Dental Wire Attachment Shell for Precise Tooth Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental wire attachment methods are imprecise and require specialized knowledge and materials, leading to difficulties in stabilizing teeth post-treatment, as they often result in adverse movement of teeth back to their original or intermediate positions due to inadequate retention.
Innovation Solution
A wire attachment appliance with a shell having cavities shaped to receive teeth, featuring wire attachment members and material reservoirs, where a virtual or physical model is used to design and position the wire attachment components, allowing for precise placement and stabilization of the wire using attachment materials like adhesives or resins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional manual wire attachment methods are used by treatment professionals, then the process can be performed with existing equipment, but the positioning precision and adjustment accuracy are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The wire attachment appliance is pre-formed with cavities shaped to receive specific teeth and pre-positioned wire attachment members, allowing the wire to be accurately positioned and attached without requiring complex manual adjustment procedures during the treatment procedure
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance is created as a copy or mold of the patient's actual tooth arrangement, capturing the precise spatial relationships between teeth. This physical model enables accurate wire positioning that replicates the intended final tooth configuration without requiring complex measurement and calculation procedures
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom-shaped retainers are formed by treatment professionals just prior to attachment, then the retainers can be customized to patient needs, but the process is difficult and requires special knowledge and specialized materials
Solution Approach 1:
The wire attachment appliance is designed to be self-adapting to the patient's teeth through pre-formed cavities that receive the teeth in their natural positions. The appliance requires minimal professional manipulation during attachment, as the tooth positions and wire placement are predetermined by the appliance design rather than requiring complex custom shaping procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance is pre-formed with all necessary customization features before the treatment procedure, including cavities shaped to receive specific teeth and pre-positioned wire attachment members. This eliminates the need for complex custom shaping and adjustment procedures during the actual attachment process
3Reliability
If manual wire attachment methods are used, then existing equipment can be utilized, but the retention is inadequate leading to adverse tooth movement
Solution Approach 1:
The wire attachment system is divided into distinct functional components: the appliance body with tooth-receiving cavities, pre-positioned wire attachment members, and reservoirs for attachment material. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, ensuring reliable wire retention while simplifying the overall attachment process
Solution Approach 2:
The wire attachment appliance serves as an intermediary device between the wire and the teeth. It provides a stable, pre-positioned interface that ensures accurate wire placement and secure attachment, eliminating the variability and imprecision of direct manual wire attachment methods
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of attaching a wire to a dentition. The methods may include placing a shell on the dentition, where first cavity of the shell includes an attachment material reservoir for receiving an attachment material, and second cavity of the shell includes a wire attachment member having a slot for receiving the wire. The methods may also include placing the wire through the attachment material reservoir and through the slot of the wire attachment member to hold the wire in position with respect to a tooth within the first cavity. The methods may further include placing the attachment material within the attachment material reservoir to bond the attachment material and the wire to the tooth. Once the shell and the wire attachment member are removed from the dentition, the wire remains attached to the tooth via the attachment material.