Dental Impression Kit Using Polyvinyl Siloxane Putty
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mouthguards, including stock, adjustable over-the-counter, and boil-and-bite types, often provide poor fit, comfort, and protection due to their non-personalized nature, with custom-fitted mouthguards being costly and requiring dental visits.
Innovation Solution
A dental impression acquisition kit that allows consumers to create personalized mouthguards by taking impressions of their teeth, using a combination of polyvinyl-siloxane putty and spacers, which can be sent to a lab for fabrication, incorporating neuromuscular myobite measurements to optimize fit and neuromuscular alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If custom-fitted mouthguards are made by a dentist, then fit and protection are improved, but cost and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The consumer performs the impression taking process themselves at home using the provided kit, eliminating the need for a dental appointment. The user mixes the putty, places it in the tray, and takes the impression independently, then sends it to the lab for fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a copy of the dental impression process that can be replicated at home. Instead of requiring a dentist to take the impression, the consumer uses the same putty material and tray system to create a copy of the impression process, which is then sent to the lab for mouthguard fabrication.
2Ease of manufacture
If over-the-counter mouthguards are used, then cost is reduced, but personalization and fit are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The consumer takes the impression themselves at home using the provided kit, eliminating the need for a dental appointment. The user mixes the putty, places it in the tray, and takes the impression independently, then sends it to the lab for fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional boil-and-bite thermoplastics to polyvinyl-siloxane putty, which provides superior impression accuracy. This material change enables better fit while maintaining the over-the-counter, cost-effective approach.
3Manufacturing precision
If boil-and-bite mouthguards are used, then personalization is improved, but comfort and accuracy are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional thermoplastic to polyvinyl-siloxane putty, which provides superior impression accuracy and comfort. This material change enables better fit while maintaining the at-home fabrication approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dental professional as an intermediary who reviews the consumer's impression and provides guidance on neuromuscular myobite measurements and mouthguard fabrication. This intermediary ensures quality control and optimization of the final product.
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
Enables the creation of customized mouthguards that improve fit, comfort, and protection, addressing issues of non-personalization and cost, while providing neuromuscular benefits such as improved head posture and reduced symptoms like sleep apnea and neck pain.
Implementation Method 1
The kit includes six cups of putty for forming the teeth impressions, including three cups of catalyst (which can include, for example, polyvinyl-siloxane... with, but not necessarily required, a 2 minute quick set)
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology relates to a kit for acquisition of human anatomy and a relationship of structures to each other for therapeutic or elective purposes including dental impression acquisition that can be employed by consumers to obtain an impression of their teeth that can be used to form a custom-fit mouthguard.