Dental Splint with Reversible Sensor Holder for Compliance Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental splints, including aligners, face challenges in monitoring compliance and ensuring proper use, leading to potential inadequate treatment due to aesthetic concerns and discomfort, which can result in poor patient adherence.
Innovation Solution
A dental splint design featuring a reversibly attached sensor that can be reused across multiple splints, allowing for improved monitoring of compliance and treatment progress, with a thermoplastic body that minimizes discomfort and facilitates easy sensor attachment and detachment without damaging the splint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sensor is integrated into the dental splint, then compliance monitoring is improved, but the splint becomes more complex and more expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is separated from the splint as an independent component that can be attached to or removed from the splint. This segmentation allows the sensor to be reused across multiple splints while keeping each individual splint relatively simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is designed as a universal component that can be attached to multiple different splints throughout the treatment process. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple specialized sensors and lowers overall system complexity and cost.
2Reliability
If a sensor is integrated into the dental splint, then compliance monitoring is improved, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is designed to be recovered and reused across multiple splints rather than being discarded with each splint. This recovering approach significantly reduces material waste and production costs over the course of treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor serves multiple functions across multiple splints, maximizing its utility and reducing the total number of sensors that need to be manufactured, thereby lowering overall production costs.
3Reliability
If the sensor is permanently fixed in the splint, then monitoring reliability is improved, but the splint cannot be reused and material waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is segmented from the splint as a separate, detachable component. This allows the sensor to remain securely attached during use for accurate monitoring while enabling its removal and reuse with subsequent splints, preventing material waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is designed to be recovered and reused across multiple splints rather than being permanently fixed and discarded with each splint. This recovering approach significantly reduces material waste while maintaining monitoring reliability during each use period.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the sensor is easily detachable, then reusability is improved, but the connection strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor attachment mechanism is designed to be dynamic, providing strong secure attachment during the wear period for monitoring accuracy, while allowing easy detachment when removal is needed for reuse with the next splint. The connection strength is sufficient for the intended use but not permanent.
Data Source
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AI summary
Dental splint (10) comprising a plastic body (2) for intraoral wear on at least part of the teeth of a dental arch. The plastic body (2) has a sensor holder (11) which is designed to reversibly attach a sensor (20) to the plastic body (2).