Alveolar Membrane with Fixing Digits for Bone Augmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional alveolar membranes used in dental implant surgery lack stability due to an unstable combination with the artificial toothroot, leading to potential adverse effects during bone augmentation and dental implant procedures.
Innovation Solution
An alveolar membrane design featuring a connecting portion with a through hole for the artificial toothroot, a capping portion with multiple openings, and a fixing portion with triangular digits that can be inserted into osseous or soft tissue, providing additional fixation points to secure the osseous graft firmly in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a conventional alveolar membrane with only a connecting hole at one end is used, then the structure is simple, but the fixation stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane is divided into three functional segments: a connecting portion with a through hole for the artificial toothroot, a capping portion with multiple openings to cover the osseous graft, and a fixing portion with digits that extend into the osseous graft. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function, with the fixing portion providing additional stability without significantly increasing overall structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing portion extends in a new spatial dimension from the capping portion, with digits that project downward into the osseous graft. This dimensional extension creates additional fixation points beyond the single connecting hole, transforming the membrane from a two-point attachment system to a multi-point three-dimensional fixation system
2Ease of operation
If the membrane is fixed only at one end to the artificial toothroot, then the installation is simple, but the osseous graft positioning stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing portion with its digits is pre-formed as an integral part of the membrane structure, ready to be inserted into the osseous graft during a single surgical procedure. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for separate fixation steps, maintaining installation simplicity while ensuring stable positioning of the osseous graft through the pre-configured digit structures
3Reliability
If additional fixing structures are added to the membrane, then the fixation stability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The additional fixing structures are concentrated in the fixing portion at one specific location of the membrane, rather than distributing complexity throughout the entire structure. The connecting portion and capping portion maintain their simple, familiar forms, while the fixing portion locally introduces digit structures that engage with the osseous graft, providing enhanced stability with minimal increase in overall device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An alveolar membrane includes: a connecting portion being provided thereon with a through hole for an artificial toothroot to pass therethrough; a capping portion having its one end connected to the connecting portion and including a plurality of openings; and a fixing portion being located at an opposite end of the capping portion and having at least one digit that has a tip to be fixed in osseous tissue or between osseous tissue and soft tissue. With the connecting portion and the fixing portion at its two ends both fixed, the alveolar membrane firmly holds the osseous graft in position.