Custom-Fit Dental Guard with Overmolded Core and Positioning Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental guards for bruxism are not fully customizable, often bulky, lack extended durability, and fail to ensure proper positioning within the user's mouth during forming.
Innovation Solution
A dental guard with a core formed from a first material having a higher softening point temperature, overmolded with a thermoplastic material having a lower softening point temperature, featuring a channel for maxillary teeth and positioning elements for proper alignment, allowing for custom fitting at home without the need for a dental professional.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a dental guard is made from a single soft thermoplastic material to allow custom fitting, then ease of operation is improved, but durability deteriorates because the material lacks sufficient strength to prevent tooth penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The dental guard combines a soft thermoplastic outer layer (for comfort and custom fitting) with a harder core material (for structural strength and tooth penetration resistance). This composite structure resolves the contradiction by allowing the soft material to contact teeth during customization while the hard core prevents structural failure during use.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the dental guard have different material properties: the outer surface layer is soft and moldable for custom fitting, while the internal core is hard and rigid for structural support. This local differentiation of material quality allows the guard to simultaneously achieve ease of customization and durability.
2Strength
If a dental guard is made bulky to ensure durability and structural integrity, then strength is improved, but comfort deteriorates due to uncomfortable separation between maxillary and mandibular teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The dental guard uses a thin, flexible outer thermoplastic shell that conforms to the user's teeth without creating excessive bulk. This thin shell provides sufficient structural integrity when combined with the internal core, while maintaining comfort by avoiding uncomfortable tooth separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of a thin soft outer layer with a harder internal core provides structural integrity without requiring the guard to be bulky. The composite structure allows the guard to be thin and comfortable while maintaining sufficient strength through the core material.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If a dental guard uses a thermoplastic material with high softening point temperature for durability, then durability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates because it requires specialized heating equipment beyond simple hot water
Solution Approach 1:
The outer thermoplastic layer is formulated with a low softening point temperature that allows customization using simple hot water (without requiring microwave ovens or specialized heating equipment). This parameter adjustment maintains durability while dramatically simplifying the manufacturing and customization process.
Solution Approach 2:
The dental guard uses materials with different softening temperatures in different layers: the outer layer has a low softening point for easy water-based customization, while the internal core has higher thermal stability for durability. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between ease of manufacture and durability.
4Device complexity
If a dental guard is made without positioning elements to simplify the design, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates because proper positioning within the user's mouth cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning elements are designed to automatically engage with corresponding features on the user's teeth (such as occlusal grooves) without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms. This self-positioning capability ensures manufacturing precision while maintaining relative structural simplicity.
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 comfortable, durable, and custom-fitted dental guard that prevents occlusal surface wear by allowing for precise adaptation to the user's teeth, enhancing durability and user comfort while addressing the limitations of prior guards.
Implementation Method 1
the outer layer is formed from a thermoplastic material having a second softening point temperature that is less than the first softening point temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A dental guard (10) for preventing wear of the occlusal surfaces of a user's teeth resulting from bruxism is provided. The dental guard (10) can be can be custom-fitted to the teeth of the wearer. The guard (10) comprises a durable core (14) that is overmolded by a thermoplastic outer layer (12). The outer layer (12) can be softened through exposure to hot, but not boiling, water, and then formed around the user's teeth. The guard (10) may include one or more features (32, 84) that assist the user in proper positioning of the guard within his or her mouth during the custom fitting process.