Oral care system

Abstract

The invention relates to an oral care system (20) comprising a dental splint (10), a guide aid (24) and a care device, wherein: the dental splint (10) has one or more openings (12) around the site (6) to be cared for in a mouth; the opening (12) has, laterally with respect to the site (6) to be cared for, a contact surface (18) which corresponds to a mating surface (26) of the guide aid (24), so that the guide aid (24) can be secured without play on the dental splint (10) and the care device is guided on three axes relative to the site (6) to be cared for; and the guide aid (24), by means of a channel (28) formed in its interior, creates a cleaning action of the care device on the site (6) to be cared for.

Description

[0001] ORAL CARE SYSTEM

[0002] The invention relates to an oral care system.

[0003] For the care of artificial or natural teeth, aids such as dental floss or interdental brushes are often used. However, these place certain demands on the user's motor skills to avoid injuries in the oral cavity due to incorrect use. Particularly for elderly or care-dependent individuals, such tasks can no longer be performed independently, necessitating the assistance of caregivers. However, even for this group, a safe yet thorough treatment presents challenges. Furthermore, actions performed in the oral cavity by others are often perceived as intrusive, leading the person being treated to resist this intrusion into their privacy.

[0004] For the aforementioned reasons, aids for dental care have already been developed for elderly or care-dependent individuals. These include, among other things, special dental trays or cleaning templates that can guide dental floss or interdental brushes.

[0005] German patent DE 102019122852 A1 discloses a cleaning template for dental cleaning, designed to facilitate interdental cleaning. The cleaning template can be placed on a dental arch and the adjacent gum tissue and features an arc-shaped vestibular border and an arc-shaped oral border, as well as at least one recess at the location of at least one border of an interdental space between a tooth and / or implant in the dental arch. The cleaning template is individually adapted to the dental arch of the user and is manufactured based on an impression, particularly a digital one. Such an impression or scan of the oral cavity allows the cleaning template to be manufactured using 3D printing or computer-aided manufacturing.

[0006] From EP 3943038 A1, which was published subsequently compared to the previous patent application, a computer-implemented method for manufacturing a dental splint is also known. The method comprises creating at least one image of a patient's teeth and gums, designing a model of the dental splint based on the image of the patient's teeth and gums using a computer, defining insertion axes for inserting interdental brushes into each space between the proximal tooth surfaces of the patient's teeth in the model using the computer, defining insertion holes for inserting interdental brushes along the insertion axes using the computer, and manufacturing the dental splint, including the defined insertion holes, at least partially by means of an additive manufacturing process under computer control.

[0007] DE 10 2017 209 389 A1 discloses an interdental cleaning device with a one-piece base body comprising a first leg and a second leg, the free ends of which are pivotable relative to each other. The first leg has a positioning aid at its free end projecting towards one cleaning side, surrounding an opening in the first leg. The second leg has a holder at its free end for an interdental brush that can be inserted through the opening, with an elastic return element arranged between the first and second legs in an initial region of the leg opposite its free ends.

[0008] DE 10 2015 003 233 U1 discloses an interdental cleaning device with a first leg having a bore at its free end surrounded by a cone projecting towards a cleaning side, and a second leg having a holder at its free end for an interdental brush that can be passed through the bore. The first and second legs are connected to each other at their attachment ends in such a way that the free ends of the first and second legs can pivot relative to each other. An arc-shaped element spanning both legs in the region of their free ends is provided.

[0009] DE 20 2012 007 908 U1 discloses an interdental cleaning device with a first leg having a bore at its free end surrounded by a cone projecting towards a cleaning side, and a second leg having a holder at its free end for an interdental brush that can be guided through the bore. The first and second legs are connected to each other at their attachment ends in such a way that the free ends of the first and second legs can pivot relative to each other. The first and second legs are formed from a single injection-molded base body made of a basic component, which is at least partially overmolded with a soft-elastic plastic that at least completely surrounds the cone.

[0010] German patent DE 42 36 167 A1 discloses an instrument with projections that form an initial guide, while the cleaning insert can be activated during handling of the instrument. The instrument can be fork-shaped, with the prongs receiving and guiding the insert. These are moved towards each other during the cleaning process, thereby also achieving a wiping effect.

[0011] KR 10 2022 0 167 999 A relates to an interdental brush that guides the user into a cleaning position. The interdental brush comprises a first frame section and a second frame section that intersects and is connected to the first frame section. A guide section is formed at one end of the first frame section. A brush section is formed at one end of the second frame section. The guide section has one end located on the side of an interdental space, guides the user into the position of the interdental areas to be cleaned, and then into a position between the teeth to be cleaned by means of a first guide section and a second guide section. This design restricts bending and kinking of the brush section.

[0012] Based on this state of the art, the task now is to improve the use of known dental splints or dental splints manufactured using known methods in an oral care system in order to further reduce the risk of injury when using the dental splint.

[0013] This problem is solved by independent claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. These can be combined with one another in a technologically meaningful way. The description, particularly in conjunction with the drawing, further characterizes and specifies the invention.

[0014] According to the invention, an oral care system comprising a dental splint, a guide, and a care device is provided, wherein the dental splint has one or more openings around the area to be cared for in the mouth, the opening having a contact surface laterally to the area to be cared for that corresponds to a counter surface of the guide, so that the guide can be fixed to the dental splint without play, and the care device is guided three-axis relative to the area to be cared for, wherein the guide enables the care device to act on the area to be cared for by means of a channel formed in its interior. The oral care system according to the invention enables optimal guidance of the care device relative to the area to be cared for in the mouth, so that the risk of injury to the gums is eliminated.This is achieved by guiding the cleaning device within the canal of the guide, allowing the cleaning device to be moved only in an axial direction along the canal. The relative position between the cleaning device and the guide is fixed, except for the degree of freedom along the axial direction within the canal. The guide, in turn, is fixed without play via the mating surface corresponding to the contact surface. As a result, the cleaning device is also fixed relative to the dental tray, except for the degree of freedom along the axial direction within the canal and beyond, in the direction of the cleaning area. Consequently, the cleaning device is guided three-axis to the opening(s) around the area to be cleaned. Typically, the openings will be positioned vestibularly, but oral placement is not excluded.In this example, the action of the care device on the area to be cared for is a cleaning process. However, in other applications, it could also involve the dispensing of a gel or medication, which, for example, is to be injected precisely into a periodontal pocket using a care device designed as an injection device. Here, too, the care device is guided to the opening(s) at the area to be cared for along three axes, and the dispensed substance reaches the area to be cared for via the channel of the guide.

[0015] According to the invention, it can thus be ensured that both people with motor impairments and caregivers, who do not need to have dental training, can perform care treatments such as thorough cleaning of natural or artificial teeth or prosthetic elements without injury. In addition to cleaning, the care treatments encompassed by the invention also include the administration of medication to defined areas in the mouth, which, for example, allows for the treatment of inflamed areas of the gums.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention, the care device is an interdental brush, wherein the channel formed inside the guide aid can receive the interdental brush in such a way that the three-axis guidance of the interdental brush to the area to be cared for takes place.

[0017] In comparison, conventional dental trays only offer vestibular positioning of the insertion area, without providing three-axis guidance, as standard cleaning devices, such as interdental brushes, do not correspond to the shape of the insertion aid. This means that these interdental brushes can be inserted into the interdental space at an arbitrary, random angle, drastically reducing cleaning effectiveness and potentially causing gum damage. Furthermore, the interdental brush can bend and become unusable.The invention provides an individual, reproducible interdental brush guide that not only serves as a positioning aid for the interdental space, but also guides the interdental brush precisely along a three-axis path through the individual interdental spaces or cleaning surfaces, depending on the different angles and orientations, thanks to its precisely coordinated surface / guiding system. With correct design, injury to the gums is impossible, and the cleaning effect is optimally adapted to the individual situation.

[0018] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the guide and the interdental brush are pivotable relative to each other via a joint. This pivoting action ensures that the interdental brush can be easily moved along the channel of the guide by the user with one hand. The combination of interdental brush and guide can, for example, be designed in the form of pliers or tweezers, in which the interdental brush and the guide are arranged opposite each other at the ends of the respective arms.

[0019] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the interdental brush is made of a plastic material. The inner diameter of the canal and the deformability of the interdental brush at the cleaning end can be coordinated.

[0020] Interdental brushes can be designed in various ways. The cleaning surface is usually made of plastic fibers or a plastic foam. Besides a design with a wire or metal core surrounded by the plastic fibers or foam, a completely plastic design with a fan-shaped shape is also possible. Depending on the plastic material used and the design of the interdental brush, the diameter of the guide channel must be selected accordingly so that the interdental brush can be guided through the canal. The channel diameter depends on the flexibility of the interdental brush at the cleaning end and should be chosen to allow for precise guidance of the interdental brush with minimal effort required when inserting it through the canal.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the care device dispenses a cleaning agent which, guided by a three-axis mechanism, reaches the area to be cared for through the channel formed inside the guide. The care device can also be an oral irrigator using a water jet as the cleaning agent, or a high-pressure cleaning device using air as the cleaning agent, optionally with an abrasive additive. The care device can also be configured as an injector for dispensing a gel, liquid, or ointment.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the invention, the guide and the maintenance device are made in one piece.

[0023] The handling of the oral care system according to the invention is simplified by providing the guide and the care device as a single component. In this way, for example, threading the interdental brush, as the care device, into the channel of the guide by the user can be simplified or even completely eliminated.

[0024] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the contact surfaces and the counter surfaces are designed to be form-fitting to each other, at least in sections.

[0025] To ensure the guide is fixed relative to the toothed rail without play, the corresponding contact surfaces and mating surfaces can be designed in different ways. In principle, it is sufficient if the corresponding contact surfaces and mating surfaces form a positive fit in certain sections.

[0026] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the contact surfaces and the counter surfaces are conically shaped.

[0027] The design as conically shaped surfaces further simplifies the use of the oral care system according to the invention, since the guide aid can be fixed without play in any orientation around the axial direction of the canal relative to the dental splint.

[0028] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the dental splint is manufactured individually for each patient from a plastic material.

[0029] The interdental brush of the oral care system is thus adapted to the individual tooth positions, cleaning surfaces and tooth papillae to ensure optimal cleaning.

[0030] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the dental splint is manufactured using an additive process.

[0031] This enables the simple and cost-effective production of a patient-specific dental splint.

[0032] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the contact surfaces and / or the counter surfaces can be removed during the CAD design of a library.

[0033] Using software, corresponding guide funnels are generated in the dental tray from a digital mold library for form-fitting care devices such as interdental brushes. This makes it possible to adapt the desired guidance of the care devices in a three-axis orientation defined by the CAD software to the individual tooth position or the cleaning surfaces of prosthetic elements. An interdental brush of the oral care system according to the invention, for example, is defined in its external shape such that it can be inserted into the guide funnels from the CAD mold library in the dental tray of the oral care system according to the invention in a form-fitting manner and assumes a defined position and axis alignment with the individual tooth position and the interdental spaces or with the cleaning surfaces.

[0034] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the dental splint spans a jaw arch completely or only partially.

[0035] Some exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows:

[0036] Figure 1A shows a dental splint as part of an oral care system according to the invention in a side view.

[0037] Figure 1B shows the tooth rail from Figure 1A in a top view.

[0038] Figure 1C shows the dental splint from Figure 1A in a sectional view.

[0039] Figure 2 shows an oral care system according to the invention in a first

[0040] View, and

[0041] Figure 3 shows a second view of an oral care system according to the invention.

[0042] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent components are provided with the same reference symbols.

[0043] Figure 1A shows a side view of a portion of a human dentition 2 with several teeth 4 as a starting point for the exemplary use of an oral care system according to the invention. Several areas 6 to be treated are marked in the spaces between the teeth 4 above a gum 8, which are to be cleaned by a user. It is understood that the invention is applicable to both natural and artificial teeth 4, as well as to implants, bridges, or crowns. In general, the invention can be used not only for a dentition or for teeth of a human or an animal, but can also be applied to prosthetic restorations with and without remaining teeth. For example, implants, conical crowns, and implant-supported bar restorations in the edentulous jaw can also be designated as areas 6 to be cleaned.In addition to cleaning between the teeth, it is also possible to clean the surfaces of prosthetic elements. The following explanation therefore refers only to dentition 2 with teeth 4 as an example.

[0044] With reference to Figure 1B, a dental splint 10, a component of an embodiment of an oral care system, is shown in a top view below. The dental splint 10 is adapted to the oral situation in a manner customary in the field, so that it fits precisely on the dentition 2. Openings 12 are provided on the dental splint 10 at the areas to be cleaned, through which, as will be explained later, the cleaning device in the form of an interdental brush for cleaning the interdental spaces is to be inserted along an axial direction 14.

[0045] Besides the interdental brush, other applications are also conceivable. For example, the device could dispense a cleaning agent to be applied to the area requiring care. This could involve using a water jet as a water flosser. Alternatively, the device could be a high-pressure cleaning system using air and water, with an abrasive additive to enhance the cleaning effect. Such devices are known as air-flow systems. Furthermore, an injector could be used to deliver a gel or medication to be applied into a periodontal pocket.In this way, precise medication placement is possible within a periodontal pocket, which, for example, may be 13 mm deep and located between molar roots at a depth of 15 mm. In all the examples mentioned, precise guidance of the oral hygiene device relative to the application site is essential.

[0046] The structure according to Figure 1B is shown again in a sectional view in Figure 1C. The section plane is arranged perpendicular to the drawing plane of Figure 1B such that it encloses the axial direction 14.

[0047] As can be seen in Figure 1C, the toothed rail 10 has a contact surface 18 around each opening 12 on its outer surface 16. The contact surface 18 is arranged around the opening 12 such that it partially covers the axial direction 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the contact surface 18 is in the form of a cone that tapers towards the opening 12. The function of this contact surface 18 is explained below with reference to Figure 2.

[0048] Furthermore, Figure 1C shows that a further opening 12' is located opposite the opening 12 along the axial direction 14. A brush head of the interdental brush 22, for example, can pass through this further opening 12', allowing the interdental brush 22 to move back and forth along the axial direction 14 for cleaning. In other care devices, the water from the oral irrigator or the compressed air from the air-flow system could, for example, exit the interdental space via this further opening 12'. In other applications, the further opening 12' could be omitted. It should be mentioned again here that the orientation of the axial direction 14 relative to the area 6 to be cared for is selected individually in each case. Likewise, the position of the opening 12 and that of the further opening 12' can also be reversed, which also requires an adjustment of the axial direction 14 to the oral situation.

[0049] Figure 2 shows the oral care system 20 according to the invention in a sectional view with further components. In addition to the components already shown in Figure 1C, an interdental brush 22 and a guide aid 24 are provided as part of the oral care system 20.

[0050] The guide aid 24 has a counter surface 26 which is designed to correspond to the contact surface 18, so that the counter surface 26 can rest on the contact surface 18 with a positive fit and no play. A channel 28 is provided inside the guide aid 24, through which the interdental brush 22 can be guided. The diameter of the channel 28 is adapted to the deformability and the outer dimensions of the interdental brush 22.

[0051] As shown in Figure 2, the guide 24 and the interdental brush 22 are made in one piece and are each arranged at the end of two legs 30, which are connected at their opposite ends by a rotatable joint 32. Such a design of an aid for cleaning interdental spaces is known per se, wherein, according to the invention, in the illustrated embodiment, the guide 24 is provided which, via the counter surface 26 corresponding to the contact surface 18, enables a play-free fixation relative to the oral dental splint 10.

[0052] If the care device is provided as an oral irrigator, a high-pressure cleaning device or an injector, a suitable position of the guide aid 24 and the counter surface 26 would be in the area of ​​nozzles when dispensing a cleaning agent or at the base of a cannula when administering medication.

[0053] Figure 3 shows the embodiment according to Figure 2 again after the guide 24 has been attached to the oral splint 10. As a result, the interdental brush 22 is thus fixed relative to the oral splint 10 up to the degree of freedom along the axial direction 14 in the canal 28 and beyond, in the direction of the cleaning area on tooth 4. By pressing the two legs 30 together, the interdental brush 22 can be moved along the axial direction 14 to the space on tooth 4 after the guide 24 has been attached to the oral splint 10. This precise three-axis guidance significantly reduces or completely eliminates the risk of injury to the gums 8. The oral care system 20 according to the invention thus represents a significant improvement in the care of natural or artificial teeth or dentures and can be used both in one's own mouth and by caregivers in another person's mouth.

[0054] The features specified above and in the claims, as well as those discernible from the illustrations, can be advantageously implemented both individually and in various combinations. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments but can be modified in many ways within the scope of expert knowledge.

[0055] List of reference symbols:

[0056] 2 dentures

[0057] 4 teeth

[0058] 6th place

[0059] 8 gums

[0060] 10 dental splint

[0061] 12 Opening

[0062] 12' further opening

[0063] 14 axial direction

[0064] 16 Outside

[0065] 18 Plant area

[0066] 20 Oral Care System

[0067] 22 Interdental brush

[0068] 24 Guidelines

[0069] 26 Counter surface

[0070] 28-channel

[0071] 30 thighs

[0072] 32 joint

Claims

Claims:

1. Oral care system (20) comprising a dental splint (10), a guide (24) and a care device, wherein the dental splint (10) has one or more openings (12) around a site (6) to be cared for in a mouth, wherein the opening (12) has a contact surface (18) laterally to the site (6) to be cared for, which corresponds to a counter surface (26) of the guide (24) so ​​that the guide (24) can be fixed to the dental splint (10) without play and the care device is guided three-axis relative to the site (6) to be cared for, wherein the guide (24) creates a cleaning effect of the care device on the site (6) to be cared for by means of a channel (28) formed in its interior.

2. Oral care system (20) according to claim 1, wherein the care device is an interdental brush (22), wherein the channel (28) formed inside the guide aid (24) can receive the interdental brush (22) in such a way that a three-axis guidance of the interdental brush (22) to the area to be cared for is provided.

3. Oral care system (20) according to claim 2, wherein the guide aid (24) and the interdental brush (22) are pivotable relative to each other about a joint (32).

4. Oral care system (20) according to one of claims 2 or 3, wherein an inner diameter of the channel (28) and a deformability of the interdental brush (22) at the care end are coordinated.

5. Oral care system (20) according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the interdental brush (22) is made of a plastic material.

6. Oral care system (20) according to claim 1, wherein the care device dispenses a cleaning agent which, under the three-axis guidance through the channel (28) formed inside the guide aid (24), reaches the area (6) to be cared for.

7. Oral care system (20) according to claim 6, wherein the care device is designed as an oral irrigator with a water jet as a cleaning agent, as a high-pressure cleaning device with air as a cleaning agent, to which a granular additive may optionally be added, or as an injector for administering medication in the form of a gel, a liquid or an ointment.

8. Oral care system (20) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the guide aid (24) and the care device are made in one piece.

9. Oral care system (20) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the contact surface (18) and the counter surface (26) are formed in a form-fitting manner towards each other at least in sections.

10. Oral care system (20) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the contact surface (18) and the counter surface (26) are conically shaped.

11. Oral care system (20) according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the dental splint (10) is made of a plastic material.

12. Oral care system (20) according to claim 11, wherein the dental splint (10) is manufactured in an additive process tailored to the individual patient.

13. Oral care system (20) according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the attachment surface (18) and / or the counter surface (26) are removable during a CAD design of a library.

14. Oral care system (20) according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the dental splint (10) spans a jaw arch completely or only partially. 5

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