Dental Implant Shock Absorber Flex Struts Bone Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental implants face challenges with osseointegration failure due to periodontal infection and heavy occlusal forces, which cause bone loss and implant failure, as they do not effectively dissipate compressive and shear forces, leading to stress concentration on the peri-implant bone.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a dental implant with a central shaft, index collar, and shock absorber mechanism, featuring flex struts that attach to the shaft and base, allowing for resilient movement and distributing forces over a larger area, mimicking the function of the periodontal ligament to reduce stress on the bone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid implant structures are used to provide strong support, then load-bearing capacity is improved, but stress concentration on peri-implant bone increases causing bone loss and implant failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible struts instead of rigid implant structures. These struts are designed to be resilient and capable of bending under occlusal loads, thereby distributing stresses along their length and preventing stress concentration at specific bone-implant interfaces. The flexible struts mimic the shock-absorbing characteristics of natural periodontal ligaments while providing structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the implant structure by using materials and geometries that provide controlled flexibility. The struts are designed with specific elastic moduli and cross-sectional properties that allow them to deform elastically under load, transforming the implant from a rigid structure into one that can dynamically adapt to and dissipate occlusal forces.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If shock absorber mechanism with flexible struts is implemented to dissipate forces, then stress on bone is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is segmented into multiple discrete flexible struts rather than using a single complex shock-absorbing mechanism. Each strut independently absorbs and dissipates forces, and the collective arrangement of struts provides the desired shock-absorbing functionality. This segmentation simplifies the overall design while achieving the goal of reducing bone stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible struts serve as intermediary elements between the rigid implant components and the surrounding bone tissue. These struts mediate the force transmission by deforming elastically, thereby protecting the bone from direct stress concentrations while maintaining structural connectivity. The struts act as a buffer zone that simplifies the interaction between rigid and compliant elements.
3Reliability
If flexible struts are used to mimic periodontal ligament function, then osseointegration success is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible struts are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: providing structural support, absorbing shock, enabling controlled micromotion, and facilitating force distribution. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, thereby simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining high reliability for osseointegration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite material structures for the flexible struts, combining materials with complementary properties to achieve the desired balance of flexibility and strength. This allows the struts to be manufactured with standard precision tolerances while still achieving the complex mechanical behavior needed for successful osseointegration and stress distribution.
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 design reduces stress on the bone by dissipating compressive and shear forces, minimizing microfractures, fibrous tissue formation, and bone resorption, thereby enhancing the structural integrity and longevity of the implant.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of flex struts may be formed of a resilient material... The central shaft may resiliently move between 0.1 mm and 1.0 mm with respect to the base when a force of between 70 to 150 Newtons is applied to the central shaft
Implementation Method 2
dissipating compressive and shear forces, minimizing microfractures, fibrous tissue formation, and bone resorption
Implementation Method 3
Osseointegration of implants are important to their success... The base may have an outer surface that includes a porous metal. The porous metal may be one of titanium, tantalum, and an alloy including one titanium, tantalum, and both titanium, tantalum
Implementation Method 4
The base may have an outer surface that includes a porous metal... coated with calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, derivatives of each or combinations including one or more thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A dental implant including a base, a central shaft and a shock absorber spacing and allowing limited movement between the base and the central shaft. The shock absorber may also contain a plurality of flex struts. The dental implant may further include an index collar covering an upper portion in the base.