Orthodontic Aligner with Integrated Bite Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Orthodontic aligners with bite modification structures, such as bite turbos, are challenging to integrate into the design and manufacturing process, leading to inconsistent fit and inconvenient patient experiences, as clinicians struggle to account for the placement and shape of these structures during aligner design and manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
An orthodontic aligner with a built-in bite structure that includes a non-planar surface with spaced-apart projections, allowing for consistent bite modification without full jaw closure, integrated into the shell of the aligner to prevent jaw interference and improve orthodontic treatment efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bite turbos are adhesively secured to patient's teeth, then bite modification is achieved, but patient convenience deteriorates and treatment consistency worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the bite turbo structure with the aligner shell into a single integrated component. The bite modification structure is formed as part of the aligner manufacturing process rather than being separately attached to teeth, eliminating the need for adhesive application and patient visits for installation. This merging resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliable bite modification while dramatically improving patient convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The bite modification structure is pre-formed and integrated into the aligner before the patient receives it. The aligner is manufactured with the bite turbo already in place, eliminating the need for clinical installation procedures. This preliminary action ensures consistent placement while improving ease of operation for the patient.
2Reliability
If bite turbos are hand-formed and adhesively bonded, then bite modification is achieved, but manufacturing precision and fit consistency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual, mechanical process of hand-forming and adhesive bonding with an automated manufacturing process. The bite modification structure is formed using injection molding or similar automated techniques that integrate it directly into the aligner shell. This substitution eliminates human error in placement and shaping, dramatically improving manufacturing precision while maintaining reliable bite modification.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the bite turbo formation with the aligner manufacturing process, the patent ensures that the bite modification structure is created with the same precision and automation as the aligner itself. This integration eliminates the separate, less precise hand-forming step and ensures consistent fit and placement across all patients.
3Reliability
If bite turbos are placed on teeth, then jaw closure interference is achieved, but treatment complexity and clinical intervention requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bite turbo function with the aligner device itself, creating a single integrated orthodontic appliance. The bite modification structure is formed as part of the aligner shell, eliminating the need for separate placement procedures and reducing overall treatment complexity while maintaining reliable jaw closure control.
Solution Approach 2:
The aligner with integrated bite structure is designed to be self-contained and ready-to-use upon delivery to the patient. The bite modification functionality is built-in and requires no additional clinical intervention or patient manipulation beyond inserting and wearing the aligner as directed. This self-service design reduces treatment complexity while ensuring consistent jaw closure control.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthodontic aligner includes a shell defining at least one cavity sized to receive one of a patient's teeth. The cavity includes a lingual portion, a labial portion, and an occlusal portion. A bite structure forms at least a portion of the occlusal portion and is configured to be spaced apart from an occlusal surface of the patient's tooth by a distant sufficient to interfere with full closure of the patient's jaws. The bite structure has a non-planar surface that does not conform to the patient's tooth. The non-planar surface includes at least two spaced-apart projections separated by a boundary. The spaced-apart projections are spherical-like projections or ellipsoidal-like projections. The boundary has a grid-like appearance that spans the bite structure side to side. The spaced-apart projections define a tooth-engaging plane of the bite structure. The bite structure is an integral portion of the shell.