Customized Facemasks with Sensors for Malocclusion Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current standardized facemasks for treating Class III malocclusions are unaesthetic, uncomfortable, and poorly fitting, leading to low patient compliance and increased risk of skin irritation and gingival recession, especially in children and those with craniofacial deformities, due to their non-customized design and material.
Innovation Solution
A process for manufacturing customized facemasks using 3D digital imaging and 3D printing of forehead and chin pads, incorporating temperature and pressure sensors, and a gamification approach to enhance patient compliance, with a lightweight and biocompatible midline rod, allowing for personalized fit and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standardized facemasks are used, then manufacturing cost and simplicity are improved, but fit and comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from standardized, fixed-dimensional pads to customized pads with variable dimensions, shapes, and material properties. The 3D scanning and printing process enables precise control of pad parameters (size, curvature, density) to match individual patient anatomy, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and personalized fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by creating digital 3D models and virtual prototypes of the pads before physical manufacturing. This preliminary digital design phase allows optimization of fit and comfort parameters before committing to production, enabling customization without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
2Device complexity
If standardized pads are used, then device complexity is reduced, but patient compliance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the aesthetic parameters of the pads through customization of color, pattern, and surface texture. This transforms the pads from unpleasant medical devices to acceptable or even appealing accessories, directly improving patient compliance without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent explicitly applies color changes as a customization option for the pads. By allowing patients to choose colors and patterns, the aesthetic appeal is enhanced, making the device more acceptable to children and improving compliance while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes.
3Force
If heavy elastics are used for traction, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but patient comfort and compliance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the traction system by replacing heavy elastics with lightweight springs or elastic elements integrated into the customized pads. The force application is optimized through precise positioning and material selection, maintaining effective traction force while dramatically reducing the weight and discomfort associated with traditional heavy elastics.
4Quantity of substance
If standard pads are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but skin irritation and gingival recession risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating pads with spatially varying properties - different densities, softness levels, and material compositions in different regions of the same pad. This allows optimization of each contact area for its specific function (e.g., softer material for skin contact zones, firmer material for structural support zones), reducing skin irritation and gingival recession risks while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A Process for manufacturing customized facemasks, especially for the treatment of Class III malocclusions comprising the following steps: producing respective impressions of patient's forehead and chin, to record the anatomic structure thereof, using impression materials commonly utilized in dentistry for intraoral impressions; producing respective 3D digital images of a patient's forehead and chin through a 3d-scanning of said forehead and chin impressions; 3D printing of customized forehead and chin pads (1, 2); detecting patient's side profile line from a side picture of patient's face; 3D printing of a midline rod modelled according to said profile line; and assembling said forehead and chin pads and said midline rod into a facemask featuring a facial frame providing retention to elastic bands meant to be connected to an intraoral appliance, wherein, in the forehead pad (1) a temperature sensor is inserted while a pressure sensor is embedded into the chin pad (2), said sensors being linked to an application for tablets and smartphones including a videogame designed to enhance patients' compliance with wearing the facemask.