Dental Appliance Sensor Chamber with Orificed Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental appliances for sensing pH levels in the oral cavity are bulky and uncomfortable, causing distress to patients and limiting effective monitoring and control of oral health issues like dental caries and gingivitis.
Innovation Solution
A dental appliance with a sensor assembly and tooth cap that includes a recessed sensor chamber and a removable chamber cover with orifices, allowing for minimal discomfort and fluid communication with the oral cavity, supporting various sensing devices like pH sensors within the mouth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large dental devices are used to support sensing devices, then the sensing capability is improved, but patient comfort deteriorates causing significant discomfort and distress
Solution Approach 1:
The dental appliance is divided into multiple components: a tooth cap portion that interfaces with the patient's tooth, an abutment portion that connects to the jawbone, and a sensor support assembly that holds the sensing device. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the tooth cap can be made small and comfortable while the abutment provides stable support for the sensor assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor support assembly is nested within the abutment structure, which itself is integrated with the tooth cap. The sensing device is positioned within a recessed sensor chamber formed by the sensor support assembly, creating a nested configuration that minimizes the external footprint while maintaining internal sensor functionality.
2Measurement precision
If sensing devices are positioned within the oral cavity, then oral health monitoring is improved, but device size increases causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor chamber is positioned locally at the tip of the abutment portion, closest to the oral cavity environment. This localized positioning allows the sensing device to be in optimal proximity for detecting pH levels and other oral health parameters while the bulk of the appliance structure remains outside the oral cavity, minimizing intrusive volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance utilizes the vertical dimension by extending the abutment portion from the jawbone upward into the oral cavity space. This allows the sensor to access the oral environment through the vertical axis rather than requiring horizontal expansion, thereby maintaining a compact footprint while achieving effective sensing positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A dental appliance is described herein. The dental appliance includes an abutment device adapted to be coupled to a jawbone and a sensor support assembly coupled to the abutment device. The sensor support assembly includes a sensor chamber that is configured to receive a sensing device therein. A chamber cover is coupled to the sensor support assembly to enclose the sensor chamber. The chamber cover includes a plurality of orifices that are configured to couple the sensor chamber in flow communication with an oral cavity. A tooth cap is coupled to the abutment device and includes a cap opening to receive the sensor support assembly therein.