Dental Attachment Positioning with Flexible Tooth Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing attachment placement methods are complex, time-consuming, and less than ideal in terms of alignment, stabilization, and accommodation of tooth movement, often resulting in improper placement and excess material deposition.
Innovation Solution
The use of articulated registration elements with flexible couplings and self-retention features allows for improved alignment and stabilization of attachments on teeth, accommodating tooth movement and reducing fabrication time, with features like flexible arms and attachment wells to manage excess material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If prior attachment templates are used, then attachment placement can be facilitated, but the templates may not properly align with the teeth resulting in improper placement
Solution Approach 1:
The registration elements are pre-formed with specific geometries that match the tooth surfaces, and the attachment template is pre-positioned relative to these registration elements during fabrication. This preliminary positioning ensures accurate alignment when the template is placed on the teeth, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures during attachment placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The registration elements are created as copies or impressions of the actual tooth surfaces, capturing the precise geometry and position of each tooth. This copying approach allows the attachment template to be fabricated with accurate spatial relationships to the teeth, ensuring proper alignment during placement without requiring complex adjustment procedures.
2Ease of operation
If prior attachment templates are used, then the attachment process can be supported, but the treatment professional must hold the template to maintain positioning increasing time and limiting hands-free operation
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment template incorporates self-retention features such as clips, snaps, or friction-fit mechanisms that automatically secure the template to the teeth or registration elements once placed. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for the treatment professional to continuously hold the template in position, allowing hands-free operation during attachment bonding and reducing placement time.
3Ease of operation
If prior attachment templates are used, then attachment placement can be facilitated, but stabilization is less than ideal requiring manual holding
Solution Approach 1:
The template incorporates self-retention features such as clips, snaps, or friction-fit mechanisms that automatically secure the template to the teeth or registration elements once placed. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for the treatment professional to continuously hold the template in position, allowing hands-free operation during attachment bonding and reducing placement time.
Solution Approach 2:
The registration elements are designed with curved or contoured surfaces that match the natural curvature of the tooth surfaces. This curvature-based design creates natural mechanical interlocking and friction fit, enhancing the stability and retention of the template on the teeth without requiring complex retention mechanisms.
4Productivity
If attachments are placed during treatment, then treatment can proceed, but excess material is deposited requiring additional removal time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts or removes the excess attachment material at the source by incorporating retention features on the registration elements that prevent material overflow. The registration elements are designed with containment features that hold the attachment material within the desired boundaries, eliminating the need for subsequent removal of excess material and maintaining treatment productivity.
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 approach enhances the efficiency and accuracy of attachment placement, allowing for both hands-free operation by the treatment professional and reduced material waste, while accommodating tooth movement and improving alignment.
Implementation Method 1
The device may comprise a plurality of resilient registration elements
Implementation Method 2
articulated registration elements with flexible couplings
Data Source
AI summary
A dental attachment positioning device may include a plurality of registration elements. The registration elements may include a tooth registration surface configured to mate with one or more teeth of a patient and a retention support for holding the registration element to one or more teeth of a patient. An attachment support may extend from and be releasably coupled to one or more dental attachments. A coupling may be located between two adjacent registration elements. The coupling may include a force concentration structure. The force concentration structure may include a notch or channel configured to facilitate a breakage between the two adjacent registration elements.