Multi-Orientation Dental Brush Assembly for Hard-to-Reach Tooth Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental brushes used for applying and sculpting composite resin materials are inadequate for accessing difficult-to-reach areas in the oral cavity, such as the lingual sides of teeth, gingival marginal areas, and occlusal surfaces of molars, as they lack the necessary flexibility and orientation to effectively reach and form composite materials in these regions.
Innovation Solution
A dental brush assembly with a handle and detachable brushes that provide multiple non-identical orientations through varying shank angles and offsets, allowing for multiple angles of attack and improved access to dental surfaces, including a multi-orientation brush with a non-circular coupling orifice for enhanced flexibility and comfort during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a straight artist brush is used for applying composite resin, then the brush can effectively reach easily accessible painting surfaces, but it fails to access difficult-to-reach areas in the oral cavity such as lingual areas, gingival marginal areas, and occlusal surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The brush assembly is divided into multiple brush heads with different orientations (e.g., 0°, 45°, 90° angles) that can be selectively attached to the handle, allowing each brush head to be optimized for specific tooth surfaces while the system as a whole provides comprehensive access to all areas
Solution Approach 2:
A single handle design incorporates multiple brush holding positions and angles, enabling one tool to perform multiple functions and access various tooth surfaces (facial, lingual, occlusal, interproximal) that would otherwise require multiple different brushes
2Ease of operation
If a single angled brush head is used, then access to certain tooth surfaces is improved, but a single angle cannot adequately access every tooth surface that may need attention
Solution Approach 1:
The brush head can be dynamically repositioned or replaced during the procedure to change the angle of attack, allowing the operator to adapt to different tooth surfaces and contours as needed rather than being fixed to a single static angle
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple brush holding positions are arranged in different spatial dimensions and orientations around the handle, adding angular and positional dimensions to the tool's capabilities, enabling access to tooth surfaces from multiple directions without changing the fundamental handle structure
3Device complexity
If the user contorts the hand and wrist to reach desired surfaces, then a single brush type can be used, but hand strain increases and visibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the handle provide different brush orientations and angles, allowing the operator to maintain a neutral, comfortable hand position while the local brush head orientation is optimized for the specific tooth surface being treated, reducing wrist contortion and improving visibility
Data Source
AI summary
A dental brush assembly includes an elongate handle having first and second coupling ends sized and shaped to couple with at least a first detachable dental brush. The first coupling end is at a first angle relative to a handle longitudinal axis and the second coupling end is at a second different angle relative to the handle longitudinal axis. The first coupling end includes first and second brush facing surfaces. The second coupling end includes third and fourth brush facing surfaces. The first detachable dental brush includes a directional brush surface and a brush end complementary to the first, second, third and fourth brush facing surfaces. The directional brush surface is directed in first, second, third or fourth non-identical orientations relative to the handle longitudinal axis depending on which brush facing surface the first detachable dental brush is oriented with.