Multi-Lobe Dental Suction Tip for Low-Noise Tissue Retraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-volume evacuator (HVE) suction tools produce excessive noise and frequently suck soft tissue into the suction tip, causing plugging, patient discomfort, and potential laceration, requiring significant attention to maintain proper angling to avoid these issues.
Innovation Solution
A suction member with a distal end, elongate tubular portion, and connection end portion, featuring a suction tip with protruding lobes and peripheral vent openings that allow for fluid communication and pressure relief, reducing soft tissue plugging and noise, while enabling effective suction and tissue retraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If strong suction is applied using existing HVE tools, then material removal efficiency is improved, but noise level increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The suction tip is divided into multiple lobes (typically three) that are spaced apart circumferentially, creating separate suction zones. This segmentation allows the suction force to be distributed across multiple lobes rather than concentrated at a single point, reducing the suction strength at each individual lobe while maintaining overall material removal efficiency, thereby reducing noise generation
2Productivity
If strong suction is applied using existing HVE tools, then material removal efficiency is improved, but soft tissue is frequently sucked into the suction tip causing plugging
Solution Approach 1:
The suction tip is divided into multiple lobes spaced apart circumferentially, creating gaps between them. This segmentation provides pathways for soft tissue to pass through the gaps between lobes rather than being drawn into a single concentrated suction point, preventing plugging while maintaining effective material removal
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the suction tip have different properties: the lobes provide controlled suction zones while the gaps between lobes provide tissue passage channels. This local differentiation allows the tip to simultaneously perform suction and prevent tissue entrapment
3Ease of operation
If the suction tip is angled to avoid plugging soft tissue, then tissue retraction is improved, but the dentist must devote significant attention to maintaining proper angling
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-lobe structure with circumferentially spaced gaps provides inherent geometric guidance for tissue retraction. The lobes naturally guide tissue away from the suction path while the gaps provide escape routes, eliminating the need for precise manual angling control and reducing operational complexity
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
The design minimizes soft tissue plugging, reduces noise, and enhances suction efficiency by allowing for multiple angles of use, ensuring effective evacuation of fluids and debris while maintaining patient comfort.
Implementation Method 1
A peripheral vent opening is formed between each neighboring pair of the lobes, each peripheral vent opening extending proximally from a respective open distal end to a respective one of a plurality of proximally recessed surfaces... such that the peripheral vent openings are in fluid communication with the suction inlet passageway
Implementation Method 2
the tubular portion having a suction flow passageway extending longitudinally therethrough, the suction flow passageway being in fluid communication with the suction inlet passageway... adapted and configured to connect to the dental vacuum source so as to form a sealed suction flow path
Data Source
AI summary
A suction member for a high-volume evacuator (HVE) suction tool used in dental procedures. The suction member has a connection portion at a proximal end, a tubular portion connected to the connection portion, and a suction tip connected to the tubular portion at a distal end. The suction tip includes outwardly flared lobes and open-ended peripheral vent openings alternating about its circumference. The distal ends of the lobes are generally aligned in an oblique distal tangent plane inclined relative to a longitudinal axis of the tubular portion. The vent openings are spaced closer together towards a front side of the suction member, and the lobes include a widest and most flared rear lobe that is useful for soft tissue retraction.