw driven movable crossbar and applying force on the upper jaw (612);

[0106] adjusting the height of the distractor with the help of a vertical axis rod for control; wherein the rod has its attachment for the bone plates at its lower end. The distractor at itsanterior end has a provision to slide into the vertical rod, where it can be adjusted in upward and downward directions (614);

[0107] dividing the maxillary sutures with the device and allowing protraction of the deficient upper jaw; rotating the distraction screw through the cylindrical rod at an angle of 360° for forward protraction of the deficient maxilla, wherein each 360° screw rotation contributes around 1mm of protraction; applying force with the distractor will remodel the maxillary sutures for protraction of maxilla (616); and

[0108] examining the extent of protraction in the deficient upper jaw until it is aligned at the desired position with the lower jaw for 15 days to 6 months; the device is semifixed thus the horizontal crossbar can be detached leaving the vertical rod and bone plates in place for enhanced user-experience during food consumption and travelling (618) as illustrated in (FIG.6).

[0109] The control system includes a computer with processing power and configured to receive information from the CBCT / CT / lateral cephalogram image and generates a report pertaining the 3D coordinates for maxillary distraction device. Furthermore, the system also generates coordinates for the anterior mandibular region for intra oral anchorage of the maxillary distractor. The anchored device takes support of the maxillofacial region of the subject. The maxillary distractor can be 3D printed to map the vector coordinates of the craniofacial region to locate the plurality of position of the deficient maxilla. The regular mapping of the protraction of the deficient maxilla maybe done to guide the screw movement and analyze the final position of the protracted maxilla.

[0110] 3.HARDWARE

[0111] DIGITAL PROCESSING SYSTEM

[0112] (FIG. 7) is a block diagram illustrating the details of a digital processing system (600) in which various aspects of the present disclosure are operative by execution of appropriate execution modules, firmware or hardware components.

[0113] Digital processing system (700) may correspond to each of user system: local system or remote and server noted above. Digital processing system may contain one or more processors (such as a central processing unit (CPU) (702)), random access memory (RAM) (704), secondary memory (706), graphics controller (GPU) (712), display unit (714), network interfaces like (WLAN) (716), and input interfaces (718).

[0114] CPU (702) executes instructions stored in RAM (704) to provide several features ofthe present disclosure. CPU (702) may contain multiple processing units, with each processing unit potentially being designed for a specific task.

[0115] Alternatively, CPU (702) may contain only a single general purpose processing unit. RAM (704) may receive instructions from secondary / system memory (710).

[0116] Graphics controller (GPU) (712) generates display signals (e.g., in RGB format) to primary display unit (714) based on data / instructions received from CPU (702). Primary display unit contains a display screen (714) (e.g., monitor, touchscreen) to display the images defined by the display signals. Input interfaces (718) may correspond to a keyboard, a pointing device (e.g., touch-pad, mouse), a touchscreen, etc. which enable the various inputs to be provided. Network interface (716) provides connectivity to a network (e.g., using Internet Protocol), and may be used to communicate with other connected systems. Network interface (716) may provide such connectivity over a wire (in the case of TCP / IP based communication) or wirelessly (in the case of WIFI, Bluetooth based communication).

[0117] Secondary memory (706) may contain hard drive (mass storage) (706a), flash memory (706b), and removable storage drive (706c). Secondary memory (706) may store the data (e.g., the specific requests sent, the responses received, etc.) and executable modules, which enable the digital processing system (700) to provide several features in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0118] Some or all of the data and instructions may be provided on a removable storage unit (SD card) (708), and the data and instructions may be read and provided by removable storage drive (706c) to CPU (702). Floppy drive, magnetic tape drive, CD-ROM drive, DVD Drive, Flash memory, removable memory chip (PCMCIA Card, EPROM) are other examples of such removable storage drive (706c).

[0119] Removable storage unit (708) may be implemented using storage format compatible with removable storage drive (706c) such that removable storage drive (706c) can read the data and instructions. Thus, removable storage (706c) unit includes a computer readable storage medium having stored therein executable modules and / or data. However, the computer (or machine, in general) readable storage medium can be in other forms (e.g., nonremovable, random access, etc.). CPU (702) may retrieve the executable modules, and execute them to provide various features of the present disclosure described above.

[0120] 2. USES OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENT

[0121] The proposed device is used for the correction of maxillary deficiencies due to conditions like class III malocclusion, cleft lip, palate and deficient maxillary syndrome.

[0122] The proposed maxillary distraction device could be used for subjects where greater degree of movement is required for which surgery alone cannot be done to correct the deformity.

[0123] This device is intended for use by individuals aged ten years and older, encompassing both children and adults.

[0124] The mechanism of intra oral anchorage present in the device eliminates scarring of tissue.

[0125] The disclosed embodiment is designed with the help of a computer aided design (CAD) software to make it a personalized device.

[0126] 3.BEST MODE TO USE THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENT

[0127] The best mode to practice the invention is by providing it to hospital-based settings, dental colleges, clinics, and other health workers.

[0128] Merely for illustration, only representative number / type of graph, chart, block, and sub-block diagrams were shown. Many environments often contain many more block and sub-block diagrams or systems and sub-systems, both in number and type, depending on the purpose for which the environment is designed.

[0129] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

[0130] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosed embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

[0131] It should be understood that the figures and / or screen shots illustrated in the attachments highlighting the functionality and advantages of the disclosed embodiment are presented for example purposes only. The disclosed embodiment is sufficiently flexible and configurable, such that it may be utilized in ways other than that shown in the accompanying figures.

[0132] It should be understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of the appended claims. All publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

Claims

I / We claim,1) A maxillary distraction device, wherein the device comprises; an extra-oral distraction screw; two bone plates; a bone screw(s); a vertical axis screw; a vertical axis rod; a connector rod; a distraction screw thread activator; a screw-driven movable crossbar and a slot(s) for placement of force module.2) The maxillary distraction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extra-oral distraction screw comprises of a head and a free spiral grooved tail; wherein the screw head is embedded in the screw thread activator.3) The maxillary distraction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bone plates are two reverse L shaped plates comprising of circular holes for the screws to be affixed; wherein the first bone plate has 5 circular holes placed towards the left side of the mandible and the second bone plate has 5 circular holes placed towards the right side of the mandible; wherein the circular holes are more in number than the bone screws placed, for identifying the location to avoid interference with vital structures like root or nerves.4) The maxillary distraction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertical axis rod can be controlled by a screw for adjusting the height of the device along a vertical axis for control; wherein the vertical axis rod has an attachment for the bone plates at its lower end; the distractor at its anterior end has a provision to slide into the vertical rod, where it can be adjusted with upward and downward directions.5) The maxillary distraction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector rod is a cylindrical component; the left end of the cylindrical rod is fixed to the vertical axis rod and the right end is attached to extra-oral distraction screw to rotate the screw at an angle of 360°; wherein the cylindrical rod connects the screw thread activator to the bone plates and is a leftward extension of the threaded distraction screw; wherein every 360° rotation of the cylindrical connector rod causes linear movement of the threaded distraction screw for protraction of the deficient maxilla.6) The maxillary distraction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distraction screw thread activator is a rotating dial that can move the horizontal crossbar forward and backward upon 360° rotation; wherein the screw-driven movable crossbar is a horizontal component comprising 4 slots for engagement of the force module; wherein the force module is an elastic coil or spring engaged in the slots of the screw-driven movable crossbar to distract the deficient maxilla.7) The maxillary distraction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distraction screw head has a diameter of 5mm; the distraction screw thread has a diameter of 5mm ; the distraction screw has a pitch of 1mm per 360° angle rotation; wherein the thickness of the bone plates is l-2mm; the circular holes in the bone plates have a diameter of 2.1mm to accommodate screws size of 2mm diameter; wherein the bone screws to fix the distractor to the mandible is of 2mm diameter and 8-10 mm in length; wherein the screw-driven movable crossbar has a length of 40mm and diameter of 5mm and the vertical axis rod has dimensions of 4^4 mm.8) The maxillary distraction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is made of medical-grade stainless steel or titanium.9) A method for maxillary distraction, wherein the method comprises the steps of; a) mapping the vector coordinates of anterior mandible region of the subject to anchor the bone plates; b) connecting the bone plates to the movable distraction screw crossbar and applying force on the upper jaw; c) adjusting the height of the distractor with the help of a vertical axis rod for control; wherein the rod has its attachment for the bone plates at its lower end; the distractor at its anterior end has a provision to slide into the vertical rod, where it can be adjusted in upward and downward directions; d) dividing the maxillary sutures with the device and allowing protraction of the deficient upper jaw; rotating the distraction screw through the connector rod at an angle of 360° for forward protraction of the deficient maxilla, wherein each 360° screw rotation by the subject contributes around 1mm of protraction; applying force with the distractor remodels the maxillary sutures for protraction of maxilla; and e) examining the extent of protraction in the deficient upper jaw until it is aligned at the desired position with the lower jaw; the device is semifixed thus the horizontal crossbar can be detached leaving the vertical rod and bone plates in place for enhanced userexperience during food consumption and travelling.9) The maxillary distraction method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the extent of protraction of the deficient upper jaw takes 15 days to 6 months.10)The maxillary distraction method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the device operates by the extra oral force application and intra-oral anchorage on to the symphysis of the mandible to distract the maxilla under administration of local anesthesia.11) A system for maxillary distraction, wherein the system comprises of: a processor arranged to execute a method of orthodontic correction, wherein the method comprises steps of: a) obtaining a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) or computed tomography (CT) or lateral cephalogram image of the craniofacial region of the subject; feeding the imaging data into a computer aided design (CAD) module to obtain an image representative of the initial position of the deficient maxilla; wherein the image representative can be referred to identify the location, placement and vital structures at the area of placement.; b) analyzing the imaging data from CAD module to optimize the dimensions of the bone plates to be placed in the anterior region of the mandible to obtain the desired position of the maxilla; obtaining a 3D model of a bone plate(s) associated with the plurality of position of the deficient maxilla; c) generating a mandible anchored maxillary distractor comprising an extra-oral distraction screw; two bone plates; a bone screw(s); a vertical axis screw; a vertical axis rod; a connector rod; a distraction screw thread activator; a screw-driven movable crossbar and a slot(s) for placement of force module. d) mapping the vector coordinates of anterior mandible region of the subject to anchor the bone plates; connecting the bone plates to the screw driven movable crossbar and applying force on the upper jaw; adjusting the height of the device with the vertical axis rod for control; e) dividing the maxillary sutures with the device and allowing protraction of the deficient upper jaw; rotating the distraction screw through the cylindrical rod at an angle of 360° for forward protraction of the deficient maxilla; applying force with the distractor remodels the maxillary sutures for protraction of maxilla; f) examining the extent of protraction in the deficient upper jaw until it is aligned at the desired position with the lower jaw; the device is semifixed thus the horizontal crossbar can be detached leaving the vertical rod and bone plates in place for enhanced userexperience during food consumption and travelling.12) The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the CAD module is for designing two bone plates; wherein the bone plates are reverse L shaped components comprising of circular holes for the screws to be affixed; wherein the first bone plate has 5 circular holes placed towards the left side of the mandible and the second bone plate has 5 circular holes placed towards the right side of the mandible.13) The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the distraction screw is rotated at an angle of 360° for forward protraction of the deficient maxilla, wherein each 360° screw rotation contributes around 1mm of protraction.14) The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the extent of protraction is examined for 15 days to 6 months until the deficient upper jaw is aligned at the desired position with the lower jaw.

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