Dental Scaler Force Feedback Control for Patient Pain Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental treatment devices, such as sonic and ultrasonic devices, often cause pain during periodontitis treatment due to mechanical interaction with the tooth surface and soft tissue, leading to discomfort and inefficiencies in treatment duration and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A dental device with a force-measuring component that allows patients to adjust the treatment power in real-time, enabling continuous or staged changes in operation based on felt pain, ensuring optimal adaptation of treatment to the patient's comfort level while maintaining therapeutic control for the dentist.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the power of the scaler is reduced to minimize patient pain, then patient comfort is improved, but treatment duration is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The scaler power is made dynamically adjustable during treatment through a force-measuring device that detects patient pressure and automatically modulates power output. This allows the system to transition between high power (for efficient plaque removal) and low power (for patient comfort) states based on real-time patient feedback, resolving the contradiction between treatment efficiency and patient comfort
Solution Approach 2:
A feedback loop is established where the patient's pressure on a button or foot pedal is continuously measured by a force-measuring device and used to automatically adjust the scaler power. This closed-loop control system enables the patient to actively regulate power levels, allowing high power when comfortable and low power when pain occurs, thereby maintaining both treatment efficiency and patient comfort
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the scaler power is reduced permanently to avoid pain, then patient comfort is improved, but treatment effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts power levels rather than operating at a fixed reduced power setting. The force-measuring device enables the scaler to deliver high power when the patient can tolerate it (ensuring treatment effectiveness) and reduce power only when necessary (maintaining comfort), thus avoiding the compromise of permanently reduced power while still preventing pain
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism allows the patient to signal when pain occurs through pressure on the control device, triggering automatic power reduction. This ensures that high power is maintained for maximum treatment effectiveness during pain-free periods, while power is reduced only when needed to prevent pain, thereby maintaining both effectiveness and comfort
3Object-affected harmful factors
If treatment is interrupted to address patient pain, then patient comfort is improved, but treatment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment continues uninterrupted because the power adjustment is automatic and continuous. When the patient presses the force-measuring device, the power is immediately reduced, allowing treatment to proceed without stopping. This eliminates treatment interruptions while still addressing pain, maintaining both patient comfort and treatment efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous feedback from the force-measuring device enables real-time power adjustment without treatment interruption. The system responds immediately to patient pressure signals, allowing the dentist to maintain continuous treatment while the automatic power control manages patient comfort, thereby avoiding treatment breaks
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 minimizes patient pain and optimizes treatment time by allowing immediate adjustments to device power based on pain perception, allowing the dentist to focus on the procedure without interrupting treatment, ensuring effective plaque removal and maintaining control over the treatment process.
Implementation Method 1
The means comprises a force-measuring device which can be actuated by the patient
Data Source
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AI summary
A device (208) for controlling a device (200) for treating a patient (202) is proposed. Treatment with the device (200) can cause pain, and a change in the operating mode of the device (200) is suitable for reducing the pain. The device comprises a force-measuring device (204) that can be actuated by the patient (202) and a component (206) that is suitable for changing the operating mode of the device (200) depending on the measured force. The device is typically used in periodontal treatment, but other treatments, particularly in dentistry, are also conceivable areas of application. This device achieves, in an easy-to-use manner, the minimization of the pain experienced by the patient during treatment.