Dental Attachment Stabilizing Groove Resilience
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Extracoronal dental attachments face issues with excessive loads causing relative movements between the tooth crown or implant and the denture, potentially leading to the patrix breaking, and existing solutions are complex and costly due to the need for additional shear distribution arms.
Innovation Solution
A resilient extracoronal attachment design that eliminates the need for an additional thrust distribution arm by using a stabilizing groove and rib system, combined with a friction part to absorb loads and compensate for tolerances, enhancing the connection between the male and female parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a shear distribution arm is added to absorb rotational movements, then the attachment becomes more resilient, but the structure becomes more complicated and production becomes more expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the stabilizing function previously requiring a separate shear distribution arm into the friction part itself. The friction part is designed with a stabilizing groove that receives a stabilizing protrusion from the patrix, integrating the rotational movement absorption function directly into the existing friction component rather than adding a separate element.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction part is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides friction-based load absorption, tolerance compensation, and rotational movement stabilization through its integrated stabilizing groove. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated shear distribution arms while maintaining resilience.
2Reliability
If a V-shaped latching groove is used for locking, then rotational movements are restrained, but the groove is relatively difficult to produce and makes reproducible production more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex V-shaped latching groove in the patrix, the patent inverts the approach by placing the stabilizing groove in the friction part and a simpler stabilizing protrusion in the patrix. This reversal makes the male part simpler to produce while maintaining the locking capability through the complementary groove-protrusion interface.
3Strength
If additional stabilizing components are added to prevent patrix breaking, then the attachment becomes more resilient, but the number of parts and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizing function is merged into the friction part through the integrated stabilizing groove, eliminating the need for additional stabilizing components. This single-component solution maintains the patrix's breaking strength without increasing the number of parts or production complexity.
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
The solution provides improved load-bearing capacity, reduced wear, and increased breaking strength of the patrix, while simplifying production and reducing costs by eliminating the need for complex shear distribution arms, ensuring stable and durable connections.
Implementation Method 1
a friction part (75) made of plastic and enclosing the head part (53)
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 6~10
Figure 11~14
AI summary
The extracoronal attachment comprises a female mold (65), which joins to the dental prosthesis, and a male mold, which can be fastened to a natural tooth or implant and which has an approximal part (51). The approximal part has, on each of two opposite longitudinal sides, at least one longitudinal groove (20) or longitudinal rib inside of which a corresponding longitudinal rib (30) or longitudinal groove of the female mold enters whereby establishing a positive connection, and has at least one occlusally facing bearing surface, on which the female mold rests with a supporting surface. The female mold comprises a housing, with which the longitudinal ribs (30) or longitudinal grooves of the female mold and the supporting surface are provided as a single piece.