Dental Preparation Cuff Wedge Edge and Shore Hardness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental preparation sleeves lack patient compatibility and gentleness on both gums and teeth, particularly in exposing the transition area between the tooth neck and surrounding gums effectively.
Innovation Solution
A preparation sleeve made from materials with defined Shore hardness between 70A and 95A, such as thermoplastic elastomers or polyurethanes, designed for gentle exposure of the transition area, with features like a wedge-shaped edge for gum displacement, recesses for medication, and adaptable geometry for individual tooth anatomy, and the option for multiple uses after sterilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a preparation sleeve is made from softer material to be gentle on gums, then patient comfort improves, but the sleeve loses stability and effectiveness in exposing the transition area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by specifying a Shore hardness range (70A-95A) for the preparation sleeve material. This quantitative parameter optimization allows the material to be sufficiently soft to minimize gum irritation while maintaining enough firmness to effectively expose the transition area between the tooth neck and gums, thus resolving the contradiction between comfort and effectiveness.
2Reliability
If a preparation sleeve is made from harder material to effectively expose the transition area, then the exposure effectiveness improves, but patient comfort and gentleness on gums deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by establishing an optimized Shore hardness range (70A-95A) for the preparation sleeve material. This parameter specification ensures the material is firm enough to effectively expose the transition area while remaining soft enough to minimize gum irritation, balancing effectiveness with patient comfort.
3Device complexity
If a standard size sleeve is used to simplify the device, then device complexity reduces, but adaptability to specific tooth anatomy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses this contradiction by optimizing the flexibility parameter of the preparation sleeve material. The selected material with specific Shore hardness (70A-95A) provides sufficient flexibility to adapt to various tooth anatomies while maintaining structural integrity, allowing a standard size sleeve to effectively fit different patients' teeth without requiring multiple sizes or complex customization.
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 a gentle and effective exposure of the transition area, improving patient tolerance and compatibility by ensuring the sleeve is both flexible and stable, allowing for precise adaptation to the tooth anatomy while minimizing irritation and facilitating repeated use.
Implementation Method 1
The material can be a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE)... The Shore hardness of the material is in the range between 70A and 95A
Implementation Method 2
The edge area of the tooth opening, which has a wedge-shaped cross-section and tapers radially inwards, serves to lift or move the gum surrounding the preparation edge.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A dental preparation cuff (1) is used to expose a transition region (preparation edge) between a neck of a prepared tooth and the surrounding gums. The preparation cuff (1) has an opening (3) which is placed on the tooth, having a peripheral wall (4) with a radially inwards tapered wedge-shaped edge region (5) when seen in the cross-section. The preparation cuff (1) consists of a material having a Shore hardness in the range of from 70 A and 95 A. This results in a preparation cuff (1) which is better tolerated by the patient.