Intraoral Dental Patch for Bone Conduction Hearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hearing loss treatments, such as conventional hearing devices and cochlear implants, face challenges in accessibility, stigma, inefficiency in manufacturing and fitting, and limited reach, particularly for sensorineural hearing impairment, which affects a significant portion of the population and cannot be medically or surgically reversed.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for transmitting vibrations through a patch attached to teeth or bone structures using an electronic and transducer assembly, which processes and amplifies sound signals via a vibrating transducer element, facilitating hearing without the need for invasive surgery or visible devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hearing devices are used, then hearing amplification is achieved, but device visibility and stigma increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses teeth as an intermediary medium to transmit sound vibrations directly to the inner ear, bypassing the need for traditional ear canal devices. This mediator approach allows sound transmission through an alternative pathway (teeth-bone-conduction) that eliminates visible hearing aids while maintaining hearing amplification effectiveness.
2Reliability
If cochlear implants are used, then severe hearing loss is treated, but surgical invasiveness and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the transducer component from invasive surgical implantation and places it externally on the teeth. This separation allows the beneficial vibration transmission function to be achieved without the harmful invasive surgery, taking out only the essential transducer function while removing the invasive delivery method.
3Manufacturing precision
If custom-manufactured hearing devices are produced, then individual fit is improved, but manufacturing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal transducer device that can be applied to any patient's teeth without custom manufacturing. The standardized design achieves individual fit through universal application on the patient's own teeth, eliminating the need for custom manufacturing while maintaining individualized treatment effectiveness.
4Reliability
If traditional hearing devices are used, then sound amplification is provided, but acoustic limitations and obtrusiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional acoustic amplification system (microphone-speaker-acoustic coupling) with a direct mechanical vibration system. The transducer mechanically vibrates the teeth, which then transmit vibrations directly to the inner ear, substituting acoustic transmission with mechanical bone conduction for improved performance and reduced obtrusiveness.
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 solution provides an efficient and safe means to improve hearing quality for individuals with sensorineural hearing loss by transmitting sound vibrations through teeth or bone structures, potentially reducing stigma and improving accessibility, while minimizing the complexity and duration of the treatment process.
Implementation Method 1
an actuatable transducer to generate sound through bone conduction
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a dental patch are disclosed herein. The patch assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded intra-orally on a tooth or oral tissue. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.