Bionic Implant Abutment with Piezoelectric Transducer for Mastication Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental implants lack a mechanism to accurately transmit and perceive mastication forces to the brain, leading to material fatigue and structural damage due to inadequate sensitivity, particularly in patients with fixed prostheses, as they struggle to adjust force intensity based on food texture and hardness.
Innovation Solution
A bionic device integrated into the implant abutment converts compressive forces into electrical pulses transmitted through a copper wire coated with a biocompatible sheath, directly stimulating the trigeminal nerve endings, providing precise proprioceptive sensitivity and feedback to the brain about mastication forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If fixed prostheses are used over implants, then structural stability is improved, but material fatigue and structural damage increase due to inability to perceive mastication forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by incorporating a bionic device with a transducer that converts mechanical mastication forces into electrical signals, which are then transmitted to the trigeminal nerve endings. This provides real-time feedback to the nervous system about the intensity of mastication forces, allowing the brain to regulate muscle contraction and prevent excessive forces that cause material fatigue and structural damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical transmission of force through bone conduction with an electrical signal transmission system. The transducer converts mechanical stress into electrical pulses that directly stimulate nerve endings, eliminating the need for mechanical force transmission through the implant structure and preventing material fatigue.
2Strength
If bone conduction is used for sensitivity transmission, then structural integrity is maintained, but sensitivity precision deteriorates due to vague and non-discriminating sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the mechanical bone conduction pathway with an electrical signal transmission system. The transducer converts mechanical stress into electrical pulses that directly stimulate trigeminal nerve endings, providing precise and discriminative sensitivity feedback to the brain, eliminating the vagueness of bone conduction sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of the transducer and electrical conducting wire that mediates between the mechanical mastication forces and the nervous system. This intermediary converts mechanical signals into electrical signals, enabling precise sensitivity transmission without compromising structural integrity.
3Ease of operation
If removable prostheses are used, then ease of cleaning is improved, but force transmission to implants deteriorates due to tangential plane connection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical force transmission through tangential planes with an electrical signal transmission system. The transducer detects mastication forces and converts them into electrical pulses that directly stimulate nerve endings, eliminating the need for effective force transmission through the prosthesis structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution prevents material fatigue and structural damage by allowing precise control of mastication forces, enhancing food texture perception, improving balance, and reducing dental clinic visits, while maintaining the implants' structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
one or more transducers of mechanical stress of the mandible in an electrical signal
Implementation Method 2
A bionic device integrated into the implant abutment converts compressive forces into electrical pulses transmitted through a copper wire
Data Source
AI summary
The presently disclosed subject matter has application in the fields of Medicine, Neurology, Stomatology, Dentistry, Maxillofacial Surgery and Gerontology, using electronics nanotechnology and biomechanics technologies. The disclosed subject matter includes a bionic device of transduction of the mastication pressure into an electrical stimulus, capable of being perceived by the organism in the form of a nociceptive stimulus, which triggers in the organism an appropriate motor response of defense or decrease of muscle contraction. A generating device of nociceptive stimulus able to stimulate the brain areas related to chewing can be provided, modulating the muscular response thus avoiding the problems of overload during the process of mastication or while sleeping, involuntary movements called parafunctions of mastication, which translates to sharply wear down the dental crowns, also called bruxism. An exemplary embodiment can include a driver, interface with the nervous structures, prosthetic abutment, and processing device and force transducer.