Elastically Deformable Bite Fork Stabilizer for Dental Impressions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dental instruments lack an effective method to stabilize a bite fork in a patient's mouth during the process of recording the maxillary teeth's relationship to the cranial base, which is crucial for accurate impressions and transfers to a jaw simulator.
Innovation Solution
An elastically deformable bite fork stabilizer is introduced, comprising an elastically deformable layer and an adhesive layer, which is coupled to the bottom surface of the bite fork to provide stabilization without permanent deformation, allowing for accurate recording and transfer of the maxillary-arch relationship.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid stabilizer is used to stabilize the bite fork, then stability is improved, but permanent deformation occurs under biting force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the stabilizer from rigid to elastically deformable. The stabilizer is made from materials with specific elastic properties (elastic modulus, yield strength) that allow it to deform under biting forces and return to its original shape, preventing permanent deformation while maintaining stability during the impression-taking process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures combining layers with different mechanical properties. The stabilizer may include an elastic layer, adhesive layer, and optional rigid support layers, creating a composite structure that balances flexibility for elastic deformation with sufficient strength to maintain stability and resist permanent deformation under occlusal forces.
2Device complexity
If no stabilizer is used, then the bite fork structure remains simple, but the bite fork becomes unstable when the patient bites down
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary stabilizer component between the bite fork and the patient's teeth. This stabilizer acts as a mediator that absorbs and distributes the biting forces, providing stability to the bite fork without requiring complex structural modifications to the bite fork itself. The stabilizer can be easily attached and removed, maintaining simplicity while solving the stability problem.
3Strength
If a deformable stabilizer is used to prevent permanent deformation, then stability under load is improved, but the stabilizer itself may deform during use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully selects and controls the material parameters of the stabilizer, specifically the elastic modulus and yield strength, to ensure the material deforms elastically within a specific range under biting forces but returns to its original shape. The design parameters include thickness, width, and material composition that are optimized to prevent both permanent deformation and excessive shape change during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embraces dynamic behavior by designing the stabilizer to flex and deform elastically in response to biting forces rather than resisting them rigidly. The stabilizer dynamically adapts to the applied loads, deforming within elastic limits and then recovering its original shape, which allows it to absorb shock and maintain functionality throughout the impression-taking process.
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 elastically deformable bite fork stabilizer effectively stabilizes the bite fork, enabling more accurate recording of the patient's teeth relationship to the cranial base and facilitating precise transfer to a mechanical jaw simulator, enhancing the reliability of dental impressions.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive layer on one side of the elastically deformable layer
Implementation Method 2
an elastically deformable layer
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for stabilizing a bite fork in a patient's mouth. The apparatus may include an elastically deformable bite fork stabilizer. The elastically deformable bite fork stabilizer may include an elastically deformable layer, an adhesive layer on one side of the elastically deformable layer, and a removable layer adhered to the adhesive layer.