Denture Base Socket with Convex Apex for High Alveolar Ridges

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional denture manufacturing methods face challenges in ensuring adequate thickness of the denture base for patients with high alveolar ridges, leading to increased manufacturing burden and potential issues with artificial teeth colliding with the alveolar ridge.

Innovation Solution

A denture base design featuring sockets with a convex basal surface and interdental papilla areas, where the socket apex is positioned higher than the artificial tooth apex, reducing the need for cutting and enhancing adhesion and fixing force.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the thickness of the denture base is reduced for patients with high alveolar ridges, then the fitting feeling is improved, but the artificial teeth collar portions may touch the alveolar ridge causing occlusal issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefitting feelingVSAvoidocclusal feeling
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The socket basal surface is designed with a convex shape that creates localized height variation. The socket apex portion is positioned higher than the interdental papilla areas, creating a localized elevated region directly under the artificial tooth while maintaining lower regions at the interdental papilla areas. This local quality differentiation allows the denture base to be thinner overall while ensuring the artificial tooth collar does not touch the alveolar ridge.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the denture base thickness is increased to prevent artificial teeth from touching the alveolar ridge, then occlusal feeling is improved, but the manufacturing burden increases due to required cutting of collar portions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveocclusal feelingVSAvoidmanufacturing burden
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The convex shape of the socket basal surface and the relative positioning of the socket apex portion are designed and formed in advance during the denture base manufacturing process. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent cutting of the artificial tooth collar portions, as the design inherently prevents contact between the collar and alveolar ridge.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Strength

If the socket basal surface is designed with a convex shape and elevated apex portion, then the adhesion area for artificial teeth is increased, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixing forceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The socket basal surface is designed with a convex curvature, and the socket apex portion is elevated to create a dome-like shape. This curvature increases the surface area available for adhesion of the artificial tooth while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process that can be integrated into conventional denture base fabrication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP3586790B1Denture plate and method of manufacture thereof, plate denture and method of manufacture thereof
Publication Date: 2022.06.29 MITSUI CHEMICALS INC
  • EP3586790B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3586790B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3586790B1 patent drawingFigure 2C~2E

AI summary

This invention provides a denture base with which it is not necessary for a collar portion of an artificial tooth to be cut beforehand in order to ensure a sufficient thickness in regard to a base portion of a denture for a patient with a high alveolar ridge. The denture base comprises: a base portion; a socket that is demarcated by a step portion from a gingival area of the base portion and to which an artificial tooth is to be attached; and interdental papilla areas of the gingival area, which are positioned at both ends of the socket along a tooth row and which correspond to interdental papillae between adjacent teeth, wherein, in a state in which the socket is facing upward, a basal surface of the socket has a ridge-shaped socket apex portion interconnecting the interdental papilla areas at both ends and is configured by a surface that is convex overall, a peripheral area of the basal surface is in mutually continuous abutment with the step portion, and the socket apex portion is positioned at substantially the same height as, or higher than, apex portions of the interdental papilla areas that are seen from a labial side in a state in which the artificial tooth is attached to the socket.