Customized Temporomandibular Joint With Interlocking Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing artificial temporomandibular joint units have standardized structures that cannot be tailored to individual shapes and angles, leading to procedural difficulties and the need to replace entire components due to abrasion, rather than just the worn parts.
Innovation Solution
A customized artificial temporomandibular joint unit featuring a first plate with an insertion groove and a main prothesis that can be forcibly fitted and detached, allowing for customization and replacement of only the abraded parts, without the need for additional fastening devices, along with a sub-prothesis for the second plate to enhance fit and longevity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a standardized artificial joint unit is used, then manufacturing and inventory management are simplified, but the product cannot be tailored to individual patient shapes and angles, resulting in procedural difficulties and poor fit
Solution Approach 1:
The artificial joint unit is divided into multiple segments: a standardized base structure (first plate with insertion groove) and a customizable main prothesis portion. This segmentation allows the base to be mass-produced while the main prothesis can be customized for each patient's specific anatomy, angles, and shape requirements, resolving the contradiction between standardized manufacturing and individualized adaptation
Solution Approach 2:
The main prothesis is designed with a pre-formed combining portion that can be forcibly fitted into the insertion groove of the standardized first plate. This preliminary preparation of the combining portion allows for easy attachment of customized components to the standardized base during surgery, enabling both standardized manufacturing and patient-specific customization without complex procedures
2Reliability
If the entire first plate or second plate is replaced due to abrasion, then joint functionality is restored, but the procedure becomes more complex and time-consuming than necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The artificial joint unit is segmented into replaceable components, with the main prothesis designed as a separate detachable element from the first plate. When abrasion occurs, only the worn main prothesis needs to be replaced by detaching it from the first plate and attaching a new one, rather than replacing the entire first plate or second plate. This reduces surgical complexity and operating time while restoring joint functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The combining portion of the main prothesis is designed with a tapered shape that allows it to be forcibly fitted into the insertion groove and later detached when wear occurs. This dynamic design enables the main prothesis to be easily removed and replaced without requiring replacement of the entire artificial joint unit, simplifying the replacement procedure while maintaining joint reliability
3Strength
If a separate fastening device is used to attach the main prothesis to the first plate, then the connection is secure, but the structure becomes more complex and the procedure more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening function is merged into the main prothesis itself through the combining portion with a tapered shape. The combining portion is forcibly fitted directly into the insertion groove of the first plate, creating a secure connection without requiring separate fastening devices such as screws or clips. This integration maintains strong mechanical connection while simplifying the overall structure and reducing surgical procedure complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered combining portion of the main prothesis is designed to self-lock into the insertion groove through its geometric shape. The taper provides mechanical interference that secures the main prothesis to the first plate without additional fastening components. This self-service design achieves secure attachment while eliminating the need for separate fastening devices, reducing both device complexity and procedural time
Data Source
AI summary
A customized artificial temporomandibular joint unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first plate provided along a lower line of a lower jawbone forming a temporomandibular joint and having an insertion groove that is outwardly open, a second plate provided at a temporal bone forming the temporomandibular joint together with the lower jawbone, and a main prothesis detachably combined to the first plate without a separate fastening device by being forcibly fit into the insertion groove while approaching the first plate, and arranged in a customized manner at a facing surface location facing the second plate.