Adjustable Arched Frame Dental Device for Custom Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental devices are often custom-made in labs, requiring dental impressions and can be costly, time-consuming, and designed to treat only one condition, limiting their effectiveness for multiple issues and hindering medical access during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A dental device with an arched frame and moldable tray that can be customized in a dentist's office, featuring adjustable mechanisms and universal couplers to treat multiple conditions, allowing for quick access and adjustment during medical procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If dental devices are custom-made in labs after receiving dental impressions, then the devices can be precisely fitted to individual patients, but the process consumes substantial time and money
Solution Approach 1:
The dental device is divided into multiple interchangeable components including an upper arch appliance, lower arch appliance, and various attachment elements. This segmentation allows the basic structure to be prepared in advance while only requiring simple customization of specific components, reducing overall fabrication time while maintaining fit precision
Solution Approach 2:
The arched frames and basic structural components are pre-fabricated with standardized dimensions and features before patient-specific customization is needed. This preliminary preparation of core components accelerates the overall device creation process while preserving the ability to achieve precise individual fits
2Manufacturing precision
If dental devices are custom-made in labs, then the devices can be precisely fitted to individual patients, but the cost increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the device into standardized modular components, the manufacturing process can utilize efficient mass production techniques for common parts while only requiring minimal customization for patient-specific elements, thereby reducing overall manufacturing costs while maintaining precision fit
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized components are designed to be universally applicable across multiple patients with similar dental characteristics. This universality allows for economies of scale in manufacturing, reducing per-unit costs while the modular nature preserves the ability to achieve precise individual fits through component selection and combination
3Adaptability or versatility
If dental devices are designed to target particular problems, then the treatment can be specialized, but the device cannot help with multiple conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The dental device incorporates multiple attachments and configurations that can address different dental conditions including malocclusion, bruxism, and airway issues. The standardized arched frames and interchangeable components allow a single base design to serve multiple therapeutic functions without proportionally increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The device includes adjustable and reconfigurable elements such as movable attachments and modular components that can be adapted to treat various conditions. This dynamic capability allows the device to transition between different treatment modes while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through standardized connection mechanisms
4Reliability
If dental devices hook or attach inside the patient's mouth, then the devices can maintain position, but they hinder doctors' ability to gain quick access inside the mouth during procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates external attachment mechanisms that connect to dental structures through minimally invasive means, leaving the interior of the mouth accessible. The anchoring features are positioned at the periphery or on accessible surfaces, extracting the attachment function from the deep oral cavity while maintaining device stability
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses intermediary attachment structures such as external frames or minimally invasive anchors that mediate between the need for stable positioning and the need for medical access. These intermediaries provide secure attachment while maintaining clear pathways for medical instruments and procedures
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a dental device is provided. The dental device includes an arched frame configured to be positioned proximate to the occlusal surface of a user's dental arch such that the arched frame extends beyond the cuspids of the user's dental arch. The arched frame defines a plurality of apertures, and the arched frame includes an adjustment mechanism. The dental device further includes a moldable tray coupled to the arched frame. The moldable tray engages the plurality of apertures and includes a channel configured to engage at least some of the teeth of the user's dental arch.